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Leaked Samsung SDI Reports Detail 12,000mAh and 18,000mAh Si/C Batteries as 20,000mAh Test Fails at 960 Cycles

Samsung has not committed to a launch, signaling a safety-first approach.

Overview

  • Internal test documents show the 20,000mAh silicon‑carbon smartphone cell failed after 960 charge cycles, prompting a pivot to smaller designs.
  • The 12,000mAh unit is a dual‑cell stack of 6,800mAh at 4.7mm plus 5,200mAh at 3.2mm with a target stack under 9.3mm, though 2 of 7 samples exceeded thickness limits.
  • The 18,000mAh prototype is a triple‑cell stack of 6,699mAh at 4.2mm, 6,000mAh at 3.9mm, and 5,257mAh at 3.28mm targeting about 12.3mm, but thermal interface layers pushed samples to 12.8mm.
  • Both smaller designs target roughly 1,500 charge cycles, with ongoing engineering focused on inter‑cell layer redesigns, stack control, and updated battery‑management firmware.
  • Testing notes project 20–25 hours of screen‑on time for the 12,000mAh design, while the 18,000mAh stack emphasizes higher capacity and endurance with durability still under evaluation.