With wireless charging evolving as a new trend in flagship smartphones, accessories players are leaving no stone unturned to cash in on this opportunity. Belkin, which is mostly known for making accessories for iPhones and premium devices from other brands such as Samsung and Google, has been a trend-setter in this technology ever since it became a key feature in high-end smartphones. Keeping up with the trend, the California-headquartered accessories major has come up with the 10W Wireless Charging Stand + Speaker in India. Priced above Rs 7,000 (after discounts) on different platforms, the all-new gadget offers a multitude of functions which we’ll discuss in this review. But do these make sense for you? Let’s find out.
Design and Build
The Belkin 10W Wireless Charging Stand + Speaker comes in Black and White colour options, and we got the latter for review. It looks simple yet stylish and is ergonomically designed. The device is made of a good quality plastic and has a strong build. However, it’s lightweight and has a dimension of 110mm x 102mm x 106mm.
While most of the wireless charging pads available in the market are flat, this one is a bit different. The design of the frame holding the smartphone is a little angled backward which helps the smartphone to rest properly on the charging pad and just behind it, is the enclosed speaker and mic with a nice round cup-like design. The angled design lets you place your smartphone in both vertical and horizontal positions and helps you to see your messages, take calls, or even do video conferences while the smartphone is charging.
Up front, there is a brand logo in the middle of the charging pad. There is a speaker grill on the top and a huge button to switch on/off Bluetooth behind the Qi charging pad with a nice round cup shape. The device comes with a power adapter and you have to attach the charging pin into it and to use the product.
The all-new Belkin offering is just not a wireless charger and speaker. It’s basically also a smartphone holder that keeps your handset firmly either vertically or horizontally. In the vertical position, you get all the updates without actually touching the phone and it is of great use while working on the desk, whereas the horizontal mode is helpful in watching videos or movies.
Wireless Charger
As the name suggests, wireless charging capability happens to be the main functionality of this Belkin device. It offers up to 10W of wireless charging which starts immediately without any delay.
I used iPhone 11 with a case on and there wasn’t any sort of interruption while charging. Since the power rating is limited to 10W, it took much longer time to charge my phone when compared to the conventional charger. Thankfully, my phone didn’t get hot while charging, as it’s the case with wireless charging.
Bluetooth Speaker
Doubling up as a Bluetooth speaker, the device comes with a mono speaker that punches above its weight by producing fairly loud sound. The speaker performed very well on treble and mids as the highs and vocals were very clear and crisp but it lacked in-depth or the rumble of the bass
Although its audio quality is not that impressive when compared to a high-end Bluetooth speaker, it’s a good listening device, especially on calls and video calls.
Keeping up with the trend, the speaker is very intuitive in functionality. Once you pair it with you phone, it just connects and disconnects with just a touch of a button.
Conclusion
The Belkin Wireless Charging Stand 10W + Speaker gels well with today’s trend of a device with multiple benefits. It’s something made for the working table and for the people who are on continuous calls and require frequent smartphone charging. Its angle design too is of great use that will help you keep the smartphone vertical or horizontal. You can do video calls or watch video content for a longer duration without holding the phone. It’s a value for money product, is safe, and can be your perfect desk companion.