One of the major takeaways from the iPhone 18 Pro series launch this year was Apple's brazen efforts on improving the battery and charging speeds. Now that the phones have started shipping, real-world charging speed tests suggest the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the fastest-charging iPhone ever made.
iPhone 18 Pro Max Charges to 50% in 15 Minutes
A popular Chinese tech review channel, Xiaobai's Tech Reviews, put the iPhone 18 Pro Max's charging speeds to the test. The reviewer concluded that the phone took just 55 minutes to charge from 0 to 100%. This shaves a substantial 26 minutes off the 81-minute total charge time of its predecessor, the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The faster charging speeds are all thanks to a revamped power draw graph. The phone exhibited peak power draw in the initial 12 minutes on the charger, i.e., 52W. In practical terms, users can expect the device to hit 34% in 10 minutes and reach a 50% charge in just 15 minutes.
However, to achieve this, users will need a 60W or stronger charger with adjustable Voltage Supply, such as Apple's 40W Dynamic Power Adapter that delivers a peak wattage of 60W.
For those unaware, the iPhone 18 Pro series battery capacities suggest the Pro Max gets a massive 5,391mAh rated battery capacity, a solid upgrade from the 4,823mAh rated capacity on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The standard iPhone 18 Pro also sees an upgrade, albeit a minor one.
With the latest A20 Pro chipset, the smartphones should also last much longer thanks to TSMC's 2nm process and WMCM packaging. Apple's larger, improved vapour chamber should help dissipate excess heat, reducing strain on the battery and helping the phone deliver sustained peak performance.
Thanks to the aforementioned improvements, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is now ahead of the curve compared to Google Pixel smartphones. Samsung is still ahead with its recently upgraded 60W charging speeds, charging the phone from 0-100% in just 43 minutes.
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