Note 5 Battery life thread

[Kelly Kearns]

I mean this with all due respect but if you turn off google and facebook and have wifi set to sleep you are basically turning a smartphone into a dumb phone. If I don't play any games, sync any email, make any phone calls, watch any youtube, stream any music, nor receive any kind of contact with the outside world when my screen is off (wifi sleep), use any Samsung software etc. why not just buy a flip phone?

Your suggestions are all accurate. The more stuff we shut off and the fewer apps we use the more battery life we have but it kind of defeats the idea of having the most advanced smart phone ever built.

It's just a shame we have to.

If they just made the phone thick enough so camera lens was flush with back cover we could have had a much bigger battery.

I find the biggest battery killer is a weak signal. If you have less than 3 bars for any length of time I would suggest airplane mode until you are back in a strong signal area.

Does your phone ever feel hot when you have a good signal? Unless you are playing a game some app is running amuck.

Actually, no it doesn't turn it into a dumb phone.

First, if people don't use the Facebook app, not sure why they would want it running.

I never said anything about turning off Google, but some people don't use Google Now.

Having it set to turn off WiFi when the phone is sleeping, doesn't change get anything at except keep the WiFi from waking the phone all night and apps, even ones just installed and not being used, from sending location all the time to Google.

Setting WiFi to sleep when the screen is off, doesn't stop my phone from operating at all.

Package Disabler is for disabling carrier bloatware that you don't use at all. If you read all my posts here, I'm very, very clear about not turning off everything on the phone. My phone runs at full throttle and I charge it on average every other day and once a day, when I have heavy use. I have no issues with this battery. It is doing much better than my Note 4, which was charging once a day and twice a day on heavy days.

I use the Facebook app, I do not use the messenger app. I've been a beta tester for Facebook for a couple of years now, one that was involved with the developers. I know how that messenger app chews through battery and data.

 

[spasell]

Actually, no it doesn't turn it into a dumb phone.

First, if people don't use the Facebook app, not sure why they would want it running.

I never said anything about turning off Google, but some people don't use Google Now.

Having it set to turn off WiFi when the phone is sleeping, doesn't change get anything at except keep the WiFi from waking the phone all night and apps, even ones just installed and not being used, from sending location all the time to Google.

Setting WiFi to sleep when the screen is off, doesn't stop my phone from operating at all.

Package Disabler is for disabling carrier bloatware that you don't use at all. If you read all my posts here, I'm very, very clear about not turning off everything on the phone. My phone runs at full throttle and I charge it on average every other day and once a day, when I have heavy use. I have no issues with this battery. It is doing much better than my Note 4, which was charging once a day and twice a day on heavy days.

I use the Facebook app, I do not use the messenger app. I've been a beta tester for Facebook for a couple of years now, one that was involved with the developers. I know how that messenger app chews through battery and data.

For whatever reason I have the option for WiFi to sleep with screen off and it doesn't. I'm on Verizon but doubt that's the issue. But it does tick me off that it doesn't work.

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[spasell]

OK. I've had the phone for 3 weeks now and feel like I've got a great handle on battery.

I have switched from iPhone 6+ to Note 5.

I have run tests for a week going between the two devices and finally decided today to go strictly with Note 5. The only reason I considered not doing so was battery. I felt my iPhone 6+ was MUCH better on battery but I was wrong, dead wrong.

I consider myself a moderate to heavy user. Mostly Email, text, Web browsing, Facebook, Twitter and reading WSJ among a few other things.

Actual PHONE CALLS (this is a phone right?) are between 90-120 minutes each day. I have auto brightness on.

I have location on but at power saving mode and disabled all the bloatware stuff. I also use Google Now since I like it like I used Siri for reminders etc.

So what did I find?

Using iPhone I fully charged and then took off charger at 12am for 3 straight days. When waking at 530 I had only lost 2% battery over that time.

Same conditions for N5 I woke up and was down to 94% or 6% loss on standby. At first I was convinced that no way can this device be better over iPhone for battery.

Then I made sure to read my WSJ app for 30 minutes with screen on the entire time while drinking my coffee. It's my routine for the most part BUT I actually used a timer for 30 min.

When I was done my iPhone was down to 90% but under same conditions on my Note 5 I was down to 90% as well. However that's an 8% drop on the iPhone but a 4% drop on N5.

Started wondering if standby is worse on N5 but SOT is better on N5. So I decided to play a video using Safari on iPhone and stock browser on N5. It was a 15 min documentary I have for work.

After 15 min the iPhone dropped down to 83% and my Note 5 was at 87%

Then I decided to do the same basic activities for 3 days straight on iPhone and 3 for Note 5.

Keep in mind Ieft location on for each device and made sure on the Note 5 to use power saving mode for it. In reality for the iphone I never had many apps set to use location but there were a couple so I left it alone.

Each night when I got home, did more email, texts, social media, I was shocked.

