Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus Vs Pixel 10 Pro XL Real-World Battery Test

If there’s one telephone specification that issues most, it’s battery life. Even when a brand new mannequin contains an AI bot that can assist you work, takes probably the most superb pictures ever, and runs quick sufficient for high-octane video games, it’s fairly ineffective if it’s all the time on a charger. 

I are inclined to skip topping up throughout my regular work day and into the night, solely dropping a telephone onto a wi-fi pad to cost at night time. My expectation? That any newer telephone ought to final all day. In reality, many trendy telephones are able to chugging alongside for a superb 20 hours or extra, however that actually depends upon what you do with the machine. 

Google, for instance, estimates that the brand new Pixel 10 Professional XL ought to final for twenty-four hours. Samsung notes that the Galaxy S26+ ought to final for 31 hours of steady video streaming. Each manufacturers embody a caveat that basically says: it depends upon how you utilize the telephone. Additionally, you may have to allow battery saver mode and switch the brightness down.

I wasn’t desirous about stretching the battery life so long as humanly attainable, although. I wished to see what would occur if I used the Pixel 10 Professional XL and Galaxy S26+ for regular actions akin to listening to music, snapping pictures and posting them to social media, and discovering a route utilizing the GPS. I set each telephones to full brightness and a 30-second display timeout. Right here’s what I came upon after two full days of testing.

A day with the Google Pixel 10 Professional XL

10:30am: Catching up on my worokay

John Brandon / Foundry

I began my day doing probably the most boring exercise ever invented: checking my e mail. It was about 10:30am and I replied to some messages utilizing Gmail then converted to ClickUp, a activity administration app.

Whereas these actions used my Google Fi cell connection, I switched off the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. After about an hour, I felt good about my progress. I used to be buzzing alongside at 90% battery life earlier than I began some heavy utilization.

11:30am: Heading out on a motorcycle journey

John Brandon / Foundry

I used to be on trip in Austria and I made a decision to bike alongside the Danube river from Enns to Grein, which is roughly 22 miles. This was the proper technique to take a look at a telephone as a result of I knew I’d pedal alongside for some time listening to the Tidal app for just a few hours, snap pictures and submit them to Fb, and use Google Maps continually to ensure I used to be following the right route.

This sort of battery-draining exercise is pretty widespread for me. I have a tendency to make use of my telephone as an adjunct to life, not for doomscrolling. Stashed away in my pocket, I used to be nonetheless in a position to make use of the Tidal app with my AirPods Professional and the GPS for routing whereas having fun with the surroundings. Nevertheless, by the point I arrived at Grein three hours later, the battery had dropped to 50%.

2:30pm: Eating out and taking the prepare

John Brandon / Foundry

I made a decision to change off the GPS for the remainder of the day since I didn’t want to make use of Google Maps anymore. (To do that, you go to Settings, then choose Location and switch it off.) I finished listening to Radiohead and Rosalía too.

I grabbed some lunch and an ice cream cone in Grein, then jumped on the prepare headed again to Enns. Over these two hours, I checked Fb and posted some pictures. I additionally chatted with just a few buddies over Fb Messenger, utilizing the Wi-Fi sign from the prepare.

Utilizing any sign in your telephone will drain the battery quicker, and Fb is infamous for consuming battery energy. By the point I reached my vacation spot, I used to be solely at 20% of remaining battery life.

9:15pm: Ending the day

John Brandon / Foundry

After checking my e mail just a few extra instances on the finish of the day, then posting just a few extra pictures, I seen the Pixel 10 Professional XL was solely at about 4% cost left – nicely in need of the 24-hour estimate I discussed above however, fortunately, nonetheless operating after virtually 11 hours.

I had pushed arduous, although. I used the GPS, performed music, took pictures, and browsed Fb. I used to be able to see how the Samsung S26+ carried out the following day doing roughly the identical factor.

A day with the Samsung Galaxy S26+

10:30am: Checking e mail

John Brandon / Foundry

With the Galaxy S26+ absolutely charged, I switched it on at 10:30am the following day and spent an hour checking Gmail and the ClickUp app once more, equally to how I used the Pixel 10 Professional XL. These apps don’t drain the battery a lot and usually are not processor-intensive.

I didn’t have to hearken to music so I switched off Bluetooth, as I’d executed with the Pixel 10 Professional XL. Amazingly, the telephone nonetheless stated 96% after I was prepared to begin my adventures.

11:30am: Driving to the zoo

John Brandon / Foundry

As a substitute of biking, I made a decision to drive to a close-by zoo. This exercise drained the battery fairly a bit because it makes use of the Location service on the S26+. I needed to run some errands so I added a number of waypoints alongside the way in which, and performed the Tidal app by the automobile stereo connection.

To verify I used to be evaluating apples to apples, I additionally stopped just a few instances throughout my drive to snap pictures, submit them on social media, and test my feeds. All informed, it was a three-hour journey, together with lunch and a few sightseeing.

By the point I arrived on the zoo, I used to be at 60% battery. That meant each telephones have been virtually at half-charge after this heavy use.

2:30pm: Strolling round all afternoon

John Brandon / Foundry

I lastly arrived on the zoo at 2:30pm that afternoon at roughly the identical time of day when the Pixel 10 Professional XL had dropped to 50% battery life. Similar to after I was in Grein the day earlier than utilizing the Pixel, I took dozens of pictures and posted them on Fb.

I additionally checked in with buddies and colleagues utilizing the Messenger app. I used the mobile and different wi-fi connections about the identical quantity because the Pixel 10 Professional XL as nicely. 

Nevertheless, this wasn’t meant to be a benchmark take a look at – I merely wished to make use of the S26+ as I usually would all day and see if it stored operating till the late night.

Surprisingly, the S26+ severely outperformed the Pixel 10 Professional XL. By the afternoon, the telephone was at 40%. It wasn’t in battery saver mode and the display was nonetheless at full brightness.

After dinner, the telephone had dropped to 30% and was nonetheless chugging alongside at 25% by 10pm that night time. Within the morning, the S26+ lasted for an additional 5 hours! Fittingly, the S26+ lasted a full 26 hours.

Which is the battery life champion?

I made a decision to retest the Pixel 10 Professional XL as a sanity test. Utilizing the telephone all day to take pictures, hearken to music, and for GPS routing, I duplicated the outcomes. The Pixel 10 Professional XL lasted about 11 hours once more. I additionally retested the S26+ for an additional full day and it lasted till lunch once more the following day (admittedly, it merely sat on a desk all night time).

In the long run, the Samsung Galaxy S26+ was the battery life champion. The telephone lasted over 24 hours whereas the Google Pixel 10 Professional XL lasted solely about 11-12 hours. It means I’d be more likely to make use of the S26+ if the purpose is to make a telephone final all day – after which some.

Discover our high battery life advice in our round-up of one of the best telephones we’ve examined.