Samsung has used the same 5,000 mAh battery in its phones for six years, while Apple has recently matched that capacity.
From Note 7 safety fears to regulatory roadblocks, Samsung stuck to a 5,000 mAh battery for its most coveted flagship line. However, its closest competitor is quickly catching up.
The Galaxy S Ultra line of Samsung flagships has consistently used a 5,000 mAh battery since its introduction in early 2020.
The Galaxy S20 Ultra, S21 Ultra, S22 Ultra, S23 Ultra, S24 Ultra, and S25 Ultra all feature 5,000 mAh batteries, and the S26 Ultra will likely have one too.
A 5,000 mAh battery was impressive in 2020, especially in the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but it's become less so as nearly six years have passed.
Rivals have improved in this area. Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max had a weaker battery at the start of the decade, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max now surpasses Samsung with a 5,088 mAh battery.
Apple's battery capacity has increased while Samsung has maintained similar battery sizes.
Battery life depends on more than just capacity; efficiency is also important. Samsung's optimization has improved battery life significantly across its flagship models.
Here is a summary of how Samsung's flagship phones have performed in custom battery tests over the years, demonstrating the overall improvement in efficiency. Each generation shows better battery life, with the biggest gain from the S22 Ultra to the S23 Ultra.
Battery Life
Charging
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
5000 mAh
8h 0min 20h 49min 8h 54min 14h 21min
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 39min 20h 6min 8h 18min 13h 53min
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 17min 18h 57min 8h 54min 10h 59min
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
5000 mAh
5h 24min 13h 17min 7h 27min 7h 15min
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5000 mAh
6h 15min 14h 43min 8h 52min 8h 40min
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
5h 57min 10h 2min 10h 29min 9h 12min
Find out more details about battery and charging for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Battery Score page
Battery Life
Charging
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
5000 mAh
8h 0min 20h 49min 8h 54min 14h 21min
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 39min 20h 6min 8h 18min 13h 53min
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 17min 18h 57min 8h 54min 10h 59min
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
5000 mAh
5h 24min 13h 17min 7h 27min 7h 15min
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5000 mAh
6h 15min 14h 43min 8h 52min 8h 40min
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
5h 57min 10h 2min 10h 29min 9h 12min
Find out more details about battery and charging for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Battery Score page
Battery Life
Charging
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
5000 mAh
8h 0min 20h 49min 8h 54min 14h 21min
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 39min 20h 6min 8h 18min 13h 53min
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 17min 18h 57min 8h 54min 10h 59min
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
5000 mAh
5h 24min 13h 17min 7h 27min 7h 15min
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5000 mAh
6h 15min 14h 43min 8h 52min 8h 40min
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
5h 57min 10h 2min 10h 29min 9h 12min
Battery Life
Charging
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
5000 mAh
8h 0min 20h 49min 8h 54min 14h 21min
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 39min 20h 6min 8h 18min 13h 53min
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 17min 18h 57min 8h 54min 10h 59min
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
5000 mAh
5h 24min 13h 17min 7h 27min 7h 15min
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5000 mAh
6h 15min 14h 43min 8h 52min 8h 40min
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
5h 57min 10h 2min 10h 29min 9h 12min
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
5000 mAh
8h 0min 20h 49min 8h 54min 14h 21min
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 39min 20h 6min 8h 18min 13h 53min
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 17min 18h 57min 8h 54min 10h 59min
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
5000 mAh
5h 24min 13h 17min 7h 27min 7h 15min
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5000 mAh
6h 15min 14h 43min 8h 52min 8h 40min
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
5h 57min 10h 2min 10h 29min 9h 12min
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
5000 mAh
8h 0min 20h 49min 8h 54min 14h 21min
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 39min 20h 6min 8h 18min 13h 53min
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
7h 17min 18h 57min 8h 54min 10h 59min
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
5000 mAh
5h 24min 13h 17min 7h 27min 7h 15min
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5000 mAh
6h 15min 14h 43min 8h 52min 8h 40min
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
5h 57min 10h 2min 10h 29min 9h 12min
Phone
Full Charging
30 min Charge
Wired
Wireless
Wired
Wireless
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
5000 mAh
1h 9min
1h 58min
68%
33%
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5000 mAh
1h 9min
1h 58min
68%
33%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
1h 6min
1h 56min
68%
26%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
5000 mAh
1h 2min
Untested
66%
Untested
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5000 mAh
1h 8min
Untested
55%
Untested
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
0h 59min
Untested
59%
Untested
Find out more details about battery and charging for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Battery Score page
iPhone battery life trends have fluctuated more. The iPhone 15 Pro Max saw a dip, making the iPhone 16 Pro Max's improvement more noticeable, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max's dip more pronounced.
This is less consistent than Samsung's flagship performance.
