Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad review: AirPower resurrected

One charger to rule them all — that was the promise of Apple’s ill-fated wireless charging solution, AirPower, which (despite being revealed alongside the iPhone 8 in 2017) was abandoned by the company as it struggled to meet the high standards the company sets for itself.

That’s not stopped third-party manufacturers from picking up the mantle however, and the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad makes good on many of the promises that the AirPower charging mat touted.

With spots for wirelessly charging three separate devices, including iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, as well as featuring secure MagSafe compatibility, it’s a great device held back from perfection by a couple of small flaws.

Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: Price and availability

You can pick up the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad now, priced at an RRP of $149.99 / £139.99. It’s available in both black and white colors, and represents relatively good value thanks to the fact it can charge three devices at once. Though there are plenty of third-party competitors in this space, it also comes with the peace of mind of a well known brand in the form of Belkin, with a good track record for charging safety — so much so that Apple stocks its products in its own stores.

Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: What I love

If you’ve a growing collection of Apple devices that support wireless charging options, you’re probably getting tired of either plugging them all in individually, or having separate wireless charging stations for each device. The Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad consolidates the need for multiple power outlets, cables or charging bases into one product with room for your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, all charging at once.

It’s MagSafe compatible too, so if you have an iPhone 13 or iPhone 12, it’ll magnetically hold the smartphones in place while it powers them up on the left side of the dock, charging at a speedy 15W. It’ll even work through MagSafe-compatible phone cases too. 

Belkin goes out of its way to support as many Apple Watch users as possible too. Again making use of MagSafe for the Apple Watch connection on the right hand side, you’ve the option of laying your watch flat on the charging surface, or flipping the charging puck vertically so that your watch’s screen is visible in ‘Nightstand’ mode. Essentially, it turns your Apple Watch into a bedside digital clock, too. A dial on the base of the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad lets you adjust the height of the Apple Watch charging puck too, so that it can accommodate any of the many Apple Watch sizes and band styles out there. If you’re rocking an Apple Watch Series 7 model, the charging dock also supports fast charging too, powering the wearable from zero charge to 80% capacity in just 45 minutes. Presumably, that’s a feature that will continue for prospective Apple Watch Series 8 customers, too.

Finally, the central zone will wirelessly charge AirPods or AirPods Pro (though any small headphone case with wireless charging capabilities theoretically would work there, too). As it can be a little difficult to tell if AirPods are charging, Belkin handily includes a small LED indicator to show when the headphones are successfully juicing up.

Being flat (the device measures about 23.5-by-9-by-1centimeters (LxWxH), not including its power plug and 5 foot cable), it’s relatively travel friendly, slipping into a bag with little fuss.

Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: What I don’t love

There are a few things about the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad that did frustrate me a bit though.

Firstly, the silicone finish. While it's nice to touch, and likely helps to dissipate the heat created through charging, it’s an absolute dust magnet. It’s rubbery texture means it's almost impossible to fully remove dust from the surface of the charger, while a more vigorous scrub just generates static that draws in even more dust. A smooth surface wouldn’t have had such problems.

Secondly, it feels a little cramped. If you’ve got a Max-sized iPhone, it’ll be a bit of a squeeze to fit in next to the AirPods holder. And as the phone can only be laid flat on the charging surface, that’ll prevent you from pushing it flush against a wall. I’d have preferred the option of having my phone stand in a vertical portrait position while charging — though I can see that, depending on the implementation, this may have reduced the charger’s portability.

Finally, over the month or so that I’ve been using the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad, I’ve noticed some discoloration to the white charging pad that the iPhone sits on. It’s hard to be sure that it wasn’t caused by some residue on my phone’s case, but it’s not something I’ve seen with other wireless chargers, and I do my best to keep my devices free of grime. It may be a one-off problem exclusive to me, but it’s worth noting.

Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: Competition

There’s plenty of competition in the wireless charging market — not least from Apple itself. Despite its AirPower failure, it still put out a number of first-party charging options, from the simple one-device MagSafe Charger puck to the travel-oriented MagSafe Duo Charger to the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock. However, each of these will only charge one or two devices at a time, with the Duo at the same price as the three-device Belkin option we’re looking at here.

If like me you’d rather keep your iPhone in a vertical orientation, Belkin offers an alternative Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger that acts more like a stand, with your devices using MagSafe to connect like leaves on its charging tree. It’s a little more expensive by a few bucks, but doesn’t feature the same fast-charging support for Apple Watch.

Otherwise, there are literally dozens upon dozens of 3-in-1 wireless MagSafe chargers from smaller brands out there — many at a fraction of the price of what we’re looking at here. However, I’d urge caution when looking at these, as the battery of your devices is a complicated and fragile thing, and can easily be damaged. It’s one product category where I’d say investing in a brand name you can trust is the smart thing to do in the long run.

Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if…

• You have the trinity of wireless-charging-ready iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods
• You’re sick of dealing with multiple plugs and cables
• You want to use your Apple Watch as a bedside clock

You shouldn’t buy this if…

• You only have one or two devices with wireless charging support
• You have an older iPhone without wireless charging built in
• You hate items that attract dust, or want to place it in a cramped location

Despite its minor flaws, the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad is still a very capable charging unit. It’s tidy, fast and maintains a secure connection to your devices over a MagSafe connection, with enough flexibility to safely house all sizes of Apple Watch too. However, it’ll be a bit of a squeeze for ‘Max’ sized iPhones, and it’s going to be a chore keeping it free of dust.