Samsung finally bumped the Galaxy S26 Ultra from 45W to 60W wired charging after five years of staying still. In GSMArena’s tests on the S26 Ultra, they got 84% in 30 minutes, while at the 15 minute mark, the battery indicator showed a good 51%. A full charge took only 43 minutes. But here is the full picture from every major tester.
Every Verified Charging Test Result in One Table
| Source | 15 Min | 30 Min | Full Charge | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSMArena | 51% | 84% | 43 min | Samsung 60W adapter |
| Ice Universe (via SamMobile) | N/A | 80% | 50 min | Samsung 60W adapter |
| Samsung Official Claim | N/A | 75% | Not disclosed | Optimal conditions |
Samsung says that the Galaxy S26 Ultra, with its 60W charging speed, can get charged up to 75% in 30 minutes, but the brand was being modest. Ice Universe reports that it gets charged up to 80% in 30 minutes. In the next seven minutes, the charging level reaches 91%, and the 100% mark is achieved in 50 minutes.
GSMArena’s result of 43 minutes to full makes this upgrade not only a meaningful one but makes the device much more competitive. In fact, the S26 Ultra is now among the fastest charging phones in its class.
You Do Not Need a 5A Cable
This was the biggest concern before launch. And it turned out to be a non issue.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra never draws more than 3A during charging, so you do not need 5A cables to realize the full 60W charging speed.
Unlike the 45W chargers, the new 60W one comes without a cable bundled, but it does not need one, as the 3A cable supplied with the phone is enough to reach max power.
The charging is based on the Power Delivery protocol with a specific PPS profile (3A/20V), so it is not proprietary in any way. Any 60W USB PD charger that supports this profile should be able to provide the fastest possible charging speed.
How It Compares to Competitors
Its main rival, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, can charge up to 65% in 30 minutes and takes one hour and twelve minutes to get fully charged.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is the middle ground with 45W speeds.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra now beats both of its biggest Western market competitors in charging speed. For the first time.
Samsung then launched its next four generations, Galaxy S22 Ultra through Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the same 45W charging speed. With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung has finally increased the charging speed to 60W, bringing the first upgrade in charging performance to the Galaxy S Ultra lineup in five years.
What Charger Do You Actually Need?
Under normal charging conditions, the Samsung S26 Ultra utilizes Super Fast Charging via the PD3.0 standard (triggering the PPS protocol), with real time charging power consistently ranging between 52W and 54W.
Samsung sells its own 60W PD Power Adapter separately. It is priced at $54.99, with an early bird discount dropping it to $38.49 on Samsung.com.
But you do not need Samsung’s adapter specifically. Any 60W+ USB-C PD charger with PPS support will work. Popular options from Anker, Baseus, and Ugreen all trigger the full speed.
The Wireless Charging Catch
The S26 Ultra’s newfangled 25W wireless charging support is not quite proving to be as useful as hoped. It turns out that most Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra users are not able to access these elevated wireless charging speeds.
Wireless charging can now go as high as 25W over the Qi v.2.2 standard. Notably, the phone lacks any built in magnets, so you can access this charging power only if you use a magnetic case that will align the charging coil properly.
One user on the Samsung Community reported: “I only get the full 25W charging if I place the phone on the charger unplugged and then plug it in. If I leave the charger plugged in and place the phone, I get only 7W charging.”
Wired charging is the clear winner here. 60W wired is fast, reliable, and works with any compatible charger. 25W wireless requires specific accessories and careful alignment. If fast charging matters to you, stick with the cable.
Written by Ameer Hamza
Tech Analyst and Founder of Global Tech Press. Currently expanding the GTP hardware testing labs and building the next generation of digital tech media.
