Battery life

[Merciix3]

Hi!
I got the phone almost 2 weeks ago (S8) but I am pretty disappointed by it's battery life. Since I bought it I got a higher SOT than 4 hours only 3 times (4 hours and 20 minutes, 5 hours and 8 minutes, 5 hours and 20 minutes), compared to others that get 5-6 hours of SOT constantly with many of the phone's "functions" ON. I have wi-fi activated all day (I turn it off only at night), wi-fi calling, edge lighting, sync ON and the screen is set on FHD+. Also, the battery seems to discharge pretty fast at night (while not using it). I talked at something, they got into my phone via Smart Tutor but said that the battery seems all right. I know that SOT isn't really that important and that the way everyone is using their phone is different, but it is so bad knowing that others are using hard their phones (camera, listening to music, gaming, social media, gps on, bt on, maybe even AOD on) and get 5-6 hours of SOT and I barely get 4 hours while using mostly social media apps and camera. What should I do?

 

[thoughtjunky]

Social media and GPS are what I've found to be battery vampires. That said, battery life is one of those things that's just really hard to troubleshoot. I have my S8+ screen at WQHD+ and I can watch YouTube for 8+ hours if I set it on a playlist and do nothing else with it. But browsing Facebook and wiki walking kills it in 4-5 hours. So it's really highly dependent on your use case and your level of multitasking.

If you're on social media a lot, there's probably not much you can do to improve your SOT. My wife has the same problem. If you reduce your social media use you'll likely see an increase in battery life.

 

[H3aTeRzz]

I'm getting about 5 hours or more screen-on time every day. Very satisfied with the battery life.

 

[Centerman66]

I average over 10 hours of SOT. But I am using wifi most of the day versus the more battery consuming cellular radio. My screen brightness is NOT set to automatic and is set on the lower third of the settings range most all day too. I do NOT have Facebook installed. I primarily use my S8+ for emails (3 office365 accounts and 4 imap accounts) and for consuming news and forums.

 

[Indecisi0n]

The battery definitely isn't as good as my iPhone 6s but this phone in gerneral is a lot better. You have to keep in mind the display on this bad boy is outstanding. Many people turn their display down in settings to help but I don't. The display is the main reason I bought the phone so why would I turn it down?! Like other mentioned, facebooking and text really kill this phone but in the end I feel it's not so bad. If I am out and see it getting really low with no charger around I'll just go into battery saver mode. If I am home I just drop it on a wireless charging pad.

 

[PowrDroid]

I average over 10 hours of SOT. But I am using wifi most of the day versus the more battery consuming cellular radio. My screen brightness is NOT set to automatic and is set on the lower third of the settings range most all day too. I do NOT have Facebook installed. I primarily use my S8+ for emails (3 office365 accounts and 4 imap accounts) and for consuming news and forums.

You're on your phone for 10 hours a day?

 

[Centerman66]

You're on your phone for 10 hours a day?

I typically do about 5 to 6 hours of actual screen on. That 10 plus hours is an extrapolation.

 

[PowrDroid]

I typically do about 5 to 6 hours of actual screen on. That 10 plus hours is an extrapolation.

I doubt you would ever get 10 hours SOT with the Galaxy S8+, even using your modified battery sipping settings. Batteries do not have a linear discharge profile so you can't extrapolate four more hours of usage based on the first six hours.

 

[Centerman66]

I doubt you would ever get 10 hours SOT with the Galaxy S8+, even using your modified battery sipping settings. Batteries do not have a linear discharge profile so you can't extrapolate four more hours of usage based on the first six hours.

Fortunately I won't ever need 10 hours.

What remains meaningful to this discussion however is my relative SOT extrapolation compared to others. That comparison using a consistent algorithm is useful.

And another point. Do you know for a fact that the algorithms used in android to extrapolate SOT are linear? Perhaps they account for the non linear discharge nature of these batteries.

 

[PowrDroid]

Fortunately I won't ever need 10 hours.

Good, because you'd never get it.

And another point. Do you know for a fact that the algorithms used in android to extrapolate SOT are linear?

Well I said the discharge was non-linear. No, I don't know FOR A FACT that discharge is non-linear but almost all batteries are like that.

 

[Centerman66]

Good, because you'd never get it.



Well I said the discharge was non-linear. No, I don't know FOR A FACT that discharge is non-linear but almost all batteries are like that.

You misunderstand my post. I was inquiring about the algorithms used by android to extrapolate SOT. Perhaps they account for the non linear discharge of the batteries.

I actually wholeheartedly agree with you about the non linear discharge of a battery. I am questioning your implication that the algorithms were linear.

 

[Centerman66]

PowrDroid???! Where did you go?

 

[PowrDroid]

PowrDroid???! Where did you go?

There's nothing to discuss. I don't know if the battery monitoring software factors in the non-linear discharging rate of the cell phone battery as the battery loses more and more charge.

However, I'm fairly confident that an S8+ that shows 5 hours screen on time used so far and the battery monitor shows another 5 hours to go will not actually get to 10 hours SOT.

 

[shabbs]

I was curious on what I'd get today so gave my S8+ a spin without charging it until I got down to 15%. I usually top it up on the ride home from work in my truck. Was able to squeeze out just over 6 hours of SOT. Battery had given me almost 14 hours to that point and was down to 15% left. I had about 3.5 hours remaining. Was making sure to be active during the day using various apps - twitter, instagram, tapatalk, phone calls, gps, music streaming, lots of emails across several accounts, whatsapp, bbm, sms etc...

To be honest, that's about as much as I can ask out a phone this powerful with this size screen. Love it.

EDIT: Comparing SOT with others will drive you nuts. It's impossible to get a like for like comparison. If your phone gets you through your day with juice to spare and you're not panicking to find an outlet... life is good. Enjoy the phone.

My screenshots from today:

 

[Centerman66]

There's nothing to discuss. I don't know if the battery monitoring software factors in the non-linear discharging rate of the cell phone battery as the battery loses more and more charge.

However, I'm fairly confident that an S8+ that shows 5 hours screen on time used so far and the battery monitor shows another 5 hours to go will not actually get to 10 hours SOT.

I tend to agree with you here. But I also know that if you have 5 hours of SOT at 50% you are likely gonna have materially more than 5 hours total SOT.

 

[PowrDroid]

I tend to agree with you here. But I also know that if you have 5 hours of SOT at 50% you are likely gonna have materially more than 5 hours total SOT.

Yeah, and I know nobody is going to have 5 hours SOT and have 50% battery remaining with an S8 or S8+.

 

[Centerman66]

Yeah, and I know nobody is going to have 5 hours SOT and have 50% battery remaining with an S8 or S8+.

Here is what I have right now.

 

[PowrDroid]

Wow, that's amazing! How do you do it?
Would love to see your % app usage.

 

[Centerman66]

Wow, that's amazing! How do you do it?
Would love to see your % app usage.

I think it's because I'm almost always on wifi and I like my screen brightness low. Set somewhere around 30%.

 

[Centerman66]

Wow, that's amazing! How do you do it?
Would love to see your % app usage.

I can't show apps anymore. Gsam just aggregates all the apps into one line.