Does anyone else set their device to GSM / edge only? I dont have a data plan so there isn't a need for 3G. Also i spend my day in an area of a building that barely receives an edge connection so it keeps the Fuze from switching from 3g to edge to 3g / etc...
Today was the first day (outside of my office) that i used it with 3G off. and the battery only lasted about 4 hours i had only sent / read about 40 text messages in that time too. it is weird.
just looking for input from others that might have the 3g turned off.
thanks!
u mentioned u don't have a data plan... so did you use your wifi extensively?
I have 3G off, but I don't read so many massages my battery keep 2-4 days. I also disabled TF3D.
I have 3G disabled as I have the Euro/Asia TP so 3G doesn't work here in North America. I have a data plan, 3G would be nice but EDGE is enough for my medium email / browsing needs.
I use WiFi only when I need to stream media or download files above 10mb, etc. I fine that my battery lasts 1-2 days, depending on my usage. Also I find my battery lasts longer than it did before, partly I think because I put the phone down sometimes now, and partly because it is now "broken in" properly.
I think it is vital to battery life to disable the radios you are not using, such as bluetooth and WiFi, as those are from a battery's standpoint, the silent killer.
I would also be inclined to agree with majkeljj, in that TF3D really draws a lot of power. I did test this, but I find reduced battery life is worth it, as I like TF3D....for now at least
i started today with
a full charge
egde
TF3D - enabled
no wifi
no BT
and it is crummy to the point where it will be dead later tonight. I dont browse EVER from my phones. I'll try it again tomorrow with the same start and TF3D off.
thanks for the input!
I was lurking over at the sprint hero board and came across an interesting thread. People are noticing an increase in battery life when the set the wifi settings for sleep to Never.
Seems like what is happening, as soon as the phone blanks out, WIFI is turned of and the phone is switched to EVDO mode. which drains battery. If your in a bad coverage area your battery drains even faster.
Some people are talking about a performance increase as well, but I think what they are seeing is the phone not having to cycle back to wifi everytime they touch the phone.
Treefallingquietly said:
I was lurking over at the sprint hero board and came across an interesting thread. People are noticing an increase in battery life when the set the wifi settings for sleep to Never.
Seems like what is happening, as soon as the phone blanks out, WIFI is turned of and the phone is switched to EVDO mode. which drains battery. If your in a bad coverage area your battery drains even faster.
Some people are talking about a performance increase as well, but I think what they are seeing is the phone not having to cycle back to wifi everytime they touch the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, but is this for those who always have wifi enabled (I never use it)? I'll try anything to get more from my battery since I can barely squeeze out about a day (18 hours) from my phone even with the sms workaround implemented.
I'm looking in the wifi settings and don't see any options for "wifi sleep".
katmandu421 said:
Interesting, but is this for those who always have wifi enabled (I never use it)? I'll try anything to get more from my battery since I can barely squeeze out about a day (18 hours) from my phone even with the sms workaround implemented.
I'm looking in the wifi settings and don't see any options for "wifi sleep".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is the link: http://community.sprint.com/baw/thread/24324?tstart=0
Basically, when you are in an area that has spotty coverage, your battery will drain quicker because its always roaming and trying for service. I get this in the Texas Hill country. So if you have wifi and are in a bad location, whenever your wifi sleeps, it goes back to EV. I think just the nature of this connection is hard on the battery. hence using Wifi as much as possible.
Another option is to use APNdroid or something like it to disable the EVDO when you're not using it. Push notifications don't always come through that way or can be slow coming, but if you know your phone is just going to sit there you can conserve a lot of power this way. Turning off GPS, WiFi and EVDO I was able to squeeze out almost 3 days of usage when I was using the phone sparingly. If you're enabling those connections only when you need them, making it through the day should be no problem if you're not constantly using the device.
Hi,
I've searched around on the SGS4G forums, but haven't seemed to find a definitive answer to this question.
