Why is 3G such a large battery drain on the Evo?

[Marty1781]

I really like my Evo but I've notcied that if I use wifi instead of 3G (and I have a strong 3G signal), my battery life doubles at the minimum.

Evo on wifi: great battery life (minimum of 16 hours, often more)
Evo on 3G: so-so battery life (generally 6-10 hours)
Conclusion: 3G is a major factor on the Evo's battery life

What I don't understand is why 3G is such a battery drain on the Evo and it wasn't on any of my previous 3G-enabled phones (6700, 6800, i730, TP, TP2). In fact, on those older phones, it was wifi that killed the battery (4 hours max on wifi then dead battery). I know they are all very different compared to the Evo (different processors, screens, batteries, OS, etc) but that still doesn't explain why 3G kills the battery on the Evo whereas it would barely make a dent on the battery life of my old WM devices. I noticed the same 3G-wifi trend on the Epic 4G as well when I had that phone for 3 weeks (so-so battery life on 3G, great battery life on wifi). Is Android just not that efficient with managing 3G (and just great with wifi)?

 

[irock1985]

Perhaps it is just different. But than again did ur past phone have as many thing that could potentially access 3G like checking for emails(and how ofter) updating weather, checking for market updates, browsing Full internet vs mobile, watching HQ youtube, etc... newer phones just tend to access data more often and pull much more data than anything in the past....

But that why they have so many 3G Switches/Toggles (i.e. switchpro, and extended controls) in the market... just use that and switch off 3G when ur not actually using it. This is what I do at work and usually after my 12 hour day is over I have anywhere from 50 - 75% left

 

[Trust]

The real answer is this:

Back in the days of the 6700, 6800 and i730 smartphones were not as advanced yet.
The Internet experience was lacking on those phones.
The first smartphone where the Internet experience was a good one was the iPhone and then others followed.

I've owned both the 6700 and 6800. I remember how aweful Windows mobile was with dll errors, having to reboot often and how unpleasant it was trying to load a web page on a screen so small.

The Evo's 3G isn't using more battery. YOU are using more battery by being online more through apps and just general usage.

 

[Marty1781]

I've use hosted Exchange with push for at least 4 years now so that's been constant on almost all of the phones I've listed. And with the recent WM HTC phones, those all have had the Sense weather updates (and I never really used youtube). I do use Slingplayer Mobile but I've using that since the 6800. I more or less browse the same couple of websites on all the phones and with the Evo, I might even say I browse less due to the HTC news widget and not having to open the browser. I basically do the same couple of things with my phone that I've always done for the past couple of years and the Evo hasn't really changed that (it just does everything better/quicker than my older phones). Regardless, its obvious that even though I do basically the same things on the Evo as I've always done on my 3G phones, 3G is a huge battery drain on the Evo but not so much on my other WM phones and it would sure be nice to figure out why that is. I'm keeping the Evo in any case as its clearly the best phone I've ever owned, I just wish the battery life on 3G was better.

 

[Verdes8891]

Well if you look at other phones in the market at the specs, phones generally gain more battery when using wifi over the cell towera for data transfer. Its less battery drain to use the wifi attenas versus the 3g or the 4g anttenas

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk

 

[Gekko]

Why is 3G such a large battery drain on the Evo?

it's not. but 4G is.

 

[Marty1781]

Well if you look at other phones in the market at the specs, phones generally gain more battery when using wifi over the cell towera for data transfer. Its less battery drain to use the wifi attenas versus the 3g or the 4g anttenas

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk

Yup, I think its clear that wifi is now generally more efficient than 3G and that 3G is a significant source of battery drain on the Evo. What I'm trying to figure out is that even though I basically do the same things with all my phones for the past couple of years (including the Evo), the Evo (and Epic) for whatever reason really take a battery hit on 3G whereas my other WM phones did not.

 

[Marty1781]

it's not. but 4G is.

