Belkin BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank 8K review: Portable power
With 8,000mAh and Qi2 support, the BoostCharge Pro magnetic power bank 8K is a great accessory for iPhone owners.
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Pros
- Simple to use
- Quick charging
- Enables Standby mode on iPhones
Cons
- Not a great fit with first Android Qi2 phone
- Quite pricey
MagSafe has been one of the iPhone’s superpowers for the past few generations. Now with Qi2, the same magnetic charging function slowly making its way to Android and other devices.
To test out the Qi2 functionality on the HMD Skyline, I was also sent the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 8K Magnetic Power Bank. This external battery pack has 8,000 mAh of battery life inside, which can be used can be used to charge a compatible Qi2 or MagSafe-enabled smartphone.
It’s a pretty simple offering, so let’s check it out.
What is the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 8K offering?
Belkin makes an interesting claim on the box of the BoostCharge Pro. It claims the 8,000mAh battery inside the BoostCharge Pro is enough for about 28 hours.
Reading the fine print, that figure is calculated by “comparing the capacity of the internal battery of this power bank with the maximum video playback hours achievable by the iPhone 15 under normal conditions”
Which is to say, it’s not a reliable number. But, it’s still going to be more than a full charge for your smartphone.
The Qi2 certification means that the battery pack is capable of wirelessly charging a device at 15W, which is faster than a traditional Qi charger.
The Belkin also supports pass-through charging, you can charge your device wirelessly while the battery itself is plugged in to charge.
There’s a 1 metre USB-C to USB-C cable in the box to help on that front, while a kickstand on the back will let you pop an iPhone into Standby mode while it charges.
What does the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 8K do well?
This is a straightforward external battery pack with wireless charging capabilities.
It’s nicely versatile. While it offers passthrough charging, it can also charge two devices simultaneously by plugging one in to the USB-C port and sticking another on the wireless charger.
That includes having enough grunt to charge my MacBook Pro, though it is more designed for mobile devices.
If you happened to read my review of the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1, you know I’m a massive fan of Standby mode on the iPhone. Standby mode offers widgets on the phone’s screen when the phone is charging and sitting in a horizontal position.
The kickstand on the 8K lets you use Standby mode anywhere, unlocking a range of different disk widgets for your iPhone.
That can be a clock, or a photo gallery intelligently themed around something like “pets” or “nature”.
It can also be a calendar of your day’s events, or the latest info on a particular share price. It makes the iPhone much more useful as a smaller companion screen while you work.
Kickstand aside, the back of the BoostCharge Pro 8K is otherwise quite bare, simply offering four small LED lights to highlight the battery’s capacity.
There’s a power button on the side, and while it’s a bit too thick to be comfortable in your pocket while attached to a phone, it’s not too thick that you can’t carry it around in a bag.
What could the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 8K improve?
This product is obviously designed for iPhones, despite being a Qi2-certified product.
When testing it with the first Android Qi2 phone, the HMD Skyline, it hung over the bottom of the phone, and didn’t form a strong magnetic connection like it does with the iPhone 15 Pro.
I am not convinced that’s bad design on Belkin’s front, though. It was frustrating while testing the Skyline, but given it is the first of what is undoubtedly hundreds of Android phones to offer the wireless charging tech, it won’t shift units like an iPhone would.
Designing for iPhone products is smarter on Belkin’s side, but it also highlighted how far Qi2 has to go before it hits mainstream adoption.
Verdict
If you need a portable charger for a recent iPhone, the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 8K is a great option.
If you’re looking for a pre-emptive charger for future Qi2 Android devices, then I’d hold off until you make that phone choice. This isn’t a great partner for the HMD Skyline.
Buy the Belkin BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank 8K online
Belkin BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank 8K
With 8,000 mAh of battery power and fast Qi2 charging, this is a great, though pricey accessory for your iPhone.
