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The Galaxy S27 Ultra battery upgrade could have been much wilder

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Why This Matters

Samsung considered a groundbreaking 7,000mAh battery for the Galaxy S27 Ultra but ultimately settled on a more modest 5,700mAh to 6,000mAh upgrade. This shift highlights the company's cautious approach to balancing battery capacity, longevity, and design innovations like removing the S Pen. The move to silicon-carbon battery tech could enable larger capacities without increasing device size, signaling a potential shift in flagship smartphone battery technology.

Key Takeaways

Megan Ellis / Android Authority

TL;DR Samsung reportedly tested a 7,000mAh Galaxy S27 Ultra battery, but ultimately backed away from the idea.

The current target is said to be 5,700mAh to 6,000mAh, potentially enabled by silicon-carbon battery tech.

The unconfirmed leak also hints at S27 Ultra prototypes without the S Pen and a new Samsung over-ear headset.

For years, Samsung has watched rivals turn battery capacity into a numbers game while the Galaxy S Ultra line remained stuck at 5,000mAh. That figure hasn’t changed since 2020, even as 6,000mAh and 7,000mAh batteries become increasingly common on competing Android flagship phones. Now, a new leak suggests Samsung may have secretly tested its own 7,000mAh option for the Galaxy S27 Ultra, only to back away from it this time.

The 7,000mAh version was reportedly one of several prototypes. But Samsung is now rumored to be targeting a 5,700mAh to 6,000mAh battery instead, which is still a sizeable jump that could finally give the Galaxy S Ultra line the capacity boost it’s needed for years.

The claim comes from Korean X leaker kro, who says Samsung tested five S27 Ultra prototypes, including versions without the S Pen to make room for the larger battery. There’s no independent confirmation Samsung actually built or tested that configuration, but a prototype trading the S Pen for battery capacity would represent a significant departure, considering the stylus has remained a defining feature of the Ultra line.

The 5,700mAh to 6,000mAh range isn’t a new number, either. Earlier reports have already pointed to a similar battery upgrade for the S27 Ultra. Samsung is also rumored to be exploring silicon-carbon battery technology for the S27 series, which could add capacity without requiring a proportionally larger cell.

The leaker claims Samsung is weighing that capacity gain against longevity. Silicon-carbon batteries can pack more energy into the same space, but Samsung may also have to balance that against long-term durability. There’s no confirmation it’s why the 7,000mAh battery was reportedly dropped, though.

Even at 5,700mAh to 6,000mAh, the upgrade would mark a meaningful upgrade from the 5,000mAh capacity Samsung has stuck with since 2020, while rivals including vivo, OPPO, and Xiaomi have already pushed recent flagships well beyond the 6,000mAh mark.

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