Battery life Verzon Galaxy Nexus vs GSM Galaxy Nexus

**evperry** · 09-18-2012, 07:27 PM

After I switched phones I noticed that I can now easily make it though a day with everything turned on. I don't know why or how. I'm wondering if GSM phones by nature use less battery but that was also a benefit of switching over.

Longer battery life and saving more than half on the bill.

**still1** · 09-18-2012, 08:05 PM

4G drains more battery than 3G

**Biggnaa20** · 09-18-2012, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by evperry

After I switched phones I noticed that I can now easily make it though a day with everything turned on. I don't know why or how. I'm wondering if GSM phones by nature use less battery but that was also a benefit of switching over.

Longer battery life and saving more than half on the bill.

Yes, CDMA radio takes more battery than GSM usually.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

**Andrew Martonik** · 09-18-2012, 11:09 PM

It's not that CDMA uses more than GSM, but rather that these LTE phones on Verizon have separate radios for LTE and CDMA, so they're effectively using twice the power at all times. GSM phones can operate voice and data without separate radios. That's why you'll see better battery life out of the GSM model.

**Biggnaa20** · 09-19-2012, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by Andrew Martonik

It's not that CDMA uses more than GSM, but rather that these LTE phones on Verizon have separate radios for LTE and CDMA, so they're effectively using twice the power at all times. GSM phones can operate voice and data without separate radios. That's why you'll see better battery life out of the GSM model.

Not exactly, CDMA, by matter of course, uses more power than GSM not even counting the LTE radio. You can do a quick Google search and don't have to take my word for it, but here's one link of many.

I first started researching this when I noticed battery differences from otherwise identical phones running on AT&T and Verizon.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

**evperry** · 09-23-2012, 09:26 PM

Its a very nice thing that goes without too much press. This should be something made clear as people are purchasing phones.

**adamschuetze** · 10-04-2012, 11:43 AM

I'm thinking about getting a Galaxy Nexus. What kind of battery life have you been getting? What is typical? I've never used an Android phone before, so I want to do my legwork before investing. I don't really want to get a big sled of a phone (Razr Maxx), I'm hoping a thinner device like Galaxy Nexus will do the trick. Plus, I want to be able to put JB or custom ROMs onto it easily.

**evperry** · 10-04-2012, 12:21 PM

The gsm version with hspa is very good on battery life. The lye is awful.

**Biggnaa20** · 10-04-2012, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by adamschuetze

I'm thinking about getting a Galaxy Nexus. What kind of battery life have you been getting? What is typical? I've never used an Android phone before, so I want to do my legwork before investing. I don't really want to get a big sled of a phone (Razr Maxx), I'm hoping a thinner device like Galaxy Nexus will do the trick. Plus, I want to be able to put JB or custom ROMs onto it easily.

Depends on my use. If I am constantly playing with it, my Nexus will last about 7 hours. If I am busy and doing something else most of the time, it'll last all day (24+ hours).

Most days I am somewhere in the middle. 12 hours is reasonable.

This is the first phone I've had where I don't automatically run juice defender, and I still keep all of my radios turned on.
Ymmv

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums