Apple introduced the 120 Hz ProMotion technology with the iPhone 14 Pro range last year. This technology made its way to the iPhone 15 Pro, enhancing the user experience, making it more fluid and smooth, especially when playing games that support 120 fps.
Apple allows iPhone 15 Pro users to reduce the refresh rate from 120 Hz to 60 Hz. Previously, there was speculation that doing so would allow the iPhone to save battery.
According to a new test, disabling 120Hz ProMotion on the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max has a negligible impact on battery life.
What is ProMotion for and what impact does it have on the battery?
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max can dynamically adjust the refresh rate between 120 Hz and 1 Hz, allowing the device to save battery.
The variable refresh rate is beneficial with the Always-On display, as it rests at 1Hz, showing the time and widgets on the lock screen. And now we know, thanks to Jason Cross of Macworld, that disabling the 120 Hz refresh rate on the iPhone 15 Pro is not worth it, as it does not affect battery life.
Cross conducted tests on Geekbench 4 to see if turning on and off the 120 Hz ProMotion display affected the battery life of the flagship iPhones. There are some differences, but they are not significant enough to disable one of the most attractive features of the iPhone 15 Pro.
However, the battery of the iPhone 15 Pro would take a substantial hit if you are playing demanding games that support 120 fps. Since there are countless variables, it is challenging to conduct a scientific test on the impact of ProMotion on the iPhone’s battery life.
Cross also mentioned that battery usage was nearly halved when ProMotion was disabled while gaming. However, real-world tests revealed that the higher refresh rate has little to no effect on battery life.
Approximately, the iPhone 15 Pro with ProMotion enabled consumes about 5 percent more battery, which is nothing compared to the functionality you get in return. Here are the best tips to stretch your battery.
