Huawei G8 battery life test

It is often times hard to escape from the shadow of your sibling - this is especially true for a lot of budget-friendly handsets nowadays that are specifically intended to be a more-affordable substitute for their bigger brothers. The Huawei G8 that we recently reviewed finds itself in precisely this position. It is hard not to compare it to the Mate S and the G8 doesn't have too many arguments there.

But, although the G8 is objectively inferior to the Mate S in almost every way, there is still one department where the budget-friendly model managed to best its flagship counterpart and that is battery life.

The Huawei G8 makes much better use of its 3000 mAh battery pack than the Mate S manages with its 2700 mAh one. The G8's slightly thicker body might not be to everybody's liking, but it did allow for that extra 300 mAh to be fitted and definitely contributed towards there respectable 70 hours endurance rating that it scored.

Seeing how the G8 is a dual-SIM device, you can also get 69 hours with a pair of network connections and 71 hours with only one, which is an impressive 9 to 11 hours more than the Mate S. It is also worth noting that the Mate S also has the benefit of a more power-efficient AMOLED panel, which means that the bulk of the superior battery performance can be attributed to a more efficient chipset (the Snapdragon 615 in this case) and also better power management.

Breaking the score down to its components, we find an impressive talk time of almost 28 hours. That is probably the one aspect in which the G8 treads in true flagship territory better than its high-end sibling – the Mate S. It is a huge difference between the two - and it might be a big deal if you still tend to use your phone to talk more than anything else. However, there is note to be made here - sadly, the G8 exhibited rather pool sound quality during our call test.

Talk time

• Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 LTE
  46:44h
• Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro
  33:20h
• Huawei Ascend Mate2 4G
  33:19h
• Oppo R7 Plus
  30:46h
• OnePlus 2
  30:29h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
  30:29h
• Motorola DROID Turbo
  30:09h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE
  29:46h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
  29:46h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL Dual SIM
  29:46h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE Dual SIM
  29:46h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  28:34h
• Samsung Galaxy Note5
  28:34h
• HTC One (M8) for Windows
  28:34h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
  28:31h
• Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet LTE
  28:25h
• Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
  28:23h
• Huawei G8
  27:44h
• Huawei G8
  27:44h
• Samsung Galaxy S5
  27:37h
• Sony Xperia Z1
  26:53h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 active
  26:29h
• Motorola Moto X Play
  26:28h
• Samsung P6800 Galaxy Tab 7.7
  25:45h
• LG G3
  25:38h
• LG G Pro 2
  25:37h
• LG G Flex
  25:19h
• Sony Xperia T2 Ultra
  25:16h
• LG G2
  25:15h
• Samsung Galaxy A7
  25:12h
• Samsung Galaxy A7 Duos
  25:12h
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  25:12h
• BlackBerry Passport
  25:12h
• Motorola Nexus 6
  25:03h
• Samsung Galaxy A8 Duos
  25:02h
• Alcatel Hero
  25:02h
• Samsung Galaxy A8
  25:02h
• Oppo N1
  25:01h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  24:52h
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  24:23h
• Oppo R7s
  24:03h
• Apple iPhone 6 Plus
  23:49h
• LG AKA
  23:20h
• Sony Xperia Z3
  23:13h
• Meizu PRO 5
  23:10h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE Dual SIM
  23:09h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE
  23:09h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 Dual SIM
  23:09h
• Oppo R7
  22:58h
• Samsung P6200 Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
  22:42h
• Motorola Moto E (2nd gen)
  22:36h
• Motorola Moto X Style
  22:23h
• ZTE Nubia Z9
  22:20h
• Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
  22:16h
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  22:13h
• HTC One Max
  22:13h
• Samsung Galaxy Core LTE
  22:13h
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  22:13h
• Sony Xperia Z2
  22:13h
• Lenovo ZUK Z1
  22:13h
• Sony Xperia C3 Dual
  22:11h
• Yota YotaPhone 2
  22:09h
• Meizu MX4 Pro
  22:09h
• Samsung ATIV SE
  22:05h
• Xiaomi Redmi Note
  21:41h
• Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
  21:39h
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  21:18h
• Xiaomi Mi 4i
  21:02h
• Meizu m2 note
  20:55h
• LG Optimus G Pro E985
  20:45h
• HTC One M9
  20:44h
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  20:42h
• Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
  20:27h
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
  20:24h
• Asus Zenfone Selfie ZD551KL
  20:22h
• Motorola RAZR i XT890
  20:07h
• Huawei Ascend Mate7
  20:06h
• Samsung Galaxy A3
  20:04h
• Samsung Galaxy A3 Duos
  20:04h
• Samsung Galaxy E7
  20:04h
• Oppo Find 7
  20:03h
• Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
  20:01h
• BlackBerry Q10
  20:00h
• OnePlus One
  19:56h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
  19:55h
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 I9200
  19:54h
• Sony Xperia SP
  19:49h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
  19:48h
• Sony Xperia T3
  19:48h
• Samsung Galaxy S6
  19:48h
• HTC Butterfly 2
  19:23h
• HTC Butterfly S
  19:14h
• HTC Desire Eye
  19:11h
• Oppo R819
  19:03h
• Asus PadFone X
  18:45h
• Samsung Galaxy J7
  18:37h
• Xiaomi Mi 4c
  18:31h
• Huawei P8lite ALE-L04
  18:25h
• Xiaomi Mi 4
  18:15h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  18:12h
• Oppo Find 7a
  18:11h

