The best phones for battery life in 2024

Taking the top spot of our roundup, the HONOR Magic6 Pro is a bold step in the right direction for phone battery life, offering not only the best battery capacity of any smartphone right now, but also some of the quickest charging around.

Capable of supporting up to 80W charging, quadrupling the wired charging power of most smartphones out there. The result is a fully charged battery at just over an hour and a battery life that lasts over three days with standard use.

For those of you mistaken that the Magic6 Pro must have fairly undemanding hardware to successfully run that long without losing power, think again. The Magic6 Pro comes equipped with a 50MP triple camera, as well as a shockingly good 50MP front camera, which is practically unheard of in the smartphone world.

Photography looks vivid, detailed and exciting, and is all the better to look at on the 6.8-inch OLED screen. Under the hood, the Honor Magic6 Pro has an ultra-powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which provides silky-smooth browsing when used on its 120 Hz screen.

For some users, especially those new to Honor phones, the switch to MagicOS from classic Android can feel undoubtedly jarring. There's a certain lack of polish to MagicOS that is slightly unappealing: navigation feels a little confusing, things aren't quite where you'd expect them to be, and it lacks the freedom you have with Android OS.

That being said, over time you're bound to become used to MagicOS, and after that - you'll find that the Honor Magic6 Pro is one of the best phones of the year, let alone for its monstrous battery life, compelling camera and all-in-all beautiful design.

An excellent choice for budget buyers, the HONOR X7b is perhaps one of the finest phones under £150 available this year, and that's no overstatement.

A great 6.8-inch screen, solid camera, and plenty of storage for photos, games and more, the X7b offers unbeatable value on what is a great smartphone experience for its price. What makes it truly special, however, is its breathtaking battery life.

Lasting almost four days with moderate use, the Honor X7b boasts a practically unparalleled battery life in its price range, making it perfect for those who forget their charger amidst the morning rush, or are too far from the plug before bed.

Though its battery capacity is seriously impressive, we find the almost three hours required to fully charge to be somewhat offputting. Though this may be a downside of its enormous battery capacity, it's a long time to have to wait, as efficient as this phone is.

A mighty budget smartphone for less than £200, the Honor X7b is unquestionably the best choice you can make for your smartphone experience and your wallet.

A great choice for mid-budget buyers, the brand-new Samsung A35 5G smartphone has just hit shelves, and it vastly improves upon its budget predecessors.

Beautifully designed with an aesthetic that is similar to Samsung's flagship S24 line, this sturdy smartphone's thin bezels and tough backing make for a satisfying, ergonomic feel in hand. As for its camera, Samsung rarely disappoints when it comes to camera quality, even on its cheaper models. This 50MP triple camera setup is perfect for bold photography, coming with a strong array of modes to toy with when you're on the go.

One of its most impressive features, however, has to be its excellent 48 hours of battery life, a rarity amongst phones of its price. This long-lasting battery charges fully in a flash, so it's there when you need it in the nick of time.

Some users have noted the A35's duller colours and dimmer display compared to high-end Samsung models, which is a given considering it's a fraction of the cost, but it's certainly something to consider if you're looking for a great screen.

A brilliant phone under £500, with plenty of hardware to enjoy gaming and smooth navigation throughout the day, the Samsung A35 is a sensational smartphone that's worth every penny.

With a battery life of 32 hours, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 is already deserving of mention here, but its the charging speed that sets it apart. At 33W, it's comparable to much more expensive models. If you use your phone constantly and hate being tied down to a power bank, the Note 12 will ensure you're never charging for long.

We're also quite pleased by the storage capacity of this phone. At 128GB, it's unlikely that you'll ever need to delete much to create space. If you need to download or transfer large files, the Note 12 won't struggle to accommodate them.

As for camera performance, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 is exceptionally good for the price, taking solid pictures with its 48MP triple camera setup, a brilliant resolution for its ultra-low price. Pictures on the Redmi Note 12 aren't game-changing for the price, of course, and there's a noticeable amount of distortion at night or in darker locations, but it's to be expected in a phone of its price.

A particular downside of buying a cheaper smartphone is the noticeable downgrade in build quality: the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 is plasticky and brittle, meaning it's slightly open to damage if dropped on the floor. For the price, however, it's understandable why it's so affordable, and it makes for a great backup phone, or an ideal phone for those on a budget.

The cutting-edge of Apple technology, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a flagship phone in every aspect: stunningly designed, second-to-none performance, and a stellar battery life that'll get you through the day without a hitch.

Equipped with a seriously stunning 48MP triple camera, photography on the 15 Pro Max is some of the best ever, with an eye-catching depth typically only found on professional cameras. Snapping natural, vibrant photos has never been easier: the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max might not have the highest megapixel count of modern smartphones, but its lens technology and post-processing techniques are practically unrivalled.

As for battery life, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is certainly impressive, clocking in around 70 hours of use, which is a surprising amount considering the raw power that its high-end hardware must require. Reaching 80 per cent charge in just under an hour, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is ready to use again in a flash, even when completely depleted.

One of the best smartphones for photography of the year, and an all-around impressive smartphone experience, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a terrific pick for technology enthusiasts, despite its incredibly high price.

If you're looking for great battery life over a couple of days, an endless array of cutting-edge technology, and what is potentially the finest Android smartphone experience on the market right now - the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the smartphone you've been looking for.

