Is battery a moot point at the end of the day?

[spasell]

I had worried about it for some time. My experience on the Note 5 was less than stellar. My iPhone 6+ gave me 12-14 hours consistently and was the biggest factor I went to it.

Yes iOS has good apps. Things run smooth etc. So when I moved to it I missed the spen a lot and the overall ability to customize the phone the way I want it.

To me iPhone is for those who just don't want to mess with things. Who don't really care too much about "tech" overall but just want something out of the box they don't need to mess with. My kids. My wife. The professional that doesn't care about all the bells and whistles.

I'm not any of those. I love tech. I'm an addict.

But battery meant 90% to me in my decision to leave to iPhone.

Now I cannot get 12-14 hours on one charge. But in the end do I really "need" to go all day every day on 1 charge? I added it all up and the answer I have concluded is NOPE.

I think SOT and ability to go without charging in a say is psychological. It really is. Why?

Fast charge. Because at the end of the day I am near a charger 90% of my time when working. When traveling I'm in my car. Got my fast charging car charger.

In a meeting? Fast charging wall charger.

At home? Yeah. Obviously.

This past week with this device I have been on the go. I was flying to Chicago. A 2.5 hour flight for me. When I landed I had my car charger with me for the rental car. Didn't even need it until around 430pm and I was still at 30% but I like my phones at 50% or more. Call me crazy but it's a psychological thing to see it go under 50%.

But with rapid charge I took it from 30% to 80% on my drive to hotel in 35 minutes and didn't even think twice when I went out for dinner with colleagues.

So in essence I was worried about nothing. Who cares if I have to put it on a charge for 20-30 minutes when I can get another 40-50% charge on it or in reality another 5-6 hours of life in that short period of time.

Battery and SOT is really psychological. To me anyway. I suspect that if people started thinking this way vs worried about what it can get on one charge every day it wouldn't be as big a deal as everyone says AND you can actually ENJOY using that $850 pocket computer.

And I bought a charging brick from Samsung so if I am not near a wall charger or cannot top off (after long day and hurrying to airport and I forget to charge up) I have that peace of mind. Haven't even used it. Ever. Yet.

 

[akin_t]

I agree for the most part, but I actually do get 12 to 14 hours out of the Note 7. Active battery life between iOS and Android are similar, it's idle or standby battery life where iOS blows Android out of the water.

My work phone can go 5 days idle and still be alive.

 

[spasell]

I agree for the most part, but I actually do get 12 to 14 hours out of the Note 7. Active battery life between iOS and Android are similar, it's idle or standby battery life where iOS blows Android out of the water.

My work phone can go 5 days idle and still be alive.

Yup. That's the key. When I am on my laptop and my iPhone sat idle it never lost even 1%. And that happens a lot for me not using my phone when on my Mac.

However I think Android beats iOS when screen is actually on. So if you're always on your phone vs a computer than Android wins. For me it's a mixed bag.

But with this rapid charge technology it really does make any worry obsolete.

I'd drive home with 50% battery on my iPhone and in 45 minutes in the car while talking via BT I'd get home and it would be 70%.

On my Note 7 same time frame doing the same thing I would be at 40% and get home and it's at 90%. In essence I get more juice on this then on my iPhone.

 

[spasell]

actually I have gone out when on the road to dinner, had a few cocktails and forgot to put my iPhone on charger. Didn't worry about that though because it doesn't lose battery when idle.

Before rapid charging on Android I'd be in trouble in that scenario.

But if that happens now I'd just plug it on, hit the shower and breakfast in the lobby and be no worse for it.

 

[jlczl]

Two words:

Batter anxiety

 

[Nvincible]

Great post. It is funny how much we worry about our battery. I bet you are a "uh-oh, half tank of gas left, gotta fill up" person too! lol I am.
I was actually thinking about this very subject this morning and decided to get a fast charger pad for my desk. I always lay my phone on my work desk anyway while on my pc so why not lay it on a pad and not worry about having to plug it in. Seems like a no brainer but yet just ordered one today for some reason. Even if it's just 10 minutes, it will boost it up like 20% probably.
I never really run out of battery but like you, I start getting jumpy at 50% or so! lol

 

[Almeuit]

If my Note 7 can last me all day.. I don't mind having to charge at the end. I never understood why some want it to last days and days. I need it that day and can charge at night or whatever.

