Review: Belkin MagSafe Car Charger Provides Faster Wireless Charging for Your Car

Julie Clover

Despite the fact that more than two years have passed since the launch of the iPhone 12 line with MagSafe technology, the first 15W ‌MagSafe‌ The car charger just came out, Belkin introduced it in early November.

Boost Charge Pro Wireless Car Charger with ‌MagSafe‌ the first magnetic car charger capable of charging ‌MagSafe‌ iPhone up to 15W. Previously there were automotive magnetic solutions for ‌MagSafe‌ iPhone, but they were limited to a maximum output of 7.5W.

The Boost Charge Pro car charger, available for $100, has an oval ‌MagSafe‌ a surface that attaches to the back of the iPhone, and a silver back with a rubber vent clip that attaches to the air vent in any vehicle. It looks like your default ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and it has a clean and compact design.

The rubber vent clip is well constructed and securely attaches to the vent with a strong enough mount to keep it from shaking, vibrating or otherwise shifting while driving, which can be a problem with some air vent mount accessories.

‌MagSafe‌ the magnet adheres securely to the ‌iPhone‌ and stays in place while driving. If you're driving over very rocky terrain or have an accident there's a chance it will come loose, but in everyday use it seems like it will stay put and I didn't encounter any issues with the strength of the magnet during testing. .

The cable plugs into the back of the Belkin car charger, while the USB-C connector plugs into a 12V car adapter, which in turn plugs into a standard car plug. The USB-C cable can be used without an adapter if you have a vehicle with USB-C ports, but it does not detach from the charger itself.

For this reason, the Belkin Car Charger cannot be used as a mount with the cable disconnected, and it prevents using another accessory. Some in-car devices, such as the Spotify Car Thing, have an extra port, as most people may want to use more than one accessory at a time rather than poking around and choosing. The Car Thing has a pair of USB-A ports, one for powering the device itself and one for a second accessory, for example.

This is not an option for the Belkin car charger, so if a 12-volt car plug is all you have, you will only be able to use the car charger. This may not be a concern for most people who have cars with multiple ports, but I thought I'd mention it for those who are used to accessories with more than one port.

Cable can be bulky as there are no clips to hold it in place and run down, although Belkin includes a cable tie to wrap excess cable around. I would still recommend some other cable management clip to make it look more streamlined and out of the way of the cable.

‌iPhone‌ can be connected to a Belkin car charger in landscape or portrait mode, with landscape mode useful for applications such as Maps. The faster charging rate comes in handy when your battery is low and needs to be recharged between short trips. In my testing, the charger charged at the same rate as a standard ‌MagSafe‌ chargers charge at a maximum power of 15W, although temperature and other factors may affect charging speed.

‌MagSafe‌ it is, of course, very convenient. You can put your phone on the cradle when you get in your car and quickly pick it up when you get out, without disconnecting cables or hassle. It's easy to use, safe, and charges noticeably faster than Qi-based chargers.

Conclusions

The biggest drawback of the Boost Charge Pro car charger it's a price tag. A charger for one device costs $100, but as we learned, ‌MagSafe‌ accessories are expensive, in part because of the licensing fees Apple charges for third-party chargers.

Besides the price, the Belkin car charger has a few downsides. Between ‌iPhone‌ and a charger that keeps it in place while also being firmly attached to the air vent, more importantly. It doesn't move and stays in place while you drive, plus it's the fastest wireless charger you can get in your car right now.