Hands-on: Belkin Car Vent Mount PRO with MagSafe for iPhone 12

[@POJAC3]

You mention there’s built in cable management but don’t show how it works?

[@RandomBogey]

I just slapped a Apple MagSafe charger onto my old magnetic scosche magic mount. Bam, MagSafe car mount with wireless charging... It works great and my phone has never fallen off. $15 for the Scosche mount and $40 for the MagSafe charger.

[@costantineyoussif6679]

I do have the scosche magic mount for years and they’re just great, but I haven’t really tried your idea , will probably give it a shot and see how it looks and hold 👍🏼, question did the phone over heat or something?

[@jdmartinez6003]

does it come off the air vent when removing the phone?

[@Thegalexg]

Hi there. Just received mine today and tried it on. Unfortunately I've noticed a small unpleasant detail about it. While it does lock up pretty well yo the main ring on the phone, that little vertical bar underneath it - doesn't seem to hold in place. I have Apple clear case with MagSafe and there's this little vertical bar underneath the main circle of magnets. I suppose that's magnetic too, right?! And I also suppose it corresponds to magnet inside the phone, right?! So when I try to swivel it into horizontal orientation - seems like the mount moves independently of the phone itself. So like while the phone holds tight to the mount by the main ring, it can swivel off of the bottom portion and be like that. Is it suppose to be like this, or both main ring and bottom bar are both supposed to hold the phone tight? I've noticed in you video the mount is also not always perfectly aligned with the phone. sometime bottom part pf the phone is closer to the edge of the mount than the middle part, where the main ring is. I sit a correct observation, or am I Wrong?

[@ironryan2009]

After spending £50 on the Apple silicon MagSafe case and there being a long wait for this price accessory, I went on Amazon and got a magnetic vent mount for just £6 and it works perfectly. Holds super strong. I paired this with a high powered usb car charger and get fast charging too. It comes with a little metal disc that goes between the phone and the case (in my case the Apple MagSafe case), which in hindsight was a waste of money - but I could still use wireless charging if I wanted to

[@AppleTrack]

Loved the shots in this! What camera/lens combo did you shoot with?

[@frankie9202]

I love you

[@ttoadster]

Thanks! I used a Sony a7iii and a combo of Sigma glass.

[@jake_lacroix5417]

yay, someone new on the channel!!!!!

[@CPX723]

I’ve seen cases with magnetic rings, just like these MagSafe ones but for any iPhone, not just for the 12 series. Those cases make MagSafe compatible with any iPhone. You don’t really need magnets integrated inside an iPhone to use MagSafe. Just get one of those cases.

[@WalkingKarma]

Two questions everyone would have about this are: 1) Does it hold the heavier pro phone properly 2) Can it charge (even with wire). After 4 minutes of talk, the first question is partially answered, second is brushed ver ("the cable will not look good on this"!! Well SHOW us!! that's the purpose of the video isnt it?)

[@sulaimanahmed08]

I’ve never seen him before. Still, great video! ❤️

[@JohnMcCormack]

Thanks for reviewing this and I fully agree that without wireless charging through the mount, it really doesn’t deserve the “Pro” moniker.

[@Smartphonematters]

Thank you for the video. Would you say that the magnets in the car mount are stronger than the magnets in Apple’s MagSafe charger then? I’m curious if these new MagSafe accessories are using magnets of various strengths depending on the application. The magnets in Apple’s MagSafe charger do not seem to me to be strong enough to hold a phone in place in a car. I don’t think you would want then to be as it would make removing the phone from the cable difficult Unser normal usage

[@3204clivesinclair]

Found out recently that Apple supply the magnetic part to Belkin. In fact the magnetic part is the very same that Apple use in its MagSafe battery.

[@philswallow]

How would this hold on vertical vents e.g. Volvo?

[@adrhdz93]

Should’ve had wireless charging

[@alliejr]

Why? It makes no sense since you have to run a wire from the mount down to power anyway. Plus, 99% of CarPlay implementations are still wired.

