The Galaxy S26 Ultra: Finally, a Real Charging Upgrade

Let’s be honest—Samsung has dragged its feet on charging speeds for way too long. The Galaxy S25 Ultra and just about every Ultra before it topped out at 45W charging, ever since the Note 10 Plus brought that number in back in 2019. Meanwhile, brands like OnePlus and Xiaomi raced ahead with 120W charging and even faster. Fans kept waiting for Samsung to catch up, but every year, they got the same slow pace. It’s left a lot of people wondering why their premium phone charges so much slower than the competition.

This Galaxy S26 Ultra concept is the phone I wish Samsung  
The Galaxy S26 Ultra now charges at 60W, which is a solid jump—about 33% faster than the S25 Ultra. Honestly, it’s about time. Samsung’s finally catching up to what most flagship phones already offer. Still, even with this bump, Samsung is behind some competitors who’ve been running with much faster charging for years. It feels like Samsung’s still playing it safe, more focused on keeping batteries healthy and phones cool than chasing the fastest numbers.

For seven years, Samsung stuck with 45W charging on its top phones. That says a lot—they clearly care more about keeping batteries in good shape over time and avoiding heat problems than grabbing headlines with big charging speeds. People who keep an eye on the industry think Samsung spends a lot of time testing to make sure pushing the charging speed won’t wreck battery life or cause overheating when you’re just using your phone day to day.

So, this move to 60W on the S26 Ultra probably means Samsung finally feels confident they can speed things up without cutting corners on reliability. It’s a much more cautious style than you see with some Chinese brands, who love to brag about wild charging speeds. Still, Samsung’s approach has paid off—these phones are known for lasting a long time and holding up well.

And now, it’s official. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (SM-S9480) just got certified in China on the 3C regulatory site. That listing confirms the 60W charging and backs up the rumors we’ve been hearing. So, no more guesswork—this is what you’re getting.
60W USB C Charger 60W Dual USB C Car Charger: Fast Charging  

What the 3C Certification Reveals

The 3C listing for the Galaxy S26 Ultra confirms two major specifications:​

  1. 60W Wired Charging Support: The device officially supports up to 60W fast charging through a wired USB Type-C connection
  2. Satellite Connectivity: The S26 Ultra will include satellite emergency connectivity, matching features introduced in iPhone 14 Pro

 USB Power Delivery 3.1 Standard

The new 60W charger is USB Power Delivery (PD) 3.1 certified, which is a step up from the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 45W PD 3.0 charger. With USB PD 3.1, charging gets more efficient—your phone and charger can actually “talk” to each other and figure out the best charging speed, dialing things in more precisely than before.

So, what does this actually mean? The S26 Ultra charges faster and uses a smarter protocol, letting the charger and phone stay on the same page. End result: quicker, more efficient charging, and a safer experience overall.

Samsung’s Official 60W Charger: Sold Separately

Samsung’s already put a brand-new 60W USB Type-C charger up on its website, so they’re clearly gearing up for the S26 Ultra launch. But—no surprises here—they’re not including the charger in the box, just like they did with other recent flagships in China.

Why the Charger’s Missing

Samsung’s not the only one doing this. Skipping the charger in the box is pretty much an industry standard now, with companies arguing it cuts down on e-waste and keeps packaging smaller. Apple started the trend, and Samsung followed, especially with their high-end phones in China, where the rules push for less electronic waste.

If you want to get those full 60W charging speeds, you’ll need to buy the charger separately. It’s a win for Samsung—more sales for them—but also gives you an option to use a charger you already have, so you’re not stuck with extra gear you don’t need.

Charger Specifications

The 60W charger being listed on Samsung's website features:

  • USB Power Delivery 3.1 certification
  • 60W maximum power output
  • USB Type-C connectivity
  • Compatibility with PD 3.1 devices

 This charger really shows how serious Samsung is about sticking to the USB Power Delivery standard. It works with all kinds of devices, not just Samsung stuff.

Galaxy S26 Ultra Specs and Features

Sure, the big story is the jump to 60W charging—that’s a major hardware leap. But the Galaxy S26 Ultra packs in a bunch of other upgrades, too. Altogether, they’re what make this phone feel like a true flagship.

Snapdragon Processors Ranking & Full List - Tech Centurion 

Processing Power: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5  

Samsung packed the Galaxy S26 Ultra with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. This isn’t just any processor—it’s the special “For Galaxy” version, tuned just for Samsung. Think of it as an overclocked, souped-up take on the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 you’ll find in other phones. You get more speed and better performance, plain and simple.

