Apple has been quick to boast about the battery life of its latest iPhone 17 models. On top of that, they seem particularly proud of the iPhone Air’s longevity while being the brand’s slimmest iPhone to date. Yes, it does come bottom of the list in the test we’re talking about today, but it’s no slouch; the slimline device has also proven to be mighty durable.

The new flagship iPhone 17 Pro Max has proven to be safely ahead of its competition as far as battery life goes. Early review tests revealed it leap ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, lasting over 3 hours longer, though the exact testing conditions were not clear. Now, we have reliable test results to take a look at, and these are for the physical SIM versions.

iPhone 17 series battery life vs Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16

For those that don’t know, iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max battery capacity differs between eSIM-only and physical SIM models (which one you’ll get depends on your region). The battery is the same in both variants of the standard iPhone 17, and the iPhone Air is eSIM-only in all regions as a result of its slim form factor. To put it simply, the lack of a physical SIM card slot allowed Apple to fit a bigger battery in the Pro series. Here’s how they differ:

• iPhone Pro Max: 5,098 mAh (eSIM) / 4,823 mAh (physical SIM)
• iPhone Pro: 4,252 mAh (eSIM) / 3,988 mAh (physical SIM)

With that important detail out of the way, we can hand it over to popular tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss as a reliable source for these battery life tests. Hailing from the UK, the YouTuber has tested the physical SIM variants of the new phones, so the scores actually represent the worst you’ll get from the Pro and Pro Max – the eSIM-only models you’ll find in the United States would perform even better.

In the UK/EU, you can actually opt for eSIM, though a physical SIM card slot remains on the device, which means the reduced battery size regardless. This does allow for dual SIM support however, with either a physical SIM and an eSIM, or two eSIMs.

Apple customers in the U.S. have been used to eSIM-only models for a while now – this has been the case since the iPhone 14. With this generation, however, Apple has expanded the list of regions that are eSIM-only. The list now includes Canada, Japan, much of the Middle East, and more.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.