[@micahgoldson1253]

@@alliejr Well yes, the wire would still be there. But it means you wouldn’t have to take the time to plug in your phone every time you get in the car, and you could just grab it and go when you get out. The point isn’t to remove the wire, it is to remove the time taken to plug and unplug the phone.

[@PDGX]

@@alliejr It is nice to simply jump into car, and with one hand, simply put your phone onto the magnetic holder/charger. (Not a huge deal, but it does take two hands to plug in an iphone. I also don't use CarPlay, so I'm personally not interested in that functionality.)

[@That1randomguy92]

I agree my only problem with it is it’ll probably charge at the slow wireless charging speed and if that’s the case might as well just plug it in for faster speeds

[@micahgoldson1253]

@@That1randomguy92 MagSafe charges at 15W, which is only 3W less than lightning. But if you’re busy driving your car, do you really need to charge your phone at those speeds? When I’m in my car, I really only need the charger to keep my phone powered for navigation and music.

[@lianeatlarge]

Just be aware folks that this does not work with the pro max size, the phone is too heavy. You go over a bump and the phone goes flying. Worth noting.

[@a4sleep]

i have a pro phone never fell

[@lilspnce49]

Does this leave the dreaded circle on the phone like the chargers do?

[@kristenhahn]

Love how this was shot but definitely looking forward to a review for a reliable mount that could charge!!

[@CAGALUN]

Check my comment above.....

[@johnnyvuong7602]

!

[@RamenCupBMG]

can you put the magsafe charger in between the phone and mount? does it hold?

[@richwydra]

Will it work with the MOUS limitless 3.0? There are magnets built into the case

[@bowsim]

Cheers for the review I was thinking about buying this I won’t bother now

[@marcolivierbien-aime1944]

Is this product compatible with circular air vents? (Mercedes cars)

[@marketrealist1221]

Nice work!! Explained alot of info and great points to think about. Thank you!

[@smokiewolf]

Could you put a MagSafe puck on the back of the phone and then stick it to the mount?

[@uther10]

Thanks for the heads up, I want to have a case ready before I upgrade to my 12 and it looks like I am going Apple case.

[@jadfakhouri8535]

Thanks for your work . Why even 1 year later no-one released an OFFICIAL Made For Magsafe certified car-mount (Even Belkin ?!?) ? It's really strange . Seems it's not very secure to charge at 15W in a car ?!?

[@chivatech]

Imagine paying $40 for a magnet that doesn’t even charge.

[@PDGX]

Sneaky/misleading design by Belkin: Circle with a line. Sure "looks" like it should also be a charger... WAY overpriced for some plastic and magnets.

[@LouManning]

Personally, I’d rather plug directly into the phone for a better charge since you need a wire anyway. Also, you can remove the phone from the mount and it’ll still charge if connected.

[@1533willo]

glad you wrote this I totally thought it was a charger, man what a scam. why not just buy a magnet?

[@SiimKuusik]

0:42 "It's held with a silicone tit" Me: SOLD 💰

[@djrichimc]

does this work with the magsafe wallet attached ?

[@herohunter81]

Is it strong enough in landscape?

[@techkarma2583]

Yes it is. I own this and it works great!

[@danimondi2649]

How does it perform with the heavier iPhone Pro models?

[@tarepandapc]

I using it with my iPhone Pro Max, no issue at all.

[@danimondi2649]

@@tarepandapc Impressive! I was skeptical about hitting a bump and it falling off.

[@enriquec.7057]

With these kind of vent holders in the past they sag, or fall off?

[@Zveebo]

Miles looks a little different in this one 🤔 Nice video though!

[@9to5Mac]

🤔 I am trying a new skin care routine... But this is not me. This is Tim, he'll be posting videos here in addition to Jeff and I!

[@DaveVT5]

I bought this on preorder and opened it for Christmas. A huge disappointment. It works in my Apple branded clear case but the magnet doesn’t hold with my wife’s iPhone 12 Pro Max with her new Otterbox Symmetry Series case which is almost as thin but denser plastic. Someone said it right above, a lot of money to play for a magnet that doesn’t integrate wireless charging.

[@serhiiDev]

Can I charge my phone via magsafe?