My iPhone gave me a low power warning each day around 830pm and by 930 it was almost dead and needed to be charged to repeat same unplugging by 12am to repeat.

With the N5 I still had approximately 20% left by around 830 and when getting ready to charge I still had12-15% left when plugging in.

It appears that iPhone beats N5 on standby but for those that actually USE it as not just a fun device but a PHONE and productivity tool the N5 hands down is better by about 15-20% with same usage because there's less drain for SOT.

One final note.

I traveled to San Francisco for 10 days and carried only my N5. My battery was even better and I think that's because my signal is weaker at home. Cell Standby in CA was non existent but I am at 5-8% or more when at home.

I did get a cell range extender and it so working pretty good showing 4g almost steadily so we will see.

FINAL FINAL thought:

I think I was charging my iPhone 6+ when I first got it when driving home so my perception was that I was getting better battery than my new N5. It never occurred to me that I wasn't doing the same with my N5 because I was obsessing over battery.

With rapid charging I can go from 30-40% to 75-80% in 20-30 min on N5. Same drive car charge time on iPhone 6+ I'd only gain 15% more battery sometimes 20.

That alone tells me that in a pinch the N5 is much better overall for battery. I never worried when traveling because when needed after my conference I charged my N5 in hotel room for 15 minutes before heading out each night and was way back up again.

I'm impressed and satisfied, alleviating my fears on battery.

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[Kelly Kearns]

For whatever reason I have the option for WiFi to sleep with screen off and it doesn't. I'm on Verizon but doubt that's the issue. But it does tick me off that it doesn't work.

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Did you go to settings, then wifi, then more and then choose advanced? Verizon has this also.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Here..

 

[recDNA]

Actually, no it doesn't turn it into a dumb phone.

First, if people don't use the Facebook app, not sure why they would want it running.

I never said anything about turning off Google, but some people don't use Google Now.

Having it set to turn off WiFi when the phone is sleeping, doesn't change get anything at except keep the WiFi from waking the phone all night and apps, even ones just installed and not being used, from sending location all the time to Google.

Setting WiFi to sleep when the screen is off, doesn't stop my phone from operating at all.

Package Disabler is for disabling carrier bloatware that you don't use at all. If you read all my posts here, I'm very, very clear about not turning off everything on the phone. My phone runs at full throttle and I charge it on average every other day and once a day, when I have heavy use. I have no issues with this battery. It is doing much better than my Note 4, which was charging once a day and twice a day on heavy days.

I use the Facebook app, I do not use the messenger app. I've been a beta tester for Facebook for a couple of years now, one that was involved with the developers. I know how that messenger app chews through battery and data.

My comment wasn't directed specifically at you. All of those things I listed were suggestions on this thread. If you do all of them you pretty much have a dumb phone. In wifi sleep mode you may not get synced notifications. If you really want phone to sleep you have to turn off google using wifi for location even when wifi is off. I agree it is smart to turn off apps you don't use but I use all except facebook

 

[Kelly Kearns]

My fomment wasn't directed specifically at you. All of those things I listed were suggestions on this thread. If you do all of them you pretty much have a dumb phone. In wifi sleep mode you may not get synced notifications. If you really want phone to sleep you have to turn off google using wifi for location even when wifi is off. I agree it is smart to turn off alps you don't use but I use all except facebook

You do get sync'd notifications with WiFi set that way. All that does is keep wifi from scanning and sending location to Google. It doesn't stop anything at all.

Thr phone will sleep fine if it isn't sending location. I've been doing this with Samsung phones since the S and now Samsung is even suggesting that.

It isn't Google using the location, it is apps you download sending location to Google and it isn't just Google Apps.

But it still isn't a dumb phone. Tons of people never use Google Now. That isn't a necessary function.

And the apps that people disable are carrier bloatware they don't use.

Also many of the bloatware apps will run in the background, even when not in use or being used, if they aren't disabled. That uses RAM, data and battery.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

For whatever reason I have the option for WiFi to sleep with screen off and it doesn't. I'm on Verizon but doubt that's the issue. But it does tick me off that it doesn't work.

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How do you know it isn't sleeping?

 

[MDMcAtee]

My fomment wasn't directed specifically at you. All of those things I listed were suggestions on this thread. If you do all of them you pretty much have a dumb phone. In wifi sleep mode you may not get synced notifications. If you really want phone to sleep you have to turn off google using wifi for location even when wifi is off. I agree it is smart to turn off alps you don't use but I use all except facebook

My phone is on 24-7 and is set up like most others here that choose to do so. I have absolutely no need to be connected to any social media bs app round the clock and in reality if you need to be I feel sorry for you. My email is sync'd, my text messages come through fine as well as " gasp" actual phone calls

I can be reached at anytime by anyone who matters to me and have probably the greatest smartphone at my fingertips ready to go within seconds of picking it up.