Moving on to web browsing and video playback, the G8 managed pretty good scores too. With a web browsing score of 10:00 hours and a video playback one of 10:20 hours, the smartphone isn't topping the charts but it's still doing great for itself.

Web browsing

• Huawei Ascend Mate2 4G
  16:41h
• Sony Xperia E4
  16:40h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 active
  16:25h
• Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet LTE
  15:05h
• Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
  14:52h
• Sony Xperia Z5
  14:35h
• Meizu MX4
  14:06h
• Huawei Ascend Mate7
  13:53h
• Huawei P8
  13:32h
• Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
  13:14h
• HTC Butterfly 2
  13:11h
• Meizu m1 note
  13:05h
• Huawei Honor 6
  12:59h
• Meizu PRO 5
  12:51h
• Sony Xperia C
  12:45h
• Motorola Moto E (2nd gen)
  12:42h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:40h
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  12:37h
• HTC One (M8) for Windows
  12:31h
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  12:30h
• HTC One (M8)
  12:29h
• Apple iPhone 6s
  12:27h
• Samsung Galaxy A8
  12:18h
• ZTE Nubia Z9
  12:18h
• Samsung Galaxy A8 Duos
  12:18h
• Sony Xperia T2 Ultra
  12:17h
• Sony Xperia Z3
  12:03h
• Nokia XL
  11:54h
• Motorola Moto X Play
  11:52h
• Apple iPhone 6s Plus
  11:51h
• Sony Xperia Z3+
  11:51h
• HTC Desire 816
  11:48h
• Sony Xperia C3 Dual
  11:47h
• LG G2
  11:42h
• Samsung Galaxy A5 Duos
  11:36h
• Samsung Galaxy A5
  11:36h
• Meizu m1 metal
  11:33h
• Sony Xperia Z2
  11:32h
• Sony Xperia E4g
  11:32h
• Motorola DROID Turbo
  11:31h
• Sony Xperia E1
  11:30h
• Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
  11:20h
• HTC One Max
  11:20h
• Sony Xperia ZR
  11:20h
• HTC Butterfly S
  11:07h
• Asus PadFone X
  11:07h
• LG G2 mini
  11:02h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
  11:01h
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  10:58h
• Samsung Galaxy S6
  10:56h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
  10:56h
• HTC Desire 510
  10:53h
• Microsoft Lumia 532
  10:52h
• Microsoft Lumia 532 Dual SIM
  10:52h
• Motorola Moto G 4G
  10:52h
• Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
  10:50h
• Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM
  10:50h
• Lenovo ZUK Z1
  10:46h
• Samsung Galaxy Note5
  10:43h
• Oppo R7 Plus
  10:39h
• Huawei Honor 7
  10:38h
• LG AKA
  10:38h
• Nokia Lumia 830
  10:36h
• Apple iPhone 6
  10:29h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
  10:25h
• Meizu MX4 Pro
  10:24h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 Dual SIM
  10:23h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE
  10:23h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE Dual SIM
  10:23h
• Nokia Lumia 630
  10:18h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE
  10:14h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
  10:14h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL Dual SIM
  10:14h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE Dual SIM
  10:14h
• BlackBerry Passport
  10:12h
• BlackBerry Q5
  10:04h
• HTC Desire Eye
  10:02h
• HTC One (E8)
  10:02h
• Nokia Lumia 635
  10:00h
• Huawei G8
  10:00h
• Huawei G8
  10:00h
• HTC One
  9:58h
• Apple iPhone 5s
  9:58h
• Apple iPhone 5
  9:56h
• Meizu m2 note
  9:54h
• Samsung Ativ Odyssey I930
  9:54h
• Sony Xperia M2
  9:48h
• Sony Xperia E3
  9:48h
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  9:47h
• OnePlus One
  9:46h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  9:43h
• Huawei Mate S
  9:43h
• Alcatel Hero
  9:40h
• Samsung Galaxy S5
  9:39h
• Samsung Galaxy Core LTE
  9:37h
• vivo X5Pro
  9:34h
• Xiaomi Mi 4c
  9:32h
• LG G Pro 2
  9:31h
• Xiaomi Mi 4
  9:31h
• LG G Flex
  9:31h
• Samsung Galaxy A7 Duos
  9:30h

