Excitement is building for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 smartphones, particularly the Ultra model which was expected to receive a major charging upgrade. However, recent information has cast some doubt on the extent of this enhancement.

Rumors indicated that the Galaxy S26 Ultra would feature a 60W charging capability, a significant improvement from its predecessor. Yet, recent charging test results shared by Ice Universe suggest that the phone can only reach 75% battery in 30 minutes, which is not a drastic improvement.

While the test was conducted under ideal lab conditions, real-world scenarios may not yield much better results compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which achieved a similar charging percentage in the same timeframe.

It seems that the 15W increase in charging power may not translate to a noticeable difference in practical usage. Additionally, it is expected that the faster charging speed will be exclusive to the S26 Ultra, with the standard S26 and S26+ models sticking to lower wattages of 25W and 45W respectively.

One variable to consider is the battery size of the Ultra model, with speculations suggesting a slight increase to 5200mAh from the previous 5000mAh. This potential boost in battery capacity could slightly enhance the charging performance.

Despite the underwhelming charging upgrade, there is hope for Samsung to make a significant improvement in wireless charging capabilities. Reports suggest that wireless charging could increase from 15W to 25W, potentially aligning with competitors like the Google Pixel 10 series which offer Qi2 magnetic charging.

The key question remains whether Samsung will integrate Qi2 magnetic charging into the phones themselves or if it will still require a separate case for compatibility, as seen in previous models.

To stay competitive, Samsung may need to follow Google’s lead and embed Qi2 technology directly into their devices. All eyes are on the upcoming Galaxy S26 range, rumored to launch on February 25.