Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro chargers with MagSafe and Apple’s MagSafe Duo chargers take very different approaches to solving a similar problem. In a world where everything has to be recharged, combined chargers that can reduce cables and plugs in our life are really practical. While the original Apple combo charger is best described as a minimalist travel charger, Belkin offers utility in what may be the best MagSafe combo charger.
Boost Charge Pro best MagSafe charger?
The Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 wireless charger with MagSafe (full product name) turns a plug into three wireless charging stations. Although this has been done before with combined charging bases, the innovation with this product is using Apple’s new MagSafe technology.
Apple has incorporated magnets into the iPhone 12 phone family and this system called MagSafe charges wirelessly with up to 15W of power. Standard Qi chargers reach 7.5 W when used with iPhones. The secret of MagSafe is to magnetically ensure accurate alignment between wireless charging coils. MagSafe is also a practical solution for creating a “floating” support like Belkin Boost Charge Pro does.
So what can Boost Charge Pro connect to?
- 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
- Base (bottom): any Qi-based wireless charging compatible accessory, including AirPods, iPhone 8 and iPhone X and later
I found that the charging cradle is great for connecting AirPods Pro or AirPods with the wireless charging case as desired. The base of the charging station is fantastic for charging other devices like iPhones or even Android phones with wireless charging. The base has a small notch to mark the wireless charging point, but small devices of all shapes and sizes are compatible.
Practical solution
Although I imagine that many will use Boost Charge Pro as a bedside table charger, the “floating” design on the MagSafe side makes the charging station a great kitchen accessory too. IPhone 12 connects magnetically to the MagSafe charger and works in portrait or landscape orientation. The slightly angled rear angle is great for charging your iPhone while using FaceTime and making dinner.
The Belkin Boost Charge Pro sells for $ 149.99 and includes a power pack in the box.
MagSafe Duo
I’m as excited about any new Apple product as anyone, but it’s no secret that Apple’s MagSafe Duo accessory is expensive and unambitious. Although I am a MagSafe Duo customer, I can best describe the accessory as a luxury travel charger.
The combination of the Apple wireless charger is half iPhone 12 charger and half Apple Watch charger. While the iPhone must be charged on a flat surface, the Apple Watch charging disc can be placed horizontally or vertically to easily charge watches with an open or closed strap.
MagSafe Duo includes a Lightning port and includes a UBS-C to Lightning cable to power the combined charger, but a 20-watt USB-C power adapter (sold separately) is required to use the MagSafe Duo. Apple included a similar charger with the iPhone 11 Pro, but stopped adding power adapters to iPhones this year.
Form over function
There is no third charging base, but you can use the MagSafe half to recharge any wireless charging accessories, including older AirPods and iPhones – but not while charging your iPhone 12. The Apple Watch half can only charge Apple Watches. If you’re really in trouble to connect a Lightning port-based device, you can disconnect the USB-C to Lightning cable and charge it directly on the wall.
Although I prefer the minimalist design of the MagSafe Duo, the utility just doesn’t exist to be my primary charging station for my iPhone and Apple Watch. It takes up much less space and doubles as a book for portability, but it is not good for charging your iPhone wirelessly while using it – something that even Apple’s standard MagSafe charger can.
The MagSafe Duo retails for $ 129 and does not come with the required $ 20 20 W USB-C power adapter.
Ventilation bracket for Pro car
Belkin didn’t just design a combined charging station when using MagSafe this year. Belkin’s Car Vent Mount Pro with MagSafe also takes advantage of the new magnetic system included in the iPhone 12 phone family.
9to5Mac I’ll take a closer look at this accessory soon, but here are some quick thoughts from me after the test:
- MagSafe makes it super easy to connect any size of iPhone 12 without the need to adjust a compression mechanism to hold the device
- The lack of “arms” to hold the iPhone makes it possible to touch touch targets on both sides of the screen; this can be difficult with non-MagSafe assemblies
- 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 most dull part of a product that is generally cool for me is how the product is assembled. As its name implies, Car Vent Mount Pro is based on attaching to your car’s ventilation system to keep the bracket in place.
The manual suggests using the top of the ventilation rather than a ventilation blade due to the tightness needed to hold the holder in place, but my Honda Civic 2017 (a really ordinary car) was too thick to hold the clip. At the risk of damaging a ventilation blade, attach the clip to the part that the manual says to avoid.
It works, and the iPhone looks really cool if you turn on the A / C, but I imagine the opposite is true if you need to turn on the heater. This is true for all ventilation supports, of course, and my car has a built-in screen with CarPlay, so this isn’t really a product I need. Before having CarPlay, however, I could see myself enjoying the convenience of MagSafe and really enjoying this product, despite the disadvantages.
Improving the experience
My recommendation would be sincere if a future version were able to incorporate the passing charging of a Lightning cable. This feature alone would be more worthy of the nickname ‘Pro’ in the product name and could perhaps join the ranks of the best MagSafe chargers.
As it stands, I have a surprise use case for Car Vent Mount Pro. After testing Belkin’s support in 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 ventilation holder to my desk, where it now functions as an iPhone holder. The side of the clip adjusts to support any orientation, making it ideal for holding your iPhone 12 while watching a video or making a video call – remember that it does not carry the phone.
Belkin Car Vent Mount Pro with MagSafe sells for $ 39.95.
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