iPhone 18 Pro Max Tops Cnet Battery Test

Cnet's test of 28 smartphones ranked Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max first for battery life, with Apple leading among manufacturers.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Consumer Electronics

iPhone 18 Pro Max Tops Cnet Battery Test

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Cnet ranked the iPhone 18 Pro Max first among 28 smartphone models from Samsung, Google, and Apple in a battery life test. Apple also placed first among manufacturers in the same evaluation.

Why it matters

The results give U.S. buyers a comparative, test-based view of battery endurance across major phone brands. Battery life is a common deciding factor in smartphone purchases.

Cnet's test measured remaining battery after a 3-hour streaming video session and a 45-minute stress test, with the iPhone 18 Pro Max retaining 92% and 99% respectively. Cnet averaged the two results to produce its rankings, and the extraction does not specify how the stress test was standardized.

The players

Cnet

Cnet is a long-running technology news and product review publication known for hands-on device testing.

Apple

Apple is a U.S. consumer electronics company that designs the iPhone and its A-series chips.

The details

Cnet tested 28 smartphones from Samsung, Google, and Apple, starting each at 100% battery. Cnet averaged the stress test and streaming test results to determine rankings and averaged results across manufacturers with at least three tested phones to rank brands. Cnet attributed the iPhone's efficiency in part to Apple's A20 Pro chip and iOS 27.

Cnet's battery life test results were published on November 11, 2026.

The Tech Race

Cnet attributes the iPhone's battery lead to tight integration between Apple's A20 Pro chip and iOS 27, which reduces the need for larger batteries. The ranking places Apple's hardware-software approach ahead of Samsung and Google models in this specific endurance test.

Shoppers comparing new smartphones can use Cnet's endurance rankings to weigh battery life alongside price and features. The results indicate which models held the most charge across both test scenarios.

The takeaway

Battery endurance varies meaningfully across smartphone models, so a single test ranking can help narrow choices before purchase. Checking results across several test scenarios gives a fuller picture than any one measure.