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Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro chargers with Apple MagSafe and MagSafe Duo take very different approaches to solving a similar problem. In a world where everything has to be recharged, combo chargers that can cut down on the cables and plugs in our life are really practical. While Apple’s original combo charger is best described as a minimalist travel charger, the Belkin packs a punch in what may be the best MagSafe combo charger.
Boost Charge Pro is the best MagSafe charger?
The Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe (that’s the full product name) turns one outlet into three wireless charging stations. While this has been done before with Combo Charging Stands, the innovation of this product is the use of Apple’s new MagSafe technology.
Apple incorporated magnets into the iPhone 12 family of phones, and this system called MagSafe charges wirelessly with a power delivery of up to 15W. Standard Qi chargers max out at 7.5W when used with iPhones. MagSafe’s secret is to magnetically ensure precise alignment between the wireless charging coils. MagSafe is also a practical solution for creating a “floating” stand like the Belkin Boost Charge Pro does.
So what can power Boost Charge Pro?
- MagSafe (top left): iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max (or later)
- Magnetic charger (top right): any Apple Watch
- Dock (bottom): Any accessory that supports Qi-based wireless charging, including AirPods, iPhone 8, and iPhone X and later
I found the charging dock to be great for powering up AirPods Pro or AirPods with the wireless charging case as intended. The dock of the charging station is great for charging other devices like iPhones or even Android phones with wireless charging. The base has a small indentation to mark the wireless charging point, but small devices of all shapes and sizes are compatible.
Practical solution
While I imagine many will use the Boost Charge Pro as a nightstand charger, the “floating” design on the MagSafe side makes the charging station a great kitchen accessory too. IPhone 12 magnetically connects to the MagSafe charger and works in portrait or landscape orientation. The slightly sloping back angle is ideal for charging your iPhone while using FaceTime and preparing dinner.
Belkin Boost Charge Pro retails for $ 149.99 and includes a power brick in the box.
MagSafe Duo
I’m just as excited about any new Apple product as anyone else, but it’s no secret that Apple’s MagSafe Duo accessory is too expensive and unambitious. While I am a MagSafe Duo customer, I can best describe the accessory as a luxury travel charger.
Apple’s Combo Wireless Charger is half iPhone 12 charger and half Apple Watch charger. While the iPhone needs to be charged flat on a surface, the Apple Watch’s charging pad can be laid flat or upright to easily charge open or closed band watches.
MagSafe Duo includes a Lightning port and includes a UBS-C to Lightning cable to power the combo charger, but a 20-watt USB-C power adapter (sold separately) is required to use MagSafe Duo. Apple included a similar charger with the iPhone 11 Pro, but stopped including power adapters with iPhones this year.
Form over function
There is no third charging pad, but you can use the MagSafe half to recharge any wireless charging accessory, including AirPods and older iPhones, but not while charging your iPhone 12. The Apple Watch half can only charge Apple Watches. If you’re really in a rush to power up a Lightning port-based device, you can unplug the USB-C to Lightning cable and charge it directly from the wall.
While I prefer the minimalist design of the MagSafe Duo, the utility just isn’t there to be my primary charging station for my iPhone and Apple Watch. It’s much smaller in size and folds up like a book for portability, but it’s not good for wirelessly charging your iPhone while you’re using it – something even Apple’s standard MagSafe charger achieves.
MagSafe Duo retails for $ 129 and does not come with the required $ 19 20W USB-C power adapter.
Car Vent Mount Pro
Belkin didn’t just design a combo charging station when it used MagSafe this year. Belkin’s Car Vent Mount Pro with MagSafe also takes advantage of the new magnet system included in the iPhone 12 family of phones.
9to5Mac I’ll take a closer look at this accessory soon, but here are some quick thoughts of mine after testing:
- MagSafe makes attaching an iPhone 12 of any size a breeze without the need to adjust a snap mechanism to hold the device
- The lack of “arms” to hold the iPhone makes it possible to touch touch targets on either side of the screen; this can be difficult with non-MagSafe mounts
- Car Vent Mount Pro uses MagSafe to hold your phone, but the lack of pass-through charging is disappointing; you will need to connect a Lightning cable to charge the phone while it is mounted
Finally, the lackluster part of a generally great product for me is how the product is assembled. As the name implies, Car Vent Mount Pro relies on connecting to your car’s ventilation system to keep the mount in place.
The manual suggests using the top of the vent and not a vent sheet due to the grip required to hold the mount in place, but the top of the vent on my 2017 Honda Civic (a really common car) was too thick for hold the clip. At the risk of damaging a vent sheet, I attached the clip to the part the manual says to avoid.
It works, and the iPhone gets very cold if you use the air conditioner, but I imagine the opposite happens if you need to run the heating. This is true for all vent mounts, of course, and my car has a built-in screen with CarPlay, so it’s not really a product that I need. However, before I had CarPlay, I could see myself appreciating the convenience of MagSafe and really enjoying this product despite the downsides.
Improving the experience
My recommendation would be sincere if a future release succeeded in incorporating pass-through charging over a Lightning cable. That feature alone would be more worthy of the ‘Pro’ moniker in the product name, and could perhaps join the ranks of the best MagSafe chargers.
As is, I have a surprise use case for Car Vent Mount Pro. After testing the Belkin mount on my car for a few days (the iPhone only fell to the ground once when I hit a curb by accident), I moved the Car Vent Mount Pro to my desk, where it now works as an iPhone accessory. The side of the clip adjusts to accommodate any orientation, making it ideal for holding your iPhone 12 while watching a video or making a video call; just remember it doesn’t charge the phone.
Belkin Car Vent Mount Pro with MagSafe retails for $ 39.95.
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