Qi2 has finally hit our shores, and we are starting to see supporting accessories arrive in stores. Belkin announced their range and we were lucky to test out one of theirs a few weeks ago, but now we have another version on the review desk, the UltraCharge 3-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger.
Effectively, it is similar to the UltraCharge Pro Magnetic Charging Dock but not as premium. As you can see in the photos Dan took from his review unit, the Pro version features a USB-C cable and AC adapter that appear to be of higher quality. The Pro version also has a smaller footprint and a cooling fan.
The new UltraCharge range supports the new Qi2 standard announced recently which lets you charge compatible devices at up to 25W.
The UltraCharge 3-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger is more affordable than the UltraCharge Pro we reviewed in September, priced at $170. The dock can also sit on your desk, bedside table, or counter, and, differently, it is entirely foldable, so you can easily take it with you wherever you go in the world.
This is what makes it great, its foldable and thus portable nature. Not only does the foldability make it more portable but it means you can place the phone, while charging, at any angle you want, including flat – but keep in mind this may affect the ability to charge other devices as it decreases the available space to fit those devices.
The charger is a basic black colour and comes with a basic USB-C cable and a 45W USB-C AC adapter. Nothing fancy, but it does the job.
Once again, there are rubber feet on the bottom of the charger to help it remain in place and keep it stable.
The charger is hinged with the watch Qi charger folded in underneath the top of the charger, so it needs to be open for the watch charger to fold out and be used. When unfolded, the charger opens up the space behind, allowing earbuds etc to be charged.
As is the protocol with the Qi2.2 standard, there are magnets within the charger helping you to align your phone to the charger correctly. You can put the phone at any angle from portrait to fully landscape and still have it charge at full speed.
The magnets and design of the charger, with the charging coil section protruding from the charger, make it easy to place the phone on the charger and remove it as well without affecting the location of the charger – ie. it doesn’t move it. This is, strangely enough, my favourite feature of this charger.
As you may suspect and expect from the box, the UltraCharge 3-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger can charge compatible phones at 25W. Currently, in Australia, this includes the iPhone 16 and 17 ranges (except for the Air, which maxes out at 20W) and the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The charger will charge any Qi-compatible device though, just not at its full capacity.
For the six months or so I’ve used a 50W wireless charger and this ability to charge so fast wirelessly is extremely handy. For Google and Apple to finally offer this faster charging is great for consumers, and even better for consumers that manufacturers such as Belkin are offering such a diverse range of supporting products.
According to manufacturer specs, the iPhone 16 Pro *should* charge at 25W due to its adherence to the Qi2 protocol. My results say otherwise. As you can see in the graph below (thanks ChatGPT for that), Dan’s Pixel 10 Pro XL charged much faster than the iPhone 16 Pro.
It is possible that Apple limits the charging on the iPhone 16 Pro, as I have seen the Pixel 10 Pro charge at full 15W speeds. Either way, the charging is still quick.
Qi2 has been coming for a while and it is worth the wait. For those of us who are Android users, we welcome not just the speed of the wireless charging but the magnetic nature of Qi2. The Belkin UltraCharge 3-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger offers all of this plus more. You can prop your Qi2-compatible phone on it at any angle while charging it at a maximum 25W and you can also charge your watch and earbuds at the same time.
The updated design allows for easy placement and removal from the dock, ensuring it remains stable and won’t slide around your desktop over time. The smaller, foldable design not only allows multiple wireless devices to be charged at once but also folds down for use while travelling. The included 45W USB-C AC adapter is also an excellent addition for travelling.
Belkin products are not cheap but you get what you pay for. They are well-made and function just as they should without any hassles.
The Belkin UltraCharge 3-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger is available now for RRP 9.95AU at Belkin.com and at all good retail stores.
Scott is our resident open technology expert. If you can mod it, or want to use it your way, Scott has probably done it. From Laptops to phones, headphones and game consoles, he’s played with it and wants to see the next generation.
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