The iPhone 18 Pro Max finished first overall in CNET's battery comparison of 32 smartphones, and Apple phones led individual tests as well.
CNET ran two tests totaling three hours and 45 minutes. The first measured battery drain during three hours of video streaming over Wi-Fi at maximum screen brightness. The second mixed video playback, video calls, gaming and social media for 45 minutes. Every phone started at 100%, and CNET averaged the remaining percentages to build the overall ranking.
In the mixed-use test, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, each had 99% left, sharing first place. Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL kept 97%, up from the Pixel 10 Pro XL's 93% in the same test. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro won the streaming test, retaining 94% after three hours. CNET also singled out the iPhone 17, Motorola's Razr and the Razr Ultra for strong results across both tests.
CNET attributed the 18 Pro Max's lead to a bigger battery than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the efficiency of the A20 Pro chip and iOS 27 optimizations.
The more interesting result is lower down. The $1,999 iPhone Duo tied for fourth overall, with the same combined result as the $699 iPhone 17e and the $1,400 Motorola Razr Ultra. In this test, at least, a foldable's price premium bought no extra battery life over a budget iPhone.
CNET also said phones tested in 2026 averaged about the same battery performance as those tested in 2025 and 2024. So the Pixel's jump from 93% to 97% and the iPhone's win are gains for specific models, not signs that the whole field improved. CNET added that larger batteries do not automatically mean longer use, since displays, processors and other features all draw power.
The test is also one outlet's method: short sessions at fixed settings, not a week of real use. In its manufacturer comparison, run for the second consecutive year and limited to brands with multiple tested models, CNET placed OnePlus second.