4g will consume more battery as a higher range will require higher power for transmission. Wifi being shorter range will require less power.
Having Wi-Fi turned on drains your battery if you're not using it, but if you're on a wireless network, it's more power-efficient to use Wi-Fi than to use cellular data, so switch to Wi-Fi instead of your mobile network when you can to save your phone's battery life.
Mobile vs home network speed
For most people, 4G mobile internet will be a bit faster than a home Wi-Fi network. 5G will be much faster than most current Wi-Fi networks.
What consumes more power, WiFi or mobile data? Mobile Data consumes more power, if for no other reason that it must broadcast and receive up to 25 miles or more.
Drawbacks of WiFi calling
One of the main disadvantages is that it can drain your battery faster than cellular calls, as it requires more power to connect to the internet and maintain a constant data stream.
It may seem counterintuitive but shutting down your WiFi can actually increase your bills, according to Nick Hunn, chief technology officer at wireless consultancy WiFore. He said: “Turning off your WiFi sounds like a good idea, but the unintended consequence can be that you end up using more energy.”
The short answer is yes, everything being equal, a 4G radio in today's smartphones uses battery power at a higher rate than a 3G radio performing the same functions. But of course everything is NEVER equal, so taking that easy answer at face value is misleading.
Wi-Fi routers are typically solid state devices and do not have moving parts, as a result their energy consumption is very low and they are usually left on 24 hours a day to provide uninterrupted internet access. We estimate that a Wi-Fi router uses 2 to 20 watts, with 6 watts being average for a wireless router.
Key takeaways about powering a Wi-Fi router
Average Wi-Fi routers use about 7.3 kilowatt-hours of electricity in a month, and 87.6 kilowatt-hours in a year. It costs an average of $1.04 to run a Wi-Fi router for a month, and $12.43 to run for a year. The best way to save on electricity is to install solar panels.
On LTE phones it will dramatically increase connect speeds.As others have said, when both WiFi and 3G are simultaneously connected, only WiFi will work. It will only used one of them, which one is the used first or selected.
If your phone is mostly for voice use, you have no need for 4G data. Save money and save battery life by choosing a device without the high-speed network. If you live in an area that doesn't have 4G coverage, there's no advantage to a 4G phone.
With 4G, 4G+, and 5G, you can also connect to the internet without WiFi around. That's ideal if you often use your tablet while on the go or in areas without WiFi.
There is an impact on the battery life of about 10% more battery usage on 5G vs 4G.
Wi-Fi has a limited range, cellular data does not.
Wi-Fi only works within the range of your router. With your Verizon Wireless plan, you can access the Internet on your phone or tablet even when you're out of Wi-Fi range. And those fast 4G LTE data speeds now cover more than 98 percent of the US population.
Tip: You can conserve data by turning off mobile data access. If you do this, you'll only be able to use data when you connect to a Wi-Fi network. To use less data, turn off auto-sync.
'Your Wi-Fi router doesn't require rest like other devices. It is designed to be working 24/7 and that's every single day of the year. Whenever you turn your router off, it can automatically send signals to your internet provider,' he explains. 'This works as a signal that your internet connection is unstable.
Audio and video streaming
Streaming, downloading, and watching videos (YouTube, NetFlix, etc.) and downloading or streaming music (Pandora, iTunes, Spotify, etc.) dramatically increases data usage. Video is the biggest culprit.
Frequent video calling and mobile data calls affect battery life. Constantly using 4G phones for gaming and other activities that increase the screen on time also reduces battery life. Features such as Auto Sync and Auto Brightness can also result in quick battery drain.
The results revealed that there was virtually no difference between 3G and 4G battery consumption for the same tasks. On 3G, the battery drain for the tasks was 21%, while it was 19% on 4G. This is within the margin of error with only single-digit accuracy on the battery percentage measurement.
Wi-Fi routers and TVs are less of a fire risk, more of a drain on your wallet – so unplug these too, and enjoy a lower electricity bill when you come back. Unplugging your Wi-Fi router has the additional benefit of preventing hackers getting into your Wi-Fi while you're away.
Network congestion and throttling are the most common reasons for internet slowdowns in the latter part of the day. There is an internet rush hour that usually runs from about 7-11 pm on weekdays. This can interfere with your use of the internet for streaming, movies, and more.
Know when to reboot your router so you can maintain a healthy, speedy internet connection. There's no definitive rule for how often you should reboot your router or wireless gateway. Ideally, you should reboot them at least once a month to clear out the memory and refresh your connections.