Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro named fastest charging phone in new CNET lab test of 33 smartphones, with Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra taking first place for wired charging speed.
To determine the ranking, CNETThe lab team performed a 30-minute wired charging test on each phone starting with 10% battery or less, using the phone’s included cable and a wall charger rated at or above the maximum speed supported by the device. Phones supporting wireless charging have undergone a corresponding 30-minute wireless test using a Qi (7.5W), Qi2 (15W) or Qi2.2 (25W) charger matched to the maximum speed supported by the phone. CNET then averages the wired and wireless results to get an overall load score.
The iPhone 17 Pro win in the overall category is partly due to its relatively compact 4,252 mAh battery, which is smaller than the 5,000 mAh or larger capacities common among competing flagships. With less capacity to fill, the 17 Pro charges faster in absolute terms and supports both 40-watt wired charging and 25-watt Qi2.2 wireless charging. CNET notes that battery size is only one factor in overall battery life, alongside processor and software efficiency, and in its battery life tests, the iPhone 17 Pro Max came out on top in terms of endurance.
For wired charging, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra took the top spot, adding 76% charge in 30 minutes thanks to its 60-watt wired charging speed, the fastest of any Samsung flagship to date. The iPhone 17 Pro comes in second with 74%, tied with Motorola’s Moto G Stylus (2025). The OnePlus 15 followed with 72%, while the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and Samsung Galaxy S25 FE each reached 69%.
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro also claimed the fastest wireless charging result, gaining 55% in 30 minutes. The iPhone 17 Pro Max added 53%, followed by the iPhone 17 at 49%, the iPhone Air at 47% and the Galaxy S26 Ultra at 39%. CNET Again attributes the 17 Pro’s advantage over the 17 Pro Max largely to its smaller battery, since both devices share the same A19 Pro chip and software.
Of all the brands tested, Apple had the most consistent fast charging performance by a considerable margin, averaging 54.6% across all four iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air. The average of Samsung’s nine phones came in at 38.5%, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra performing the best and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 the lowest at 29%.
Silicon-carbon batteries, which use a silicon-based anode rather than graphite to enable higher capacities and faster charging rates, were among several of the top performers. The OnePlus 15, for example, recharged 72% of its 7,300 mAh silicon-carbon battery in 30 minutes using a proprietary 80-watt charger. Silicon-carbon phones in the US remain limited to OnePlus, RedMagic and Poco. Apple, Samsung and Google have not yet adopted this technology.