Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra is once again shaping up to deliver less excitement than fans were hoping for. While the Ultra line has traditionally represented the pinnacle of the Galaxy experience, recent leaks and certifications are casting a shadow over expectations, particularly in the area of charging technology.
For years now, Samsung has capped its Ultra models at 45W wired charging speeds, even as rivals such as Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Oppo have been racing ahead with 100W or even 120W solutions. 
Early reports surrounding the Galaxy S26 Ultra hinted at a long-awaited bump to 60W charging, which would have been a small but welcome leap forward. Hopes grew stronger when traces of this rumored upgrade appeared in an early One UI 8.5 build leak. Unfortunately, more concrete evidence now suggests that those dreams may not materialize.
The latest certification from China’s Quality Certification Center has confirmed that the S26 Ultra (model SM-S9480) continues to support the same charging profiles as its predecessor: 10V/4.5A and 15V/3A, both topping out at 45W. In other words, Samsung appears to be holding the line on charging performance yet again. To make matters even less thrilling, the battery is still listed at 5,000mAh – the same capacity Samsung has been relying on for several generations of Ultra devices. Fans hoping for either a bigger battery or faster refueling times are now left disappointed on both fronts.
The bad news doesn’t stop with the Ultra model. The Galaxy S26 Pro and Galaxy S26 Edge, which cater to the non-Ultra flagship market, are also expected to stick with 25W charging speeds. This keeps them firmly behind many mid-range competitors that now regularly feature 67W or faster charging, adding further frustration to Samsung’s loyal fanbase.
Adding salt to the wound is the growing chatter about a lack of major camera upgrades in the S26 Ultra. While Samsung’s computational photography continues to perform well, the absence of a significant hardware leap in both sensors and lenses means buyers may see little incentive to upgrade from the S25 Ultra. Without standout features like faster charging or next-gen camera innovation, the S26 Ultra risks being labeled an incremental update rather than a truly groundbreaking flagship.
With the market increasingly competitive and brands like Apple, Xiaomi, and Vivo pushing boundaries in different ways, Samsung’s conservative approach could test the patience of its most loyal followers. The Galaxy S26 Ultra may still be an impressive all-rounder with powerful performance and premium build quality, but for enthusiasts hungry for bold upgrades, it’s hard not to feel underwhelmed by what’s shaping up to be another cautious step instead of a giant leap.
3 comments
5000mah still not bad but we need faster charging fr
i was hyped for 60w but guess not… 🙁
at least the cameras still solid but meh upgrades