Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has emerged as the fastest-charging phone overall in a new CNET lab test that evaluated 33 smartphones. Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra led the wired charging category with the strongest single performance.
CNET’s lab team ran a controlled 30-minute charging test for each device. Every phone started at 10% battery or lower. Testers used the included cable along with a wall charger rated at or above each phone’s maximum supported speed. For wireless charging, devices were tested for the same 30 minutes using Qi at 7.5W, Qi2 at 15W, or Qi2.2 at 25W, depending on the phone’s top supported standard. After that, results from wired and wireless tests were combined into an overall charging score.
The iPhone 17 Pro stood out in the overall ranking. One key reason is its 4,252mAh battery. This is smaller than many rival flagships, which often exceed 5,000mAh. As a result, it reaches higher percentages faster during short charging windows. The device supports 40-watt wired charging and 25-watt Qi2.2 wireless charging. At the same time, CNET notes that battery capacity is only part of the equation. Efficiency from the processor and software also plays a major role. In separate endurance testing, the iPhone 17 Pro Max delivered the best battery life.
In wired charging performance, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra took the lead. It reached 76% in 30 minutes using its 60-watt wired charging system. This is Samsung’s fastest charging speed yet in a flagship phone. The iPhone 17 Pro followed closely at 74%, tying with the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2025). The OnePlus 15 reached 72%, while the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and Samsung Galaxy S25 FE each hit 69%.
Wireless charging results also favored Apple’s top model. The iPhone 17 Pro reached 55% in 30 minutes, the highest among all tested phones. The iPhone 17 Pro Max followed at 53%. The iPhone 17 reached 49%, while the iPhone Air recorded 47%. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra came in at 39%. CNET linked the iPhone 17 Pro’s advantage over the Pro Max again to its smaller battery size, since both share the same A19 Pro chip and similar software.
Across all tested brands, Apple showed the most consistent charging performance. The four iPhone 17 models plus the iPhone Air averaged 54.6% in the 30-minute test. Samsung’s nine-device lineup averaged 38.5%. The Galaxy S26 Ultra delivered Samsung’s strongest result, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 ranked lowest at 29%.
New battery technology also played a role in several strong results. Silicon-carbon batteries, which use a silicon-based anode instead of graphite, allow higher capacity and faster charging. The OnePlus 15 used this approach with a 7,300mAh battery. It reached 72% in 30 minutes with an 80-watt charger. However, this technology is still limited in the US market. It is mainly found in devices from OnePlus, RedMagic, and Poco. Apple, Samsung, and Google have not adopted it yet.
