Save iPhone battery: When is power saving mode worth it?

Many iPhone users activate Low Power Mode to extend battery life without fully understanding its actual effects. At first glance, it seems like a useful feature: The device lasts longer when the battery is low. But many wonder why their iPhone suddenly runs slower, apps take longer to load, or animations stutter. The reason for this lies in the way Low Power Mode works. In addition to reducing power consumption, it also affects the device's performance. But what exactly happens in the background? And should you use Low Power Mode permanently?

Since its introduction with iOS 9 in 2015, Low Power Mode has been available as an option to extend battery life. By default, iOS suggests enabling it when the battery level is 20%, but it can be manually turned on and off at any time. Many users think it only stops unimportant background processes. In reality, however, it goes much further: Apple deliberately restricts various functions to reduce power consumption. One important point that Apple doesn't mention in its official statements is the reduction in processor performance—this actually slows down the iPhone.

How does power saving mode work?

Apple describes Low Power Mode as a feature that reduces power consumption when the battery is low. Once enabled, it limits or disables certain features. This affects both the iPhone's software and hardware. Low Power Mode is active when the battery icon in the status bar is yellow. Users can turn it on and off in Settings under "Battery" or via Control Center (via Apple ).

What limitations does power saving mode have?

The activated changes affect several areas of the iPhone:

5G usage is reduced or switched off completely (depending on the model)
Automatic lock is set to 30 seconds
Display brightness is reduced and limited to 60 Hz on devices with ProMotion
Always-On Display will be disabled on compatible devices
Visual effects are reduced
Background activities such as downloads, iCloud syncing, backups, and email retrieval are paused

These measures ensure that energy consumption is reduced. But there is another significant change that isn't explicitly mentioned: The iPhone's performance is significantly throttled.

Does Low Power Mode slow down your iPhone?

Yes, Low Power Mode directly impacts your iPhone's speed. Each iPhone processor consists of multiple cores—performance and efficiency cores. During normal operation, the iPhone uses all cores as needed, with the more powerful cores being prioritized for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing. When Low Power Mode is enabled, the system instead prioritizes the efficiency cores, which consume less power but are also significantly slower. This makes the iPhone feel sluggish overall.

How much does the iPhone slow down? Benchmark results compared

A benchmark test with GeekBench 6 clearly shows how much performance drops in power-saving mode. Results for the A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro Max:

Without power saving mode:

Single Core: 3341
Multi-Core: 8270

With power saving mode enabled:

Single core: 1384
Multi-Core: 4093

In this mode, the iPhone loses almost 50% of its normal performance. This can result in longer loading times for apps, jerky animations, and overall sluggish operation.

Should you use power saving mode permanently?

Whether the power saving mode really makes sense depends on how the iPhone is used.

If you often have your iPhone in standby mode and only occasionally check messages, you can actually get a few extra hours of battery life by using the power saving mode.
However, those who actively use the iPhone will find that the reduced performance can be annoying. The difference is particularly noticeable when using graphics-intensive apps or multitasking.

So there's no general benefit to using power-saving mode all the time. In most cases, it's better to only activate it when the battery is actually running low and there's no charging option in sight.

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iPhone: When is power saving mode really worth it?

Low Power Mode is a practical feature for extending battery life in the short term. However, this comes at a significant performance penalty. If you just want to get a few extra hours out of your battery, you can activate it specifically. However, if you regularly use your iPhone for demanding apps, games, or videos, it's better to leave Low Power Mode disabled to maximize performance. Incidentally, this feature is available not only on the iPhone but also on the iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch – with similar performance impacts. Time for fresh accessories? Visit our Amazon Storefront and discover a wide selection of products from leading manufacturers, including HomeKit-compatible ones! (Photo by Unsplash+ / Getty Images)