Key Takeaways
- The BoostCharge barely meets basic charging needs, let alone does more.
- It’s an ultraportable, but basic charging-only option.
- I would keep it on hand as a MagSafe charger suited for emergency refill.
Keeping my phone charged when I’m away from home is a constant challenge for me. I don’t like having to leave my device connected to a wall charger in the middle of the day when I prefer to have my phone on me, so lately, when my battery is running low, I’ve been favoring MagSafe and Qi2 chargers to keep my iPhone juiced up on the go.
The Belkin BoostCharge is one of many such chargers on my roster, and comes from a trusted brand in the iPhone charging accessory space. I recently spent some time with the Belkin BoostCharge to see if it fit my busy lifestyle, and I was a little disappointed.
Belkin BoostCharge
$40 $50 Save $10
The Belkin BoostCharge is a frill-free 2,500 mAh MagSafe power bank for iPhone. Its thin profile and lightweight make it ultra-portable, though its limited battery capacity, lack of kickstand, and no multi-charging make it a bare-bones product compared to Belkin’s other offerings.
- Thin profile and lightweight
- Charges via USB-C
- Very small 2,500 mAh capacity
- no kickstand, multi-charging, or any other features
Related
How to set a Charge Limit in iOS 18 to prolong your battery life
If you have an iPhone 15 or 16, you can choose how much your battery gets charged.
Price, availability, and specs
The Belkin BoostCharge is available from Amazon, Target, and directly from Belkin online. It retails for $40, though it can frequently be found for a few dollars off depending on when and where you’re shopping.
The Belkin BoostCharge falls on the bare-bones end of the spectrum when it comes to MagSafe-compatible chargers. Its limited 2,500 mAh is just enough to serve as a stopgap to prevent your phone from dying completely at the end of a long day, though it’s by no means enough to keep you going for an entire second wind away from another charging source.
The charger features no kickstand, no multi-charge support, no status display screen, and really no bells or whistles to write home about. It serves only one narrow purpose and is priced accordingly. The Belkin BoostCharge charges via USB-C, weighs just over 3.5oz (100g), and features simple indicator lights to assess battery level.
Related
With Apple now embracing both Qi2 and USB-C charging standards, is it time for the company to resurrect its MagSafe Battery Pack?
Apple first introduced us to its new MagSafe wireless charging protocol with the launch of the iPhone 12 series back in 2020. In short, MagSafe introduces a circular ring of magnets to the rear panel of newer iPhones, which helps to align the inductive charging coils used for Qi wireless charging. Since then, a wide variety of MagSafe-ready charging stands and accessories have hit the market, including some from Apple itself. A fan favorite — the company’s own MagSafe Battery Pack — was released in July 2021 and then unceremoniously discontinued in September 2023 after the launch of the iPhone 15 series. Other peripheral makers have since filled the external magnetic battery void left by Apple, including excellent offerings like the Anker MagGo Power Bank or the brand-new UGREEN Magnetic Power Bank. These newer devices benefit from Qi2 certification, which is an open standard that fuses together the original Qi wireless charging specification with Apple’s own MagSafe magnet attachmen
What I liked about the Belkin BoostCharge
Good for taking it on the go
The most redeeming quality of the Belkin BoostCharge is its small size and thin profile, allowing it to fit into just about any pocket, purse, or clutch. Its ultraportable design is its greatest strength, so it falls squarely into an “it’s so easy to carry, you might as well have it on you” mindset.
It doesn’t have the juice to get you fully charged, but it’s just enough to keep you going until you can make it to a charger. While larger chargers will take you farther, I enoyed that I could comfortably slip my iPhone 14 Pro into my pocket with the BoostCharge attached.
Velvety finish
I’ve started to see more MagSafe chargers from Belkin that feature this velvet-like finish on the charging side of the power bank. Personally, I think it’s a great trend — I hate feeling like the hard plastic finish of other chargers is scratching up my phone at the contact points. It’s a nice touch and an elegant detail that I appreciate.
Related
Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro 5K is a thin, lightweight, and reliable wireless charger
This magnetic battery pack is one of the most user-friendly magnetic chargers on the market.
What I didn’t like about the Belkin BoostCharge
Not enough juice — or pizzazz — for the squeeze
Compared to other Belkin products or MagSafe chargers from other brands, the BoostCharge just felt like a really rudimentary product. At this price point, I wish the BoostCharge at least included a kickstand. When I factored in the total lack of additional features and the fairly small 2,500 mAh capacity, I was frankly underwhelmed by this entry from Belkin.
At 2,500 mAh of capacity, the BoostCharge is also dwarfed by newer models from Belkin, including some of the same relative size. There are a lot of MagSafe chargers on the market that are just as small but pack at least 5,000 mAh of charging, which will provide a lot more peace of mind when you’re out and about. Again, here the BoostCharge is a very stripped-down product.
1:00
Related
This is the MagSafe battery pack you need to get through the day
Ever since Apple discontinued its MagSafe battery, I’ve been on the hunt for another. I think the UGREEN Magnetic Power Bank officially measures up.
Should you buy the Belkin BoostCharge?
If you need a MagSafe charger in your life and portability is a high priority, then you’ll find the BoostCharge certainly falls on the thinner, more reliable, and more portable end of the MagSafe charger market. Belkin makes great products, so you’re certainly better off with a small, budget-friendly MagSafe charger from a trusted brand than with cheaper products from no-name brands with questionable build quality. The standard BoostCharge is also really affordable for its build quality, though even $10 or $20 more would get you a Belkin MagSafe charger with double the capacity while retaining the same compact size.
0:51
Related
This little robot charger packs a watt of power in a cute package
I wouldn’t mind if this robot took over charging my devices.
If spending as little as possible is a priority, then the BoostCharge will serve you well. However, if your needs are better met by a MagSafe charger that can keep your phone charged throughout an entire day, has a stand for easier hands-free phone use, or features multi-charge support to juice up your phone and tablet at the same time, then I’d encourage you to explore more refined models than this standard BoostCharge.
Belkin BoostCharge
$40 $50 Save $10
Trending Products
