If you’re in the market for a new iPhone, you likely have a nice list of the things that are important to you. A high-resolution camera, good storage space, and a strong user interface may be high on your wishlist, and there’s a good chance that battery life is up there, too. What good are all the bells and whistles that come with a new iPhone if it’s going to run out of juice halfway through the day?
What iPhone has the best battery life? Would you be surprised if I told you that it’s the newest and most expensive version available?
Let’s take a look at which model iPhone has the best battery life, whether it’s worth upgrading to the newest iPhone for that improved battery life, and a few tips for checking your iPhone battery and conserving battery life on the iPhone you’re currently using.
With each new iPhone release, Apple includes bigger camera sensors, more powerful processors, and higher screen resolution. These things require more battery power, so Apple delivers with bigger lithium-ion batteries and more advanced charging capabilities.
As of this writing, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, released in September 2023, has a battery life of up to 29 hours for video playback, making it one of the longest-lasting batteries in an iPhone to date.
To complicate matters, your current iPhone’s battery has degraded over time, and the best battery life that was touted in the specs of your once-new iPhone is already a thing of the past.
Battery life is important, no doubt about it, but in my opinion, it isn’t the most important thing. If your current battery won’t get you through the day, it might be time to upgrade, but only if other updates are equally important.
Remember, even the highest quality power bank is more affordable than a new iPhone!
We’re going to rank the top 10 iPhone models based on battery life alone, which will help you decide if it’s time to upgrade.
I should note that this comparison is based on brand-new iPhones that are currently available for sale. How you use your iPhone will dramatically affect battery life, and all batteries will degrade over time.
| Rank | iPhone model | Battery life (video playback) | Battery life (streaming video) |
| 1 | iPhone 15 Pro Max | Up to 29 hours | Up to 25 hours |
| 2 | iPhone 14 Pro Max | Up to 29 hours | Up to 25 hours |
| 3 | iPhone 13 Pro Max | Up to 28 hours | Up to 25 hours |
| 4 | iPhone 14 Pro Plus | Up to 26 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| 5 | iPhone 15 Pro | Up to 23 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| 6 | iPhone 14 Pro | Up to 23 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| 7 | iPhone 13 Pro | Up to 22 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| 8 | iPhone 15 | Up to 20 hours | Up to 16 hours |
| 9 | iPhone 14 | Up to 20 hours | Up to 16 hours |
| 10 | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Up to 20 hours | Up to 12 hours |
As you can see from the chart above, the Pro Max versions of iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and iPhone 15 provide the longest battery life of any iPhone model to date, and real-world tests seem to corroborate this data. If battery life is one of your top concerns, it is worth upgrading to the Pro Max model that fits within your budget.
If you’re already in the market for a new iPhone, and you’ve got money burning a hole in your wallet, then absolutely choose the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is the pinnacle of iPhones in 2023. Not only will the battery last beyond a full day of heavy use, but you’ll also get a bigger screen, a fantastic camera, and titanium sides for a lighter feel in your pocket and your hands.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera features a 5X optical zoom, an automatic portrait mode that seems to read your mind when photographing people and pets, and an action button so your camera never misses out when things start moving.
Fresh phone, fresh battery, library full of blurry photos and screenshots you’ll never look at? No, thank you. Before upgrading to a snazzy new iPhone, take some time to clean up your old one. With CleanMy®Phone, you can quickly find photos that are taking up too much room on your phone — duplicates, screenshots, blurry images, similar shots, and other clutter.
Just run the Organize module to find similar shots and the Declutter scan to see all other digital clutter. Select what to remove and tap Clean — it will all be sent to the Recently Deleted album in your Photos app. Now, the photos you do want will be easier to find, and you can feel good about moving all of them over to your new iPhone.
If you’re not ready to shell out big bucks for iPhone’s newest superstar, consider the weightier Pro Max versions from past years, which feature the same stunning 6.7” displays, stainless steel construction, and pro camera system. The difference in battery life between the two models is negligible, and both should take you through a day of heavy use without having to recharge.
If the camera is important to you, the iPhone 14 Pro Max takes super high-resolution photos at 48 MP, much higher than the iPhone 13 Pro Max at 12 MP.
Starting with iOS 15, Apple made it incredibly easy to check your battery’s health and usage on your iPhone. Within Settings, you can see if your battery is working at peak performance, whether it needs to be serviced, and insights into things that might be affecting the life of your battery. Here’s how to find the information about the battery on your iPhone:
If you aren’t quite ready to upgrade your iPhone to a model with better battery life, take heart; you can take steps now to prolong the battery on your current iPhone. Here are a few tips that will help:
The iPhone 15 Pro Max has the best battery life of any iPhone to date. Does that mean you should upgrade? I think it’s worth upgrading if you’re ready for a new phone with all the bells and whistles that come with it. If you simply want better battery life, you do best to follow the tips above and wait to upgrade your iPhone.