Considering a new iPhone? The 17 still ranks the best in the US for battery life in our lab test

Tech>Smartphones>iPhone Data Byte: Apple's iPhone 17 lineup, particularly the iPhone 17 Pro Max, feature some of the best battery life we've tested. Senior Editor Senior Editor September 8, 2026, 12:32 pm ET Follow ZDNET:Add us as a preferred sourceon Google. Apple's annual device launch event is this week, which means we'll be getting iPhone 18 models, allegedly with updates to features like camera, performance, and battery life (and a rumored foldable phone). But if you already have aniPhone 17 model, it may be wise to keep it for its battery life alone. ZDNETtested 17 smartphones for their battery lifeearlier this year — including devices from Samsung, Google, Motorola, and more — and all three iPhone 17 models had the second-highest battery-life averages in the general usage test we performed, running close behind the two OnePlus phones we tested. Our general usage tested lasted 30 minutes and consisted of 10 minutes of social media browsing (Instagram and Reddit), 10 minutes of gaming (Asphalt 9), and 10 minutes of video calling (Google Meet on iOS and Android for consistency). The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max had a combined battery life average of 97.3% after our general usage testing. As you can see in the chart below, that number is only 0.2% off the two OnePlus models' average battery life of 97.5%. Senior contributing editor and smartphone reviewer Kerry Wan said he wasn't shocked by Apple's battery performance. 'Having reviewed the latest iPhones, I've always found them to have the best standby battery, thanks in part to Apple's aggressive approach to memory and background tasks management,' Wan said. 'Pair that with the largest battery capacity found on an iPhone, and you've got the 17 Pro Max model dropping the least percentage within the 30-minute general usage test.' Most notably, the iPhone 17 Pro Max performed the best out of the three iPhone models, with 88% battery remaining after our three-hour video playback test. This makes the iPhone 17 Pro Max the runner-up for ourLab Award, behind the OnePlus 15, which had a remaining battery life of 89%. However, it's important to note that the OnePlus brand isno longer available in the North American and European smartphone market. As far as the new iPhone 18 Pro models go, there are rumors that the devices will have an even bigger battery than the 17 Pro Max's estimated 4,823 mAh: reports suggest that the new lineup may have a battery capacity in the5,400 to 5,800 mAh range, which would mean they'd have the largest capacity of any current or previous iPhone. There is also the possibility that Apple tapped into silicon-carbon material for denser yet thinner power packs in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. Our lab will run the same battery-life tests on the new devices once they are released to see how they compare with other brands and the iPhone 17 generation. But if you have an iPhone 17 model right now — especially thePro Max— know that the battery life is one of the best there is on the market currently, especially if you reside in North America or Europe and can't get the OnePlus models. Please accept cookies to view the comments powered by Disqus.