Silicon-carbon batteries have changed the game — Apple and Samsung need to catch up

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Smartphone battery capacity is undergoing a revolution at the moment, thanks to increasingly mainstream silicon-carbon battery technology found in high-end handsets. Even the notoriously slow Samsung has adopted it in its latest Galaxy Z Fold 8 series. What started out as a reasonably modest boost to 6,000 mAh capacities has quickly reached 8,000 mAh and even 10,000 mAh models, almost doubling battery capacity potential in just a few short years.

I’ve had the new OPPO Find X10 Pro Max in my pocket for the past few weeks, itself sporting an 8,000mAh Si-C cell. Though I should note that global models ship with a slightly reduced 7,150mAh split-cell design. OPPO claims that both models are sufficient for two days of typical use, and I’ve put my handset through our testing wringer to find out just how much longer it can endure compared to rival flagships.