Does 5G Network Consume More Battery Compared to 4G?

The debate about whether 5G networks consume more battery compared to 4G has been a topic of discussion among tech enthusiasts. Studies have shown that 5G devices can have a shorter battery life due to the increased power consumption of the new network technology.

One of the main reasons for this is the higher frequency band used by 5G, which requires more power to transmit and receive data. In contrast, 4G devices typically operate on lower frequency bands that use less power.

According to a study, 5G devices can consume up to 30% more power than 4G devices, especially when streaming high-definition videos or playing online games. This increased power consumption can lead to a shorter battery life, especially for users who rely heavily on their devices for communication and entertainment.

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5G can use more battery than 4G LTE in many scenarios, and you're not alone if you've noticed higher battery drain while connected to a 5G network.

Carriers have upgraded to 5G infrastructure using two options: Non-Standalone 5G (5G NSA) and Standalone 5G (5G SA). 5G NSA increases power draw and battery drain because your smartphone is connected to two different networks at the same time.

The earliest adopters preferred 5G NSA since it's cheaper to deploy, but it's not something you can control, short of switching carriers.

The first 5G smartphones used a discrete modem, leading to exceptionally high power draw across the board, not just on 5G networks. Integrated modems are now commonplace, but 5G connectivity remains slightly inefficient compared to 4G LTE.

If you're far away from the nearest 5G tower, your phone's modem has to work harder to establish a connection, leading to higher power draw and lower battery life.

Early 5G smartphones lost one to two hours of battery life versus a standard 4G connection, but more recent devices like the Pixel 8 or best 5G phones show a smaller difference in battery life.

A study by Ookla found that 5G wireless technology drains the batteries of mobile devices more than 4G, with an increase of 6-11% in battery power consumption.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the most efficient in terms of overall battery performance, even when using 5G, consuming 31% of a mobile device's power when using 5G and 25% when using 4G.

Expand your knowledge: Use 5g Standalone Network

5G uses more battery power than Wi-Fi due to the inverse-square law, where the strength of a radio wave decreases exponentially as you move away from the base station.

To compensate, your phone needs to send out a more powerful signal, which drains your battery faster. This problem only gets worse the further you move away from the tower.

Switching off 5G when it's not essential can significantly increase battery life. Constantly searching for alternative 5G networks is one of the most energy-intensive processes your mobile device performs.

Modern smartphones are equipped with advanced chipsets like the latest Snapdragons, which are built to handle 5G more efficiently. These chipsets reduce unnecessary battery drain even when you're on a 5G connection.

Here are some tips to save power on mobile when using 5G:

Using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, for example, can help reduce battery consumption. In trials, this chip consumed 31% of a mobile device's power when using 5G and 25% when using 4G.

5G technology is a significant leap forward in wireless connectivity, but it comes with a price: increased battery consumption. Early 5G smartphones lost one to two hours of battery life compared to standard 4G connections.

The difference in battery drain between 5G and 4G is not drastic, and it's expected to decrease over time. In fact, many recent devices, like the Pixel 8, show a smaller difference in battery life.

According to a study by Ookla, 5G requires 11% more battery power than 4G. This is because 5G demands more energy to provide faster and more reliable connections.

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Early 5G smartphones lost one to two hours of battery life compared to a standard 4G connection.

This significant difference in battery life was noticeable in devices like the iPhone 12, the first in the series with 5G support.

Apple now offers a Smart Data mode that automatically turns off 5G on the iPhone when you don’t need it, which can remedy this problem.

Many users reported better battery life on the Pixel 6 series after they disabled 5G.

The difference in battery drain between cellular generations can be minimized by disabling 5G on devices that support it.

As time goes on, you can expect the difference in battery drain between 5G and 4G to disappear entirely.

High-quality wireless connectivity needs to be associated with reasonable battery consumption.

The standardisation of 4G and 5G technologies has made it clear that high-quality wireless connectivity requires reasonable battery consumption.

The question is, which technology uses up the most resources: 4G or 5G?

According to the standardisation of 4G, it's clear that both technologies have their drawbacks when it comes to battery life.

However, 5G technology uses up more resources than 4G, which was standardised before it.

This means that 5G connectivity is likely to drain your battery faster than 4G.

For another approach, see: Dish Wireless 5g Plan

To understand the impact of 5G on battery life, we need to look at the methodology behind the data. Analysis was based on Speedtest Intelligence data, for Android, split by System on Chip (SoC), for a selection of major markets globally.

We identified devices recording 100% battery level during morning hours (6am-12pm), and compared it to their minimum battery level in the afternoon (12pm-6pm). This method allowed us to measure battery drain accurately.

Newer flagship SoCs demonstrate clear improvements in battery performance. For example, MediaTek's latest flagship SoC, the Dimensity 9200, recorded 34% battery drain when using 5G, compared to 45% for its previous generation, the Dimensity 9000.

Chipset vendors are driving generational efficiency gains, and it's worth noting that 5G use can drain your smartphone battery faster than 4G-LTE.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon is the most efficient Android SoC, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 recording the lowest battery drain of all SoCs in analysis, at 31% for users on 5G.

Newer flagship SoCs from Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung, and Google demonstrate clear improvements in battery performance, with MediaTek's Dimensity 9200 recording 34% battery drain when using 5G, compared to 45% for its previous generation, the Dimensity 9000.

Upgrading to the latest flagship smartphone and SoC can deliver comparable battery performance, as seen with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which recorded battery drain of 31% when using 5G, compared to 32% for the previous generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 on 4G-LTE.

Here are some key statistics on the battery drain of different SoCs:

To measure efficiency, we identified all devices recording 100% battery level during morning hours (6am-12pm), and compared to their minimum battery level in the afternoon (12pm-6pm).

We analyzed data from Speedtest Intelligence, specifically for Android devices, split by SoC, in a selection of major markets globally.

Devices were tracked to identify patterns in battery drain, providing valuable insights into their efficiency.

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Your phone might have to search longer for a 5G signal in areas with limited coverage, which can lead to a more strenuous process for your device.

This "ping-ponging" between network types can put additional strain on your battery.

To minimize battery drain, be mindful of apps that pull more data quickly, as faster data transfer can use up both battery and data.

Limiting data-heavy app usage, especially in areas with limited 5G coverage, can help conserve battery life.