 

[climb]

I had worried about it for some time. My experience on the Note 5 was less than stellar. My iPhone 6+ gave me 12-14 hours consistently and was the biggest factor I went to it.

Yes iOS has good apps. Things run smooth etc. So when I moved to it I missed the spen a lot and the overall ability to customize the phone the way I want it.

To me iPhone is for those who just don't want to mess with things. Who don't really care too much about "tech" overall but just want something out of the box they don't need to mess with. My kids. My wife. The professional that doesn't care about all the bells and whistles.

I'm not any of those. I love tech. I'm an addict.

But battery meant 90% to me in my decision to leave to iPhone.

Now I cannot get 12-14 hours on one charge. But in the end do I really "need" to go all day every day on 1 charge? I added it all up and the answer I have concluded is NOPE.

I think SOT and ability to go without charging in a say is psychological. It really is. Why?

Fast charge. Because at the end of the day I am near a charger 90% of my time when working. When traveling I'm in my car. Got my fast charging car charger.

In a meeting? Fast charging wall charger.

At home? Yeah. Obviously.

This past week with this device I have been on the go. I was flying to Chicago. A 2.5 hour flight for me. When I landed I had my car charger with me for the rental car. Didn't even need it until around 430pm and I was still at 30% but I like my phones at 50% or more. Call me crazy but it's a psychological thing to see it go under 50%.

But with rapid charge I took it from 30% to 80% on my drive to hotel in 35 minutes and didn't even think twice when I went out for dinner with colleagues.

So in essence I was worried about nothing. Who cares if I have to put it on a charge for 20-30 minutes when I can get another 40-50% charge on it or in reality another 5-6 hours of life in that short period of time.

Battery and SOT is really psychological. To me anyway. I suspect that if people started thinking this way vs worried about what it can get on one charge every day it wouldn't be as big a deal as everyone says AND you can actually ENJOY using that $850 pocket computer.

And I bought a charging brick from Samsung so if I am not near a wall charger or cannot top off (after long day and hurrying to airport and I forget to charge up) I have that peace of mind. Haven't even used it. Ever. Yet.

This is spot on

Am a heavy business user of the mighty note, making use of almost all its technology to manage my business. It's a 24/7 enterprise so I can't run without a juiced up battery.

Moving from the Note 4 to the Note 5 was a HUGE psychological hurdle - how could I exist without the ability to pop in an extra battery anytime and anywhere needed.....

But with fast charging and QC 2.0 fast charge external batteries, it turns out that battery life is just psychological.

I run with a fast charge in the car and LOVE the Samsung 5200 mAh sleek silver external battery - great form factor and a real " what's that?" crowd pleaser whenever I pull it out........and it's small enough to out in my back pocket.

Rock'in my sleek Black Note 7

 

[Kelly Kearns]

I had worried about it for some time. My experience on the Note 5 was less than stellar. My iPhone 6+ gave me 12-14 hours consistently and was the biggest factor I went to it.

Yes iOS has good apps. Things run smooth etc. So when I moved to it I missed the spen a lot and the overall ability to customize the phone the way I want it.

To me iPhone is for those who just don't want to mess with things. Who don't really care too much about "tech" overall but just want something out of the box they don't need to mess with. My kids. My wife. The professional that doesn't care about all the bells and whistles.

I'm not any of those. I love tech. I'm an addict.

But battery meant 90% to me in my decision to leave to iPhone.

Now I cannot get 12-14 hours on one charge. But in the end do I really "need" to go all day every day on 1 charge? I added it all up and the answer I have concluded is NOPE.

I think SOT and ability to go without charging in a say is psychological. It really is. Why?

Fast charge. Because at the end of the day I am near a charger 90% of my time when working. When traveling I'm in my car. Got my fast charging car charger.

In a meeting? Fast charging wall charger.

At home? Yeah. Obviously.

This past week with this device I have been on the go. I was flying to Chicago. A 2.5 hour flight for me. When I landed I had my car charger with me for the rental car. Didn't even need it until around 430pm and I was still at 30% but I like my phones at 50% or more. Call me crazy but it's a psychological thing to see it go under 50%.

But with rapid charge I took it from 30% to 80% on my drive to hotel in 35 minutes and didn't even think twice when I went out for dinner with colleagues.

