Belkin Increase Cost Professional 3-in-1 Wi-fi Charger with MagSafe Overview

When Apple introduced the iPhone 12 fashions with MagSafe charging capabilities, the primary third-party ‌MagSafe‌ equipment had been proven off throughout the announcement. Shortly after, Belkin formally launched the Increase Cost Professional 3-in-1 Wi-fi Charger with MagSafe, which is the primary official third-party ‌MagSafe‌ charging choice.

Belkin’s Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ is ready to be out there for buy on January 8, and forward of the launch, I have been testing the charger to see the way it performs compared to the standalone ‌MagSafe‌ charger and whether or not it is definitely worth the $150 asking value.

Design smart, the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ seems much like different Belkin 3-in-1 chargers in the marketplace. Produced from a white plastic materials that is coated in a softer silicone, the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ has a round base with an angled chrome-colored t-shaped arm coming from the highest of it that homes a ‌MagSafe‌ charger on one facet and an Apple Watch charging puck on the opposite.

The design seems easy and simple, however I do want the round base was a bit smaller in dimension or rectangular to raised match on a desk. I discover the form to be a bit awkward on my small desk as a result of it is about 5.Three inches vast at its widest level, however given the burden of the iPhone with the angle of the charger, it most likely wants a base of that dimension to stay upright. Each of the charging pucks are static and can’t be rotated or angled in any manner, and the default angle does take up extra vertical house than I might like.

The ‌MagSafe‌ charger works with all of Apple’s ‌iPhone 12‌ fashions, and it’s sized in such a approach to permit to be used in both portrait or panorama mode. Even the biggest iPhone 12 Professional Max can be utilized in panorama mode with out interfering with the Apple Watch charging puck on the opposite facet. The magnets line up shortly and it is easy to get an ‌iPhone‌ proper within the correct place for charging, even in the dead of night.

The identical comfortable materials that covers the usual ‌MagSafe‌ charger from Apple covers the Belkin ‌MagSafe‌ charger, whereas the Apple Watch charging puck is a smoother plastic like Apple’s personal charging choices for Apple Watch. You may get the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ in both black or white, and there is a stickier silicone materials on the backside of the accent to make sure that it stays in place on a desk when holding up an ‌iPhone‌, plus it has a weighted base.

You may discover that in lots of my photographs, the Apple Watch is at an angle, and that is as a result of it simply does not wish to keep straight on the Apple Watch charging puck. It flips round with a nudge or when attaching/detaching an ‌iPhone 12‌, however word that I’ve a 40mm Apple Watch. With additional testing with a 44mm Apple Watch, I didn’t see this identical situation. It is usually much less pronounced with a heavier 40mm stainless-steel Apple Watch, however the issue is current with that mannequin.

The Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ is pretty gentle, however with the sticky base I did not have hassle with it lifting up or shifting when eradicating my ‌iPhone‌ from the charger. There’s a white LED gentle on the highest of the bottom that permits you to know the AirPods are aligned and charging correctly. It turns amber if the alignment is off or there’s an object in the best way. I am not a fan of charging lights on docks as a result of they’re distracting at night time, however at the very least this gentle is restricted to ‌AirPods‌ charging.

The ‌iPhone‌ matches on the charger at an angle, and it is easy to see when glancing over at it on a nightstand or a desk whereas it is charging in the event you get an incoming notification or wish to examine the time. In the event you wished to, you would additionally use it for FaceTime calls or watching movies in panorama mode.

Since it is a 3-in-1 charger, the bottom of the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ is a wi-fi charging platform that may accommodate the ‌AirPods‌ or AirPods Professional, so the Apple Watch, ‌iPhone 12‌, and ‌AirPods‌ can all be charged on the identical time. The little round indentation on the charger directs you the place to position the ‌AirPods‌ for charging functions.

The Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ charger can cost an ‌iPhone 12‌ at as much as 15W, which is similar charging pace as the usual ‌MagSafe‌ charger, whereas additionally offering sufficient energy for ‌AirPods‌ and Apple Watch. Apple’s personal ‌MagSafe‌ Duo that pairs a ‌MagSafe‌ charging puck with an Apple Watch charger is restricted to 14W, so Belkin’s charger must be only a bit quicker.

Apple’s normal ‌MagSafe‌ charger charged ‌iPhone 12‌ (from completely useless) to 61 p.c in a single hour with a 20W energy adapter, and the Increase Cost Professional charged it to 66 p.c, so it was in some way even quicker than the usual charger. I am unsure if I wasn’t getting 15W charging with the Apple ‌MagSafe‌ charger or what, however I used to be proud of the Belkin charging speeds. I additionally did exams with three gadgets without delay, and from useless, the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ was in a position to cost an ‌iPhone 12‌ to 61 p.c in an hour whereas additionally charging an Apple Watch and one other ‌iPhone‌.

Belkin offers a 40W energy adapter and 1.5m twine with the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌, and that takes all of the guesswork out of which energy adapter you want to get the quickest speeds. Apple doesn’t embrace an influence adapter with both the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger or the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo. For the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger you want to use Apple’s official 20W charger or one other charger which will or might not be appropriate, and for the MagSafe Duo, most pace requires a appropriate 27W+ charger.

Attempting to determine which energy adapters I can use with Apple’s charging choices has been a trouble, so I admire that Belkin has an influence adapter able to go. You’ll be able to’t use a third-party energy adapter with this because it does not work over USB.

The draw back to the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ is that the ‌MagSafe‌ charger does not work with older iPhones. Technically ‌MagSafe‌ chargers are appropriate with earlier iPhones and are in a position to cost them at 7.5W, however Belkin’s upright design depends on magnets to carry the ‌iPhone‌ in place, and since there aren’t any ‌MagSafe‌ magnets in older iPhones, there isn’t any viable charging choice.

You’ll be able to cost an older ‌iPhone‌ the place the ‌AirPods‌ are supposed to go, although this charging spot has been particularly designed for ‌AirPods‌ as a result of it is only a Qi-based wi-fi charger. This charging spot labored with an ‌iPhone‌ X, iPhone 11 Professional Max, ‌iPhone 12‌, and ‌iPhone 12 Professional Max‌, so I assume it matches most gadgets. Since this charging spot is aimed toward ‌AirPods‌, it is restricted to 5W, however I discovered it to work completely for my non-iPhone 12 gadgets and I appreciated having the choice.

Whereas with regards to compatibility, you should utilize the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ with ‌MagSafe‌ circumstances. I examined with Apple’s ‌MagSafe‌ circumstances and it labored advantageous. I haven’t got non-MagSafe circumstances to check, however Belkin says that it’s particularly designed to work with MagSafe-certified circumstances.

Backside Line

In the event you’re searching for a multi-device charger for an ‌iPhone 12‌, that is the one to get. It really works with any ‌iPhone 12‌ mannequin the Apple Watch, and the ‌AirPods‌, and at $150, it is simply $30 dearer than the foldable ‌MagSafe‌ Duo.

The ‌MagSafe‌ Duo is the higher selection for journey, however for a charger that you simply plan to make use of at dwelling, the Increase Cost Professional ‌MagSafe‌ is a useful, enticing multi-device charger that works as anticipated. I’ve no actual complaints concerning the Belkin ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and on condition that it really works with three gadgets, permits for upright operation, and comes with an influence adapter, I a lot choose it to the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo.

Learn how to Purchase

Belkin plans to start promoting the Increase Cost Professional 3-in-1 Wi-fi Charger with ‌MagSafe‌ on January 8, and it is going to be out there for buy from the Belkin web site for $149.99.

Word: Belkin offered MacRumors with a Increase Cost Professional 3-in-1 Wi-fi Charger with ‌MagSafe‌ for the aim of this evaluation. No different compensation was obtained.