We tested the six most popular smartwatches charging speeds and the results might surprise you
While you can get two to three days on a single charge with the Ultra models, the regular versions only last around a day or a day and a half. And if you want to track your sleep, this means that you have to carefully plan your charging routine.
But how much time do you need to fully charge these smartwatches? And is a 15-minute top-up enough?
As we are wrapping up our review of the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic, we thought this is the perfect opportunity for the ultimate smartwatch charging test.
For this charge speed test, we had eight smartwatch models that you will see listed below:
We carefully drained all of them, paired them up with the provided cables and proper charging bricks, and started the charging process.
Unfortunately, the test failed on two of those. The OnePlus Watch 3 43mm model failed because of our own mistake, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 had a very strange result despite us using the proper charging cable and charging brick (we have to re-do this one). So we were left with six smartwatches and some very interesting charging speed results.
As you can see, if you just leave your watch for a quick 15-minute top-up, you won't see much of a difference in the charge percentage gained between devices.
Five of the smartwatches get 20% to 23%.
The big exception here is the OnePlus Watch 3 (46mm). This watch charges remarkably quickly. Not only is it the one with the longest battery life, it also gives you nearly half the battery life back in just 15 minutes. Impressive!
Leaving the smartwatches on the charger for a bit longer shows bigger differences.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is slowest, but that is kind of expected given its extra-large battery. However, the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic are much slower to charge compared to the Apple Watch Series 10 and the Pixel Watch 3 . We definitely hoped for faster charging speeds from Samsung, but no such luck.
Once again, the odd one out is the OnePlus Watch 3 which gets an impressive 80% of its battery back in just half an hour.
On this next check-in, we again see the Galaxy Watch lag behind rivals in an even more noticeable way. The larger Watch 8 Classic model, specifically, is 20 percentage points behind the Apple Watch Series 10 and the Pixel Watch 3 .
And the OnePlus Watch 3? Well, it's practically fully charged in just 45 minutes. We really wish
The conclusions are clear: Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic charging speeds are clearly behind the competition. We really wish Samsung improved this. Having a smartwatch with one-day battery life and slow charging is just not a good look.
Both Apple with the Series 10 watches and Google with the Pixel 3 series support slightly faster charging. And even though the difference is not night and day, it's noticeable. For a gadget that you have to top up every day, having faster charging seems very important.
We also have to congratulate OnePlus on the incredible charging speeds we see from the OnePlus Watch 3 series. This watch is clearly the winner of this test. The OnePlus Watch 3 not only lasts multiple days, but it also charges much faster too. It uses a proprietary charging system, but if it can get such amazing results, maybe other companies should take notes. Secure your connection now at a bargain price!
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Phone Arena
29 minutes ago
- Phone Arena
Amazon slashes the price of the 512GB Galaxy S25+ by $161, making it a hot pick for buyers
The Galaxy S25 Ultra may be the best Samsung phone money can buy right now, but if you want to score a Galaxy S25 at a bargain price, we suggest switching your focus to the plus model instead. Right now, Amazon is offering a generous $161 discount on the 512GB model, letting you rock this powerhouse in Icyblue for just under $960. That's a pretty awesome deal, but sadly, there's no telling how long it'll stick around. So it's highly advisable to act fast and take advantage of it while it's still up for grabs. $161 off (14%) Grab the Icyblue Galaxy S25+ with 512GB of storage for $161 off on Amazon. This phone is a total bargain, delivering fast performance, a stunning display, and impressive battery life. Don't wait—snag one with this deal before it's gone! Buy at Amazon As for the phone itself, well, it's the S25 Ultra's little brother, so of course, it's one of the best phones on the market, packing a ton of value. Equipped with the high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 12GB of RAM, it delivers insanely fast performance and can tackle any task or game with ease. Meanwhile, its gorgeous 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a 3120 x 1440 resolution and HDR support delivers pleasant visuals, allowing you to enjoy YouTube videos in stunning detail. And with the capable 50MP main camera on board, you'll also be able to record your own clips in 8K, capturing every moment in impressive detail and vibrant colors. Battery life is another strong selling point, as the 4,900mAh battery on deck provides enough power to easily get you through a full day. In our dedicated review, we found it lasts over 19 hours of web browsing, nearly nine hours of video streaming, and about 13 and a half hours of gaming before requiring a top-up. All in all, the 512GB Galaxy S25+ is worth every penny and is unmissable at its current price on Amazon. So, act fast and save with this deal now! Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
GSM Arena
2 hours ago
- GSM Arena
This new OnePlus cable charges your phone and your smartwatch at the same time
Vlad 17 July 2025 OnePlus Accessories OnePlus has just launched a new charging cable, and normally that wouldn't be news. It's red, just as you'd expect, and it's Supervooc branded, unsurprisingly. But this one is special because it charges both your phone and your OnePlus smartwatch at the same time. The phone charging is accomplished through the standard USB-C, but as you can see, the cable also features a mid-mounted puck with pogo pins. This one will charge your OnePlus Watch 2, Watch 2R, and Watch 3. If you only charge a OnePlus phone, the cable supports up to 80W charging. If you charge both a phone and a smartwatch, the watch gets 10W and the phone 67W. The cable is available now from OnePlus for $29.99 / £27.99 / €27.99. Of course you'll need to provide your own charging brick, as this is just a cable. OnePlus Watch 2 OnePlus Watch 2R OnePlus Watch 3
GSM Arena
5 hours ago
- GSM Arena
OnePlus Ace 6 Ultra might steal the Oppo K13 Turbo's most interesting feature
Oppo is unveiling the K13 Turbo and K13 Turbo Pro on July 21, and both devices will feature a built-in active cooling fan, but also IPX6, IPX8, and IPX9 water resistance despite the presence of the fan. Now a new rumor out of China says OnePlus is looking very closely at what its sister brand has done and might in fact decide to steal the K13 Turbo range's unique pairing. Oppo K13 Turbo's fan Apparently, the OnePlus Ace 6 Ultra could feature both a cooling fan and impressive water resistance, just like Oppo's K13 Turbo devices. At the moment, OnePlus hasn't decided on the matter, at least that's the vibe we're getting, but it may do so soon, considering the Ace 5 Ultra launched in May and so its successor will probably arrive around the same time (or around a month earlier) next year. According to the source of this rumor, many more brands are currently testing built-in fans for future smartphones, so this may become the next big trend out of China, even eventually reaching flagships. Source (in Chinese)
