Black Shark 5 Pro Battery test

We put the Black Shark 5 Pro through our rigorous DXOMARK Battery test suite to measure its performance in autonomy, charging and efficiency. In these test results, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.

Key specifications:

Scoring

Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.

221

195

198

224

212

205

194

Key performances

These key points are derived from the lab measurements during testing and do not figure into the overall score. The lab measurements, however, are used for the overall score.

The gaming phone Black Shark 5 Pro struggled during our autonomy tests. Despite its excellent night management during our typical usage scenario, it couldn’t last more than 2 days. Whether in our calibrated or on-the-go tests, the device’s autonomy was below average in all our use cases, especially when calling, streaming music, scrolling on social apps, and using GPS navigation.

The real strength of this device, however, lies in its charging experience, one of the best we’ve tested so far. It took only 12 minutes and 49 seconds to charge 80% of the battery’s 4650 mAh capacity, the fastest charging time we’ve measured so far. And to reach a full charge, the device needed a total of only 23 minutes and 19 seconds, which earned the 5 Pro a full charge top score. With such a charging speed, a user could gain about 8 and a half hours of autonomy from a mere 5-minute charging boost.

However, the residual consumption of the powerful 120W charger when the device was still plugged in and fully charged was high, and the consumption of the charger itself when it was plugged into an outlet was more than 2 times higher than the average of our database.

The discharge currents were also high in all our use cases, whether in factory default or calibrated mode. The discharge current when calling was the highest in our database to date.

Compared with devices from the Premium segment ($600 to $799), the Black Shark 5 Pro’s global score was slightly above average mostly because of its outstanding charging performance. It had the second-best score in charging and the best sub-score in full charge. However, its autonomy and efficiency were low, with the lowest on-the-go sub-score so far.

About DXOMARK Battery tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone battery reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective tests over a week-long period both indoors and outdoors. (See our introductory and how we test articles for more details about our smartphone Battery protocol.)

The following section gathers key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyses performed in DXOMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations under the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Black Shark 5 Pro

195

Autonomy score is composed of three performance sub-scores: Home / Office, On the go, and Calibrated use cases. Each sub-score comprises the results of a comprehensive range of tests for measuring autonomy in all kinds of real-life scenarios.

Black Shark 5 Pro

221

A robot housed in a Faraday cage performs a set of touch-based user actions during what we call our “typical usage scenario” (TUS) — making calls, video streaming, etc. — 4 hours of active use over the course of a 16-hour period, plus 8 hours of “sleep.” The robot repeats this set of actions every day until the device runs out of power.

Black Shark 5 Pro

195

Using a smartphone on the go takes a toll on autonomy because of extra “hidden” demands, such as the continuous signaling associated with cellphone network selection, for example. DXOMARK Battery experts take the phone outdoors and perform a precisely defined set of activities while following the same three-hour travel itinerary (walking, taking the bus, the subway…) for each device

Black Shark 5 Pro

198

For this series of tests, the smartphone returns to the Faraday cage and our robots repeatedly perform actions linked to one specific use case (such as gaming, video streaming, etc.) at a time. Starting from an 80% charge, all devices are tested until they have expended at least 5% of their battery power.

Black Shark 5 Pro

218

Charging is fully part of the overall battery experience. In some situations where autonomy is at a minimum, knowing how fast you can charge becomes a concern. The DXOMARK Battery charging score is composed of two sub-scores, (1) Full charge and (2) Quick boost.

Black Shark 5 Pro

224

Full charge tests assess the reliability of the battery power gauge; measure how long and how much power the battery takes to charge from zero to 80% capacity, from 80 to 100% as shown by the UI, and until an actual full charge.

Black Shark 5 Pro

212

With the phone at different charge levels (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%), Quick boost tests measure the amount of charge the battery receives after being plugged in for 5 minutes. The chart here compares the average autonomy gain from a quick 5-minute charge.

Black Shark 5 Pro

154

The DXOMARK power efficiency score consists of two sub-scores, Charge up and Discharge rate, both of which combine data obtained during robot-based typical usage scenario, calibrated tests and charging evaluation, taking into consideration the device’s battery capacity. DXOMARK calculate the annual power consumption of the product, shown on below graph, which is representative of the overall efficiency during a charge and when in use.

Black Shark 5 Pro

205

The charge up sub-score is a combination of four factors: the overall efficiency of a full charge, related to how much energy you need to fill up the battery compared to the energy that the battery can provide; the efficiency of the travel adapter when it comes to transferring power from an outlet to your phone; the residual consumption when your phone is fully charged and still plugged into the charger; and the residual consumption of the charger itself, when the smartphone is disconnected from it. The chart here below shows the overall efficiency of a full charge in %.

Black Shark 5 Pro

194

The discharge subscore rates the speed of a battery’s discharge during a test, which is independent of the battery’s capacity. It is the ratio of a battery’s capacity divided by its autonomy. A small-capacity battery could have the same autonomy as a large-capacity battery, indicating that the device is well-optimized, with a low discharge rate.