The best smartphones with powerful battery

By: Bohdan Chub | 10.04.2019, 18:36

Battery life is one of the decisive factors when choosing a smartphone. And at the same time, it is the weak point of most devices in stores. Surely, you've also had to catch yourself thinking that it would be nice to have a powerful battery, which would not require recharging for several days in a row. But autonomy is not only determined by the battery capacity. A lot depends on the processor, the display, the software and so on. In this article, we will take a look at five unashamed smartphones with a powerful battery, pleasing to the price.

Article content:

Best choice: Samsung Galaxy M20

Samsung is not going to give up the smartphone market without a fight to Chinese manufacturers and has launched a new M-series to compete in the mid-budget segment. We have already had a review of the Samsung Galaxy M20 with a 5000 mAh battery. The device showed itself well in terms of autonomy. With active use, it will last from one and a half to two full days, and in moderate mode one charge may be enough for three days. Two power saving modes are also available to help extend the battery life. A 15W fast charger is included. USB Type-C port.

Samsung Galaxy M20 gets a 6.3-inch PLS (analogue IPS) display with 2340x1080 pixels resolution, thin bezels and a drop cutout for the front camera. The proprietary Exynos 7904 octa-core processor is responsible for the performance. The chipset is fast in applications, but in heavy games you will have to limit yourself to medium or low graphics settings. We sell a version with 4 gigabytes of RAM and 64 gigabytes of internal memory. As a bonus, there is a triple tray for microSD and two SIM cards.

On the back side of the smartphone is a dual camera. If we talk about the main 13-megapixel module with optics f/1.9, the quality of photos at the level of competitors - not bad during the day and so-so at night. 5-megapixel "wide" with a viewing angle of 120 degrees and aperture f/2.2 is easier, you can get a decent picture only in good light. Although even this is better than the almost useless bokeh sensors. The Galaxy M20 has background blur too, but it only works on portrait shots. The 8 megapixel (f/2.0) selfie camera supports face recognition to unlock the smartphone. You can also use the fingerprint scanner.

The body of the device is completely plastic. The glossy back panel is slippery and will collect scratches, so it does not hurt to have a case (on AliExpress you will find options for every taste). Unlike most budget "Chinese", Samsung's device supports NFC. The asking price is about $230.

3 reasons to buy 2 reasons not to buy
  • long runs
  • big quality screen
  • NFC to pay smartphone
  • processor not gaming
  • slippery body

alternative: Asus ZenFone Max Pro (M1)

Optimal balance between performance and battery life - this is about Asus ZenFone Max Pro (M1). The smartphone is built on an eight-core chip Snapdragon 636, which "pulls" any game, though not at maximum settings. The battery capacity is 5000 mAh, and you have to try hard to discharge it in a day. The device can be used for two and a half days without denying yourself anything. There are three memory configurations to choose from: 3GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in in the base version, 4/64GB and 4/128GB. The manufacturer has also taken care of a separate slot for microSD cards.

Asus ZenFone Max Pro (M1) was equipped with a high-quality 6-inch IPS-display with a resolution of 2160x1080 pixels and without any notches. The weak point of the device became the cameras. The dual system at the back consists of modules for 13 and 5 megapixels, the second is needed exclusively for background blur. In terms of shooting quality ZenFone Max Pro (M1) lags behind its peers - if the conditions differ from the ideal, the pictures often come out blurry. The 8-megapixel front camera is not as capricious, but also "blurs" the picture in low light.

The Asus ZenFone Max Pro (M1) also has an NFC chip for contactless payments. There's also a fingerprint scanner on the metal back panel. Fast charging is not imported - from the included 10-watt charger the smartphone dials up 100% in about 2 hours and 40 minutes, and more powerful charging standards QC2.0/3.0 will not speed up the process. Micro USB port.

The simplest version of the Asus ZenFone Max Pro (M1) with 3/32 GB of storage will cost almost $190, and for the most advanced version you'll have to pay around $260. 

3 reasons to buy: 2 reasons not to buy:
  • good battery life
  • powerful processor
  • NFC support
  • weak cameras
  • faceless design

For simple tasks: Motorola Moto E5 Plus

The fifth generation of Motorola's E-series budget handsets turned out to be interesting, and while at the start of sales buyers might have been scared off by the high price, now the older Moto E5 Plus costs quite adequate money. The phone with a powerful 5000 mAh battery can easily run for two days on a single charge, or even more. The stretched 18:9 screen diagonal is 6 inches at a resolution of 1440x720 pixels. Despite the HD format, individual pixels are not conspicuous. The front panel is covered with durable Gorilla Glass 3.

The quad-core Snapdragon 425 processor is used inside. We're selling a version with 3 gigabytes of RAM and 32 gigabytes of internal storage, plus a triple tray for a microSD card and two Nano-SIMs. The system doesn't slow down, simple games run without problems, but fans of World of Tanks and Battle Royale are better off looking towards more performance models. The rear 12-megapixel camera with rapid laser autofocus shoots well in the daytime. In low light, the detail drops noticeably, as with most budget devices. Selfie camera at 5 megapixels "below average", but it has its own flash.

