Apple's iPhone 17 series: A Game Changer in Fast Charging
The latest iPhone 17 lineup from Apple brings several enhancements, but one feature stands out for everyday users: rapid charging capabilities. All models, including the flagship iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, as well as the standard iPhone 17, support fast charging up to 40W. In contrast, the iPhone air—though not branded under the iPhone 17 name—offers a maximum wired charging speed of just 20W. This limitation is likely due to thermal management considerations.
Apple has made bold assertions regarding the charging speeds of its new devices, and these improvements are certainly welcome. The company has also introduced a new dynamic power adapter designed to optimize these speeds. But do you really need this adapter to achieve that full 40W performance? I decided to put these claims to the test against some of their main competitors.
Testing Methodology: Understanding Our Approach
Before diving into our findings, let’s clarify how we conducted our tests and what metrics we used for evaluation.
Manny battery tests focus on how much charge is displayed on-screen at specific intervals.For our analysis, we measured each phone's charge at both 15-minute and 30-minute marks while also considering other manufacturer claims.
Apple’s assertions revolve around its new dynamic power adapter that can deliver up to 60W for about twenty minutes before dropping down to a steady rate of 40W. however, this adapter is only available in select regions like the US; therefore, I couldn’t test it directly. Instead, I utilized various chargers during my testing and consistently achieved around a sustained speed of approximately 35W—indicating that using Apple's special adapter may not considerably enhance your experience.
To accurately gauge total charge time across different devices with varying battery capacities (since there’s no global battery size), we developed a custom metric called mAh per minute. This metric divides each phone's capacity by its total charge time in minutes for standardized comparisons across all tests.
The Standard Bearer: Apple iPhone 17
Kicking things off with Apple’s base model—the iPhone 17—it boasts an impressive maximum wired charging speed of up to 40W, similar to its Pro counterparts. Apple claims it can reach 50% charge within just 20 minutes; let’s see if it holds true!
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 | Pixel 10 | Galaxy S25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | $799 | $799 | $799 | $799 |
| Batter Capacity: | (3,692 mAh) | (3,349 mAh) | ||
| (37%) (64%) (1 :27 h) (42 .44) | ||||
| Model Name/Type: | Price ($): $1 ,099 $999 $999 $999 $999 Capacity(mAH):3988mAH(3580mAH)(4870mAH)(4900mAH)(6000mAH) | Max Speed(W): </></></></> Max Speed(W): </> Max Speed(W): </> Max Speed(W): </>
Here are those results:
As expected from previous iterations within this price range competition remains fierce! With significant gains seen across all three metrics tested here too! Charging times have improved dramatically since last year leading us closer towards achieving full charges quicker than ever before! Notably though OnePlus continues dominating this space boasting peak rates nearly double compared against others listed above! So far we've seen some solid advancements made by apple however they still lag behind competitors like Samsung who remain comfortably ahead overall when factoring everything together… And don’t forget! NoveByte might earn a little pocket change when you click on our links helping us keep this delightful journalism rollercoaster free for all! these links don’t sway our editorial judgment so you can trust us If you’re feeling generous support us here! 
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