I don't understand why you feel turning off things that chew through your battery makes you feel like you have a dumb phone

 

[Kelly Kearns]

All my Facebook, email, breaking news and most important, my weather alerts, as I live in a severe tornado area, all come through, all night.

 

[recDNA]

My phone is on 24-7 and is set up like most others here that choose to do so. I have absolutely no need to be connected to any social media bs app round the clock and in reality if you need to be I feel sorry for you. My email is sync'd, my text messages come through fine as well as " gasp" actual phone calls

I can be reached at anytime by anyone who matters to me and have probably the greatest smartphone at my fingertips ready to go within seconds of picking it up.

I don't understand why you feel turning off things that chew through your battery makes you feel like you have a dumb phone

Fewer things work. I don't get synced email with wifi set to sleep until I turn on screen. I just said I don't do facebook. I actually don't do instagram either and my twitter is not synced. I do need instant notifications of email which I do not get when wifi sleeps. In fact sometimes wifi disconnects. The fewer apps you use the dumber your phone gets. If you don't like them of course you shut them down but again if you compile all the suggestions it amounts to shutting off all contact except phone and test messages. My main point was a bigger battery would have been nice

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Fewer things work. I don't get synced email with wifi set to sleep until I turn on screen. I just said I don't do facebook. I actually don't do instagram either and my twitter is not synced. I do need instant notifications of email which I do not get when wifi sleeps. In fact sometimes wifi disconnects. The fewer apps you use the dumber your phone gets. If you don't like them of course you shut them down but again if you compile all the suggestions it amounts to shutting off all contact except phone and test messages. My main point was a bigger battery would have been nice

Do you have data turned off?

I think you aren't understanding what people are shutting off. No one's phone is more restricted than yours.

 

[ELAkid]

i was getting 4 hours screen on time when this phone was new now I'm getting like 6 hours screen on time, this phone's is awesome.

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[Kelly Kearns]

i was getting 4 hours screen on time when this phone was new now I'm getting like 6 hours screen on time, this phone's is awesome.

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Yup, battery always seems to need to settle in on all Samsung phones at least, not sure about others since I'm a Samsung phone girl.

 

[ELAkid]

Yup, battery always seems to need to settle in on all Samsung phones at least, not sure about others since I'm a Samsung phone girl.

I posted the wrong picture, where I was getting 4 hours and 1 minute of screen on time, but the 5 hours and 50 minutes was from today ,this battery improved big time.

I too have become accustomed to Samsung products I find myself missing certain features when I used another OS I wasn't sure if I would jump from the note 4 to the 5 but I'm glad I did.

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[Kelly Kearns]

I posted the wrong picture, where I was getting 4 hours and 1 minute of screen on time, but the 5 hours and 50 minutes was from today ,this battery improved big time.

I too have become accustomed to Samsung products I find myself missing certain features when I used another OS I wasn't sure if I would jump from the note 4 to the 5 but I'm glad I did.

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I might like other phones better, not sure. I've just always had good phones with my Samsung phones. TouchWiz doesn't bother me, all my androids but my first, have been Samsung, so I'm used to it. Also I use Nova. The other thing is the superior customer service I get from Samsung. There isn't one thing I ever ask them to do, they don't agree to, even not charging me for a screen replacement when they were two days late getting it back to me.

 

[ELAkid]

I might like other phones better, not sure. I've just always had good phones with my Samsung phones. TouchWiz doesn't bother me, all my androids but my first, have been Samsung, so I'm used to it. Also I use Nova. The other thing is the superior customer service I get from Samsung. There isn't one thing I ever ask them to do, they don't agree to, even not charging me for a screen replacement when they were two days late getting it back to me.

TouchWiz doesn't bother me either, I went from the s4 to the note 4 then note 5 ,before my s4 I had an HTC thunderbolt and it was a nightmare. I've had a few different phones but as of now Samsung has worked for me.

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[Kelly Kearns]

TouchWiz doesn't bother me either, I went from the s4 to the note 4 then note 5 ,before my s4 I had an HTC thunderbolt and it was a nightmare. I've had a few different phones but as of now Samsung has worked for me.

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Well I've had the S, S3, S5, S6 Edge, Note 1, Note 2, Note 3, Note 4 and Note 5. If I'm not used to and ok with TouchWiz by now, I won't ever be lol.

 

[ELAkid]

Well I've had the S, S3, S5, S6 Edge, Note 1, Note 2, Note 3, Note 4 and Note 5. If I'm not used to and ok with TouchWiz by now, I won't ever be lol.

Man that is a lot of Samsung phones ,I had a Samsung flipphone back in the day lol

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[Kelly Kearns]

Man that is a lot of Samsung phones ,I had a Samsung flipphone back in the day lol

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Well before that I had a Samsung data phone and it was one of those flat small phones with a color screen and like a huge screen.. About 2 inches lol. It had Snake 2 on it and I could browse the Web and download games from GetJar back when it was a great place to download.