If you live in an area where you get good 3G/4G coverage, is it worth having power save options switch your phone to 2G when you turn off the screen for a while (e.g., AOKP's power saver option to switch to 2G after screen off)? As I understand it, turning off that connection will drain additional battery versus just continuing to use the 3G/4G signal that the phone is on. Are the battery use benefits of 2G more than the power cost to switch it off?
If anybody has done an analysis of this, I'd be glad to hear your results. From my own personal experience, it seems like I get slightly better battery life sticking with 3G/4G instead of turning it down to 2G when on standby.
Cheers
FB used the power save recently and got 28hours on a single charge. I think he lives in a decent coverage area.
Was he using a standard battery? That's an impressive amount. Even when I was back on a fresh Octane install and running only essential apps, I got 20 hours at best.
I got 28 hours but only had 34 mins of screen on time. I wasn't using my phone at all, but had 53% battery left when I told eollie that.
Normally with about an hour's screen on time I'm at 50% battery. I tend to get a little over 2 hours of screen on time on a full battery, WITHOUT power saver.
I wasn't able to continue using power saver recently since I'm working on the AOKP update but shh! Keep this between us.
EDIT
I get around 1-2 bars on 3/4G
I get 3-4 bars on Edge
I think so.
Here's what you can do if you leave it on your desk with the sim card out. lol Still at 58%.
Haha, yeah, figured. Well, normally I get 3-4 bars on 3/4G, and leaving it on my nightstand in the morning, I get about 1-2% drain per hour if I don't touch it at all. So I can definitely see getting days of battery on just standby with nothing running.
AOKP update. Yeus. Can't wait!
Another good tip for battery life, if you'd like to know it, is to have a single colored dark background. Even better if your icons are darker. If you use a totally black background, with dark-colored icons, it can really help conserve battery. Well, I don't know if it's anything substantial, but it will help.
There isn't much "factual" information out there on 2G vs. 3G/HDSPA power consumption that I could find.
http://blog.famzah.net/2010/05/24/2g-gprs-vs-3g-umts-connection-battery-usage-on-mobile-phones/ suggests that the idle consumption is comparable between 2G and 3G on their specific phone. It also suggests that 3G, when you are transferring data, consumes less energy than 2G since the data can be transferred in a significantly shorter period of time.
Hey guys just a quick question. I already get phenomenal idle drain. I don't drop a single percent overnight in an 8 hr period. Couldn't be happier. I also have no wakelock issues However I want to help battery life while not idle.
So I created a tasker profile that enables data when only in apps that need it like Tapatalk. Then when I exit that app (screen still on) or turn the screen off data shuts off.
My question is if I'm going more harm then good with the constant data toggling. I know it's probably subjective to how much I use these data apps so data gets toggled. Is there a way to test this myself?
Not worth your effort. Don't try to micromanage too much.
thats right, enjoy your device instead.
OK thanks guys
Sandman-007 said:
Hey guys just a quick question. I already get phenomenal idle drain. I don't drop a single percent overnight in an 8 hr period. Couldn't be happier. I also have no wakelock issues However I want to help battery life while not idle.
So I created a tasker profile that enables data when only in apps that need it like Tapatalk. Then when I exit that app (screen still on) or turn the screen off data shuts off.
My question is if I'm going more harm then good with the constant data toggling. I know it's probably subjective to how much I use these data apps so data gets toggled. Is there a way to test this myself?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you get this?
I would just say to one day use your data toggle, and don't the next day if you're curious. I'm usually curious about these things too. I set my Tasker up so it switches to 3G when I'm connected to my work's wifi. My whole work's area has very strong 3G and very weak LTE so I have bad signal because the phone keeps trying to connect to the LTE network. However, my work's wifi is also not very stable and it keeps disconnected which leads my phone to constantly toggle between 3G and LTE. I'm not sure if this affects battery drain but it felt a bit like a drain. I just ended up manually toggling. But I'm usually curious which what drains the battery more. Since your data would be off when the screen is off and if you're not using wifi you should get very good standby time.
