iPhone 17 battery test: Runtime of all models in a direct comparison

The iPhone 17 is officially here, and as with every new generation, attention immediately turns to battery life. After all, it often determines how useful a smartphone actually is in everyday life. Initial tests provide insight into how long the new models last and how big the differences between the variants really are.

The iPhone 17 series consists of the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the ultra-thin iPhone Air. Battery life is a crucial factor for many, as thinner cases or more powerful chips can significantly impact battery life. The Tech Chap therefore subjected the new devices to a realistic test : YouTube videos were played continuously via Wi-Fi and cellular until the smartphones died. The iPhone 16 Pro Max served as the reference, with a battery life of 7 hours and 29 minutes. The results are surprising and show that the differences between the models are smaller than initially expected.

iPhone 17 Pro Max as the new leader

The iPhone 17 Pro Max significantly surpasses the previous benchmark set by the iPhone 16 Pro Max. At 7 hours and 58 minutes, it's the most durable model in the new series and also the device with the longest battery life in the entire comparison.

iPhone 17 Pro beats last year's model

The iPhone 17 Pro also shows significant improvements, achieving a runtime of 7 hours and 30 minutes, which is better than the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This clearly shows that the Pro models have become noticeably more efficient, thanks in no small part to the new A19 processor.

iPhone 17 in the middle field

The standard iPhone 17 model lasts 6 hours and 55 minutes. This puts it ahead of the iPhone Air but lags behind the Pro models. The difference isn't as significant as you might expect, however, and shows that even the base model offers solid battery performance.

iPhone Air weaker, but better than expected

The iPhone Air received a lot of attention in advance. Due to its thin casing, it offers the smallest battery capacity in the series. As expected, it landed in last place with 6 hours and 43 minutes. However, the gap is smaller than many had feared. The difference to the iPhone 17 is only 12 minutes, which should be barely noticeable in everyday use.

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Everyday experiences show differences

The values from this test are approximate and depend heavily on usage. Factors such as network coverage, display brightness, or apps running in the background significantly influence battery life. Initial everyday experience has shown that the iPhone Air is often drained of power by early evening, while the Pro models still have plenty of battery life. It's also noticeable that the specific test with YouTube streaming likely represents a situation that the A19 chip in the Air handles particularly efficiently. Battery life could vary significantly for other tasks.

iPhone 17 impresses with longer battery life

The iPhone 17 series shows noticeable improvements in battery performance overall. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, in particular, is emerging as the new leader, and the iPhone 17 Pro also impresses with a longer battery life than last year's model. The standard iPhone 17 model lands in the solid middle range, while the iPhone Air, although offering the shortest battery life, performs significantly better than many had previously expected. Numerous further tests will follow with the official launch, which should paint a more comprehensive picture. However, one thing is already clear: The iPhone 17 brings improvements that are noticeable in everyday use. (Image: Apple)