Evo on wifi: great battery life (minimum of 16 hours, often more)
Evo on 3G: so-so battery life (generally 6-10 hours)
Conclusion: 3G is a major factor on the Evo's battery life

 

[Gekko]

Evo on wifi: great battery life (minimum of 16 hours, often more)
Evo on 3G: so-so battery life (generally 6-10 hours)
Conclusion: 3G is a major factor on the Evo's battery life

move out of the sticks.

 

[Marty1781]

move out of the sticks.

I really like my Evo but I've notcied that if I use wifi instead of 3G (and I have a strong 3G signal), my battery life doubles at the minimum.

I live in the heart of the DC metro area and am surrounded by strong 3G coverage (and have 4G as well, which I leave turned off 99% of the time). I do NOT live in the "sticks."

 

[kenlperry]

The real answer is this:


The Evo's 3G isn't using more battery. YOU are using more battery by being online more through apps and just general usage.

I totally disagree with this statement, and I totally agree with the OP. I can sit my phone on the night stand over night and on WiFi it will lose about 15% in 7-8 hours, but on 3G it loses about 30%. At that time I'm not using the battery by being online more, so that's basically why I disagree. I have noticed the same thing the OP is talking about. When my Evo is on 3G it loses power alot faster than it does when it's on a WiFi connection. I've observed this and tested it for quite some time now. It's not imagined. It's very real. For this reason I connect to WiFi whenever I can. When I'm at a friend or family members house I'm connect to their WiFi and my battery life is great!!!

 

[kenlperry]

Marty, I also live and work in the DC Metro area. If we are the only ones so far that are experiencing this observed 3G battery drain, then maybe it's something with the towers in our locale. Hmmmmmm.

 

[Robbie317]

I totally disagree with this statement, and I totally agree with the OP. I can sit my phone on the night stand over night and on WiFi it will lose about 15% in 7-8 hours, but on 3G it loses about 30%. At that time I'm not using the battery by being online more, so that's basically why I disagree. I have noticed the same thing the OP is talking about. When my Evo is on 3G it loses power alot faster than it does when it's on a WiFi connection. I've observed this and tested it for quite some time now. It's not imagined. It's very real. For this reason I connect to WiFi whenever I can. When I'm at a friend or family members house I'm connect to their WiFi and my battery life is great!!!

I easily get 16+ hours out of my phone with 3G.... This is using maybe an 90 - 120 minutes of internet use, 100+ text messages, 10 phones calls, e-mail and weather set to hourly update, 4 or 5 pictures uploaded to Facebook via 3G.. The longest I have gone is 30 hours but that was with minimal use all while on 3G with no WiFi connection at all.... Now if I get to playing a game the phone last MAYBE 8 hours MAX.... Depending on the game.. I don't play a lot but on a 4 hour cross country flight in airplane mode I got to playing "Angry Birds" and lost 50% of my battery life after 2 - 3 hours of constant play while bored on the airplane.....

I don't know why some people seem to get such HORRIBLE battery life and blame it on an array of different issues.... It's a big screen and it uses battery... For me... The longer the screen is actually "ON" the faster the battery dies.... Idle with the screen off 90% of the time my battery last me all day no problem... I almost never use WiFi on my phone unless I am uploading a video..... and then I turn it back off...

 

[clavodulce16]

I easily get 16+ hours out of my phone with 3G.... This is using maybe an 90 - 120 minutes of internet use, 100+ text messages, 10 phones calls, e-mail and weather set to hourly update, 4 or 5 pictures uploaded to Facebook via 3G.. The longest I have gone is 30 hours but that was with minimal use all while on 3G with no WiFi connection at all.... Now if I get to playing a game the phone last MAYBE 8 hours MAX.... Depending on the game.. I don't play a lot but on a 4 hour cross country flight in airplane mode I got to playing "Angry Birds" and lost 50% of my battery life after 2 - 3 hours of constant play while bored on the airplane.....

