Samsung Galaxy S11 5G looks set to offer disappointing fast charging
Fast, but not fast enough
It always seemed like a safe bet that there would be a 5G version of the Samsung Galaxy S11, and now that has been almost confirmed, as a phone with the model number SM-G9860 (which has been linked to the Galaxy S11 range in the past) has just been certified as offering 5G. But it was also listed with underwhelming fast charging specs.
Spotted by DroidShout on the website for China’s 3C certification agency, the phone is listed as having 25W fast charging, which would make for an upgrade on the 15W Samsung Galaxy S10, but doesn’t come anywhere close to the 45W charging offered by the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus.
It’s disappointing that Samsung would launch a new flagship with slower charging speeds than a previous one, and while we’d take this with a pinch of salt for now, coming from a certification body it’s likely accurate.
- Read our full Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review
- Check out our Samsung Galaxy Fold review
- Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S10e review
Trailing the competition
Those 25W speeds get even more disappointing when you compare them to what other manufacturers are starting to offer, with Xiaomi for example planning to launch one or more phones with 100W fast charging in 2020.
That said, you shouldn’t be too disheartened. With 25W of power, the Samsung Galaxy S11 5G should still be able to charge quite fast, and further increasing the speeds comes with the risk of wearing the battery out faster.
Plus, we’re only looking at one model here. It’s entirely possible that some Galaxy S11 (or Galaxy S11 Plus) models will offer faster charging speeds. We should find out for sure in February, as that’s when we’re expecting the new range to land, but in the meantime TechRadar will bring you all the credible news and rumors.
- We're also expecting a Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite
Via GSMArena
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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.