Google Pixel 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22: Which Has a Longer Battery Life?

When shopping for a new phone, battery life is one of the most important aspects to consider. After all, you don't want to be stranded searching for a charger on your way home from the office or while out to dinner with friends. If you're trying to decide between the $800 (£769, AU$1,249) Samsung Galaxy S22 or the $599 (£599, AU$999) Google Pixel 7 and battery life is a major deciding factor, Google's phone is probably the better choice. 

I tested the battery life on both phones in three ways. In one test, I used each phone over the course of 45 minutes to see how much the battery would drain when conducting daily tasks like making a video call, playing games, browsing social media and streaming a video. For the second test, I streamed a video on YouTube for three hours with the brightness set to 100% and checked battery percentages at the one-, two- and three-hour marks. I ran this test three times on both phones and calculated the average, which is the number you'll see in the chart below. 

And third, I used each device as my regular phone for a day and measured how much battery was left around lunchtime, at the end of the workday and before bed. That's in addition to the anecdotal testing I did when reviewing both of these phones at launch, which involved using them as my main phone for multiple consecutive days. 

For both phones, I left the adaptive refresh rate setting turned on and toggled off the always-on display. During the 45-minute test and in daily use, I had the screen brightness set to 50% on both devices. I also replicated the same general usage patterns between both devices when using them as my main phone. That included sporadically checking notifications, social media and email throughout the day, connecting a smartwatch to each phone via Bluetooth and making brief phone calls. The only major difference is that I used the Pixel 7 on a day when I commuted into the office, whereas I was home for most of the day when I switched to the Galaxy S22. 

Pixel 7 vs. Galaxy S22 battery test results

The Pixel 7 beat the Galaxy S22 in all of these scenarios. However, it's important to remember that battery life will always vary depending on a variety of factors, including how you use the device and which settings are activated. Also keep in mind that each device has its own advantages and disadvantages, and these differences can go a long way when it comes to battery life and your overall experience. For example, the Galaxy S22's display looked significantly brighter than the Pixel 7's in my experience, which means you probably won't have to set it as high as 50% and can therefore save some battery life. 

Pixel 7 and Galaxy S22 battery specs and tips

The Pixel 7 has an estimated typical capacity of 4,355 mAh, while the Galaxy S22's is 3,700 mAh. Those numbers refer to the battery capacity each device is estimated to provide based on Google and Samsung's respective testing. The Galaxy S22 supports 25-watt charging speeds, while the Pixel 7 can charge at up to 20 watts when using Google's 30-watt charger. Neither phone comes with a charger in the box, meaning you'll have to purchase a power adapter separately.

The Pixel 7's typical capacity is higher than the S22's, but that alone doesn't tell the whole story. Factors like display size and brightness as well as the power efficiency of both the processor and software all play a role in battery life. The way you use your device will also have an impact. That's why we try to mirror usage as closely as possible between devices when making battery life comparisons. 

The Pixel 7 and Galaxy S22 each include some type of power savings mode. It's called Battery Saver on the Pixel 7, and you can access it by opening the settings menu, tapping Battery and choosing Battery Saver. On the Galaxy S22, open settings, tap Battery and Device Care and then tap the Battery option. From here, you should see an option to turn on Power saving mode. 

There are also some steps you can take to extend battery life on most phones, such as turning off background app refresh, lowering the screen brightness, using dark mode and disabling the always-on display. 

Watch this: Google Pixel 7 Review: Same Great Value

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For more tips and advice, check out the most anticipated phones of 2023, settings you should tweak on your Pixel phone and everything to know about buying a smartwatch.