Hi
I tried searching Google, but get a lot of different answers.
I live in an area with a very bad cellular coverage. I always have 1 out of 5 bars and when I turn mobile data on, it is mainly LTE, but jumps a bit between LTE and Edge and rarely H and H+.
Can that cause a lot of battery drain? As I just factory reset my phone to get rid of every change I did. I enabled Stamina Mode, surfed the web for 15 minutes and my phone was at 95%. Is that normal? Because if my math is right, that shouldn't give me more than 5 hours of screen time, while I heard people getting 8+ without Stamina Mode.
Am I missing something or is their some very needed settings to be changed? Sync off, GPS off, bluetooth, Brightness is as low as possible, NFC off, black background (less power consumption), Wifi off and Wifi constant searching off.
U can easly check urself how cell signal draining battery ,first Check how it is with normal H+/LTE then charg it again for 100% and use ur smartphone with plane mode acivated ,now subtract result from 2 "experiment"
Also of note is that black backgrounds mean diddly on our displays. We aren't on OLEDs.
Also, if you ARE in wifi area it's better to be connected to wifi. Wifi is closer than the cell tower and data disconnects when wifi is connected.
On AMOLED/OLED black background helps because each pixel is individually lit (Black means those pixels are off). In LCDs there is a backlight providing illumination for the entire LCD so as long as your screen is on it won't make a differrence what colors are on your screen.
I'm having a similar issue. I have very low cell reception at work, and I can get maybe 4-5 hours SoT throughout the day and am at 10% when I get home. I've tried uninstalling/disabling apps that use a lot of battery, so hopefully it helps. I'll update if by the end of today I'm able to get 7+ hours SoT (which it seems it's on track to doing).
Edit: For clarification, the apps I've uninstalled that I believed to be using a lot of processing power/ram/battery were Facebook, [Facebook] Messenger, and Words with Friends.
festizzio said:
I'm having a similar issue. I have very low cell reception at work, and I can get maybe 4-5 hours SoT throughout the day and am at 10% when I get home. I've tried uninstalling/disabling apps that use a lot of battery, so hopefully it helps. I'll update if by the end of today I'm able to get 7+ hours SoT (which it seems it's on track to doing).
Edit: For clarification, the apps I've uninstalled that I believed to be using a lot of processing power/ram/battery were Facebook, [Facebook] Messenger, and Words with Friends.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just use an app like Greenify to block apps running in the background when not in use so you dont havr to uninstall them.
Brightness can have a lot to play on this one. I tend to go with manual brightness so there's no ambient sensors working all the while the display is on, and if you are doing anything where you can cope with lower brightness then drop it.
Keep an eye in battery stats for "google play services" as this can go nuts. When this happens sometimes clearing data can help.
I also found that using google+ to backup my photos caused a lot of battery drain.
I have not found facebook or whatsapp etc to affect my battery much personally. I use stamina mode when i'm out and about to keep the phone at sleep while the screen is off.
ssj_jaypee said:
Just use an app like Greenify to block apps running in the background when not in use so you dont havr to uninstall them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No root. WIthout Greenify is just annoying.
Jonathan-H said:
Brightness can have a lot to play on this one. I tend to go with manual brightness so there's no ambient sensors working all the while the display is on, and if you are doing anything where you can cope with lower brightness then drop it.
Keep an eye in battery stats for "google play services" as this can go nuts. When this happens sometimes clearing data can help.
I also found that using google+ to backup my photos caused a lot of battery drain.
I have not found facebook or whatsapp etc to affect my battery much personally. I use stamina mode when i'm out and about to keep the phone at sleep while the screen is off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Deleted Messenger and Facebook just for the sake of it. I don't have the need to be online all the time and the people that want to contact me, have my number.
Faspaiso said:
it is mainly LTE, but jumps a bit between LTE and Edge and rarely H and H+.