The new Motorola Moto E5 Plus looks more expensive than its price, but the glossy back panel is made of plastic and gets quickly covered with scratches. Apparently, that's why they included a transparent silicone case in the package - not a bad option for the first time. There users will also find headphones, however they are contraindicated for lovers of quality sound. The speaker above the display is used both for talking and for multimedia. It is not the loudest, but it is difficult to cover it with your hand while playing games or watching films.

The logo on the back has a built-in fingerprint scanner. The operating system is Android 8.0 Oreo with minimal Motorola modifications. The Moto E5 Plus is priced from $160.

3 reasons to buy: 3 reasons not to buy:
  • you need a smartphone with a good battery
  • you prefer "pure" Android
  • you are not suited to options with hybrid microSD/SIM slot
  • you do not have enough HD resolution for 6 inches
  • simple processor
  • no NFC

Compact and affordable: ZTE Blade A6

ZTE Blade A6 sold for over a year and remains one of the most interesting budget-friendly devices with a good battery. With a capacity of 5000 mAh, you can count on two to three days of work without extreme charge savings. The smartphone has a 5.1-inch screen with a classic 16:9 aspect ratio and HD resolution of 1280x720 pixels. It is an IPS panel, although not the highest quality - the ultimate brightness is lower than the main competitors, and when tilting the colors fade.

The heart of the device was the octa-core Snapdragon 435 processor. Demanding games are given to him with difficulty, but for everyday use performance is more than enough. The RAM is 3 GB, the storage is 32 GB. You can insert a microSD card, but only instead of the second SIM-card. For a budget-friendly main camera at 13 megapixels shoots very well, but at dusk to make high-quality photos is unlikely. The front 5-megapixel camera is equipped with a flash. LED-indicator of notifications and charging status are among the pleasant details.

The back cover ZTE Blade A6 metal. From the looks of it is a typical "Chinese", and if you close the logo, it is almost impossible to guess the manufacturer. The operating system is the already old Android 7.1 without the prospect of an update. But it is worth checking for updates after purchase, because on the first firmware the A6 sometimes became broody. The model can be found for a price starting at $110.

3 reasons to buy 2 reasons not to buy
  • you are looking for a compact long-life smartphone
  • good quality pictures during the day
  • metal body
  • old version of Android
  • microSD only instead of the second SIM
  • sometimes the screen lacks brightness

as much as 10 000 mAh: Oukitel K7 Power

By this point, some readers have a question, "where are all the smartphones with big batteries at 10,000 mAh and up?" Oukitel, Ulefone, Doogee and other third-tier brands usually lead the way in terms of milliamp hours. But if you load them to the maximum, the charge begins to melt before your eyes, and the autonomy turns out to be at the level of devices with a battery half as much. That's because capacity is only one factor. The manufacturers mentioned above use mostly old processors and cheap components that consume a lot of power. Often the situation is exacerbated by poorly optimized software.

Such long-lived smartphones are not the best choice for those who do not let their gadget out of their hands. But with moderate use, they work for a long time. For example, Oukitel K7 Power in this mode will last up to 5 days. The inexpensive battery-powered phone features a 6-inch elongated 18:9 display. IPS-panel resolution is 1440x720 pixels - not much, but taking into account the timeworn eight-core MediaTek MT6750T processor, this is the most optimal option (Full HD screen would increase the load on the chip). There's 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, and instead of a second SIM card, a microSD card up to 128GB can be inserted. Typical hardware for a Chinese budget phone. The rear camera is dual, with 13 + 2 megapixels, but the second module is not really involved anywhere. There is only a primitive blur from the center of the frame. The selfie camera is 5-megapixel. Photo quality is mediocre there and there, we warned you. There is a fingerprint scanner.

Oukitel K7 Power is enclosed in a plastic case with a back panel of leather (if you believe the manufacturer, natural calf). The 10,000 mAh battery supports fast charging up to 100% in 3.5 hours. The smartphone is able to recharge other gadgets. Its dimensions are 168x78x14.5 mm and weighs just over 300 grams.

Oukitel has several official stores on AliExpress, the price of Oukitel K7 Power ranges from $100 to $105. They give an OTG cable and a silicone case as part of the package. The company has no official service centers, the only insurance in case of malfunction is the repair warranty option (the site's partner is Weistec Service).

You can also find the Oukitel K7 with increased storage capacity and Full HD screen on sale for $150, but the younger version looks more balanced.

2 reasons to buy 3 reasons not to buy
  • you do not like to charge your smartphone often
  • you like devices with rigorous design
  • in active mode will run down quickly
  • smartphone is big and heavy
  • not for games

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