Apple spent years ignoring charging speed while Android phones sprinted ahead. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is the first sign that someone in Cupertino finally cared. A charging test from Xiaobai’s Tech Reviews, shared by Ice Universe on X, backs up the claim Apple made on stage.
Half a Battery in a Quarter of an Hour
The phone hits 34% after 10 minutes and crosses 50% at the 15 minute mark, which matches Apple’s own figure from the announcement. Peak draw is around 52W. The iPhone 17 Pro Max managed 38% in 15 minutes and topped out at 35W, so this is a real jump rather than a rounding difference. Go back one more generation and the iPhone 16 series needed a full 30 minutes to reach half.
The 100% on Screen Is Not the Real 100%
Here’s the part worth knowing before you unplug. The screen shows a full battery at 55 minutes, but the phone keeps pulling power until roughly 76 minutes. That last stretch is the trickle phase, and it’s normal behaviour for lithium batteries, though it does mean the headline number and the actual finish line are 20 minutes apart. The 17 Pro Max displayed 100% at 72 minutes for comparison.
Samsung Still Wins the Race to Full
The Galaxy S26 Ultra reaches 51% in the same 15 minutes but shows a full charge in 43 minutes, well ahead of the iPhone. Worth noting it’s filling a smaller battery, so the comparison flatters Samsung a little. Still, Apple has closed the gap rather than erased it.
The Bad News Buried in the EU Database
The EU’s EPREL listings turned up alongside these numbers, and they carry a catch. Apple’s new Pro models are still rated for 1,000 charge cycles, which trails plenty of Android flagships that now certify for 1,500 or more. Faster charging that you do more often, on a battery rated for the same lifespan as before, is a trade worth thinking about if you keep phones for four or five years.
