Samsung Galaxy S21 could get a killer charging upgrade — but no charger in the box
65W charging could come to the Samsung Galaxy S21
The Samsung Galaxy S21 is slated to drop the in-box charger, but it could have an optional 65W charger, bringing in fast charging to challenge the likes of the OnePlus 8T.
That's according to a new leak from Twitter tipster Snapdrachun 888 5G (via LetsGoDigital), who posted an image of what appears to be a 65W Samsung charging block.
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Fast charging has gone a long way over the past few years, with some companies like OnePlus offering up to 65W speeds on their flagships. Recently Samsung has had a mixed offering where fast charging is concerned. The Galaxy S20 range supported up to 45W speeds, but the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 dropped that down to 25W.
Samsung 65W chargerhttps://t.co/OykDUcnuLoHey, I tweeted the pic before Ice :v pic.twitter.com/dBnlVspl5SJanuary 10, 2021
Korea’s regulators already certified a 65W Samsung charger last September, but it’s still not clear when it might debut.
FCC documents have already suggested that the Galaxy S21 will be limited to 25W fast charging. That said there’s been some recent speculation that the Galaxy S21 Ultra may have a couple of surprises in store, especially given how the Ultra is set to come with at least one extra feature in the form of S-Pen support.
The time elapsed since its Korean certification could also mean Samsung’s 65W charger is ready for the big leagues. And since other phone companies have already started supporting such fast charging speeds, it’s hardly a ground-breaking technology that needs lots of fine-tuning.
Since the Samsung Galaxy S21 isn’t going to come with a charger in the box, now is as good a time as any to release a premium charging brick as a stand-alone accessory.
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Then again we may have to end up waiting for the Samsung Galaxy Note 21, which is due to arrive later this year. It would certainly be a good way to help the Note series stand out, as the Galaxy S and Z Fold ranges muscle in on its territory. Or it could also be a key feature for one final send off, which is also rumored to be happening.
In any case, since the Galaxy S21 is set to launch on January 14, so we don’t have to wait very long to find out. If you want to tune into the event, here’s how to watch Galaxy Unpacked 2021.
We're expecting the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus to come with some iterative tweaks, namely the Snapdragon 888 and a new design for its camera module. While the Galaxy S21 Ultra is expected to have a boosted rear camera array, notably with two telephoto cameras, one with a 3x optical zoom and the other with a 10x. Even with a minor upgrade, the Galaxy S21 could be a contender for our best phones list.
Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.