Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad Review
One of the many new features to debut with Apple’s new iPhone 8 line-up is Qi charging. I’ve long awaited a “wireless” solution for charging my iPhone at night, especially because I tend to use the device before bed to watch YouTube videos which usually drains the battery leaving me waiting for it to charge in the morning. One of the many new features to debut with Apple’s new iPhone 8 line-up is Qi charging.
After a rather disappointing experience with my first charging pad, I decided to pick up the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad, and here’s what I’ve found…
Design
This charging pad features a nice round white design so it fits in really nicely with my other Apple docks. What is also really nice is that there is a rubber gripper on the top so your iPhone doesn’t slide off! I have not seen this on any other charging pad and I feel for that reason alone this is the best designed pad on the market. There is also a rubber gripper on the bottom so the charging pad doesn’t move/slide.
The Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad also has a charging indicator light but thankfully it doesn’t light our darkest hour (extra credit points if you understood the reference). You also can set your iPhone on this pad in a way that covers up the light. The first Belkin charging pad I mentioned before featured a micro-USB lead into the charging pad, the charging pad Belkin sells at Apple features a proprietary AC in jack. Okay it may not be proprietary but it is not commonly used by anything. I know a lot of people like the connivence of using micro-USB, in 2017 there aren’t a lot of devices still using it plus I’ve had so many of those micro-USB ports break on me. I like this charging connector because it feels very sturdy and I don’t feel it’ll snap off. That being said, Apple’s AirPower charging pad uses a Lightening connection and that would be the best solution.
Speed
As it has been pointed out in the media, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X do not use the quick charge standard so this charging pad will only charge your iPhone at 5V 2.3A. Now you don’t have to know what that means but essentially any charging pad will charge iPhone at the same speeds as the standard Apple USB plug (that comes with iPhone). While yes it would be nice if it could transfer power a tad faster, I usually set my iPhone on the pad before bed and it has plenty of time to charge overnight. If I need to charge my iPhone as quickly as possible than I can just use my iPad’s 29W USB-C charger. Since iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X support quick charge, iPhone can charge up to 70% in 15 minutes using the higher wattage chargers.
Value
A Qi charging pad is not essential to using your iPhone, it’s a luxury accessory. You’re already paying a premium for an iPhone (or mostly any smartphone in general) and it’s hard to justify another $40 to charge your iPhone when the device already comes with a charger. For me I really needed a way to charge my iPhone without plugging it in. That being said, it’s so cool! I don’t think this is for everyone, not yet at least but if you have a situation similar to mine then you should really consider this charging pad. From the charging pads I have used and the research I did online, this seems to be the best out there. Of course if you have an Android device that supports quick charging over Qi then you’re probably going to want to go with Samsung’s quick charge pads.
To clarify, this is not wireless charging, this is inductive charging. While yes there is no wire connecting your iPhone to the charger, there is still a wire connecting the charger to an outlet. Wireless charging by very definition states that there are no external wires involved for the flow of electricity. What I’d love to see one day is a device (that kinda looks like the old AirPort Express) that you plug into your wall and it emits electric. This technology is almost ready for a consumer product so I am very excited to see what the future holds. At the end of the day, this is a fantastic product and it’s really hard for me to recommend any other charging pad as this one does just about everything I would want. Plus it has a really good looking design.
The Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad is available from Apple for $59.95.