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Which Samsung Galaxy outlasts the rest on battery life? Not the one you expect

By Kailla Coomes and David Cogen June 24, 2018

Ever wonder if newer phones actually boast better battery life than their predecessors? To find out, we to put the Galaxy S9 Plus and several other Samsung phones — specifically the S8, S8 Plus, and Note 8 — to the test. The company’s website claims that the S9 Plus lasts longer than the standard S9, but does it outperform previous Galaxy models?

To ensure no outside variables hindered our experiment, we made sure that each phone was connected to the same Wi-Fi network and the same social media accounts, and receiving notifications in the same way. The display brightness on each device was also identical. To test the overall longevity of each battery, we played a continuous loop of the beloved Nyan Cat video, and waited patiently to see which phone would last the longest.

Battery test results

1st: Galaxy S8 Plus
2nd: Galaxy Note 8
3rd: Galaxy S8
4th: Galaxy S9 Plus

Three hours in, there wasn’t a noticeable difference; the Note 8 still had 74-percent battery life, the S8 and S8 Plus were hovering around 72 percent, and the S9 Plus was in the middle with 73 percent. Fast forward an impressive 12 hours and 7 minutes, and we have our winner, the S8 Plus. The Note 8 came in second at 11 hours and 13 minutes, while third and fourth place went to the S8 and S9 Plus, respectively.

It’s hard to say why the S8 Plus lasted significantly longer than the other models — especially since they all sport similar battery sizes and identical processors — but clearly, it’s the S8 Plus has something going for it. In another recent battery battle, we put a host of flagships, including the Galaxy S9 Plus and S8 Plus, to the same test. The Galaxy S8 Plus was again victorious, with the S9 Plus coming in at a close second.

Keep in mind, however, the battery test is just a simplified overview of how long your phone may last. The S9 Plus is still a fantastic device… even if the battery life could be better.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr.com, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him over at Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

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