Belkin is known for its range of accessories for the iPhone, and when Apple introduced support for Qi-based wireless chargers, Belkin quickly came out with a variety of options.
The Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock, which debuted in September, is the newest and most versatile offering, combining a Qi wireless charger with an Apple Watch charging puck and an extra USB-A port.
Design-wise, the Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock features an upright Qi wireless charger similar in design to Belkin’s other Boost Up charging options, with a circular charging surface that houses the wireless charging coil.
The iPhone is designed to sit upright on the back of the charger, with the base acting as a stand. Belkin has angled the base slightly, which makes it easier to see the iPhone’s display when positioned in the dock. The base is covered in a grippy material that prevents the iPhone from shifting or moving while charging.
Because of the Apple Watch charger, you can’t dock your iPhone horizontally, so it’s limited to vertical charging. The Apple Watch charges in the dock in landscape orientation so it works with Nightstand mode as a watch replacement.
I’ve read some reviews that suggest that the Belkin charger isn’t compatible with the iPhone–XS Max in some cases that make the iPhone a bit taller, but I haven’t had that experience. Both my iPhone X and my iPhone XS Max charged without issue in the Apple case, and Belkin says it supports cases up to 3mm thick.
The base of the dock is 7.4 inches wide, 4.1 inches tall, and 4.8 inches tall, so it takes up a decent amount of space on a desk. Since it’s combining two charging options, though, it can be a space saver depending on which charging device you’re currently using.
There’s an LED on the side of the dock, which glows noticeably in a dark room, but isn’t so bright that it distracts me or keeps me awake at night. I wish it wasn’t there, but Belkin says it offers foreign object detection to let you know if some Qi is touching the wireless charger that shouldn’t be.
Belkin’s wireless charging dock supports 7.5W charging, so it can charge iPhone 8 and later at 7.5W instead of 5W. 7.5W is fairly standard these days on Qi-based charging devices intended for Apple devices, so it’s no surprise. 7.5W is the maximum wireless charging speed that iPhones support.
The Apple Watch Charging Pack charges the Apple Watch at 5W, which is standard Apple Watch charging, and the USB-A port on the back also charges at 5W. This is not ideal for high-powered devices like an iPad, which limits the versatility of the additional port.
You can charge your AirPods or another low-powered device, but if you’re trying to charge an iPad or iPad Pro, charging is going to be slow. I tested the charging dock on my nightstand, where I keep an iPad mini for reading. I charged my iPad mini with the dock, and it was fine for that purpose.
However, to use the additional USB-A port, you will need to supply your own cable. The dock, however, runs on its own power supply.
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I’ve been testing the Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock on my nightstand and it worked perfectly. It’s an easy way to keep my iPhone XS Max, Apple Watch, and iPad mini charged, and in terms of design and functionality, I have no complaints other than the 5W USB-A port.
That’s not enough power to adequately charge one of Apple’s larger iPads, which limits the functionality of the additional port.
The charging dock works well overall, but the downside is the price tag. It retails for $160, which is more expensive than buying separate iPhone and Apple Watch chargers. Combining these features into one device with a single cable to plug in is nice, but the price is too high for many people.
how to buy
The Boost Up Special Edition Wireless Charging Dock for iPhone and Apple Watch can be purchased for $159.99 on the Belkin website or $140 on Amazon.
Note: Belkin provided MacRumors with a Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
