The Samsung Galaxy S24 series offers variable battery life experiences in outdoor conditions, with some reports highlighting specific challenges faced by users when using the phone outside.
The Galaxy S24 with its 4000 mAh battery is described as having slightly below average autonomy compared to its predecessor, lasting just over two days with moderate use. However, this general autonomy masks some nuances in outdoor performance. The device showed weakness, specifically during outdoor activities and playback streaming, which contributed to lower battery performance in these conditions. Charging times are mixed, with wired charging at about 1 hour 39 minutes and wireless charging at around 2 hours 15 minutes. The charging efficiency is hindered by a low duration of autonomy gained from quick charging, which was only about 3 hours and 20 minutes after a five-minute boost. The relatively high residual power drain when using wireless charging also affects efficiency negatively. The phone exhibits low discharge currents in several scenarios such as idling with the screen on, video streaming, and gaming, supporting decent autonomy under those conditions, but outdoor usage still seems to impose a heavier drain.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra, which has a larger 5000 mAh battery, generally performs better with longer overall autonomy, rated at about 56 hours under moderate use. Nevertheless, it faces a similar issue outdoors, especially when using social apps, where battery life decreases significantly. The charging experience for the Ultra model is slightly above average but still shows less effective quick charge gains and somewhat inefficient charge-up efficiency at 75.7%. Its discharging currents are low in many test cases, but outdoor and on-the-go tests reveal weaknesses, implying the device isn't fully optimized for outdoor battery efficiency.
Real-world user and reviewer experiences reinforce these findings. One reviewer noted the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus deliver impressive battery life in general, being capable of lasting through a long day and sometimes up to two days with regular use. Nevertheless, the actual outdoor experience is affected by signal variability due to changing between 4G and 5G networks, which causes significant battery drain. Phones tend to use more power outdoors when struggling to maintain a stable connection, especially when the signal fluctuates or is weak. Turning off 5G in weaker coverage areas can improve battery life since frequent switching between networks can drain battery rapidly. Therefore, poor cellular signal strength outdoors is a critical factor affecting battery performance significantly.
Additionally, adaptive brightness, which increases screen brightness automatically in bright outdoor settings, can also increase battery consumption. If one spends a lot of time outdoors, adaptive brightness might push the display brightness higher than usual, thus draining the battery faster. Some users prefer to manually control brightness or turn off adaptive brightness to conserve battery when outdoors.
There are also user complaints in communities pointing to poor battery life and quick drain on Galaxy S24 devices, which may also be attributed to individual usage patterns, apps running in the background, or software glitches. These factors can be exacerbated by outdoor conditions where networking demands and screen brightness are higher.
To mitigate battery drain outdoors, users are typically advised to:
- Adjust screen brightness manually or use adaptive brightness carefully.
- Limit background apps and services that consume power.
- Consider disabling 5G in areas with poor 5G coverage.
- Use power-saving modes when possible.
- Avoid rapid switching between network types to reduce power consumption.