Can that cause a lot of battery drain?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At my house I get just enough LTE to cause our S3 to constantly switch to LTE then loose it and switch back to H+. Battery life couldn't make it thru one day. ATT removes the screen that let's you control network mode but I found a backdoor method to lock the phone out of LTE. The phone now stays on H+ and battery life easily jumped 40%. That's the primary reason I held out this time for an unlocked non-ATT-crippled phone--so I can easily turn LTE off.
Well, tried have my phone on over night (for a change to test it).
Everything off (mobile data, gps etc).
Used 7% of my power and every app was closed. When I looked at battery drain, 55% was from cell standby and 40-45% was from Phone Idle.
Tonight I will try charge it to 100% again and then let it be in Flight Mode to see.
I struggled to flatten the battery on my phone the first day 70% of the day with the screen on, no wifi enabled or stamina.
Another test would be to change mobile settings to 3G or 2G to see what difference that makes. Under settings, wireless & networks, select more, mobile networks, then network mode.
I would try the above first before making your phone completely unavailable, especially the 2G.
danw_oz said:
I struggled to flatten the battery on my phone the first day 70% of the day with the screen on, no wifi enabled or stamina.
Another test would be to change mobile settings to 3G or 2G to see what difference that makes. Under settings, wireless & networks, select more, mobile networks, then network mode.
I would try the above first before making your phone completely unavailable, especially the 2G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just did the tests.
Flightmode - 100% after 8 hours (sleep)
Edge - 99% after 8 hours (sleep)
4g - 93% after 8 hours (sleep)
Faspaiso said:
Just did the tests.
Flightmode - 100% after 8 hours (sleep)
Edge - 99% after 8 hours (sleep)
4g - 93% after 8 hours (sleep)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice, thank you! Care to check hspa too?
Fruktsallad said:
Nice, thank you! Care to check hspa too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is that? H/H+?
GSM - Edge
WCDMA - H/H+
LTE - 4g
But I think 4g uses less power than edge, but it is more than in my area there is 1/5 in 4g coverage, 3-4/5 in H/H+ and 5/5 (always) if using edge.
As I see an better connection gives better batterylife, but 4g uses way less than 3g/edge if same cell signal.
But is going to try it next time I get down to my dad. He got 5/5 in LTE signal. So gonna see if it can stay at 100% over night.
Faspaiso said:
What is that? H/H+?
GSM - Edge
WCDMA - H/H+
LTE - 4g
But I think 4g uses less power than edge, but it is more than in my area there is 1/5 in 4g coverage, 3-4/5 in H/H+ and 5/5 (always) if using edge.
As I see an better connection gives better batterylife, but 4g uses way less than 3g/edge if same cell signal.
But is going to try it next time I get down to my dad. He got 5/5 in LTE signal. So gonna see if it can stay at 100% over night.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe, ok I understand. But HSPA = 3G. [emoji4] I haven't done any rigorous testing, but I think my stand by times are much better using edge (2G) compared to 3G.
Fruktsallad said:
Hehe, ok I understand. But HSPA = 3G. [emoji4] I haven't done any rigorous testing, but I think my stand by times are much better using edge (2G) compared to 3G.
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I see. But if you change between those, you probs have an better cell signal with 2g (in your area), right?
Faspaiso said:
I see. But if you change between those, you probs have an better cell signal with 2g (in your area), right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, coverage is about the same. Generally speaking though, 2G > 3G > 4G when it comes to battery life. That's been the rule for years, but as of late, newer radios have become more efficient with 3G and 4G, thus making the difference less noticeable. YMMV. Would be interesting to see your drainage on 3G as well. ☺
Fruktsallad said:
Nope, coverage is about the same. Generally speaking though, 2G > 3G > 4G when it comes to battery life. That's been the rule for years, but as of late, newer radios have become more efficient with 3G and 4G, thus making the difference less noticeable. YMMV. Would be interesting to see your drainage on 3G as well. ☺
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well could try it tonight.