Why You Can Trust CNET Is Samsung's 45-Watt Phone Charger Worth It? We Put It to the Test
This is a case of expectations versus reality.
Samsung's Galaxy S22 Plus (pictured) supports 45-watt fast charging.
Samsung's Galaxy S22 Plus and S22 Ultra support faster 45-watt fast charging, one of the key features that distinguishes them from the less expensive Galaxy S22. Cheaper Samsung devices like the Galaxy S22 and S21 FE only support 25-watt fast charging instead. The catch, however, is that neither of the required power adapters come in the box with your phone and must be purchased separately.
Samsung's 45-watt fast charger sells for $50 through the company's website and on Amazon. The 25-watt charger costs a more palatable $28 through Amazon and $20 at Best Buy. With that in mind, you might be wondering: Is Samsung's more expensive charger really worth it?
To answer that question, I tested it on the Galaxy S22 Plus in a few different scenarios. I charged the device over 10- and 20-minute increments with each adapter starting from various battery levels, using the same cable and outlet each time. The phone was also connected to the same Wi-Fi network during both tests with no SIM card.
Samsung 45W Charger vs. 25W Charger
| Starting at 0% for 10 minutes | Starting at 0% for 20 minutes | Starting at 25% for 10 minutes | Starting at 25% for 20 minutes | Starting at 50% for 10 minutes | Starting at 50% for 20 minutes | |
| 45-watt charger | 22% | 46% | 45% | 67% | 71% | 88% |
| 25-watt charger | 17% | 40% | 48% | 70% | 70% | 88% |
As you can tell by looking at the table above, the results are mixed. The 45-watt power adapter charged the phone slightly faster when starting from 0% over the course of 10- and 20-minute increments. But when plugging in at 25%, the 25-watt charger replenished a slightly higher percentage of the battery after 10 and 20 minutes. The results were essentially the same when charging from 50%.
I'm not alone in experiencing these results. Android Authority also found the charging speeds to be very similar when comparing Samsung's 25-watt and 45-watt chargers. CNET contacted Samsung to ask why performance is similar between the two power adapters and will update this story accordingly.
Samsung is one of several phone makers looking to shorten the amount of time it takes to charge your phone. The OnePlus 10 Pro, for example, supports either 65-watt or 80-watt fast charging depending on the model available in your region.
Charging speeds can differ depending on a variety of factors, such as your phone's settings and apps running in the background. But based on my tests, which were performed on the same device under the same circumstances, there isn't much of a difference between Samsung's pricier 45-watt charger and its less expensive 25-watt charger.