Battle of the budget batteries: Can the Pixel 9a outlast the iPhone 16e and Galaxy S24 FE?

Three phones. Three battery sizes. One surprising winner in real-world endurance tests.

Apr 18, 2025 - 13:31

Battle of the budget batteries: Can the Pixel 9a outlast the iPhone 16e and Galaxy S24 FE?

Between the Google Pixel 9a, Apple iPhone 16e, and Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, we’re spoiled for flagship-tier features without the price tags. Still, with prices ranging from $499 to $659 and a lot of differences under the hood, there’s plenty to weigh up when deciding between these three for your next purchase.

Having previously examined the performance of these three plucky mid-rangers (TL;DR: the iPhone 16e and Galaxy S24 FE come out on top), it’s time to see which one is the best for all-day battery life — and hopefully a bit more. I’m feeling pretty good about the Pixel 9a’s chances here; its new 5,100mAh battery is the biggest of the bunch, but let’s find out if reality matches the specs.