Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 might force me to buy new chargers, and I didn't expect that

Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 owners can top up faster than on last year's models, but only when the watch sits on Apple's new $29 charging puck. That's worth knowing before the watches arrive on September 18, especially if you're still deciding which Apple Watch to get and already have spare chargers around the house.

Apple's new Apple Watch charger doubles the old puck's power

The new puck, model A3277, can deliver up to 10W, while the previous version tops out at 5W, according to a new report. Furthermore, Apple quietly listed the new charger on its online store last week, keeping the same name and the same $29 price as the older model, with only a small New label setting it apart. According to Apple, just 15 minutes on it adds 12 hours of battery life to the Series 12 and 18 hours to the Ultra 4.



The listing also says the charger is fast-charging capable when paired with Apple's own 20W USB-C Power Adapter, and that it adds eight hours of battery life to the Apple Watch SE 3 in the same 15 minutes.

Older Apple Watch models and old pucks stay where they are

Per the report, the Series 11 still gets eight hours and the Ultra 3 still gets 12 hours from a 15-minute charge, whether they sit on the new puck or the old one, which makes the Series 12 figure a 50% jump over its predecessor.

On the bright side, the new puck is fully backwards compatible, and Apple's own compatibility list covers every Apple Watch going back to the first generation, plus the charging cases of the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 5 and AirPods 4 with ANC.

This also puts Apple in a better spot against its Android rivals. When we tested the charging speeds of six popular smartwatches in 2025, Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic trailed the Apple Watch Series 10 and Pixel Watch 3 by a noticeable margin, while the OnePlus Watch 3 got 80% of its battery back in about half an hour.

That test predates the newest Galaxy and Pixel watches, so things may have shifted since. Still, if you own a Galaxy Watch, this is one more area where Apple is pulling further ahead, and Samsung should be at least a little concerned, since a 15-minute top-up that covers a full workday is hard to argue with.

Who needs to buy Apple's new $29 charger

If you're buying a Series 12 or Ultra 4, one of the new pucks already comes in the box, so the only thing to double-check is that your power adapter is USB-C Power Delivery rated at 10W or higher.

The ones who need to think about it are owners with extra pucks on a desk, in the car or in a travel bag, since each of those will need replacing to get the new speeds.

I wish Apple had made this charger easier to spot

I'm glad Apple kept the price at $29 and made the new puck work with every older watch, which is the least it could do for an accessory most of us buy more than once.

For now, model number A3277 is the one to look for when shopping. I'd personally love to see Apple put something as simple as the wattage on the puck itself, so that our nightstands and travel bags stop being a guessing game.

More on the Apple Watch Series 12:

• Everything Apple announced with the Apple Watch Series 12
• Apple Watch Series 12 release date, price and features
• Apple Watch Series 12 (46mm)

• Follow me on X and Threads

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