Is the battery life as bad as I read? Should I buy one used?

**Tim Comes** · 01-22-2013, 05:17 PM

I am running on a droid charge and I don't plan to upgrade until the google conference in May and waiting for the heavily rumored x phone. I would have thought the nexus would have been a the easy choice hands down, but from what I have seen the battery life is atrocious. Has it improved since it updated? Or should I look for some other phone on ebay?

**jephanie** · 01-22-2013, 09:54 PM

The battery life sucks because the radios are for $#!t. Buy one only if you are in an EXCELLENT coverage area (i.e. in an open field unencumbered by any steel, brick, adobe or thatch structures) and/or in a location with superb WiFi signal. If you have that kind of signal strength, then you should get 3 hours of screen time. Otherwise, expect absolutely abysmal battery life.

That being said, I love the device. The camera is more than adequate, the speed is perfectly fine, Jelly Bean is awesome and the screen is still pretty darn good. Just don't expect any favors from the radios...

**jova33** · 01-23-2013, 01:23 AM

If you unlock it, put a custom ROM and kernel on it, and turn off LTE if you don't need it, you can make it through the work day without bringing your charger to work.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

**turdbogls** · 01-23-2013, 08:43 AM

yeah, its not great at all. i am in a mediocre signal area (inside buildings) and i can get about an 1hour 15minutes screen on time on LTE. if i am home, on wifi, i get around 3.5-4hrs screen on time.
worst case , buy an extra battery, swap it in when you need to. you should be fine for the day.

other than battery and signal, it is an absolutely fantastic device.

**Edwill86** · 01-23-2013, 09:22 AM

With my OEM extended batt. I get between 6 and 10 hours depending on usage and signal . Its def not the best but coming from a tbolt its pretty decent.

**lets_go_android** · 01-23-2013, 11:29 AM

It's definitely not good, but I don't know if it's that much worse than most other smartphones (aside from the Maxx or some of the latest devices with bigger batteries). I too came from an HTC Thunderbolt, and so I expected bad battery life and wasn't that disappointed.

If your Charge is still functional, I think I'd wait for the X Phone. Although who knows when/if it'll actually come out.

**jephanie** · 01-23-2013, 09:50 PM

To make one thing clear, I never bother with 4G LTE. On 3G with a crappy radio and weak signal, the battery drains very quickly trying to get the signal. Even with mild usage in that environment, you can drain the battery by at least 20% per hour (we're talking 5-10 minutes of screen time per hour).

**Edwill86** · 01-23-2013, 10:18 PM

I only use 4g

**SuperMarioVT** · 01-23-2013, 11:15 PM

battery life is terrible.. unless you are not going to use 4G LTE.. otherwise I wouldn't recommend it..

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**jephanie** · 01-24-2013, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by Edwill86

I only use 4g

Unless you are streaming high def video or doing some serious web browsing, what's the point? Seems like driving a car with your pedal mashed to the floor when all you're doing it sitting in a driveway most of the time.

**Umass021** · 01-24-2013, 12:53 PM

I don't think the battery is bad at all. I just bought a nexus off eBay that was a refurb but the battery was the original and getting 20+ hours out of my phone. I am in a 4g area which takes my power. Yesterday was phone was at 22 hours before I plugged it in. Right now I am at 65% in 11+ hours. Its all about how you use it. I have my screen set to automatic but if you keep the brightness up I could see it going quick. I would say the best thing to do is get another OEM battery and keep it with you if your really that worried.

Sent from my A500 using Android Central Forums

**Edwill86** · 01-24-2013, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by jephanie

Unless you are streaming high def video or doing some serious web browsing, what's the point? Seems like driving a car with your pedal mashed to the floor when all you're doing it sitting in a driveway most of the time.

Do I know you? That's how I drive

. Once you use 4g all the time 3g is just too slow. You get accustomed to it over time.

**ZachA** · 01-24-2013, 09:03 PM

I got one used and battery is not as bad as I though it would be. You just have to do tweaks with the settings. If your using it a lot your battery will go fast but if your close to a plug all time it won't matter. I would say get it its a big step up from the Droid Charge I came from the Incredible 2 and that phone was a joke so I'm very happy with my purchase.

