YotaPhone 2 – Battery Life

The 2500mAh battery on the YotaPhone 2 isn’t the most capacious around, but combined with the energy-saving features of the rear e-ink display it does mean that this phone has outstanding stamina.

The more you use the YotaPhone 2, the more you understand how to get the most out of its battery. Simply not having to turn on the main screen every time you want to check the time or a message saves precious energy. Use the EPD even more and, just like the mechanical bunny, the YotaPhone 2 keeps going and going.

Use the YotaPhone 2 like any other smartphone and the gains aren’t as apparent. It will drain just as fast as the HTC One M8 while watching movies or 3D gaming.  Crucially, though, if you like reading books on your phone it won’t use anywhere near as much juice as traditional handsets do. 

Gaming or watching videos will sap the battery as fast as any other smartphone

In our standard tests we got more than 24 hours of regular use out of the YotaPhone 2, utilising the rear screen as well as the front one. This included an hour of Wi-Fi video streaming, several hours of browsing the Internet, taking photos and fielding an hour’s worth of calls. All other activity, such as checking emails, messages and reading, we conducted on the rear screen.

In our like-for-like video test, where we play a standard-definition video on mid brightness until the phone dies, the YotaPhone 2 managed exactly nine hours of constant playback. That’s two hours less than the Samsung Galaxy S5 and an hour less than the HTC One M8 and iPhone 6 – not bad at all.

Should I buy the YotaPhone 2?

The YotaPhone 2 isn’t a phone for everyone, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve its niche. Google is making a big advertising push at the moment with the tagline “be together, not the same”. The YotaPhone 2 epitomises this ethos. If you’re a keen reader then you’ll appreciate the rear screen, even if it’s not quite to the standard of current, traditional e-readers.

If you value battery life, and are happy to use the e-ink display for more than just checking the time, then you’ll also enjoy a phone with outstanding stamina.

It all comes at a price we’re not comfortable with, though. You can get a Samsung Galaxy S5 or LG G3 for around £400 these days and, barring the rear display, they’re superior. Their cameras are vastly better, they have expandable storage and, in the case of the S5, best-in-class battery life. What’s more, you’ll have money left over for a proper, backlit eBook reader.

Verdict

The YotaPhone 2 has moved from technological curio to a phone we’d be happy to live with. That’s high praise indeed, considering the high-quality phones we use on a day-to-day basis. We wouldn’t give up our iPhone, HTC or Samsung flagship for it, but we can’t think of a better phone to have if you’re a keen, on-the-go reader.

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