Here’s what the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 brings:

  • Octa-core CPU configuration with optimized frequency scaling
  • Enhanced GPU performance for gaming and graphics rendering
  • Improved AI processing capabilities
  • Better power efficiency compared to previous generations

Display Technology

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to feature:

  • 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display
  • 1440 x 3120 pixel resolution (19.5:9 aspect ratio)
  • 120Hz refresh rate with adaptive refresh rate technology
  • 2600 nits peak brightness with HDR10+ support
  • Corning Gorilla Armor 2 protective glass with anti-reflective coating

This display represents state-of-the-art smartphone screen technology, offering exceptional clarity, color accuracy, and brightness for both outdoor visibility and indoor viewing.​

Camera System: Professional-Grade Photography

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to maintain a quad camera setup featuring:

  • 200MP primary sensor with advanced image processing
  • 10MP ultra-wide sensor
  • 50MP telephoto lens (3x optical zoom)
  • 50MP periscope telephoto (10x optical zoom)
  • 12MP selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture

 The 200MP main camera really stands out here. You can crop your photos a ton and still keep all that detail, which is pretty wild. Pair that with Samsung’s Nightography and some smart processing, and the S26 Ultra easily joins the ranks of the best smartphone cameras around.

Battery-wise, the S26 Ultra sticks with a 5,000mAh battery—same as last year’s model. But here’s the good part: charging speeds are getting a big boost, jumping up to 60W from 45W. That means way less time plugged in. Samsung’s basically found a sweet spot: you get a big enough battery for all-day use, but the phone doesn’t feel chunky in your hand.

As for memory and storage, Samsung plans to roll out the S26 Ultra in a few different versions, so you’ll have options to pick what fits you best.

  • 12GB RAM with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage options
  • 16GB RAM with 512GB or 1TB storage options
  • UFS 4.0 storage technology for rapid file transfer speeds

These generous memory and storage configurations position the S26 Ultra as a versatile device capable of handling demanding applications, large media libraries, and professional creative work.

Galaxy S10 screen deep dive: Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+  

​Software and Updates

The Galaxy S26 Ultra will launch with:

  • Android 16 operating system
  • Samsung One UI 8 custom interface
  • Seven major Android OS upgrades promised
  • Enhanced AI features leveraging advanced processors

 With seven major Android upgrades on the table, the S26 Ultra isn’t just a phone you buy and forget. It’s built to stay fresh for around seven years, getting every big OS update along the way.

Launch Timeline and Release Details

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series bounced around a bit with its release dates. After a few delays, things finally landed on a set schedule. If you trust Ice Universe (and a lot of people do), the launch timeline is now locked in.

Your next phone could have USB Type-C (and that's a good  
Galaxy Unpacked Event: February 2026

Samsung’s shaking things up this time. The Galaxy S26 series isn’t coming out in January, like it usually does. Instead, they’re holding the big Galaxy Unpacked event toward the end of February—think February 25 or 26. That’s a real shift for them, but it looks like they wanted a little extra time to polish and test the new phones.

Pre-Order Phase: Mid-March 2026

Right after the announcement, Samsung will open up pre-orders. You’ll get about two weeks to lock in your order before everyone else gets a shot.

General Availability: March 2026

Public sales kick off in the first week of March. The release rolls out to a bunch of different countries, but the exact date can change depending on local rules and how fast they get approval.

So, What’s Up With the Delay?

Insiders say Samsung dropped the Edge model and added a Plus version this time. That switch wasn’t simple—it slowed down hardware checks and almost pushed the launch back even further. But they ironed out the kinks, so March is still the plan.

Charging Upgrades: What to Expect

Here’s something that’ll actually change your daily routine: 60W charging. That’s a nice jump from the old 45W chargers. You’ll notice your phone juices up a lot faster.

Estimated Charging Times

Real numbers depend on the battery, but if you’ve got a 5,000mAh battery and you’re using the 60W charger, you can expect a full charge from empty to 100% in about—

  • 0-50% (2,500mAh): ~15-20 minutes
  • 50-100% (2,500mAh): ~25-35 minutes
  • Full 0-100%: ~40-55 minutes

 This represents a meaningful improvement over the Galaxy S25 Ultra's approximately 60-75 minute charging time, potentially saving users 15-20 minutes per charging cycle.​

Wireless Charging Capabilities

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to maintain:

  • 15W wireless charging (Qi2 Ready) for standard wireless charging
  • 4.5W reverse wireless charging for charging other Qi-compatible devices

 Wireless charging still lags behind the latest wired charging speeds, but Samsung’s sticking to its guns. They focus on keeping wireless charging safe and efficient, making sure your phone doesn’t overheat or wear out the battery too fast.

Competitive Positioning: How 60W Stacks Against Competitors

Samsung’s 60W charging is a big step forward, but the competition isn’t slowing down. Other brands keep pushing out even faster charging options.

Competitive Charging Speeds (2025-2026):

  • OnePlus 13: 100W fast charging
  • Xiaomi 15 Ultra: 120W fast charging
  • Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: 60W fast charging (new)
  • Apple iPhone 17 Pro: 45W fast charging (rumored)
  • Google Pixel 10 Pro: 55W fast charging (rumored)