According to Android Authority, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy A57 5G has appeared in China’s 3C certification database with support for 45W wired charging. The listing shows model number SM-A5760 supporting either 10V/4.5A or 15V/3A charging speeds. Meanwhile, the flagship Galaxy S26 and S26 Pro models that passed through the same regulatory body back in September only show 25W charging support. This means the mid-range phone could charge nearly twice as fast as Samsung’s premium flagship device. The situation is particularly awkward since Galaxy A5x phones typically cost around $500 while base Galaxy S models start at $800.
What’s Samsung thinking here?
This is honestly pretty bizarre. Here’s the thing – flagship phones are supposed to get the best of everything. Better cameras, faster processors, premium materials, and yes, faster charging. But Samsung seems to be holding back its premium devices while giving mid-rangers the good stuff. The Galaxy A56 5G already offered faster charging than the base Galaxy S25, and now the A57 might continue that trend against the S26.
So why would Samsung do this? I think it comes down to market segmentation. They’re probably reserving faster charging for the Ultra models to justify those even higher price tags. Meanwhile, they can use fast charging as a selling point for mid-range phones that otherwise lack flagship features. Basically, they’re giving budget-conscious buyers one compelling reason to choose A-series over older flagships or competitors.
But don’t get too excited
Look, faster charging is great, but it’s not the whole story. The Galaxy A57 will almost certainly ship with a mid-tier Exynos 1680 processor, no wireless charging, limited camera capabilities, and probably few Galaxy AI features. You’re getting one flagship-level feature while sacrificing everything else that makes a flagship phone worth the money.
And honestly, 45W versus 25W isn’t as dramatic as it sounds in real-world use. We’re talking about maybe 15-20 minutes difference in charging time from empty to full. For people who value the complete premium experience – better displays, superior cameras, faster performance, wireless charging – the Galaxy S26 will still be the obvious choice.
The bigger charging war
This situation highlights how weird the Android charging landscape has become. Chinese manufacturers are pushing 100W, 120W, even 200W charging speeds while Samsung and Apple are being much more conservative. There are legitimate concerns about battery longevity with ultra-fast charging, but when mid-range phones are outpacing flagships, it starts to look like artificial limitation rather than careful engineering.
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