Huawei P9 battery life

Huawei's latest flagship - the P9 - comes with a 5.2" IPS 1080p display and is powered by a newer Kirin 955 chip with an octa-core processor, efficient Mali-T880 MP4 GPU and 3GB of RAM. It has a sealed 3,000 mAh battery. The supplied charger is a regular 5V/2A, but that's still enough to fill about 35% of the battery in half an hour.

The phone runs on Android Marshmallow with the latest Emotion 4.1 launcher. Huawei promises an energy-efficient chipset and software package. Indeed, we found lots of battery optimization options in the new Emotion UI, which you can enable and will save you battery by limiting background app usage, processor performance, and more - depending on your needs.

Of course, we do our battery test without those battery optimizations to calculate the raw power of the device. We set the screen to 200 nits and begun our routine. In case you've missed in our review, the Warm color option for the screen turned out to be more accurate than the Normal one.

Our first test gauges the 3G talk time, and the P9 did very well lasting almost 15 hours.

Talk time

• Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 LTE
  46:44h
• Gionee Marathon M5
  38:07h
• Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro
  33:20h
• Huawei Ascend Mate2 4G
  33:19h
• Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)
  32:54h
• Xiaomi Redmi 3
  32:53h
• Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus
  31:40h
• Oppo R7 Plus
  30:46h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
  30:29h
• OnePlus 2
  30:29h
• Motorola DROID Turbo
  30:09h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE Dual SIM
  29:46h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
  29:46h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE
  29:46h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL Dual SIM
  29:46h
• Huawei Honor 5X
  29:40h
• Samsung Galaxy Note5
  28:34h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  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
• Samsung Galaxy S5
  27:37h
• Sony Xperia Z1
  26:53h
• Huawei Mate 8
  26:45h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 active
  26:29h
• Motorola Moto X Play
  26:28h
• Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
  26:01h
• 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
• BlackBerry Passport
  25:12h
• Samsung Galaxy A7 Duos
  25:12h
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  25:12h
• Samsung Galaxy A7
  25:12h
• Motorola Nexus 6
  25:03h
• alcatel Hero
  25:02h
• Samsung Galaxy A8 Duos
  25:02h
• Samsung Galaxy A8
  25:02h
• Oppo N1
  25:01h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  24:52h
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
  24:29h
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  24:23h
• Oppo R7s
  24:03h
• Apple iPhone 6 Plus
  23:49h
• Xiaomi Mi 4s
  23:25h
• LG AKA
  23:20h
• Sony Xperia Z3
  23:13h
• Meizu PRO 5
  23:10h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 Dual SIM
  23:09h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE Dual SIM
  23:09h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE
  23:09h
• Oppo R7
  22:58h
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  22:57h
• Samsung P6200 Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
  22:42h
• Motorola Moto E (2nd gen)
  22:36h
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (CDMA)
  22:32h
• Motorola Moto X Style
  22:23h
• ZTE nubia Z9
  22:20h
• Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
  22:16h
• HTC One Max
  22:13h
• Samsung Galaxy Core LTE
  22:13h
• Sony Xperia Z2
  22:13h
• Lenovo ZUK Z1
  22:13h
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  22:13h
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  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 3 (MediaTek)
  22:02h
• Xiaomi Redmi Note
  21:41h
• Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
  21:39h
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  21:18h
• Oppo F1 Plus
  21:07h
• Xiaomi Mi 4i
  21:02h
• Meizu m2 note
  20:55h
• Huawei Nexus 6P
  20:50h
• LG Optimus G Pro E985
  20:45h
• HTC One M9
  20:44h
• HTC 10
  20:42h
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  20:42h
• Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
  20:40h
• 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 E7
  20:04h
• Samsung Galaxy A3
  20:04h
• Samsung Galaxy A3 Duos
  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
• Huawei P9
  14:53h

The web browsing time is OK - 9 hours of straight web browsing should be enough for most of the people.

