Today, we delve into an in-depth review and performance test of the Belkin 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe (15W), taking you through the charging pad features, design, functionality and do some performance and power consumption testing. Belkin, a renowned American brand in the world of tech accessories, is widely recognized for its quality peripherals and lifestyle products designed to enhance and support our digital lives.
Quick lowdown- 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad
- Good compatibility with Apple Magsafe and Android phones.
- Excellent industrial design
- Lightweight and portable
- 5W secondary pad could do with 15W Extended Power Profile.
- Affordably priced when on sale
Unboxing and Exterior Impressions
The charger has a travel-friendly flat design which is modern simple and compact in size. It has a sleek and elegant design that matches the aesthetic of the iPhone. There are two charging pads on the top surface, the left Magsafe-ready 15W pad coil, and the right a second universal 5W charger pad.
Also, the charger itself boasts a travel-friendly design with a sleek and elegant aesthetic that complements the iPhone’s design. The unit is available in four colours, white, black red or tan, with the reviewed version being the pristine white variant, featuring a textured rubber finish. The use of recycled plastic in the housing body aligns with eco-friendly practices, which is a welcome.
Eco friendly paper packaging
The packaging, adorned in Belkin’s signature green and white colours, is eco-friendly, constructed entirely from plastic-free materials, with a substantial portion being post-consumer recycled materials. Commendably, even the cable ties holding the bundled USB-C cable is made out of paper too.
Also, the housing body of the charger is made of a minimum of 72% post-consumer recycled plastic and is coated in a smooth rubbery surface. I do hope this rubber coating do stand up well in Singapore’s humid climate as the device ages. Otherwise, these surfaces are known to start to turn sticky and icky after a few years of use.
At 360g and food print dimensions of 9 by 16 cm and about 1.6cm thick, the charger’s compact size makes it ultra-convenient for travel, ensuring dual-device charging on the go. It comes equipped with a single USB input port at the rear, relying on a 1.5m USB-C to USB-C cable for power.
Also, the charger requires at least a 25W (or higher) wall charger (not included) to function at it’s best. However, the absence of a power adapter in the box does adds to the upfront cost, requiring a separate purchase. A suitable pairing of an external charger includes Belkin’s own line of GaN PD adapters.
Good compatibility across devices
The Belkin 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Pad is a universal one. It exhibits excellent compatibility, catering not only to Apple MagSafe devices like the iPhone 12 onwards but also accommodating Android phones and other wireless Qi-charging accessories. The device seamlessly supports older iPhones through it’s universal wireless charging standard. Hence, it also works on only on Android phones, but also older iPhones with wireless charging, like the iPhone 10 series.
Magsafe for iPhone in generally is an Apple standard. The benefit of MagSafe feature on iPhones ensures a universal charging coil position, allowing for an easy, snap-on connection held together by magnets. Also, Apple’s Magsafe has some standardisation in-place which has a coil circle and a vertical alignment magnet bar to snap your phone in one orientation without allowing rotation.
However, unlike traditional MagSafe chargers with a fixed orientation, the Belkin MagSafe Charger Pad allows you to place your phone on the charger pad at any desk orientation on the pad. The MagSafe left pad is clearly demarcated with a round protrusion which clips your phone in place. Interesting, the magnets are so strong the phone also stays on even with the pad upside down.
Day-to-Day Use
Using the Belkin MagSafe Charger Pad is intuitive, thanks to the Magsafe feature ensuring proper phone alignment for charging without the guesswork. The magnetic connection securely holds the iPhone snuggly in place, allowing usage during charging without interference or power loss.
Also, the right charging pad has a LED indicator which communicates the secondary pad’s charging status. It turns white when a device is detected and delivering charge. This is cross-reference if your device has a charging status indicator too. This is useful for charging accessories such as AirPods or GalaxyBuds, adding to the user-friendly experience.
Moreover, the compatibility with most MagSafe-supported cases eliminates the need to remove the case of your phone for charging too. The charger pad’s portability and lightweight design make it convenient for carrying in a bag, contingent on the size of the accompanying charger brick.
In the realm of fast phone charging, wireless charging, though slower, benefits battery health over the long term, especially when your phone reaches past 3 years of use. Still, battery degradation might not an issue if you upgrade your phone every year.
Charging Performance
The Belkin MagSafe phone charger supports 15W fast wireless charging speeds, which is in-line with mainstream Qi wireless standard and chargers. Its MagSafe technology provides a secure and aligned connection for iPhones with magsafe (from iPhone 12 onwards), ensuring a more precise and secure attachment than conventional wireless chargers.
Moreover, the Belkin MagSafe Charger Pad leverages MagSafe technology to provide dual charging capability for iPhone 14/13/12 series and AirPods simultaneously. Also, the left MagSafe pad supports up to 15W wireless charging for iPhones, while the right 5W Qi-compatible pad caters to Android phones and other devices, such as Apple AirPods or accessories supporting Qi-charging like Android watches or third party earbuds too like Belkin’s own great soundform wireless earbuds.
An efficient wireless charger
It is able simultaneously charge a Magsafe iPhone standard with a 3,300 mAh battery from 30% to full in under an hour, and an Android phone with a 4,500maH battery in about 2.5 hours from 50% full. This translates close to the rated 15W + 5W charging on both pads.
Also, charging times for non-MagSafe devices may be slower, reflecting the limitations of Qi standards. The slow charging, though advantageous for battery health, is a trade-off for the convenience of wireless charging.
Power consumption at this maximum 20W load on two devices is efficient. When charging a Magsafe iPhone (15W) and a 2nd phone (5W) together, the pad draws about 21.7W maximum from the wall. This makes the pad a commendably 92% efficient. On standby, the unit draws a minimal 0.6W when idle with no devices on the charging pads.
It runs cool too when charging
Additionally, the charger also has temperature control, over-voltage protection, and foreign object detection are built-in safeguards, preventing excessive heat generation. During testing, the unit’s temperature did not exceed 37.7 degrees, offering peace of mind when charging your devices overnight.
Also, Belkin recommends a minimum 25W charger with Power Delivery 3.0 to power the base, as long it is higher than the 21.7W it draws from the wall plug, factoring in wireless charging losses. Still, wireless charging, inherently less efficient than cable charging, due to losses as heat due and eddy currents.
However, in this era of 30W fast Qi-charging devices, it be good if the second charging pad is able to offer a 15W extended power profile (EPP) of up to 15W instead of 5W. That would make for a an attractive proposition without the tradeoff of charging on the slower secondary pad, especially at this price range.
Price Consideration
Quality comes at a cost, and the Belkin MagSafe Charger Pad is no exception. Priced at S$139 on official Belkin LazMall and Shopee Mall platforms, it is relatively expensive compared to other wireless chargers which usually reside in the $50 for dual-pad chargers. This price point is approximately twice that of Apple’s official single-pad MagSafe charger, and four times higher than some third-party Qi chargers (e.g. BaseUSÂ or Anker for example).
Still, unlike the competition, Belkin provides assurance with a longer 2-year warranty and a substantial US$2,500 Connected Equipment Warranty (CEW), setting it apart in terms of consumer confidence and proves to the commitment of the quality of Belkin devices.
Conclusion
In summary, the Belkin 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe (15W) stands as a solid and reliable product with a compact travel-friendly design. The eco-friendly packaging adds to its appeal, and cross-compatibility with Android devices enhances its versatility. However, the absence of a power adapter and the relatively high price tag may deter some potential buyers. If you prioritize quality and are willing to invest, the Belkin MagSafe Charger Pad delivers a fast and secure wireless charging experience, particularly tailored for iPhone users.
Belkin 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad review
Pros
- Quality solid product
- Cross-compatible with non-apple devices
- Compact travel size
- Eco-packaging
Cons
- 5W limitation on second pad
- Can be expensive (look for sales!)
- Charger not included
Many thanks to Belkin for the opportunity to review the 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad. As with all my reviews, manufacturers have neither editorial inputs to reviews, nor seen this review before it is released to you, my readers. Thanks for reading!
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