So in essence I was worried about nothing. Who cares if I have to put it on a charge for 20-30 minutes when I can get another 40-50% charge on it or in reality another 5-6 hours of life in that short period of time.

Battery and SOT is really psychological. To me anyway. I suspect that if people started thinking this way vs worried about what it can get on one charge every day it wouldn't be as big a deal as everyone says AND you can actually ENJOY using that $850 pocket computer.

And I bought a charging brick from Samsung so if I am not near a wall charger or cannot top off (after long day and hurrying to airport and I forget to charge up) I have that peace of mind. Haven't even used it. Ever. Yet.

Pretty much.

Sure we would all love a battery that will go for a month on one charge.

If it gets you through most days the way you need.. No problem. If you have to charge once every once in a while or plug in a battery pack? So what really?

I dream of a day when wireless charging will go through power lines and the electric wiring in a building. Where you can just walk around and your phone is charging.

With all my phones, I get it set up like I want, get battery as best as I can and forget about my battery unless I start experiencing a change and a problem.

 

[French]

I have all of these thoughts going through my head, too. I really want a phone that will last all day...as long as me, and not have to worry about it. But fast charging really IS a game changer. It used to be if you were in need of a bump you could expect to only see a few points of charge that would very quickly dissipate once using the phone again. That's just not the case with the quick charge technology. I actually bought a wireless charger for the car...claimed it was quick charge but it's not. Or if it is I'll be darned if I can find the right lighter adapter to get it to work accordingly. It does, however, keep the phone from losing ANY charge while using navigation AND streaming video podcasts via bluetooth (the podcasts are on the SD card). If I only do one or the other I can get roughly 1% every 8 minutes. So basically I can USE my phone with the screen on the entire time and not lose any charge and in fact gain a tiny bit if only in the car a short period of time. I'd have a phone holder/bracket anyway...now I don't have to think about plugging the phone IN after inserting it into the holder.

I also have a usb to c cable in the car in case I ever need a truly fast charge.

I'm still trying to force myself to go "all day" without a bump charge just to see where I land...but reality is I need to stop thinking about it/worrying about it. I've got chargers where I need them, an adapter in case I don't but someone at least has a micro, and a charger in the car. The only way I would be forced to run out of juice is if stranded on a deserted island out of range of any civilization, in which case a phone should be the last of my worries.

Good post OP. I'm having to play some "mind games" with myself because at the end of the day this whole battery thing really is a mind problem for me. I'm coming around.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Well we are used to slow charging and carrying around extra batteries. It really is a mindset you have to force yourself out of. It was the same for me with SD cards. My Note 5 broke that for me. I couldn't care less that Samsung brought back the SD card with the Note 7. I doubt I'll even use it.

 

[1213 1213]

Most ideal thing is getting from the moment you wake up till the moment you sleep on a single charge. If it at least takes you until you get home for example, than its satisfactory, but obviously an inconvenience to have to charge it mid day. Depends on preference on if you really care about not having this inconvenience.

Not being able to charge it, and having to adjust your usage because your battery can't take it, is when you can say the battery life is poor.

Recent Samsung phones like the s5 and s7 have always got me from the beginning of the day to the end quite easily though, and the note series seems to do better.

 

[spasell]

I have all of these thoughts going through my head, too. I really want a phone that will last all day...as long as me, and not have to worry about it. But fast charging really IS a game changer. It used to be if you were in need of a bump you could expect to only see a few points of charge that would very quickly dissipate once using the phone again. That's just not the case with the quick charge technology. I actually bought a wireless charger for the car...claimed it was quick charge but it's not. Or if it is I'll be darned if I can find the right lighter adapter to get it to work accordingly. It does, however, keep the phone from losing ANY charge while using navigation AND streaming video podcasts via bluetooth (the podcasts are on the SD card). If I only do one or the other I can get roughly 1% every 8 minutes. So basically I can USE my phone with the screen on the entire time and not lose any charge and in fact gain a tiny bit if only in the car a short period of time. I'd have a phone holder/bracket anyway...now I don't have to think about plugging the phone IN after inserting it into the holder.

I also have a usb to c cable in the car in case I ever need a truly fast charge.