Web browsing

• Gionee Marathon M5
  30:51h
• Huawei Mate 8
  17:05h
• Huawei Ascend Mate2 4G
  16:41h
• Sony Xperia E4
  16:40h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 active
  16:25h
• Xiaomi Redmi 3
  15:11h
• 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
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
  13:32h
• Huawei P8
  13:32h
• Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)
  13:26h
• Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
  13:14h
• HTC Butterfly 2
  13:11h
• Meizu m1 note
  13:05h
• Huawei Honor 6
  12:59h
• Apple iPhone SE
  12:55h
• Meizu PRO 5
  12:51h
• Xiaomi Mi 5
  12:50h
• 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
• ZTE nubia Z9
  12:18h
• Samsung Galaxy A8
  12:18h
• Samsung Galaxy A8 Duos
  12:18h
• Sony Xperia T2 Ultra
  12:17h
• Sony Xperia Z3
  12:03h
• Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
  11:55h
• Nokia XL
  11:54h
• Motorola Moto X Play
  11:52h
• Sony Xperia Z3+
  11:51h
• Apple iPhone 6s Plus
  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
• HTC One Max
  11:20h
• Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
  11:20h
• Sony Xperia ZR
  11:20h
• Asus PadFone X
  11:07h
• HTC Butterfly S
  11:07h
• LG G2 mini
  11:02h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
  11:01h
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  10:58h
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
  10:56h
• Samsung Galaxy S6
  10:56h
• HTC Desire 510
  10:53h
• Motorola Moto G 4G
  10:52h
• Microsoft Lumia 532
  10:52h
• Microsoft Lumia 532 Dual SIM
  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
• LG AKA
  10:38h
• Huawei Honor 7
  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 LTE
  10:23h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE Dual SIM
  10:23h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 Dual SIM
  10:23h
• Nokia Lumia 630
  10:18h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
  10:14h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL Dual SIM
  10:14h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE Dual SIM
  10:14h
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE
  10:14h
• BlackBerry Passport
  10:12h
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)
  10:12h
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (CDMA)
  10:09h
• BlackBerry Q5
  10:04h
• HTC One (E8)
  10:02h
• HTC Desire Eye
  10:02h
• Nokia Lumia 635
  10:00h
• Huawei G8
  10:00h
• Huawei Honor 5X
  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
• Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
  9:52h
• Sony Xperia M2
  9:48h
• Sony Xperia E3
  9:48h
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  9:47h
• OnePlus One
  9:46h
• Huawei P9
  9:15h

We were a bit disappointed with the video playback endurance at about 8 hours and 45 minutes. This is more than sufficient for a long flight, but we expected a bit more with this battery, screen, and chipset.

Video playback

• Gionee Marathon M5
  26:24h
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
  20:08h
• LG G Flex
  19:57h
• Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)
  18:36h
• 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
• Xiaomi Redmi 3
  17:50h
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (CDMA)
  16:54h
• 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
• Samsung Galaxy S7
  14:50h
• Apple iPhone SE
  14:17h
• 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
• Xiaomi Mi 5
  13:52h
• Samsung Galaxy Note5
  13:51h
• Motorola DROID Turbo
  13:41h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  13:32h
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  13:12h
• Sony Xperia T2 Ultra
  13:12h
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  13:12h
• HTC One Max
  13:11h
• Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
  13:08h
• Motorola Moto E (2nd gen)
  13:04h
• Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
  13:04h
• Sony Xperia C
  12:53h
• Acer Liquid Jade Primo
  12:53h
• Samsung Galaxy Premier I9260
  12:51h
• Huawei Honor 6
  12:51h
• Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
  12:51h
• Samsung Galaxy A8 Duos
  12:45h
• Samsung Galaxy A8
  12:45h
• Meizu MX4 Pro
  12:41h
• Huawei Mate 8
  12:34h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:31h
• Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
  12:30h
• BlackBerry Q5
  12:28h
• Sony Xperia C3 Dual
  12:22h
• Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
  12:21h
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  12:18h
• Sony Xperia Z2
  12:16h
• Oppo F1 Plus
  12:13h
• 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
• HTC One (M8) for Windows
  11:15h
• Samsung Galaxy S5
  11:15h
• BlackBerry Q10
  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
  10:38h
• Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM
  10:38h
• LG G Flex2
  10:35h
• Xiaomi Mi 4s
  10:35h
• HTC Desire Eye
  10:35h
• Samsung Galaxy J2
  10:35h
• HTC Desire 816
  10:34h
• Apple iPhone 5s
  10:31h
• HTC Butterfly 2
  10:26h
• LG G2 mini
  10:23h
• LG G5 SE
  10:21h
• LG G5
  10:21h
• Huawei G8
  10:20h
• Nokia Lumia 735
  10:20h
• Apple iPhone 5
  10:12h
• Xiaomi Mi 4i
  10:11h
• HTC One (M8)
  10:11h
• Samsung Galaxy K zoom
  10:08h
• Samsung ATIV SE
  10:07h
• Sony Xperia M2
  10:04h
• HTC First
  10:03h
• Huawei P9
  8:46h

Standby battery life was gauged in the Performance mode, which does not put any limits on the hardware. The Standard mode will add a couple of hours to the rating while the Ultra Power Saving will keep your phone alive for quite some time. Even without any optimizations, Huawei P9 proved to be power-efficient when left on standby.

Overall, the Huawei P9 scored a 75h rating, which means you can count on the battery to last just a few hours north of 3 days if you do an hour each of calling, browsing the web and video playback a day. Such usage pattern may be somewhat artificial, but we've established it, so our battery results are comparable across devices.

There is also the so-called ROG power-saving, which lowers the native resolution down to 720p and will give you more battery life when playing games.

The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare under your own typical use.