IPhone 17 Pro: eSIM, Battery Life & Performance Tested

iPhone 17 Pro eSIM vs. Nano-SIM: A Deep Dive into Battery Life Gains

Apple’s move towards ‍eSIM-only‌ iPhones with the iPhone 17⁢ Pro has sparked considerable interest, particularly regarding battery performance.The core promise? Reclaiming space previously occupied by the Nano-SIM⁣ tray to house a larger battery. But does this translate ⁤into a noticeable difference in real-world usage? We put the eSIM iPhone 17 ⁣Pro through‌ rigorous testing to find ⁢out, and here’s what we discovered.

(Image: src=”https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/25/11/iphone-17-pro-esim-battery-test/inline/-x320/gsmarena_002.jpg”)

Which iPhones Get the Battery boost?

Currently, the larger battery capacity​ is exclusive to ‌iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models sold in specific regions:

* Bahrain
* ‍Canada
* Guam
* ​ Japan
* ​Kuwait
* Mexico
* ⁢ Oman
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* The UAE
*⁣ ⁤ ‌The ‌U.S.
* ⁣U.S. ⁤Virgin Islands

Apple highlighted during its September keynote that removing ‍the Nano-SIM tray directly enabled this battery size increase. This is a​ meaningful ​design choice,hinting at a future where physical SIM cards become obsolete.

Our Testing Methodology

We followed our‍ established, thorough‍ battery testing protocol (detailed here) to⁢ provide a fair and accurate comparison. This methodology⁢ simulates real-world usage patterns,giving you a clear picture of what to expect from your iPhone 17 Pro.

The Results: eSIM Takes the Lead

The eSIM iPhone 17​ Pro (A3256), equipped with a 4,252mAh⁤ battery, achieved an Active Use Score of 16:12 hours. This is a solid 49 minutes longer than the Nano-SIM counterpart (A3523) with its⁣ 3,998 mAh cell. Let’s break down the performance across ‌key usage scenarios:

* Calls: A 3% enhancement, adding 47 minutes of talk time. iPhones have historically ‍been less efficient in call tests, so this is ​a welcome change.
* Web Browsing: The most significant gain, with the eSIM model lasting an impressive 13:41 ⁤hours -⁢ over ‍an hour longer than the Nano-SIM version.
* Video Playback: surprisingly, we observed⁢ no substantial difference. Both models scored around 22:40-22:47 hours. Apple’s claim of a two-hour‍ improvement in video playback wasn’t⁣ realized in ⁢our testing.
* Gaming: The eSIM model demonstrated a healthy 44-minute advantage, achieving 10:58 hours of endurance.

(Image:‍ src=”https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/25/11/iphone-17-pro-esim-battery-test/inline/-1200w5/gsmarena_006.jpg”)

(Image: src=”https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/25/11/iphone-17-pro-esim-battery-test/inline/-1200w5/gsmarena_003.jpg”)

Key Takeaways: What This ⁢Means for You

The eSIM iPhone 17 Pro delivers a noticeable, albeit not dramatic, improvement ⁢in battery life. ⁣Here’s a swift recap:

* ‍ Overall: A 5.3% increase in Active Use Score.
* Best ⁣Gains: Web⁣ browsing and ‌gaming benefit the most from the larger battery.
* No Change: Video playback remains consistent between the two‌ models.

if you’re a heavy web user or gamer, the eSIM model offers a tangible advantage. For those primarily streaming video, the difference is⁢ negligible.

The Future of SIMs and iPhone Batteries

Apple’s