Introduction

Not long ago, ChargerLAB conducted a ChargerLAB Compatibility 100 video for the Samsung S23 Ultra. This smartphone performed exceptionally well in our tests. And we also did the same tests to the smaller model, the S23+. Now, let's take a closer look at its overall charging performance.

Product Appearance

Faster than iPhone? | Charging Review of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra-Chargerlab

Unlike the previous generations that enlarged "S+number" on the front, the packaging design of the Ultra this time is highly similar to Apple's.

We received the lavender version with a storage capacity of 256GB. Additionally, it has a battery capacity of 5000mAh.

The included USB-C cable is secured with eco-friendly cardboard.

The joint of the connector and the cable has additional protection, making it durable. Moreover, the USB-C has a special pin design inside. And it can only handle 3A. This is crucial for the upcoming tests, and we'll explain the reasons during the test.

ChargerLAB POWER-Z KM003C shows it doesn't have an E-marker chip.

The length of this cable is 1m (3' 3.37'').

Charging Compatibility Test

Samsung Chargers

Next, let's get to the test, starting with the compatibility part. Firstly, let's take a look at Samsung's own chargers and cables.

When using the Samsung 45W charger (model: EP-TA845) with the included cable to charge the S23 Ultra, the power is only 8.91V 3.04A 27.09W. And it is far from Samsung's advertised 45W.

Even when switched to the 65W one (model: EP-T6530), the power remains at the 27W level.

However, when we switch to a third-party 240W cable, things change. With the same 45W charger, the power jumps to 42.9W!

The 65W charger also increases to the 43W level.

It's worth noting that when using the 60W braided cable from the iPhone 15 series, the power returns to the 27W level. This is because both Samsung and Apple's included cables have a maximum current of only 3A. So, if you purchase a charger with a power rating of 25W or higher for your S23 Ultra, it is strongly recommended to use a cable with a current rating of 5A or higher for the best experience.

For consistency and fairness, the following tests will be conducted using an HP Thunderbolt 4 cable. In this case, the maximum charging power does not exceed 36W with Samsung chargers.

Third-party Chargers

As for third-party chargers, the power is maintained in the 15W, 25W, 35W, and 45W ranges, demonstrating good compatibility.

Power Banks

Power banks are distributed in the 15W and 25W ranges, with no instances of incompatibility.

Power Stations

In power stations, the Baseus IOTA performs significantly better than the other four, reaching the 45W level. Overall, since Samsung has not adopted a proprietary protocol, the majority of devices can provide rather higher charging power for the S23 Ultra compared to Xiaomi, OnePlus, etc. But its compatibility still doesn't match up to Apple's.

Full Charging Test

As mentioned earlier, the included cable of this phone supports a maximum current of only 3A, so we will use a random third-party 6A cable for the next test. Next, we'll use the Samsung 65W charger to fully charge the S23 Ultra.

The voltage fluctuates around 9V, and the charging curve can be divided into six parts. In the first part, the power stayed around 13W for the first minute. Then, the power increased to 46W and continued until 9 mins. Next, the power gradually drops to 36W, 31W, and 21W in turn. The final part begins at 39 mins, and the power slowly drops to almost zero. It takes one hour and 14 mins to be fully charged.

We also turn it into another curve. The 65W charger can charge the Samsung S23 Ultra to 50% in 20 mins. And it can reach 80% in 37 mins, 100% in one hour and 14 mins. It's actually 41 minutes faster than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, even with 578mAh more than the capacity of the iPhone flagship. Pretty impressive!

Temperature Test

We also put the S23 Ultra into a 25°C (77℉) thermotank throughout the test, and recorded the highest temperatures on the front and back at three different time points.

After 10 minutes of charging, the thermal imaging camera shows the highest temperature on the front is 37.3°C (99.14°F).

The back is higher, reaching 39°C (102.2°F).

After 20 minutes, the highest temperature on the front slightly increased to 38.6°C (101.48°F).

The back is 39.5°C (103.1°F).

After 30 minutes, the highest temperature on the front slightly dropped to 38.4°C (101.12°F).

The back is 38.8°C (101.84°F).

Plotting the data into a bar chart, it can be seen that the hottest charging period is very likely not to exceed 40°C (104°F). Its charging temperature tends to be slightly higher than that of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but considering the higher power output, this is acceptable.

Summary of ChargerLAB

In summary, its full charging time is noticeably faster than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the maximum temperature is acceptable due to high charging power. Since it doesn't adopt a proprietary protocol like OnePlus or Xiaomi, the charging compatibility of the Samsung S23 Ultra is not too shabby. However, in order to get the maximum 45W charging experience, it is strongly recommended to use a 5A cable at least.

Faster than iPhone? | Charging Review of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra