Apple said the new iPhone 18 Pro models are capable of faster USB-C charging compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, and a new video shared by the YouTube channel Xiaobai’s Tech Reviews offers a closer look at the year-over-year improvement.
As spotted by the account Ice Universe, the video reveals that the iPhone 18 Pro Max can go from 0% to 100% battery life in as little as 55 minutes with a capable charger, compared to 81 minutes for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. In other words, the iPhone 18 Pro Max can be “fully” charged 26 minutes faster compared to the previous generation (iPhones continue to receive a slow trickle of power even after they show 100% battery life).
In line with Apple’s advertised claim, the video showed that the iPhone 18 Pro Max can reach 50% battery life in just 15 minutes, down from 20 minutes for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
The smaller iPhone 18 Pro should have similar charging speeds.
During the video’s test, the iPhone 18 Pro Max reached a peak charging speed of 52W for the first 12 minutes of the charging session. Last year, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the device achieved a peak charging speed of 36W in a separate test conducted by ChargerLAB. As always, charging slows down later in a session to prevent overheating.
Exactly how useful these improvements are to you will depend on your charging habits. If you mostly charge your iPhone overnight, then faster charging is obviously not very beneficial. But if you find yourself topping up your iPhone throughout the day, then saving nearly a half hour on a 0% to 100% charge may be meaningful to you.
Apple’s tech specs state that to achieve the fastest charging speeds on the iPhone 18 Pro models, you need to use a power adapter capable of 60W or higher with Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS). Apple sells a charger that meets this description: its 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max, which is priced at $39 on its U.S. online store.
The video referenced is in Chinese.