Strategy Games That Won't Melt Your Battery

Strategy games can be surprisingly power-hungry, especially the ones with busy particle effects during big waves. But you don't have to trade depth for battery life if you know a couple of tricks.

First, cap your frame rate if the game allows it. Many strategy titles run identically at 30fps because the pace is deliberate, and you'll barely notice the difference while gaining an hour or more of play. Turning off screen shake and heavy effects helps too, and often makes the board more readable.

Second, watch out for always-online games that ping servers constantly. Those quietly drain more than the graphics do. Where possible, I prefer titles that run offline, both for battery and for playing on a train with spotty signal.

In our reviews we flag battery behavior when it stands out, because a great game you can't finish on a commute isn't much use. Small settings tweaks go a long way.