Dark Mode is one of the tentpole features of iOS 13 this year, and is rolling out quickly to third-party apps and websites. A new test from PhoneBuff this weekend aims to discover just how much better Dark Mode is for battery life than Light Mode.
Using an iPhone XS as the test device, PhoneBuff employed robotic arms to do various things throughout iOS while in Light Mode and Dark Mode. This included using the Messages app, navigating in Google Maps, watching a YouTube video, and more.
The end result is actually quite impressive. PhoneBuff’s test found that the iPhone XS using Dark Mode drained the battery at a much slower pace than the iPhone XS using Light Mode. When the Light Mode iPhone XS died, the Dark Mode iPhone XS still had 30% battery life.
Here’s the full chart showing the comparison:
One important detail here is that the test was conducted with the displays set to 200 nits brightness. You’ll notice some differences at lighter and darker brightness settings, but in all scenarios, the iPhone XS using Dark Mode outlasted the one using Light Mode.
Another important detail is that Dark Mode has the biggest effects on battery life for devices that have OLED displays. This includes the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone 11 Pro, but not the iPhone XR or iPhone 11.
Watch the full video from PhoneBuff below for all of the details. What do you think of Dark Mode in iOS 13? Have you been using it as your primary setting? Let us know down in the comments!
Read more about iOS 13 and macOS Dark Mode:
