Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 owners can recharge faster than on last year’s models, but only when the watch sits on Apple’s new charging puck, priced at around £23. The detail is worth knowing before the watches arrive on 18 September, particularly for anyone still deciding which model to buy who already keeps spare chargers around the house.
Apple’s new charger doubles the old puck’s power
The new puck, model A3277, can deliver up to 10W, while the previous version tops out at 5W. Apple listed the charger on its online store last week, keeping the same name and the same price of roughly £23 as the older model, with only a small New label setting it apart. According to Apple, just 15 minutes on the puck adds 12 hours of battery life to the Series 12 and 18 hours to the Ultra 4.
The listing also states the charger is fast-charging capable when paired with Apple’s own 20W USB-C Power Adapter, and that it adds eight hours of battery life to the Apple Watch SE 3 in the same 15 minutes.
Older models and old pucks stay the same
The Series 11 still gains eight hours and the Ultra 3 still gains 12 hours from a 15-minute charge, whether they sit on the new puck or the old one. That makes the Series 12 figure a 50% increase over its predecessor.
The new puck is fully backwards compatible, and Apple’s compatibility list covers every Apple Watch going back to the first generation, plus the charging cases of the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 5 and AirPods 4 with ANC.
The faster speed also strengthens Apple’s position against Android rivals. In testing of six popular smartwatches in 2025, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic trailed the Apple Watch Series 10 and Pixel Watch 3 by a noticeable margin, while the OnePlus Watch 3 recovered 80% of its battery in about half an hour. That test predates the newest Galaxy and Pixel watches, so results may since have shifted.
Who needs to buy the new charger
Anyone buying a Series 12 or Ultra 4 already gets one of the new pucks in the box, so the only thing to check is that the power adapter is USB-C Power Delivery rated at 10W or higher. Owners with extra pucks on a desk, in the car or in a travel bag will need to replace each one to reach the new speeds. Apple has kept the price at around £23 and made the new puck work with every older watch. Model number A3277 is the one to look for when shopping.
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Image: phonearena.com
