Samsung has finally decided to pick up the pace. Sort of.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is getting 60W fast charging, according to a fresh leak from @UniverseIce—a notable jump from the 45W standard Samsung has clung to for years. The real question wasn’t whether Samsung would make the leap, but whether it would actually make a difference. Now we have an answer: the S26 Ultra will charge from 0% to 75% in 30 minutes.
That’s faster. But it’s hardly groundbreaking.
What 30 Minutes Actually Gets You
Three-quarters of a full charge in half an hour sounds decent on paper. For most people, hitting 75% is enough to get through the rest of a workday or an evening out. Samsung’s approach here is practical—the first 75% charges quickly, then the phone slows down to protect the battery as it approaches 100%.
This isn’t new science. Every smartphone does this. What’s different is that Samsung is finally closing the gap with its own previous generation. The current 45W charging on the S24 Ultra takes closer to 40 minutes to reach the same level, so you’re looking at a real-world gain of about 10 minutes.
Not dramatic, but measurable.
The Elephant in the Room: Chinese Brands Are Miles Ahead
Here’s where Samsung’s conservative streak shows. Xiaomi, Oppo, and OnePlus have been shipping 100W, 120W, even 150W charging for a couple of years now. Phones like the Xiaomi 13 Pro hit 100% in under 20 minutes. Some Realme models with 240W charging can fully charge in about 12 minutes.
Samsung’s 60W upgrade puts it somewhere in the middle—faster than Apple’s iPhones, but still trailing the charging speeds you’ll find on flagship phones from Chinese manufacturers. The company has always been cautious here, prioritizing battery health over raw speed.
Whether that’s sensible or stubborn depends on who you ask.
Controlled Conditions vs. Real Life
One thing worth noting: Samsung’s 30-minute claim is based on controlled lab conditions. That means optimal temperature, Samsung’s official charger, and a brand-new battery. Charge your phone in a hot room or with a third-party cable, and those numbers shift.
This isn’t Samsung being sneaky—it’s standard practice across the industry. But it does mean your mileage will vary. If you’re charging during a summer afternoon or your phone’s already warm from heavy use, expect the process to slow down as the device throttles power to avoid overheating.
Why Samsung Stays Behind the Curve
There’s a reason Samsung hasn’t chased ultra-fast charging. Higher wattage generates more heat, and heat degrades lithium-ion batteries faster. Over two or three years, a phone that charges at 120W will likely see more battery degradation than one that maxes out at 60W.
Samsung’s bet is that most users would rather have a battery that still holds a decent charge after 24 months than shave off an extra 10 minutes at the plug. It’s a trade-off, and not everyone will agree with it.
But for people who keep their phones longer than a year or two, it makes sense.
Is This Enough for 2026?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s charging upgrade won’t blow anyone away, but it does bring Samsung closer to the middle of the pack. If you’re upgrading from an older Galaxy device, you’ll notice the improvement. If you’re switching from a OnePlus or Xiaomi phone, you’ll probably miss the speed.
What Samsung is banking on is that most buyers care more about overall battery longevity than charging speed alone. Whether that assumption holds up in a market where competitors are pushing faster and faster tech remains to be seen.
For now, 60W is a step forward. Just not a big one.