[@adammelvin84]

Huge shame not to have wireless charging. Thats a deal breaker for me. informative video 👍🏻.

[@Joolz1982]

Thanks for the review seems a good bit of kit. I take it the clamp will not snap/bend the car vent with the weight of the phone. Seems sturdy for bumps etc at least.

[@SDisonYT]

I like the OhSnap solution. It works with MagSafe chargers, or you can use theirs. Theirs is honestly better because it has much stronger magnets. Not to mention it also has a built in finger loop and kickstand that collapse nearly flat to still allow for wireless charging.

[@imbevan6138]

My iPhone 12 Pro Max falls off when I hit bumps lol it’s not that good

[@FLXBeerReviews]

Does this hold the weight of the max?

[@buddheeshaweerasinghe2756]

Yes it does

[@linkndark]

Does it work with the second generation Mini Cooper with the round vents?

[@dubaigeek1988]

I love it but sadly it mount on the AC vent which in my country is essential which ruin this product to me.

[@noahasinger]

it does not block all the air flow

[@dubaigeek1988]

@@noahasinger I know in my country it’s so hot that you cant block nothing or you’ll be driving a sauna. It can reach 122 Fahrenheit (50 Celsius)

[@noahasinger]

@@dubaigeek1988 I see. Maybe you will have to wait for a suction mount accessory.

[@mcresearch]

$39.99 is a crazy high price for a non-induction mount.

[@Robert.Riddle]

What’s a non-induction mount? 🤔

[@mcresearch]

@@Robert.Riddle It won't charge wirelessly.

[@alliejr]

Nice review, but I have a couple of suggestions for improvement. 1. You complain about the cable management, but it's all words. Why not shoot some video of how the cable manangement actually works (or doesn't work, as you complain)? It is a video, not a podcast. 2. Aside from "I want wireless charging because it has "Pro" in the name", what is the real point of wireless charging on such a device. You have to run a wire from the mount down to power, anyway-- not saving anything there. And _MOST_ CarPlay implementations are _NOT_ (yet) wireless. Yes, Belkin _COULD_ have made it a wireless charger, but it is plainly obvious why they didn't bother.

[@ttoadster]

I appreciate the criticism! Will definitely consider these notes for next time.

[@gregory1347]

This thing lacking wireless charging is like a car lacking wheels

[@Seanonyoutube]

It’s like a car with wheels but without an engine.

[@maartenbrichart644]

I’ll stay with my Xvida mount. Works damn good

[@jrrichards9392]

Did someone hack 9 to 5 Mac and post this video?

[@davidmmuench]

I got a nice VICSEED car phone mount with a vent clip and suction cup for $18 on an Amazon lightning deal. Does what I need it to do. No proprietary case needed. 🤷‍♂️

[@kyle2034]

I bought this thinking it was a wireless charger. It does work well as a mount, but for the most part it was a big disappointment.

[@paniki_man2512]

It slide off the car vents

[@fabian_99]

who cares whether or not it charges its a damn stand for you to use in your car... i dont get why so many people complain about this

[@meady200]

You can't be a driver? GPS murders the battery in absolutely no time.

[@fabian_99]

@@meady200 which is why cars come with built in gps systems now a days :) you can‘t own a car ? plus just connect a cable from your phone to the cars usb port if you want it to charge ...helllooooo

[@crawlingfingers]

It would've been a lot better if it offered wireless charging as well. Missed opportunity.

[@didogianky]

Yes, you’re right! But consider also not all cars have wireless system for Apple CarPlay, so you need a lightning cable too.

[@crawlingfingers]

The car doesn't have to be carplay compatible to make wireless charging work. You can have a car charger built into this car mount to make wireless charging work.

[@cxerphax1]

I like your car seats lol. What kind of car is it?

[@RossMKF1]

Looks like some type of Subaru maybe a Legacy, Impreza, or outback

[@DefinitelyNotMyRealName]

Close the vent it's in front of.