With a whopping 56-hour battery life to outcompete any flagships on the market, the S24 Ultra is a solid investment into top-tier performance. Still sporting the 6.8-inch screen, but this time without the curve for less screen glare, the Samsung S24 Ultra exudes premium quality and is simply brilliant to use throughout the day.

Equipped with the ever-brilliant S-pen, alongside the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, gamers are likely to have a blast with the S24 Ultra on account of its raw gaming power, handling anything that's thrown at it with ease.

As for camera quality, the S24 Ultra is a cut above its competition with perhaps the most powerful smartphone camera on the market: its 200MP camera is legendary, and it's as good as it sounds. Now, the S24 Ultra has even more zoom, so those long-distance pictures look better than they ever have before.

For those with smaller hands and shallow pockets, the S24 Ultra's size might seem a little daunting: at 6.8 inches, it's a very large smartphone, there's no denying it. If you can't handle bigger phones or don't want the extra weight in your pocket, you might want to steer clear of our top pick.

If, however, performance is what concerns you most, this big-battery life smartphone is the ultimate pick for you: bold, brilliant and beautifully designed, the Samsung S24 Ultra is one of the best smartphones of the year, and its battery life is most impressive.

One of the cheapest smartphones from Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy A15 is perfect for ultra-low budget buyers in search of an entry-level phone with impressive performance. With a brilliant design that far exceeds its value price, the Samsung A15 is one of the best-looking smartphones in the entry-level range.

Performance on the Samsung A15 is by no means exceptional, there is some slowness around multitasking and navigation, but it's otherwise strong for its cost, you'll have easy access to apps, videos and even some gaming, which is rare amongst cheaper phones.

Despite its 2024 release, the A15 doesn't have 5G support, which is a bit of a blow for those on a 5G contract. That being said, having 5G connectivity on such a cheap phone rarely happens, so it's no wonder it isn't possible on the A15 either.

As for battery life, the two-day power of the A15 is brilliant, it's perfect for late nights and days when access to a charger is limited, which is exactly what you want out of your smartphone. A brilliantly cheap smartphone that's great for those with low budgets, or for younger people in need of a tough phone, the A15 is perfect for its price.

A bargain at less than £300, the HONOR Magic6 Lite is the latest midrange smartphone from HONOR, and its impressive hardware is enough to make it an excellent choice for strong battery life performance.

This beautifully designed phone pulls no punches when it comes to giving users the best value for money: its 8GB of RAM rivals laptops, and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 processor is brilliant for the phone's overall cost. We particularly love the Magic6's magnificent bezelless display, with pushes the boundaries of phones in its price range, whilst giving you excellent picture quality.

AMOLED, 120Hz and at 6.8 inches, this magnificent smartphone is perfect for those who enjoy kicking back and relaxing after a long days work. Its camera is also impressive for the price, with a 108MP triple camera which is undoubtedly powerful for its price. If there were any downsides to the Magic6 Lite's camera, we'd certainly note its tendency to oversaturate images, especially when people are concerned.

Its battery life, however, is fantastic, offering a whopping 77 hours of moderate use, a true step in the right direction for budget phones. What strengthens the phone's battery life even more so is its ability to charge to 0 per cent in less than an hour. This rapid charging, paired with its enormous battery capacity makes the Honor Magic6 Lite a contender for one of the best phones under £300, let alone the best phones for battery life ever made.

An upcoming technology that's increasingly growing more prevalent in the smart technology world, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold5 is easily one of the finest folding phones on the market. Essentially a tablet in its unfolded mode, the Fold5 is immensely powerful compared to its competition, and has a battery life that'll outcompete most on the market.

This enormous 7.8-inch screen is a marvel of folding OLED technology, opening a realm of flexible screen technology for the future, but for now - we're still pretty amazed. What's most impressive about the Fold5 must be its screen: the 7.8-inch size is terrific, but it works just as well whilst folded, despite being a little bulky.

Packed with power the Fold5's whopping 12GB of RAM is simply remarkable, outcompeting most laptops despite its size. And then there's the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which delivers tremendous performance at terrific speed, giving gamers a new lease on life.

As for its battery life, the Fold5 is, needless to say, impressive: at around 54 hours of charge, despite its multiple massive screens, the Fold5 offers 54 hours of playtime, which is undeniably brilliant.

As for its cameras, they certainly leave something to be desired despite its price. With a particularly poor 4MP front camera, there are much cheaper phones with higher resolution cameras, so it's quite shocking to see on a phone of this price. But when factoring in that there are two front cameras for both folded and unfolded modes, you might begin to understand why it's so weak.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is a one-of-a-kind smartphone with brilliant performance, gorgeous visuals and plenty to offer those who enjoy gaming.

Enduring the knocks and tumbles of modern life in its stride, the Nokia XR21 is designed and manufactured to solider on through thick and thin, regardless of how clumsy you truly are.

With a battery life that's practically double the amount of even some flagship smartphones, the Nokia XR21 will last an entire day's worth of scrolling through socials and photo taking, with plenty of battery left to spare for Candy Crush afterwards.

Nokia's XR21 is perfect for those who work long hours in need of a phone that'll survive being occasionally slid across the floor or bounced off of concrete - it's certainly one tough phone.

Save yourself from spending hundreds on a shiny smartphone that'll only become cracked after landing on its corner once - get yourself a truly durable phone that'll never fall short on battery life.

Read our full Nokia XR21 review.