Belkin Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 wireless charging stand review

Despite looking at tech gadgets for almost a decade, somehow, I never got into the habit of using a wireless charger. They always feel like a solution to a problem I don’t have, and I’ve long been content with charging my phone and headphones with a good physical cord. But that all changed when Belkin’s 2 in 1 Boost Charge Pro stood on my desk a few months ago.

Belkin’s $99 MagSafe Support Stand does an excellent job of not only holding iPhone 12 Pro and AirPods Pro stay active throughout the day, but also show my phone in a way that makes it easy to stay on top of important notifications while you work. It’s a bit too fitting to be best wireless charger for most people, but it’s been great for me – and I’ve finally opened my eyes to how useful this kind of gadget can be for any home office.

A simple and sleek stand

Belkin Boost Charge not only streamlines the messy cables on my desk (and still does a lot of) – it also looks good to do so. With its round white base and slim silver stand, the Belkin charger makes an attractive and unpretentious addition to my home office while taking up minimal desk space. It’s important to note that this stand is powered by a rather bulky AC adapter and doesn’t include a USB-C cable like many other wireless chargers we’ve tested. This means you’ll always get the fastest charge the stand can handle, but you also won’t have the flexibility to connect the stand to a computer or a USB charger.

Belkin’s 2-in-1 kickstand has two key components: the top MagSafe Charger magnetically attaches to your iPhone 12 or 13 to activate it, and a circular sleeve on the bottom that’s designed to hold your AirPods. I was able to attach my iPhone 12 Pro to the stand with a simple light blink, satisfied, and the magnetic connection continued to stay strong throughout the workday after months of regular use. The stand keeps my phone equally secure (and maintains wireless charging) whether I place it vertically or horizontally, making it ideal for monitoring messages as well as watching YouTube videos.

The big caveat here, of course, is that very few phones currently support MagSafe, Apple’s proprietary magnetic technology that allows you to easily attach things like chargers and cases to your devices. It is currently limited to iPhone 12″ and iPhone 13″ family (even newer iPhone SE 2022 not supported), so unless you have a high-end, modern iPhone, you won’t get much use out of this particular stand.

The bottom of the Boost Charge is a traditional wireless charging dock, and while it’s designed for your AirPods, I can also use it with any device that supports wireless charging – including phones. Android like mine Galaxy S22 +. The white LED lights up when whatever you have on the pad is charging, which is a handy little gesture.

And, while Belkin Boost Charge kept my devices reliably charged – it also had an impact on the types of devices I use every day. I find myself temporarily abandoning the one I love Beats Fit Pro headphones for my older AirPods Pro, just because the convenience of being able to charge them wirelessly at my desk is too good to pass up. I ended up going back to my Beats because I liked the feel and sound of them better, but for the first time, I can really note wireless charging when reviewing my next pair of wireless earbuds. mine.

This stand also motivated me to buy an apparently MagSafe-enabled iPhone 12 case from Apple, which allows me to use the magnetic charger without having to constantly remove the case every time I want to pour water. And paired with my Logitech Pop Keys keyboard – the one I always pair with my PC and my iPhone at the same time – the Boost Charge serves as a convenient, eye-level stand that lets me quickly move around. switch between working and replying to text messages without having to pick up my phone.

So how well does it charge?

The Belkin Boost Charge 2-in-1 works great as a phone stand, but how well does it actually charge your phone? The gadget offers 15 watts of charging, which is faster than wireless chargers – most of the cheaper models we’ve tested max out at 7.5W for iPhones. But even the best wireless chargers are often not as efficient as standard charging cables, which I found here.

Belkin’s dock took about 50 minutes to charge my iPhone 12 Pro from 85% to 95% during some mixed app usage and when Spotify played in the background. For comparison, 25W Samsung wall charger I use with my Lightning to USB-C cable can do it in a fraction of the time. It’s also important to note that my iPhone tends to get quite warm when using the Belkin’s stand for extended periods of time, which I didn’t have to worry about when using the cable.

Boost Charge’s speed is adequate for my day-to-day usage – I usually charge my phone overnight via a Lightning cable, then use the stand during the day when the battery starts to drain. Considering that my almost two-year-old iPhone 12 Pro tends to run out of battery faster than usual these days, I’m glad there’s an easy means of keeping it from dying while I work. But if I need a quick charge before going out at night, I’ll always go wired.

Key point

Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro MagSafe 2-in-1 Stand is the kind of little home office upgrade that just makes my life better. It charges enough for my iPhone and AirPods, but I find it especially useful because of an attractive vertical stand that allows me to look at my phone throughout the day without having to constantly reach for it (and stop distracted in the process). Just remember that you’re paying for convenience rather than sheer charging speed here.

But not everyone needs a $99 wireless charger, and this particular MagSafe model is only worth considering if you have an iPhone 12 or 13. If a stand is a priority, Belkin’s BoostCharge 15W is our favorite Qi charging dock, works with most phones and costs a fraction of the price. If you want a MagSafe charger but don’t need a stand, Anker’s 313 Magnetic wireless charger it’s even about $20 cheaper. And if you’re happy with putting your phone down on a pad, then $39 Logitech Powered Pad It’s the best we’ve tested.

But if you’re in the specific segment of someone who wants to charge an iPhone 12/13 and AirPods (or an Android device with wireless charging) at the same time, and don’t be afraid to pay for a sleek, model This particular Boost Charge figure offers a lot of money. And no matter which model you use, adding a wireless charger to your desk is a relatively small investment that can make a big difference in your workspace.