Back at CES in January, Belkin confirmed that several wireless chargers using the Qi2 standard based on MagSafe would be launching soon, and I was recently able to spend some time testing the BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad from there. . the lineup
As the name suggests, the BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad with Qi2 15W is a flat pad-style charger that offers two surfaces for charging devices. On the one hand there is a Qi2 wireless charging pad that supports the latest iPhone models up to their maximum 15 watts, on the other a 5-watt Qi pad intended to work with AirPods models with wireless charging cases. Other devices that support Qi wireless charging, such as phones, can also be charged on the pad, although they won’t align magnetically and will charge at a much slower speed than using a Qi2 pad.
In my tests, I found that the Qi2 pad didn’t charge my iPhone 15 Pro Max as fast as Apple’s MagSafe charger, but it was fairly close and definitely faster than a real Qi pad, which is limited to 7.5 watts for iPhones. The pad was able to boost my iPhone’s battery from 30% to about 70% in an hour, though like all other charging methods, the rate starts to slow significantly above about 80% to prevent overheating and overcharging as the battery completes. by doing charge
In addition to two wireless charging pads, the BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad has an additional USB-C port that supports up to 5W output, allowing for wired charging of other devices such as the Apple Watch with a suitable cable. . (If you prefer integrated Apple Watch charging, Belkin also offers a BoostCharge 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad with an Apple Watch charging puck already included to plug into that USB-C port.)
The BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad is available in either black or white, and the unit is powered by a color-matched 30-watt power adapter and 5-foot (1.5-meter) USB-C to USB-C cable. , both included in the box with gratitude. The US power adapter is similar in size and shape to Apple’s 20-watt USB-C adapter and unfortunately doesn’t include folding prongs, which would have been convenient for travel. You can of course use any USB-C power source of 30 watts or more, so it’s easy enough to substitute something that fits your needs, but I would have liked to see a more travel-friendly adapter in the box.
The pad design itself is ideal for travel as its minimal thickness allows it to fit neatly into a computer bag or backpack. It’s on the heavy side though at about 11 ounces (310 grams) plus the cable and power adapter, which can hamper portability a bit. However, this heft contributes to surface stability and makes it easier to detach an iPhone sitting on a magnetic pad. At around 6.4 x 3.2 x 0.6 inches (16.3 x 8.2 x 1.5 cm), the unit is close to the size of an iPhone 15 Pro Max but slightly thicker due to the slightly taller Qi2 pad.
The body of the charger is a matte plastic with some rubber arcs on the bottom to protect surfaces and limit sliding. The Qi2 charging pad on the left has a rubber-like surface to protect your phone from scratches, while the low-power Qi pad on the right is a shallow depression in smooth, hard plastic to aid in proper placement of an AirPods. Case for charging. Some magnets supporting that feature would have been nice to ensure easy alignment of the AirPods case, but I had no problem registering my AirPods properly with the charger.
The additional USB-C output port is on the right side of the unit, while the USB-C input port is on the back There is no status light for the Qi2 pad, but there is a small LED status light on the front of the AirPods pad that glows white when a device is charging or orange if there is a charging error. After the pad is plugged in it flashes white briefly, confirming that the unit is receiving power.
Overall, I found the BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad to be a reliable wireless charging accessory with some nice features as well as some minor flaws. It has a relatively travel-friendly design, a clean, uncluttered look and reliably charges devices, but the lack of magnetic alignment for the AirPods charging spots and the lack of folding prongs on the power adapter are missed opportunities in my opinion.
While the pad design is simple and convenient for travel, some may prefer an angled charging surface for better visibility of the screen when charging their phone on a desk or nightstand. Fortunately, Belkin also offers chargers with that design and even some that convert between the two, so you have options.
Belkin’s BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad is $79.99 in black or white on both Belkin’s site and Amazon. One of the expected benefits of Qi2 is the ability to get ‘MagSafe’ charging performance without requiring Apple’s MagSafe license which drives up costs, but official MagSafe charging costs exactly the same as Belkin’s similar BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 wireless charging pad. At $79.99 it lacks the extra USB-C output port of the Qi2 model, but still, I’d expect bigger cost savings with Qi2 than MagSafe compared to what I’ve seen so far.
As I mentioned earlier, in addition to the 2-in-1 model, Belkin also offers a 3-in-1 model that includes an Apple Watch fast charger that mounts directly to the additional USB-C port on the main body of the unit. . But due to licensing and sourcing official Apple Watch charging parts, moving to the 3-in-1 model adds $50 to the price, bringing it to $129.99.
Alternatively, you can get the 2-in-1 model and then spend just $29 for an official USB-C Apple Watch charging cable to plug into that USB-C port. It’s not as neat a solution as the direct-connect module from Belkin, but it will save you $20, or there are other multi-device charging solutions available for your specific needs.
Note: Belkin provided MacRumors with the BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad with Qi2 15W for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an authorized partner with Belkin and Amazon. When you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps keep our site running.
