The Galaxy S26 Ultra was the first Ultra model in years to benefit from a significant battery upgrade, which could mean that the upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra won't try to raise the bar as much as its predecessor.

Then again, Samsung may want to keep the momentum going for at least another year. Recent rumors claim that the S27 Ultra may benefit from a larger battery that could reach 100% charge faster than the S26 Ultra's smaller battery, even though max charging speeds will reportedly remain the same at 60W. How would that even be possible?

In case you missed some of the previous leaks: the Galaxy S27 Ultra may finally break the 5,000mAh battery capacity barrier that's been holding Galaxy S flagships back for years. According to regulatory documents spotted previously, the next-gen Ultra may ship with a beefier 5,700mAh unit.

Here's where things get even more interesting. Despite this alleged capacity increase, and even though the unit will reportedly retain its maximum 60W charging specification, a recent report by Android Headlines, based on an X rumor, claims that the Galaxy S27 Ultra will reach 100% battery charge roughly 2-3% faster than the S26 Ultra.

This information is supposedly based on internal tests. And even though these alleged results sound counterintuitive at first, the key is superior optimization. The latter could be Samsung's secret weapon for the S27 series.

It's unknown whether Samsung would be able to bring these battery optimization tricks to older models, such as the Galaxy S26 Ultra, through future firmware updates. It probably depends on whether Samsung's battery optimization solutions apply in a more general sense or strictly to the Galaxy S27 Ultra's unique hardware.

Likewise, it's unknown whether the rest of the Galaxy S27 series, which should also include a base, a Plus, and a Pro model, will enjoy similar battery optimization solutions. Time will tell.

Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S27 lineup in January or February next year. Leaks will most likely continue to flow until then, but it's always healthy to remember that nothing is official until Samsung says it is.