Why milliamp-hours mislead
A phone with a 5,000 mAh battery can last longer — or shorter — than one with 4,400 mAh. Capacity is only half the equation; efficiency is the other half. A modern 3 nm or 4 nm chip, an LTPO display that drops to 1 Hz on static content and well-tuned software can save more energy than an extra 600 mAh can supply.
Comparisons also break across battery chemistry and voltage. Watt-hours (Wh) are the fairer unit, which is why laptops and airline rules use them. Silicon-carbon batteries, now common in phones from Chinese brands such as Honor and OnePlus, pack more capacity into the same space — another reason raw mAh comparisons across brands have become less meaningful.
How we rank battery life
Every phone runs the same scripted loop: web browsing, video streaming, social-media scrolling and a short navigation session, with the display calibrated to 200 nits and the refresh rate left on its default adaptive setting. We record total screen-on time from 100% to automatic shutdown. Laptops run a similar office and video loop at 150 nits with Wi-Fi on.
We report two numbers: the full loop result, and a "heavy day" result that adds camera use and 5G hotspot time. The second number is closer to what frequent travellers experience.
Charging: speed versus standards
A 120 W headline figure sounds impressive, but it usually requires a proprietary charger and cable. The more future-proof feature is support for USB Power Delivery with PPS (Programmable Power Supply), which lets one good third-party charger fast-charge phones from multiple brands. Since the EU's common-charger directive took effect, USB-C has become universal on new phones sold in Europe, including iPhones.
For wireless charging, look for Qi2 certification from the Wireless Power Consortium. Its magnetic alignment, based on Apple's MagSafe design, delivers more efficient charging and works across certified Android and Apple devices.
"Charging from 0 to 100% in fifteen minutes is nice. Lasting until bedtime without a charger is better."— Selectlarankwhz battery ranking criteria
What decides camera quality
Sensor size
Larger sensors gather more light. "1-inch type" sensors, used in some Xiaomi, Vivo and Sony flagships, produce cleaner low-light photos and more natural background blur than typical 1/2-inch mid-range sensors.
Image processing
Computational photography — multi-frame HDR, night mode, semantic segmentation — is why a Pixel or iPhone can beat phones with larger sensors. It is also why skin tones and contrast vary between brands.
Zoom hardware
Periscope telephoto lenses offer 3x to 5x optical zoom. Digital zoom beyond that is acceptable on good flagships and poor on most mid-range phones.
Video stabilisation
Optical image stabilisation (OIS) on the main camera is essential for low-light shots and steady video. Check that it is present on the telephoto too.
How we score cameras
| Category | Weight | What we look for |
|---|---|---|
| Daylight main camera | 20% | Detail, accurate colour, dynamic range |
| Low light | 25% | Noise, sharpness, natural night processing |
| Portraits and skin tones | 15% | Edge detection, realistic tones across complexions |
| Zoom | 15% | Quality at 2x, 5x and 10x |
| Video | 15% | Stabilisation, exposure changes, audio |
| Consistency | 10% | Same result across repeated shots and lenses |
Lab scores such as DXOMARK are a useful reference, but they weight categories differently from everyday users. We treat them as one input, not a verdict. Our consistency score — shooting the same scene ten times — catches phones that produce one brilliant frame and several soft ones.
Next step: see which price band fits these results