Battery drains quickly, performance is fine

The iOS 26.5 Beta 1 update recorded stable performance but battery life decreased rapidly, making users need to consider carefully when upgrading.

The fact that Apple released the first test version of iOS 26.5 right after the stabilization of version 26.4 has created a stream of mixed opinions in the technology community. On one hand, users are always hungry to get their hands on the latest refinements of Apple Intelligence artificial intelligence.

On the other hand, the fear of becoming a “guinea pig” for an incomplete operating system is always present. After 3 days of directly holding the device and using it for all tasks from work to entertainment, we can clearly see Apple’s efforts to optimize power, but at the same time also face a difficult energy problem that users need to pay special attention to.

To prepare for the most powerful software upgrades on 120Hz screen products, everyone can immediately refer to the iPhone 17 list here:

Smooth real-world performance and stable Benchmark scores

The biggest plus point that iOS 26.5 Beta 1 brings is the smoothness of daily swipe operations. Actual experience on the iPhone 17 Pro Max series shows that there is almost no lag or frame stutter, even though this is only the first Beta version. Every system app from the Camera to the App Store responds instantly, giving it a very “snappy” and premium feel.

Geekbench 6 scoring results also reflect this sentiment when the device reached 3,332 single-core points and more than 8,600 multi-core points. Although these are not record breaking numbers compared to the official 26.4 version, it shows that Apple has very well controlled the power of the A19 Pro chip right from the early testing stage. Graphics performance (GPU) also recorded impressive results of over 28,000 points, ensuring AI image processing and heavy gaming experiences still run extremely smoothly.

Battery life is a big disappointment after 3 days of experience

In complete contrast to the excitement about performance, the battery life of iOS 26.5 Beta 1 is really a big “bump”. It was noted that after 72 hours of use, the battery on the iPhone dropped unusually quickly. During the first day, the system consumed more than 150% of the battery capacity (must be charged several times a day) but only provided about 9 hours On-screen (SOT). This is a very low power efficiency, even considering that the machine must perform data indexing processes after the update.

By the third day, the situation improved slightly but still did not meet users’ expectations. With about 71% battery consumption, the device can only last more than 6 hours of continuous use. The phenomenon of rapid battery drain occurs most clearly when users access social networking applications such as TikTok, Threads or use the Camera to record videos.

This shows that Apple still needs a lot of time to optimize power distribution for new features running in the background on this version 26.5.

Who should experience iOS 26.5 Beta 1 and the upcoming roadmap?

Based on practical experiences, iOS 26.5 Beta 1 is currently only really suitable for developers or technology lovers who like to explore and own an additional device. If you are using your iPhone as your primary communication device and your work requires battery endurance throughout the day, the advice is to continue to stay with the more stable iOS 26.4 or iOS 26.3.1.

Upgrading to an early Beta version always carries risks in terms of temperature and usage time that not everyone is willing to trade.

The technology community is currently paying attention to the Beta 2 version expected to launch next week. Hopefully Apple will listen to feedback to completely fix the current battery drain problem. Don’t forget to visit Minh Tuan Mobile system to receive support from a team of technicians to check battery status and advise on the safest software upgrade route.

We are always ready to support the Old Fall – Renew programs with extremely high discounts so that users can own the latest generation iPhone 17 and be ready for future technological breakthroughs!