The Accessory Samsung Galaxy S26 Users Should Be Using

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is Samsung’s current flagship range, combining refined software with hardware developed over decades of iteration. This article explains which Galaxy S26 charging accessories can help owners take advantage of the phones’ wired and wireless charging capabilities.

The Galaxy S26 series has seen limited changes to its camera and battery across generations, but the latest models bring notable charging and battery updates. The Galaxy S26 Ultra has faster wired charging, while the base Galaxy S26 has a larger battery.

Samsung’s top-tier phones had been limited to 45-watt wired charging, even as some Chinese manufacturers offered charging at 80 watts or more. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the first Samsung Galaxy phone to support up to 60-watt charging, and wireless charging is faster on the S26 Ultra and S26+. Their battery capacities remain unchanged, but faster charging can reduce the time needed to top up.

The base Galaxy S26 retains 25-watt wired charging and increases its battery capacity from 4,000 mAh on the S25 to 4,300 mAh. Samsung does not include a charger in the box, so a compatible charger is the accessory to consider, particularly for owners of the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra supports up to 60-watt wired charging, but Samsung does not include a charging brick with the phone. Owners need a compatible charger to use the phone’s faster charging capability.

A compatible charger is necessary to access the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 60-watt charging.

Samsung has followed Apple’s practice of leaving charging bricks out of the box with new Galaxy devices. The S26 Ultra includes an aging USB 2.0 cable, but no other accessories, despite its $1,400 price. Many owners may not already have a 60-watt charger, so an older charger may not make full use of the phone’s faster charging.

At full speed, which Samsung calls Super Fast Charging 3.0, the S26 Ultra can charge from empty to around 75 percent in half an hour. The last Samsung phone to ship with a charger was the S20 Ultra, which came with a 25-watt charger in 2020, below that phone’s 45-watt charging capacity.

Third-party fast chargers are available in a range of power ratings and may charge multiple devices. Brands including Anker, Belkin and Ugreen make compact chargers using gallium nitride (GaN). A 60-watt charger can cost around $40, while chargers with twice the power are also described as affordable.

• Check the power rating: Choose a charger rated to support the S26 Ultra’s 60-watt charging.
• Consider other devices: Some fast chargers can charge multiple devices.
• Compare the size: GaN chargers offer power delivery in a smaller form factor.

The key decision is whether an existing charger supports the phone’s charging capability. If it does not, a compatible third-party charger is one way to use faster wired charging.

The Galaxy S26+ supports wireless charging at up to 20 watts, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra supports up to 25 watts. To use those speeds, owners need a compatible wireless charging pad and a magnetic case.

A 25-watt magnetic wireless charger and a compatible magnetic case help align the phone and charging pad for wireless charging.

Wired charging remains faster than wireless charging, but both types have improved. The S26 Ultra’s 25-watt wireless charging matches the top speed of current-generation Qi2.2 wireless charging, while the S26+ supports wireless charging at 20 watts.

The phones do not have built-in magnets, so high-speed wireless charging requires MagSafe-style Qi2 magnetic alignment provided by a magnetic case. Pair the case with a 25-watt wireless charging pad from a reputable brand to support the S26 Ultra’s maximum wireless charging speed.

A case can affect wireless charging efficiency: thicker material inside the magnetic charging ring can reduce efficiency, and metal components can cause charging issues. Check the case’s thickness around the ring and consult professional and user reviews for reports of charging problems.

• Choose the pad: Look for a magnetic wireless charger rated for 25 watts.
• Check the case: Select a magnetic case that provides Qi2-style alignment.
• Review the design: Avoid metal components and check thickness inside the charging ring.
• Read reviews: Look for reported wireless charging issues before choosing a case.

The charging pad and case work as a pair: the pad supplies wireless power, while the magnetic case provides the alignment that the phones lack on their own. Case thickness and materials remain important considerations for charging performance.