The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s faster battery charging doesn’t sound so fast after all

Leaked internal tests show that the Galaxy S26 Ultra charging time may fail to impress.

3comments
A man in winter clothing using a Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone outside.
Samsung is famously conservative when it comes to the capacity and charging speed of its smartphones’ batteries, and rumor has it that the trend will continue with the upcoming Galaxy S26 Series. While the Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to charge faster than its predecessor, a new leak suggests its charging times won’t be all that impressive.

Galaxy S26 Ultra may charge to 75% in 30 minutes


The Galaxy S26 Ultra may reach up to 75% battery with 30 minutes of charging, according to information from prolific leaker Ice Universe. That charging time was achieved during internal tests held by Samsung in controlled conditions. It’s unclear what those conditions were, but the tests were likely held in a space with controlled temperature.

The results are achieved thanks to the rumored faster charging support of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The device is expected to support 60W wired charging, a significant increase over the 45W supported by the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Samsung even launched a 60W charging brick recently, basically confirming the upgrade.

Recommended For You

Good, but not impressive



Last year’s Galaxy S25 Ultra charged from 0% to 68% in 30 minutes during our battery tests. While the S26 Ultra may get to 75% in the same time, that upgrade is far from impressive. The new model is rumored to include either the same 5,000 mAh battery or a slightly bigger cell with 5,200 mAh capacity, so the capacity is not a significant factor in that measurement. It’s also likely that the real-life performance turns out slightly different.

If the information is authentic, the S26 Ultra will still charge faster than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which has a 5,088 mAh battery. Apple’s top-tier device reached 64% in 30 minutes during our battery tests.

Which battery spec is more important for you?
Larger capacity
50%
Faster charging
7.89%
Both, I don’t want any compromise
40.79%
Neither, I don’t care about the battery of my phone
1.32%
76 Votes


In terms of pure numbers, Samsung may even outperform the OnePlus 15, which reached 68% in 30 minutes. However, that phone has a significantly larger 7,300 mAh battery.

Choose a compromise, Samsung


When it comes to the battery of my phone, I don’t need it to last forever and charge instantly. One of those is enough. I’m fine charging my phone slowly if it lasts even through the busiest days, and I’m fine charging it before going out in the evening if that takes 10-15 minutes. Samsung would make me really happy if it improved in at least one of those areas.
Google News Follow
Follow us on Google News

Recommended For You

COMMENTS (3)
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless