Updated

Updated · Engadget · Jul 5

Apple’s Latest iPhones, iPads Reach 40-60W Charging Speeds as Included Bricks Lag at 20W

Updated

Updated · Engadget · Jul 5

Apple’s Latest iPhones, iPads Reach 40-60W Charging Speeds as Included Bricks Lag at 20W

Q: You paid for 40W charging but can't use it. Is Apple intentionally throttling your new iPhone's performance out of the box?

No. Apple is not secretly throttling a new iPhone’s charging out of the box; the main issue is that many buyers do not have the charger needed to reach the advertised peak speed. The latest iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max can charge at up to 40W, but Apple does not include a power brick with the phone. If you plug into an older 5W, 18W or even 20W adapter, the phone will charge far below its maximum. That means you paid for a phone capable of 40W charging, but not for the accessory required to unlock it. There is also a difference between “supports up to 40W” and “charges at 40W all the time.” Modern iPhones use battery-management software that raises power mainly when the battery is low, then tapers charging as the battery fills. That is standard lithium-ion protection, not evidence of deliberate performance suppression. Independent testing has also shown peak charging often lands below the headline number in real use, which is normal for “up to” claims. The stronger criticism is transparency and packaging, not throttling. Apple’s inconsistent disclosure of charging specs, combined with shipping no charger for iPhones and only a 20W charger with iPads that can accept much more, leaves many users unable to access full charging speeds without extra spending. To get the fastest safe charging, users need a reputable USB-C PD charger rated at or above the phone’s maximum wattage and a quality cable. Avoid suspiciously cheap chargers, which can pose real safety risks.

3 articles · Updated · Engadget · Jul 5

Apple’s newest devices can charge faster than many users may realize: the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max top out at 40W, the 2025 base iPad at 45W and the M5 iPad Pro at 60W.
Those speeds often go unused because Apple no longer includes chargers with iPhones and still ships iPads with only 20W bricks, while older iPhone 11-era adapters delivered just 5W or 18W.
The lineup is uneven: the thin iPhone Air is capped at 20W, versus 40W for the rest of the iPhone 17 range, reflecting a design tradeoff rather than a broader jump across all models.
Engadget says buyers need chargers rated at least to their device’s maximum output to get full speeds, pointing to third-party USB-PD options from brands such as Anker, Ugreen and Satechi.