Review: Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 MagSafe wireless charger
One of the great things about modern smartphones and many other smart devices is the ability to charge them wirelessly, generally through the Qi-certified system.
You might not even realise you can do it – for example, even iPhones as old as the iPhone 8 can be charged simply by placing them on a charging pad.
However, as good as the system is, it generally involves placing your iPhone on a charging mat – such as the Apple MagSafe Charger or Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock – sitting flat on a desk or table. And what works for one device may not work for another.
That’s where charging stands such as the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 MagSafe wireless charger come in so handy – they let you charge multiple devices at once on one station.
In the case of this Belkin charger that means your iPhone 12 series phone, Apple Watch and AirPods (as long as they’re in a Wireless Charging Case – if they aren’t, you can buy a new case from Apple for $129).
My first impression of this unit was how well-built it is. It’s nice and solid and feels like it’s going to cope with your charging for a long time.
The base – in black or white – is about 13.5cm in diameter and is weighted so it doesn’t slide all over the place. A circular indentation in the centre is where you place your AirPod case to charge.
Rising from the base is a silver stalk that houses the iPhone and Apple Watch charging pads (also in black or white), suspending them in mid-air as they charge.
In the case of the iPhone 12s, this suspension is possible because of a series of magnets on the back of the phone that help it align perfectly for faster wireless charging – and attach to compatible accessories.
Apple calls this the MagSafe system, a term they also used for a series of Macbook pull-off power connectors introduced in 2006 and (stupidly) abandoned in favour of USB-C between 2016 and 2019. MagSafe looks like it’ll reappear on Macs in the 2021 models.
Anyway, in the case of the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1, a great advantage of the magnetic system is that your iPhone can be attached in either portrait or landscape mode, so it’s great for watching movies, attending Zoom meetings, etc, while it charges. It will also attach if you have an Apple MagSafe case or wallet on your iPhone.
Just be aware that because the MagSafe system is used to attach the iPhone 12, any older iPhones aren’t be able to be attached to charge.
In use, Belkin says the wireless charger can deliver up to 15W – the fastest possible charge for iPhone 12 models. I can’t attest to that, but I can say that, in use, it charged our gear quickly and effectively.
The bottom line
The Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 is a high-quality wireless charger that has an almost architectural design and looks great sitting on a desk. Being able to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time is very handy, and it’s great not to have to juggle charging cables and plugs.
As I said above, one drawback of the angled charging pads is that you can’t use it to charge a pre-iPhone 12. But if you do have an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro Max, the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 is an excellent option.
If you don’t have an Apple Watch, Belkin also makes a very similar Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 for the iPhone 12 family and AirPods.
Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 with MagSafe price
RRP $219.95
Available from Apple Stores, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman
