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26 hours without a wall outlet: This foldable beats them all

Xiaomi 18 Fold
ⓘ Daniel Schmidt
Xiaomi 18 Fold
Foldable smartphones aren't exactly known as battery endurance champions. One foldable turns that perception on its head and achieves an impressive runtime of around 26 hours in our Wi-Fi test. This also highlights the potential that modern foldables have to offer.

Large displays, powerful processors, and relatively compact bodies: foldable smartphones present unique challenges for manufacturers. Battery life in particular is one area where users frequently have to compromise. However, the Xiaomi 18 Fold proves that it can be done differently.

In our standardized Wi-Fi test, the foldable achieves a runtime of around 26 hours - using the main display. This is an impressive result that certainly commands attention, especially given the unusual form factor. Xiaomi combines a large-surface foldable OLED display with an additional outer display and a powerful processor. This endurance is made possible in part by the generously sized 6,000 mAh battery. As a result, the Xiaomi 18 Fold boasts substantial energy reserves without making the body excessively heavy or thick. Unfolded, we measure just 5.5 millimeters at the frame; folded, it comes in at 11 millimeters.

Genshin Impact
highest 120 fps
Xiaomi 18 Fold
ARM Mali G2-Ultra NX MP16, Xiaomi Xring O3, 1TB UFS 4.1 Flash
56.3 (44min, 45P1 - 61max) fps
lowest 120 fps
Xiaomi 18 Fold
ARM Mali G2-Ultra NX MP16, Xiaomi Xring O3, 1TB UFS 4.1 Flash
60.1 (58min, 58.85P1 - 61max) fps
Call of Duty Mobile - very high
Xiaomi 18 Fold
ARM Mali G2-Ultra NX MP16, Xiaomi Xring O3, 1TB UFS 4.1 Flash
120.1 (108min, 117.14P1 - 121max) fps
PUBG Mobile
Smooth
Xiaomi 18 Fold
ARM Mali G2-Ultra NX MP16, Xiaomi Xring O3, 1TB UFS 4.1 Flash
29.7 (22min, 27.87P1 - 31max) fps
HD
Xiaomi 18 Fold
ARM Mali G2-Ultra NX MP16, Xiaomi Xring O3, 1TB UFS 4.1 Flash (4.6.0)
29.7 (25min - 31max) fps
Battery runtime - WiFi v1.3
Xiaomi 18 Fold
ARM Mali G2-Ultra NX MP16, Xiaomi Xring O3, 1TB UFS 4.1 Flash
26.8 h
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8
Adreno 840, SD 8 Elite Gen 5 f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
15.2 h
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra
Adreno 840, SD 8 Elite Gen 5 f. Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
17.2 h
Oppo Find N6
Adreno 840, SD 8 Elite Gen 5, 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash
18 h
Vivo X Fold6
Mali-G1 Ultra MC12, Dimensity 9500, 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash
20.2 h
Honor Magic V6
Adreno 840, SD 8 Elite Gen 5, 512 GB UFS 4.1 Flash
16.2 h

However, the outstanding runtime cannot be attributed to battery capacity alone. Equally crucial are processor efficiency, display control, and software power management. With foldables in particular, screen choice can also have a significant impact on power consumption. Our result comes from a standardized Wi-Fi scenario and cannot be directly applied to demanding applications such as gaming or video recording. Nevertheless, the measurement impressively demonstrates the endurance potential packed inside this foldable smartphone.

With this, the Xiaomi 18 Fold makes a clear statement. Anyone who previously assumed that large foldable displays inevitably meant short battery life gets a compelling counterexample here. However, how endurance holds up during intensive use of the large inner display remains to be seen.

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> Expert reviews and news on laptops, smartphones and tech innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2026 10 > 26 hours without a wall outlet: This foldable beats them all
Daniel Schmidt, 2026-10-28 (Update: 2026-10-26)