Video playback

• LG G Flex
  19:57h
• Oppo R7 Plus
  18:04h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 active
  18:03h
• Meizu PRO 5
  18:02h
• Huawei Ascend Mate2 4G
  18:01h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
  17:52h
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  16:35h
• Samsung Galaxy J7
  16:22h
• Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
  15:03h
• Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet LTE
  14:58h
• Samsung Galaxy E7
  14:57h
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
  14:17h
• Lenovo ZUK Z1
  14:14h
• Oppo R7s
  14:05h
• Huawei Ascend Mate7
  14:04h
• Apple iPhone 6s Plus
  13:57h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
  13:53h
• Samsung Galaxy Note5
  13:51h
• Motorola DROID Turbo
  13:41h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  13:32h
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  13:12h
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  13:12h
• Sony Xperia T2 Ultra
  13:12h
• HTC One Max
  13:11h
• Motorola Moto E (2nd gen)
  13:04h
• Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
  13:04h
• Sony Xperia C
  12:53h
• Huawei Honor 6
  12:51h
• Samsung Galaxy Premier I9260
  12:51h
• Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
  12:51h
• Samsung Galaxy A8 Duos
  12:45h
• Samsung Galaxy A8
  12:45h
• Meizu MX4 Pro
  12:41h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:31h
• Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
  12:30h
• BlackBerry Q5
  12:28h
• Sony Xperia C3 Dual
  12:22h
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  12:18h
• Sony Xperia Z2
  12:16h
• Samsung Galaxy S6
  12:12h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
  12:12h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 LTE
  12:10h
• Motorola Moto X Play
  12:06h
• LG AKA
  11:54h
• Sony Xperia Z3
  11:47h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  11:38h
• Samsung P6800 Galaxy Tab 7.7
  11:37h
• Asus Zenfone Selfie ZD551KL
  11:32h
• Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4
  11:29h
• Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100
  11:27h
• Huawei Mate S
  11:26h
• OnePlus One
  11:23h
• HTC One (E8)
  11:16h
• Apple iPhone 6 Plus
  11:15h
• Oppo N1
  11:15h
• Samsung Galaxy S5
  11:15h
• BlackBerry Q10
  11:15h
• HTC One (M8) for Windows
  11:15h
• Meizu m1 note
  11:09h
• Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
  11:02h
• Asus PadFone X
  11:01h
• Xiaomi Mi 4c
  10:47h
• Apple iPhone 6s
  10:46h
• BlackBerry Passport
  10:46h
• vivo X5Max
  10:44h
• vivo X5Pro
  10:41h
• Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
  10:41h
• Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM
  10:38h
• Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
  10:38h
• Samsung Galaxy J2
  10:35h
• LG G Flex2
  10:35h
• HTC Desire Eye
  10:35h
• HTC Desire 816
  10:34h
• Apple iPhone 5s
  10:31h
• HTC Butterfly 2
  10:26h
• LG G2 mini
  10:23h
• Huawei G8
  10:20h
• Nokia Lumia 735
  10:20h
• Huawei G8
  10:20h
• Apple iPhone 5
  10:12h
• HTC One (M8)
  10:11h
• Xiaomi Mi 4i
  10:11h
• Samsung Galaxy K zoom
  10:08h
• Samsung ATIV SE
  10:07h
• Sony Xperia M2
  10:04h
• HTC First
  10:03h
• HTC One
  10:02h
• Motorola Moto X
  10:01h
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  10:01h
• Motorola Nexus 6
  10:01h
• Nokia Lumia 635
  10:00h
• Nokia Lumia 630
  10:00h
• Huawei P8lite ALE-L04
  10:00h
• Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus
  10:00h
• Samsung Galaxy Express I8730
  10:00h
• Samsung Galaxy A7 Duos
  9:58h
• Samsung Galaxy A7
  9:58h
• Nokia Lumia 830
  9:58h
• Sony Xperia T3
  9:56h
• HTC Desire 510
  9:54h
• Nokia 808 PureView
  9:53h

Overall, apart from the exquisite exterior, materials and built quality, the battery life is certainly one of the most appealing aspects of the Huawei G8. For our two cents and a detailed account of our concerns with many other aspects of the handset, be sure to check the in-depth review.