Tried out Apple's latest 25W MagSafe charging pad, and it mostly aligns with expectations. It only provides a bit of extra power at low SoC (state of charge) and low temperatures. When the SoC slightly exceeds 25% and the temperature rises, the external input power quickly drops from around 24W to about 10W.

Yes, you heard that right, the so-called "15W" first-gen MagSafe also operated at around 10W input power most of the time (with the actual charging power at around 5-7.5W in terms of battery input). So, while there are improvements with this second generation, it is still limited by Apple's thermal management and outdated battery technology, making it difficult to sustain the chargers maximum power output for long periods.

The actual time saved for charging is just around 10-20 minutes, which is negligible compared to the total charging time of up to 3 hours. However, aside from the charging time, the charger is 20% thinner, slightly lighter, has a smaller plug, and now uses a braided cable—all welcome upgrades. Considering that this might be one of the few "more for the same price" products Apple has released, apart from the AirPods generation 4, it’s surprising that the traditionally price gouging Apple can launch three products with a vaguely better price-performance ratio in one event, leaving me to marvel at how times are changing.

Or can it charge any faster than 5W? I am thinking about getting one but would like to use sleep tracking. In real world, approximately how long would it take to charge each morning from X -> 100% if I use the official USB-C Apple Watch Charger? https://www.apple.com/ca/shop/product/MT0H3AM/A/apple-watch-magnetic-fast-charger-to-usb-c-cable-1-m