If it seems like there's a little more mystery and intrigue around Samsung's next high-end handset trio than past members of the Galaxy S family with only weeks left to an official announcement, the latest (semi) credible social media report will further contribute to that feeling, contradicting a few other rumors and leaks from the last couple of months that also rang true initially.
Will the "standard" Galaxy S26 measure up to the Galaxy A56 after all?
It's pretty absurd that that's even a question worth asking considering the radically different target audiences of the Galaxy S25's sequel and Samsung's newest Galaxy A5x mid-ranger, but at least there's now hope that the Galaxy S26 will match the Galaxy A56's 45W charging speeds.
It's ridiculous to compare the Galaxy S26 with the Galaxy A56, but... here we are. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
That's right, we all previously expected the smallest and humblest S26 variant to settle for the same mediocre 25W charging technology as last year's non-Plus Galaxy S25, but according to Ahmed Qwaider over on X, that number will be bumped up to a... less disappointing 45 watts.
That's still not a mind-blowing figure, of course, if you consider the 80W charging support of something like the OnePlus 15R, for instance, not to mention the onslaught of 100W+ phones (many of which are nowhere near as expensive as the Galaxy S26) unleashed on markets like China and India over the last couple of years or so.
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Is 45W charging enough for you?
Sounds good... enough
28.57%
Actually sounds pretty great to me
17.86%
Not on a high-end phone in 2026
42.86%
Not on any phone in 2026
10.71%
Besides, this information is not exactly etched in stone yet, and while Qwaider has proven reliable a few times in the past with similar exposés, it's probably wise to remain cautious this time around, at least for now.
No changes tipped for the Galaxy S26 Plus and S26 Ultra
That's no changes compared to previous speculation, mind you, as the Galaxy S26 Ultra is still expected to upgrade its own predecessor's 45W charging capabilities to 60 watts. The S26 Plus, meanwhile, will likely keep the 45W technology of the Galaxy S25 Plus unchanged, making it even harder to recommend the 6.7-inch model over the more compact, cheaper, and just as powerful Galaxy S26.
If you're wondering how much of a difference the S26's newly rumored upgrade from 25 to 45W charging support could make out in the real world, you actually don't need to use your imagination at its maximum. Instead, you can check out our comprehensive Galaxy S25 review, where the device gets to 54 percent battery capacity in 30 minutes before filling up the tank in 82 minutes.
The Galaxy S26 Plus is likely to strongly resemble its predecessor... in more ways than one.
All done? Now go ahead and take a look at our Galaxy S25 Plus review and charging tests, which put that phone's full charging time at 71 minutes, with 30 minutes getting it to the 58 percent mark. So, no, the difference between a 25W-limited and a 45W-capable device isn't exactly huge, which means the Galaxy S26 Ultra could gain even less of an edge over the S25 Ultra, S26, and S26 Plus with its jump to 60W speeds.
Still, any improvement in such crucial areas for so many users is likely to go a long way in securing the Galaxy S26 series positive media coverage and ultimately solid sales numbers, especially when paired with (small) battery size gains as well. Yes, we continue to expect the Galaxy S26 Ultra to add anywhere between 200 and 400mAh of juice to the S25 Ultra's boring 5,000mAh cell capacity, while the "vanilla" S26 and the S26+ are likely to pack 4,300mAh and 4,900mAh batteries, which would represent a nice little improvement for the former and a total lack of progress for the latter compared to the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus.
Could Samsung have other last-minute surprises in store as well?
Normally, I'd probably answer that type of question with a resounding "no" so close to the release of a smartphone lineup everybody's paying attention to, but again, there seems to be an unusually high level of secrecy and confusion around the Galaxy S26 trio.
We don't even know for sure if we're actually dealing with a trio or a quartet there, and if it's the latter, whether or not the last member of the quartet will see daylight alongside the rest of the family next month.
If the S26 Edge comes out with this weird design, I'm not sure it qualifies as a pleasant or an unpleasant surprise.
Bottom line, surprises are still possible, including in the processing power department, where so many leakers and tipsters seem confident all of a sudden that the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will opt for an Exynos 2600, leaving the S26 Ultra to fly solo on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 route.
Of course, the surprise I'm rooting for the most is an unchanged global pricing structure over the Galaxy S25 series, which could definitely help Samsung strike gold at the box office... once again.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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