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**Jaredshoes** · 01-25-2013, 12:38 AM

People think it's Sooooo bad because its not as good as an S3 the battery is fine if you change some settings around and will last you a work day, it's not a razr maxx and you shouldnt expect it to be

**jephanie** · 01-25-2013, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by Jaredshoes

People think it's Sooooo bad because its not as good as an S3 the battery is fine if you change some settings around and will last you a work day, it's not a razr maxx and you shouldnt expect it to be

Agreed, but even with all the aforementioned setting tweaks, etc., it should probably last more than 4 hours with virtually no use when you're in a building that present its radio so much as a moderate challenge.

**lets_go_android** · 01-25-2013, 10:29 AM

Yeah, the biggest battery eater is the 4G signal, esp if your signal is weak. If your 4G signal is weak and the phone keeps trying and trying, you can almost see the battery die in front of your eyes. Avoid that and it's not terribly bad. If wifi is available, use that. If no wifi is available, and you're going to be there for a while, turn off your data. Or if 3G is available, keep it on that only. And if you're on a computer a lot, plug it in when you can.

**jova33** · 01-25-2013, 12:42 PM

Almost? Shoot, the building I used to work in was so thick I had to turn on 4G to get any signal, and you could watch the battery percent count down like a timer.

Sent from my wireless telephonic device.

**jephanie** · 01-25-2013, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by lets_go_android

Yeah, the biggest battery eater is the 4G signal, esp if your signal is weak. If your 4G signal is weak and the phone keeps trying and trying, you can almost see the battery die in front of your eyes. Avoid that and it's not terribly bad. If wifi is available, use that. If no wifi is available, and you're going to be there for a while, turn off your data. Or if 3G is available, keep it on that only. And if you're on a computer a lot, plug it in when you can.

Again, I barely ever use the 4G radio. I stay exclusively on 3G...and watch the battery power drain like a toilet being flushed.

**lets_go_android** · 01-27-2013, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by jova33

Almost? Shoot, the building I used to work in was so thick I had to turn on 4G to get any signal, and you could watch the battery percent count down like a timer.

Well put. Unfortunate that it was that bad, but well put.

**lets_go_android** · 01-27-2013, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by jephanie

Again, I barely ever use the 4G radio. I stay exclusively on 3G...and watch the battery power drain like a toilet being flushed.

Wow, that's pretty bad. I'm fortunate enough to be in a reasonably good 4G area, but even when I'm in a 3G area, battery drain is not quite that bad. Drains, but not that fast. Is your 3G signal pretty solid or kinda iffy (as seen by the phone; yes, I know the radios on the GNexus sucks).

**jephanie** · 01-28-2013, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by lets_go_android

Wow, that's pretty bad. I'm fortunate enough to be in a reasonably good 4G area, but even when I'm in a 3G area, battery drain is not quite that bad. Drains, but not that fast. Is your 3G signal pretty solid or kinda iffy (as seen by the phone; yes, I know the radios on the GNexus sucks).

I live and work in the heart of Verizon territory. But the building in which I work, the home in which I live, and anything that is thicker than paper seems perfectly capable of taking an otherwise maximum signal and dropping it to the levels you would expect to get at the bottom level of an underground parking garage.

If the radios didn't suck, this would be the perfect device. I love the pure Google experience but my next phone will be whatever flagship Android-based device has the best radios on the market.

**BuyOneGetFour** · 01-30-2013, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by jephanie

The battery life sucks because the radios are for $#!t. .

I don't think that's the reason. I only keep my Verizon Galaxy Nexus around as a spare phone.
No SIM card. It's always in airplane mode.(no wifi, no bluetooth) Yet the battery life still sucks....

(especially compared to my current Note 2)

**mobilemedic20** · 01-31-2013, 01:40 PM

I admit I haven't tried disabling 4G (which I didn't know made a difference), but that aside, the battery is awful, yes. I typically restrict my use depending on how quickly I know I can get to a charger. Using it as much as I want (which typically means browsing internet sites and using the facebook/twitter apps), I can kill it in a couple hours. If I hold back, I can usually make it last the day, but it's on last legs by 8 or 9pm. It's seriously annoying.

I'll try the 4G thing, but honestly, I love the 4G speed.

**bjrosen** · 02-05-2013, 03:46 PM

It's fine, all you have to do is put a 3800ma battery into it, they cost $20 on Amazon. With a 3800ma battery the GN lasts all day.

**Nakrohtap** · 02-05-2013, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by bjrosen

It's fine, all you have to do is put a 3800ma battery into it, they cost $20 on Amazon. With a 3800ma battery the GN lasts all day.

That's all? Geez. Why not just hook a portable generator up to it?
Seriously though, I refuse to turn my phone into a tank just to get a few more hours of battery life out of it.

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