Compared to the older German battleships, the five ships of the Braunschweig class showed a improvement mainly in the artillery component. The main artillery grew to 28 cm guns while for the first time 17 cm guns were used as secondary artillery. Being maneuverable and good seagoing ship, they tend to roll in heavy seas, bud did not take over much water as it was common for other German ships of this era.

Like their follow ups, the Deutschland class, those ships were obsolete at the outbreak of the war and their active duty was limited to coastal defence only. They were among the few old battleships that Germany was allowed to keep after World War One and they were actively used by the Reichsmarine until the mid 1930.

The Braunschweig was used for fleet service until July of 1916 when it was reclassified as a floating barrack. Between 1921 and 1926 it was used for fleet service in the Reichsmarine and broken down in 1931. Its sister ship Elsass had a quite similar fate, its active duty in the Reichsmarine was between 1924 and 1930 and it was broken down in 1936.