The more things change, the more things stay the same — and it sounds like the Galaxy S26 won't be any real exception. According to leaker Ice Universe, the S26 and S26 Edge will retain 25W charging speeds. That's the same as the Galaxy 25 and various other non-Ultra phones going all the way back to Galaxy S20.
Apple released the iPhone 17 series, and I also told you the charging power of S26 Pro and S26 Edge. Let me start with the conclusion: Samsung is very dangerous.Galaxy S26 Pro and S26 Edge still only support 25W charging, while the full range of iPhone17 supports 40w. pic.twitter.com/VqHy1Dy1LISeptember 10, 2025
That news is obviously quite disappointing, especially in the aftermath of the iPhone 17 launch — which saw all phones get a boost to their wired charging speeds. It may not sound like a big deal, but considering phone batteries are getting larger all the time, keeping the same old charging speeds means your total rate of recharge is actually going down each year.
Considering phone batteries are getting larger all the time, keeping the same old charging speeds means your total rate of recharge is actually going down each year.
More frustrating is the fact that Samsung is expected to be scrapping the Galaxy S26 Plus in favor of the Galaxy S26 Edge. The Plus models have had 45W charging for a few years, and there's no reason why the S26 Plus would downgrade. As much as people may want to see the S26 Edge, you can't deny that Samsung has a habit of ignoring charging speeds.
The other downside is that a lack of upgraded charging speed on the S26 and Edge means that the prospect of a 60W Galaxy S26 Ultra seems less likely. Not impossible, and Samsung could easily upgrade its most expensive model, while ignoring the cheaper options. Sadly, Chinese regulatory filings (via SammyGuru) suggest that the Ultra's 45W wired charging speeds will be here to stay for at least one more year.
It's a major disappointment, especially when you consider the rumors that Samsung will be changing the name of the standard Galaxy S26 and renaming it the "Galaxy S26 Pro." There's nothing "pro" about 25W wired charging, especially when the so-called "cheap" Galaxy phones like the Galaxy S25 FE all support 45W wired charging as well.
Sometimes I wonder whether Samsung is getting complacent, or if it's just focusing too much of its attention on the software side of things. The launch of Galaxy AI has been one of Samsung's key focuses over the past few years, but as important as it is, it shouldn't come at the expense of the hardware.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