I don't know why some people seem to get such HORRIBLE battery life and blame it on an array of different issues.... It's a big screen and it uses battery... For me... The longer the screen is actually "ON" the faster the battery dies.... Idle with the screen off 90% of the time my battery last me all day no problem... I almost never use WiFi on my phone unless I am uploading a video..... and then I turn it back off...

do you have any rom ? I can never get this amount of time and i use it less than you do.

 

[milominderbinde]

Try JuiceDefender
The free JuiceDefender app saves your battery by automatically:
• Turning off WiFi when you are not near a WiFi hotspot you use (like your home)
• Turning off 1x/3G//4G when WiFi is available.
• Turning off 1x/3G/4G/WiFi and set to silent mode overnight while you sleep.
Add in JuicePlotter for history and UltimateJuice for enhanced features.

From the Getting Started with Android - Tips and Tricks.

 

[Darth Mo]

I totally disagree with this statement, and I totally agree with the OP. I can sit my phone on the night stand over night and on WiFi it will lose about 15% in 7-8 hours, but on 3G it loses about 30%. At that time I'm not using the battery by being online more, so that's basically why I disagree. I have noticed the same thing the OP is talking about. When my Evo is on 3G it loses power alot faster than it does when it's on a WiFi connection. I've observed this and tested it for quite some time now. It's not imagined. It's very real. For this reason I connect to WiFi whenever I can. When I'm at a friend or family members house I'm connect to their WiFi and my battery life is great!!!

You likely have something running using data either too often or consistently if you're battery drops that much idle.

If I leave my phone off the charger with 3G on for 7-8 hours as you have, the battery drops <10% on 3G or WiFi as the data connection is idle...

 

[deaofly]

It has to due with some apps also. I mean, weather, email, Facebook, twitter. Most apps that use 3g to get updates keep 3g on. You DONT NEED apps from the market to turn off your 3g, just hold your finger on a empty spot on the screen to bring up the add widget option. They have a app toogle built in Evo to turn every and any feature off. Its called Mobile Network, that's your 3g. I have a toogle on 1 screen to turn off all my features. The Evo has, Mobile Netowrk(3g), 4g, Air Plane mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, Mobile Hotspot (wireless teether), Ringer, and Profile, all built in. I keep my 3g off and it only uses 6% battery life for every 3hours. Now once i turn 3g on, i can burn 20% in just 30 mins of browsing the internet.

 

[ToddPsyD]

For me I find that 3g and WiFi use about the same amount of battery. However, the 3g radio does kill my battery at work where my signal is low. (thankfully we have wifi at work so its not a big issue).

 

[AdamC]

Have you guys tried settings -> wireless & networks -> mobile networks -> Enable always on mobile data unchecked?

I've heard it can cause problems with some apps, but works great for me.

 

[Trust]

I totally disagree with this statement, and I totally agree with the OP. I can sit my phone on the night stand over night and on WiFi it will lose about 15% in 7-8 hours, but on 3G it loses about 30%. At that time I'm not using the battery by being online more, so that's basically why I disagree. I have noticed the same thing the OP is talking about. When my Evo is on 3G it loses power alot faster than it does when it's on a WiFi connection. I've observed this and tested it for quite some time now. It's not imagined. It's very real. For this reason I connect to WiFi whenever I can. When I'm at a friend or family members house I'm connect to their WiFi and my battery life is great!!!

There is a misunderstanding here so let me clear it up.

Just because you lay your phone down at night and not touch it does not mean the phone is not on the Internet. By Default the Evo synchronizes weather every 3 hours, Facebook, News, Twitter, Gmail and whatever other account you have defined in the Accounts & Sync section of the phone.

Unless these accounts are set to MANUAL they are reaching out to the Internet every few hours to update/sync. This drains the battery because 3G is being asked to turn on/off all night every few hours.

The Evo's 3G IS using more battery than those primitive phones the OP listed because the Evo DOES more on the Internet. I remember my 6800 very well. It didn't sync a damn thing. You had to manually get online with it to do anything.