Despite reviewing tech gadgets for nearly a decade, I’ve somehow never gotten in the habit of using a wireless charger. They always felt like a solution to a problem I didn’t have, and I’ve long been content to charge up my phone and earbuds using good ol’ physical wires. But that all changed when Belkin’s 2-in-1 Boost Charge Pro stand landed on my desk a few months ago.
Belkin’s $99 MagSafe-enabled stand has done an excellent job not only keeping my iPhone 12 Pro and AirPods Pro juiced up during the day but also displaying my phone in a way that makes it easy to stay on top of important notifications while I work. It’s a bit too niche to be the best wireless charger for most people, but it’s been great for me — and has finally opened my eyes to how useful this kind of gadget can be for any home office.
A simple and sleek stand
The Belkin Boost Charge doesn’t just streamline the mess of cables at my desk (and there are still many) — it also looks good doing so. With its rounded white base and slim silver stand, Belkin’s charger makes an attractive and unassuming addition to my home office while taking up minimal desk space. It’s important to note that this stand is powered by a fairly bulky AC adapter and doesn’t include a USB-C cable like many of the other wireless chargers we’ve tested. This means that you’ll always be getting the fastest charge that the stand can put out, but you also won’t have the flexibility to connect the stand to a computer or USB power brick.
Belkin’s 2-in-1 stand has two key components: a MagSafe charger up top that magnetically attaches to your iPhone 12 or 13 to juice it up, and a circular enclave at the bottom designed to house your AirPods. I’m able to attach my iPhone 12 Pro to the stand with a simple, satisfying snap, and the magnetic connection continues to hold strong throughout entire workdays after months of frequent use. The stand keeps my phone equally secure (and maintains a wireless charge) whether I have it positioned vertically or horizontally, making it just as ideal for catching up on messages as it is for watching YouTube videos.
Of course, the big caveat here is that very few phones currently support MagSafe, Apple’s proprietary magnetic tech that allows you to easily attach things like chargers and cases to your device. It’s currently limited to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 families (even the newer iPhone SE 2022 is unsupported), so unless you have a modern, premium iPhone, you won’t get much use out of this particular stand.
The bottom portion of the Boost Charge is a traditional wireless charging pad, and while it’s designed for your AirPods, I’ve also been able to use it with just about any device that supports wireless charging, including Android phones like my Galaxy S22+. A white LED light lights up when whatever you have on the pad is charging, which is a handy little touch.
And while the Belkin Boost Charge has reliably kept my gadgets charged up, it’s also had an influence on the types of gadgets I use day to day. I found myself temporarily ditching my beloved Beats Fit Pro earbuds for my older AirPods Pro just because the convenience of being able to charge the latter wirelessly at my desk was too good to pass up. I eventually went back to my Beats since I prefer how they feel and sound, but for the first time, I might actually keep wireless charging in mind when considering my next pair of wireless earbuds.
This stand also drove me to buy Apple’s clear iPhone 12 MagSafe-enabled case, which allows me to utilize the magnetic charger without having to constantly take off my case every time I want to juice up. And combined with my Logitech Pop Keys keyboard, which I keep paired to my PC and iPhone at the same time, the Boost Charge serves as a convenient, eye-level stand that lets me quickly bounce between working and answering text messages without ever having to grab 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? This gadget offers 15W charging, which is on the faster end for a wireless charger — most cheaper models we’ve tested max out at 7.5W for iPhones. But even the best wireless chargers typically aren’t as efficient as a standard charging cable, which I’ve found to be the case here as well.
Belkin’s stand took about 50 minutes to charge my iPhone 12 Pro from 85% to 95% during some mixed app usage and with Spotify playing in the background. By comparison, the 25W Samsung wall charger I use with my Lightning to USB-C cable can do that in a fraction of the time. It’s also worth noting that my iPhone tends to get fairly warm when using Belkin’s stand for long stretches of time, something I don’t have to worry about while using a cable.
The Boost Charge’s speeds are fine for my daily use; I typically charge my phone overnight via Lightning cable, then use the stand during the day once the battery starts to dip. Considering that my nearly two-year-old iPhone 12 Pro tends to drain quicker than usual these days, I’m just happy to have an easy means to keep it from dying while I work. But if I need a quick charge before heading out for the night, I’m always going to go wired.
Bottom line
Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 MagSafe stand is the kind of small home office upgrade that just makes my life better. It charges my iPhone and AirPods well enough, but I find it especially useful as an attractive upright stand that allows me to glance at my phone throughout the day without constantly reaching for it (and getting endlessly 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 specific MagSafe model is only worth considering if you have an iPhone 12 or 13. If having a stand is a priority, Belkin’s BoostCharge 15W is our favorite Qi charging stand, 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 is even cheaper at around $20. And if you’re cool with plopping down your phone on a pad, the $39 Logitech Powered Pad is the best of its kind that we’ve tested.
But if you’re in the specific niche of someone who wants to charge their iPhone 12/13 and AirPods (or Android device with wireless charging) at the same time, and don’t mind paying up for a nice-looking phone stand, this particular Boost Charge model offers a lot for the money. And no matter which model you land on, adding a wireless charger to your desk is a relatively small investment that can make a big difference in your workspace.