I'm still trying to force myself to go "all day" without a bump charge just to see where I land...but reality is I need to stop thinking about it/worrying about it. I've got chargers where I need them, an adapter in case I don't but someone at least has a micro, and a charger in the car. The only way I would be forced to run out of juice is if stranded on a deserted island out of range of any civilization, in which case a phone should be the last of my worries.

Good post OP. I'm having to play some "mind games" with myself because at the end of the day this whole battery thing really is a mind problem for me. I'm coming around.

I came to the realization that I felt like I was in a competition with someone or something to get better battery. It's just psychological for me anyway.

When I realized this fast charger does what it does that literally removed it from my mind.

Between all the "how many times should you charge your battery and does it hurt it" to "Look I get 48 hours on one charge" I am done with all of it. I was one on the battery threads going nuts but done with all of that.

That said if I am only getting 4-5 hours at some point then I'll think it over. But by that time I'll probably be in the Note 8 or 9.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

I came to the realization that I felt like I was in a competition with someone or something to get better battery. It's just psychological for me anyway.

When I realized this fast charger does what it does that literally removed it from my mind.

Between all the "how many times should you charge your battery and does it hurt it" to "Look I get 48 hours on one charge" I am done with all of it. I was one on the battery threads going nuts but done with all of that.

That said if I am only getting 4-5 hours at some point then I'll think it over. But by that time I'll probably be in the Note 8 or 9.

I'm glad to see this from you. Just for kicks and giggles.. Who told you basically this last year?

 

[pavvento]

I came here to find out about normal battery life. I just switched from iPhone because of battery. I took my note off the charger a little after noon at 100% and did not use it a ton, and by 10pm I was at 15%. Here is a screenshot. Are these percentages normal?

 

[jdfry15]

I think it's all mental. I charge throughout the day and don't worry too much. I get annoyed on the weekend though. I went and played a golf tournament Saturday and didn't use my phone much, a few text, couple calls and a few apps but very little. By 2pm it's down to 70%. My iPhone would have been at 90%, is it a big deal. Not really, I just put it on the charger when I got to the car. The mental hurdle for me is the fact that I know that there is something sitting right by me that is better with battery management. But, the iPhone doesn't have the same screen, and spen and all the other features. It is a huge mental issue and I go back and forth with it all the time. I need some help.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

It's all is subjective really. How much battery life you 'need' from a phone is entirely up to you.

Most of the time I'm office bound and sit in front of PC all day so on those days, I'm always charged. However, being in the engineering industry, it requires me to be on site frequently and sometimes for 8+ hours at a time. In those instances, yes I do require good battery life.

Do I get adequate battery life out of my Note 7? Yes I do. Would I like more? Absolutely.

The issue is that there is always a concern in my head about battery life and the fear that I might run out of juice. I'd like it if phones batteries improved to the point where I don't have to worry. Where I know that if I'm out all day, the phone will last the entire day (or maybe even two!) before requiring a charge.

 

[Inevitable Flux]

Well said OP. Agree on pretty well all battery points. I'm only getting about 4-4.5 hour SOT, but that doesn't bother me in the slightest. It's more than enough to get me through my 9-10 hour days before I'm home to charge it if necessary.

 

[spasell]

I'm glad to see this from you. Just for kicks and giggles.. Who told you basically this last year?

Well of course you Kelly. Lol.

My Note I feel was different only because I was having issues holding a charge for 6-7 hours despite constantly rebooting and doing a ton of stuff to it. That made me panic having used a Note 3 and really not having those issues.

This one is much better but leaning on the idea of fast charge changes it all.

I'm also not flying as much as I had been but getting that Samsung charging brick makes a difference too.

 

[spasell]

Something else i wanted to mention.

Yesterday I decided to use the Power Saving Mode to see what the effect is on performance and battery.

I customized Medium to reduce brightness to Max of 90%, FHD, and limit phone performance. I left background data on because I need to be informed of emails etc.

What I can tell you is that I do notice the difference in the display but it's not a big deal. It's a little more "washed out" but if I hold it next to my son's Motorola X it looks the same. Lol.

Performance wise it did lag through a little stuff but again not a big deal.

Doing this I was able to go all day yesterday without thinking about charging. 14 hours on battery with 12% left by end of day. Damn good.

No need to use this feature unless I'm in a pinch but good to know it's there if needed.