Is the battery life of the Google Pixel 11 actually better than the Pixel 10?

Despite its general popularity, the Google Pixel line has always struggled with battery life. This is due to the inefficient Tensor chips, but most fans of this particular device expected the new Pixel 11 to come with a significant battery upgrade. Yet when the phone was finally announced, the upgrade seemed marginal on paper. This, along with the lack of other potential improvements, has led many people to forgo purchasing the Pixel 11.

The battery update everyone’s been waiting for? Apparently non-existent since the capacity went from 4970 mAh to only 4985 mAh. Nevertheless, Google claimed that the new version could last more than 30 hours, which only further confused everyone and cast doubt on the company’s promises. Now that the phone is here, did Google lie? How is it possible that the newer phone has better battery life despite only a 15mAh difference?

Truth be told, Google may have overestimated battery life a bit, which is a pretty common practice since the company is ultimately trying to sell you the phone. Still, online users report that the battery lasts most of the day, and many are positively surprised. So yes, the battery is better than the previous incarnation of Pixel. This is likely due to the more powerful Google Tensor G6 chip, which is also 20% more power efficient, at least according to Google. Optimization and Google’s Adaptive Battery feature also play a role, reducing the power consumption of apps you don’t use much.

The Google Pixel 10 was hands down one of the best Android phones in 2025. A flagship through and through, it scored on all fronts and owners were (for the most part) very happy with it. But what kept it from being flawless was the battery life, which was considered terrible. In fact, it’s so awful that a few unlucky users found themselves getting only a few hours of screen time even without using social media apps.

The Pixel 11 seems to have solved the problem. While extra battery capacity would have been a welcome addition (most models in this price range regularly exceed 7,000 mAh), what Google is doing works. A user on Reddit reports that their Pixel 11 Pro XL, the model with a 5,115mAh battery, survived continuous use (including YouTube and social media apps) from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Many others get similar mileage with the Pixel 11, with some even claiming 16 hours of regular use. Of course, that’s a lot less than the 30+ hours Google promised, but it’s still a huge improvement over its predecessor, which could hit 40% battery in less than three hours.