The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are Google's big moment. The two phones combine Google's first own chip called Tensor, the first new main camera sensor on a Pixel in years, and all of that helped by the biggest batteries ever included in the series.
So what is battery life on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro?
We have just completed our trifecta of battery tests that all phones here go through and the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro battery life results are in!
But first, let's take a quick look at the evolution of the Google Pixel family. Google ventured into smaller phones last year, only to come back to making bigger phones in 2021 with larger screens, and here is how battery size on the Pixels has evolved.
Screen size
Battery size
Pixel 6 Pro
6.7", 1440p at 120Hz
5003 mAh
Pixel 6
6.4", 1080p at 90Hz
4614 mAh
Pixel 5
6.0", 1080p at 90Hz
4080 mAh
Pixel 5a
6.3", 1080p at 60Hz
4680 mAh
Pixel 4 XL
6.3", 1440p at 90Hz
3700 mAh
Pixel 4
5.7", 1080p at 90Hz
2800 mAh
At 5,000mAh, the Pixel 6 Pro matches the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which has solid battery life, so that's a great start. But let's take a look at the battery test results, shall we?
The Pixel 6 Pro scored a bit lower than the Pixel 6 on our web browsing test, and that's interesting as it shows that even with a smaller battery, the Pixel 6 can be more power efficient thanks to its lower resolution display and lower, 90Hz refresh rate.
Still, the difference between the two is not huge and their score ranks above the average for this test. The Pixel 6 Pro scores about an hour and a half lower than the Galaxy S21 Ultra, so it holds that middle ground between the S21 Ultra and S21 Plus in terms of battery life, while the regular Pixel 6 actually ranks very close to the S21 Ultra.
The new iPhone 13 Pro series with their recent battery life improvements last a bit longer than the Pixels too.
Pixel 6 and 6 Pro battery test: YouTube video streaming
Our second test, non-stop YouTube video streaming, shows that Google has made some optimizations to video playback and both these phones score excellent here. Again, the smaller Pixel 6 actually outlasts the Pixel 6 Pro by quite a bit: the Pixel 6 lasts 11 hours, compared to 9 hours and 10 minutes on the 6 Pro.
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And 11 hours on the Pixel 6 actually is a better score than most phones that we have ever tested, beating even the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so great showing. The Pixel 6 Pro manages to beat the Galaxy S21 Ultra on this test, but just by a bit.
Finally, our 3D gaming test has a quite intense 3D game running and stressing the GPU in particular. Interestingly, the Pixels both did not fare well on this test at all. The Pixel 6 Pro in particular seems to have taken the biggest hit to battery life, lasting only 4 hours and 19 minutes, while the smaller Pixel 6 again outlasted its Pro sibling by nearly 2 hours. But even the score of the regular Pixel 6 only compares to the Galaxy S21+ rather than the S21 Ultra, and the new iPhone 13 Pro series outlast the Pixel by a mile on this test.
Conclusion
Overall, we are content with battery life on these new Google Pixels.The most interesting takeaway from our testing is how the smaller Pixel 6 — despite its tinier battery — outlasted the Pro on all of the tests. But in our daily use, the Pixel 6 Pro would still easily last a full day, and even a bit more.
It's not quite as good as the S21 Ultra, and it's definitely not on the same level as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, but it won't force you to look for a charger before the end of the day.And what are your impressions with battery life on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro? Are you happy with how long these phones last you? Let us know in the comments section below!
Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.
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