[@meady200]

Great vid. Product looks quite overpriced though, this looks like it should be $10-ish

[@atrium.]

so incredibly disappointed that this magsafe holder doesn't also charge wirelessly (obv the holder itself would be plugged in). Magsafe inherently refers to a charger! so strange. the product itself is great quality, sleek, and feels great but how misleading!

[@JemTheWire]

I think we need a bit more enthusiasm. His voice is very soporific.

[@yogajoeguy]

The vent mounts are the most stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of! Living in the northern hemisphere the heat will burn the phone up.

[@victuringan1429]

Well not everyone lives in the Northern Hemisphere 🙄

[@scubabb11]

It is 6 months old and the whole vent mount falls off/out of the vent. I have been on hold with Belkin for 45 minutes and listened to their pathetic recording 100 times, I would never recommend any Belkin product based on their wait time alone!

[@no_handle_required]

Never understand people covering a vent with a phone, but more importantly, wouldn't pay belkin for the apple name and the same old chinese junk. you can get on amazon.

[@JackMihoff6969]

I have 13 iPhone 12 Pro cases and all of them are Magsafe cases. Only one of them are from Apple. There are A LOT of Magsafe cases out there. Don’t listen to this guy. Doesn’t know what he’s talking about. There are dozens of Magsafe car chargers out there too.

[@steelers19727]

If you don’t like it send it to me bro????

[@koiphish]

Who da hell is this guy?!?!

[@ttoadster]

Hi!! I’m Tim! New content creator for the 9to5 team. :)

[@ConnorGriffinMusic]

Your color grade makes the red iPhone 12 look more rust colored, it actually made be do a double take and have to go check the colors on Apple's website. Also, you should have demonstrated the cable management feature when you talked about how you didn't like it. Not very helpful to just take your word for it and not even see how it works.

[@notname9479]

Кайфовый аксессуар 🤍🔝🤌🏿

[@DeusEx.Machina]

Skip it. Trust me, go buy the ESR MagSafe Qi car mount. Literally the best car mount ever existed; Then come back and thank me.

[@queenhill4405]

Link please

[@DeusEx.Machina]

@@queenhill4405 www.esrgear.com/products/halolock-magnetic-wireless-car-charger-mount-for-iphone-12/?set_country=us&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_qD_BRDiARIsANjZ2LDX1hNt_gvMnDBvz0QcC6FReTzwxIQE1nxGqYjIulBxa_RPWHHSCsEaAhNFEALw_wcB

[@moroporotoro]

I hate vent mount so much!! Biggest bullshit ever!! Why not M3 mount on the dashboard?!

[@Killswitch85]

Can literally do this yourself for so much less, buy a magnetic car mount, buy any case you like and finally buy an adhesive magnet. Superglue magnet to back of case and then place phone on magnetic mount. Job done for around £25.

[@2nd-place]

This is dumb without the charger. Also I can never get vent mounts to work with my car. I just want a window mount that charges. My new 12 Pro Max doesn’t charge on my Qi window mount because it’s too big compared to my old 11 Pro and the bottom adjustment doesn’t go low enough. But then again, I don’t drive much anymore with the pandemic. Hopefully something good comes out in January if there is like a virtual CES or whatever. If I had a 3D printer I could maybe make an adapter for my current window mount that could hold the MagSafe charger puck securely.

[@haselhofler]

The price is an assault. I ordered the same thing from AliExpress for 15$. The difference is that this China product supports wireless charging. Unfortunately it takes forever to ship :D.

[@williamyun1522]

I had to return this. Very poor quality.

[@customrodderr]

What a pro crap without wireless charging!

[@papakimple]

No wireless charging and no other colour options... No thanks

[@Seanonyoutube]

What a ridiculous product. MagSafe without charging? They honestly shouldn’t even be allowed to call it that.

[@william9533]

First

[@andresvaldevit3692]

Is Belkin for real? Thumbs 👎, not even worth a review

[@joshx413]

Whoa. $40 for just a magnetic charger? Lol. Hard pass

[@MrBlaq]

$40 for a mount that doesn't even charge? FOH

[@kauvik_]

why? still have to run a cable to the dock, might as well be able to pull it out of the way for a cleaner look