5 Mini Gadgets From Belkin That Are Small Enough To Take Anywhere - bgr.com

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Gadgets are only useful when you can actually use them and if you're out and about often, then odds are that you might find yourself without the exact device or tool you need at that moment, all because they were too big and clunky to lug with you that day. Thankfully, it doesn't have to be that way — and not all gadgets are too big and cumbersome to take out of the house with you. There are actually all kinds of cool mini gadgets out there, ranging from portable rechargeable devices to tiny microphones and beyond, that you can load your bag or pockets with so that you're well prepared for next time.

Belkin is one brand that offers tons of mini, portable gadgets designed for you to take with you wherever you go, whether that's because you're a commuter, a frequent flyer, or a student trying to prepare for long study sessions in the library. The Californian company's offerings vary widely, from wireless chargers and adapters to accessories for other tech, like AirTags or even the Nintendo Switch 2. Among its long list of products, you can easily find plenty of highly-rated gadgets to take with you on the go without feeling too weighed down by them along the way.

Being able to grab your laptop and work or study anywhere is great, particularly if you're someone who usually works from home. Something that isn't so great, however, is trying to find a plug socket when you're out and about. The UltraCharge Pro Laptop Power Bank 27K is Belkin's take on a super-powered battery pack that can charge a lot more than just your phone. It can charge two laptops at once alongside one extra device like a phone or smartwatch, in case you're co-working with a buddy.

As you might've guessed from the name, the power bank uses a large-capacity, 27,000 mAh internal battery. Belkin estimates that this means the battery should last for around 22 hours when charging a MacBook Pro 14, although your exact mileage may vary. It also offers flexible charging, with an output of up to 140W if you're charging one device, 240W for two devices, or 238W when split across three devices.

You might expect a power bank like this to be huge, but it isn't much different from your average power bank. It's about seven inches long and three-and-a-half inches wide, with a depth of just an inch, so you can still comfortably throw it in your laptop bag before you head out. It's also designed to be TSA Carry-on Compliant, so you should be able to take it on your travels without too much of an issue. However, some users have noted that the bank can be a little heavy, so make sure you're staying within your luggage's weight limits.

Capturing audio outside of the studio doesn't have to involve heaving around loads of big, heavy recording equipment all of the time. If all you want is something to record podcasts or vox pops with, or to help improve the audio for your videos, then a set of portable lavalier mics should work. Belkin's Stage Wireless Microphone set offers a pair of little, lightweight lavalier microphones that you can snap onto your clothes, necklace loop, or pretty much anything else with the built-in magnetic clip.

The kit comes with two omnidirectional microphones, each with its own six-hour battery life, and a protective case that doubles as a charger, offering up to an additional 36 hours of charge. Alongside the case and microphones, the bundle also includes two magnetic clips, a USB-C cable, and a USB-C receiver that allows you to connect your microphones to your phone, tablet, or laptop. This receiver works wirelessly with the mics, offering a transmission distance of up to 100 meters. If you're an avid audiophile, then these mics might not quite cut it in terms of depth and sensitivity.

However, if you're planning on using them for content creation, or just to make sure your home videos sound as good as they look, without dropping a massive amount of money or carrying around more gear than you need, then these microphones are a solid option. Plus, at only around an inch across, they really are small, so they won't take up much space in your bag.

It's no secret that you can get all kinds of different gadgets and accessories that help make your iPhone's camera look amazing now. One example is Belkin's Stage PowerGrip Magnetic Charging Camera Grip with Power Bank, which combines all kinds of different functions together to make your snaps and videos steadier while keeping your phone charged on the go. At less than five inches long and around three inches across, it's impressive.

It snaps onto your iPhone magnetically via its built-in wireless charger and connects via Bluetooth to unlock its full capabilities. Once connected, you can use its built-in shutter button to take photos or start recording your video directly, without needing to reach for your phone's touchscreen and risk blurring your image. It also works as its own tripod. At the time of writing, the grip has an average user rating of 4.2 stars, with several reviews noting how much it helps keeping videos stable, even with the shakiest of hands.

Using your phone's camera can quickly drain your battery, so the fact that the Stage PowerGrip doubles up as a power bank is nice — and helps to set it apart from some other grips on the market. It has a capacity of around 9,300 mAh, and according to the product listing, it should be able to charge your phone 1.6x times over. Alternatively, if you're not too worried about your phone's battery, you can also connect your other devices to it via its retractable USB-C cable or its USB-C output port. The only catch is that it's a little expensive for what it is, at $79.99.

If you prefer using wired headphones rather than their Bluetooth counterparts with your phone, there's a good chance that you've found yourself in a conundrum because you'll eventually have to unplug your headphones to charge your phone. With the right gadget — like Belkin's USB-C Audio and Charge Adapter — you don't have to end up in that situation at all.

The adapter works like a splitter by essentially turning your single USB-C input into two. That way, you can charge your phone, tablet, or digital notebook and use your USB-C port for listening to music or taking calls easily, at the same time. It allows up to 60W of passthrough power at a time, so you might find that it charges a bit slower than you're used to, but it could be a game-changer in a pinch.

Both USB-C ports offered by the adapter can be used either for a power supply or as an audio output, too, so you don't need to worry about using the wrong input. It's also compatible with both Android and Apple OS products, like iPhones and iPads. Overall, users seem pretty happy with the adapter, with a 4.4-star average on the Belkin website at the time of writing — although a couple of reviews flag that the device can be a little fragile or unpredictable, so handle it with care.

Power banks are always useful to bring with you wherever you go, but they can quickly become an inconvenience thanks to their size and weight. Plus, they're no use if you forget to pack your cable as well. Portable magnetic wireless power banks like Belkin's BoostCharge quickly deal with both of those problems at once, while also doubling up as a stand for your smartphone.

The BoostCharge has a capacity of 5,000 mAh and delivers a maximum of 7.5 watts wirelessly or 10 watts of power via USB-C. It's a small, discreet device that tucks onto the back of your phone, making it easier to charge it while it's in use compared to more traditional portable batteries and cables. It also comes in four different colors — black, white, pink, and lavender — so it can blend in smoothly with your device.

There is a small catch to the BoostCharge, though: your phone might not be fully compatible with it. At the very least, it can only charge certain makes and models of phones wirelessly, while others have to use the USB-C connection port instead. For example, certain Samsung devices can't connect to the charger wirelessly. You should be fine if you have an iPhone or a later-generation Pixel, but it's worth checking the full list of compatible devices on the BoostCharge's page via the Belkin website before you buy.

Belkin has a lot of different gadgets and accessories on offer, so we put some thought into how we selected which items to highlight. First off, we narrowed down our options by avoiding straightforward accessories like cases, cables, and screen protectors, on the grounds that they don't really tick the "gadget" box. Next, we carefully considered each product's size and weight to make sure that any of the gadgets we did choose were small and light enough that they wouldn't be too inconvenient to throw in your bag or pocket.

Similarly, we didn't pick any items that needed to be used in a specific place — like a car dashboard or with a plug socket — because then you wouldn't really be able to take them anywhere you felt like. We also picked out gadgets with a reasonable user rating. At the time of writing, everything we chose had a minimum user rating of at least four stars on the Belkin website.

In the case of the Stage Wireless Microphone, there weren't any user ratings directly on the product itself. So, to make sure that it was a viable inclusion on the list, we looked at professional reviews of the product, alongside user ratings on the Stage Creator Kit bundle, which includes the microphones. The bundle has an average user rating of 4.9 stars out of five, with many reviews praising the microphone's quality, usefulness, and build.