We put the Google Pixel 6 Pro through our rigorous DXOMARK Battery test suite to measure its performance in autonomy, charging and efficiency. In these test results, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.
Overview
Key specifications:
- Battery capacity: 5003 mAh
- 30W charger (not included)
- 6.7-inch, 1440 x 3120, 120 Hz, OLED display
- Google Tensor (5 nm)
- Tested ROM / RAM combination: 128 GB + 12 GB
Scoring
Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
Google Pixel 6 Pro
Key performances
These key points are derived from the lab measurements during testing and do not figure into the overall score. The lab measurements, however, are used for the overall score.
Pros
- Charger’s low residual consumption whether the device is plugged in and fully charged or simply unplugged
Cons
- Only 41h24 of autonomy in moderate use
- Weak autonomy when gaming, calling and streaming music
- Poor performance on-the-go
- Low gain in autonomy after 5-minute charge
- Poor charge efficiency
- Very long wireless charging time: 3h16 to fully charge the battery
- Very high discharge currents, especially when streaming music
The Google Pixel 6 Pro’s overall battery score places it near the bottom of our entire database. When used moderately, the Pixel 6 Pro provided less than 2 days of autonomy, which is below average. Activities such as gaming, calling, and particularly music streaming, showed high consumption levels.
The device’s on-the-go performance was poor, too. Despite a 30W charger, it took the phone 1 hour and 2 minutes to reach 80% of the battery’s full capacity, which is long. A closer look at the charging power curve showed that the charge never reached the 30W claimed but provided maximum power of only 25W. A 5-minute charge yielded a very low autonomy gain of 2 hours and 6 minutes on average. However, the low level of residual consumption was a strong point for the device. Whether the device was plugged in and fully charged or simply unplugged, residual consumption was well managed and among the lowest in our database. The Pixel 6 Pro’s wireless charging experience, however, was poor, taking 3 hours and 16 minutes to fully charge the large 5003 mAh battery with a maximum of only 13.4W, and providing a very low charge efficiency.
Compared with other similarly priced devices in the Ultra-premium segment ($800+), the Pixel 6 Pro came in nearly last, pulled down by the lowest charging score and among the weakest autonomy and efficiency results.
Test Summary
About DXOMARK Battery tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone battery reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective tests over a week-long period both indoors and outdoors. (See our introductory and how we test articles for more details about our smartphone Battery protocol.)
The following section gathers key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyses performed in DXOMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations under the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.
Battery | Charger | Wireless | Display | Processor | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Google Pixel 6 Pro | 5003mAh | 30W (not included) |
23W | OLED 1440 x 3120 |
Google Tensor Chip |
Apple iPhone 13 Pro | 3095mAh | 20W (not included) |
15W | OLED 1170 x 2532 |
Apple A15 Bionic |
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon) | 5000mAh | 45W (not included) |
15W | AMOLED 2X 1440 x 3088 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
Autonomy
Google Pixel 6 Pro
182
Autonomy score is composed of three performance sub-scores: Stationary, On the go, and Calibrated use cases. Each sub-score comprises the results of a comprehensive range of tests for measuring autonomy in all kinds of real-life scenarios.
Battery Life (moderate)
Battery Life (moderate)
Home/Office
Google Pixel 6 Pro
189
A robot housed in a Faraday cage performs a set of touch-based user actions during what we call our “typical usage scenario” (TUS) — making calls, video streaming, etc. — 4 hours of active use over the course of a 16-hour period, plus 8 hours of “sleep.” The robot repeats this set of actions every day until the device runs out of power.
On the go
Google Pixel 6 Pro
195
Using a smartphone on the go takes a toll on autonomy because of extra “hidden” demands, such as the continuous signaling associated with cellphone network selection, for example. DXOMARK Battery experts take the phone outdoors and perform a precisely defined set of activities while following the same three-hour travel itinerary (walking, taking the bus, the subway…) for each device
Calibrated
Google Pixel 6 Pro
198
For this series of tests, the smartphone returns to the Faraday cage and our robots repeatedly perform actions linked to one specific use case (such as gaming, video streaming, etc.) at a time. Starting from an 80% charge, all devices are tested until they have expended at least 5% of their battery power.
Charging
Google Pixel 6 Pro
181
Charging is fully part of the overall battery experience. In some situations where autonomy is at a minimum, knowing how fast you can charge becomes a concern. The DXOMARK Battery charging score is composed of two sub-scores, (1) Full charge and (2) Quick boost.
Full charge
Google Pixel 6 Pro
184
Full charge tests assess the reliability of the battery power gauge; measure how long and how much power the battery takes to charge from zero to 80% capacity, from 80 to 100% as shown by the UI, and until an actual full charge.
Two charts here below illustrate the full charge performance of the smartphone: (1) The charging curves, in wired and wireless (if available) showing the evolution of the battery level indicator as well as the power consumption in watts during the stages of charging toward full capacity.
(2) The time to full charge chart breaks down the necessary time to reach 80%, 100% and full charge.
The charging curves, in wired and wireless (if available) showing the evolution of the battery level indicator as well as the power consumption in watts during the stages of charging toward full capacity.
The time to full charge chart breaks down the necessary time to reach 80%, 100% and full charge.
Quick boost
Google Pixel 6 Pro
182
With the phone at different charge levels (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%), Quick boost tests measure the amount of charge the battery receives after being plugged in for 5 minutes. The chart here compares the average autonomy gain from a quick 5-minute charge.
Efficiency
Google Pixel 6 Pro
154
The DXOMARK power efficiency score consists of two sub-scores, Charge up and Discharge rate, both of which combine data obtained during robot-based typical usage scenario, calibrated tests and charging evaluation, taking into consideration the device’s battery capacity. DXOMARK calculate the annual power consumption of the product, shown on below graph, which is representative of the overall efficiency during a charge and when in use.
Charge up
Google Pixel 6 Pro
205
The charge up sub-score is a combination of four factors: the overall efficiency of a full charge, related to how much energy you need to fill up the battery compared to the energy that the battery can provide; the efficiency of the travel adapter when it comes to transferring power from an outlet to your phone; the residual consumption when your phone is fully charged and still plugged into the charger; and the residual consumption of the charger itself, when the smartphone is disconnected from it. The chart here below shows the overall efficiency of a full charge in %.
Discharge
Google Pixel 6 Pro
194
The discharge subscore rates the speed of a battery’s discharge during a test, which is independent of the battery’s capacity. It is the ratio of a battery’s capacity divided by its autonomy. A small-capacity battery could have the same autonomy as a large-capacity battery, indicating that the device is well-optimized, with a low discharge rate.
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