Battery Life
Charging
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5088 mAh
7h 46min 20h 9min 9h 37min 11h 34min
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
4685 mAh
8h 30min 22h 39min 10h 24min 12h 4min
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
4422 mAh
7h 26min 19h 20min 9h 45min 9h 36min
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
7h 39min 19h 5min 11h 0min 8h 39min
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
4352 mAh
7h 38min 18h 52min 10h 23min 10h 29min
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
3687 mAh
5h 59min 14h 6min 8h 37min 8h 1min
Find out more details about battery and charging for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Battery Score page
Battery Life
Charging
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5088 mAh
7h 46min 20h 9min 9h 37min 11h 34min
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
4685 mAh
8h 30min 22h 39min 10h 24min 12h 4min
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
4422 mAh
7h 26min 19h 20min 9h 45min 9h 36min
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
7h 39min 19h 5min 11h 0min 8h 39min
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
4352 mAh
7h 38min 18h 52min 10h 23min 10h 29min
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
3687 mAh
5h 59min 14h 6min 8h 37min 8h 1min
Find out more details about battery and charging for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Battery Score page
Battery Life
Charging
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5088 mAh
7h 46min 20h 9min 9h 37min 11h 34min
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
4685 mAh
8h 30min 22h 39min 10h 24min 12h 4min
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
4422 mAh
7h 26min 19h 20min 9h 45min 9h 36min
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
7h 39min 19h 5min 11h 0min 8h 39min
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
4352 mAh
7h 38min 18h 52min 10h 23min 10h 29min
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
3687 mAh
5h 59min 14h 6min 8h 37min 8h 1min
Battery Life
Charging
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5088 mAh
7h 46min 20h 9min 9h 37min 11h 34min
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
4685 mAh
8h 30min 22h 39min 10h 24min 12h 4min
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
4422 mAh
7h 26min 19h 20min 9h 45min 9h 36min
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
7h 39min 19h 5min 11h 0min 8h 39min
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
4352 mAh
7h 38min 18h 52min 10h 23min 10h 29min
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
3687 mAh
5h 59min 14h 6min 8h 37min 8h 1min
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5088 mAh
7h 46min 20h 9min 9h 37min 11h 34min
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
4685 mAh
8h 30min 22h 39min 10h 24min 12h 4min
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
4422 mAh
7h 26min 19h 20min 9h 45min 9h 36min
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
7h 39min 19h 5min 11h 0min 8h 39min
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
4352 mAh
7h 38min 18h 52min 10h 23min 10h 29min
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
3687 mAh
5h 59min 14h 6min 8h 37min 8h 1min
Phone Battery Life
estimate Browsing Video Gaming
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5088 mAh
7h 46min 20h 9min 9h 37min 11h 34min
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
4685 mAh
8h 30min 22h 39min 10h 24min 12h 4min
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
4422 mAh
7h 26min 19h 20min 9h 45min 9h 36min
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
7h 39min 19h 5min 11h 0min 8h 39min
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
4352 mAh
7h 38min 18h 52min 10h 23min 10h 29min
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
3687 mAh
5h 59min 14h 6min 8h 37min 8h 1min
Phone
Full Charging
30 min Charge
Wired
Wireless
Wired
Wireless
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5088 mAh
1h 16min
Untested
64%
Untested
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
4685 mAh
1h 42min
1h 58min
57%
42%
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
4422 mAh
2h 1min
2h 36min
53%
29%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
1h 38min
2h 54min
55%
26%
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
4352 mAh
1h 40min
2h 28min
53%
31%
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
3687 mAh
1h 58min
Untested
48%
Untested
Find out more details about battery and charging for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Battery Score page
Here is a comparison of the two device lineups.
Despite maintaining the same battery size, Samsung has enhanced battery life with each generation.
One reason for Samsung's cautious approach to battery sizes may be the Galaxy Note 7 incident in 2016, where a battery design flaw caused fires and safety risks. The device was banned on flights in multiple countries.
Since 2017, Samsung has implemented an 8-point battery safety test to prevent similar issues.
This has been effective; no Samsung phone since the Note 7 has experienced such widespread battery problems.
However, regulatory factors also influence Samsung's choice of 5,000 mAh batteries.
US regulation 49 CFR § 173.185 limits lithium-ion cells to 20 Wh. The Galaxy S Ultra's battery is 5,000 mAh, multiplied by 3.8V, which equals 19 Wh.
OnePlus used a dual-cell battery in the OnePlus 113 to bypass this restriction, as each cell was under 20 Wh.
EU regulations also classify batteries larger than 5,000 mAh as "dangerous goods," influencing battery sizes in European models.
For example, the Vivo X300 Pro has a 6,510 mAh battery in China but a 5,440 mAh version globally to meet Western regulations.
The consistent 5,000 mAh battery in Galaxy S Ultra phones is not a major concern, as battery life has improved over time.
While a 7,000 mAh battery might be appealing, it is unlikely in the near future.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to have a 5,000 mAh battery. Hopefully, the trend of increasing battery endurance will continue.
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