Product test
A sleek alternative charging station: Belkin Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 review
by Martin Jungfer
The Zens Nightstand Charger Pro 2 fails to tick all my boxes
17.1.2025
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Martin Jungfer
Having a magnetic charging dock helps you keep messy cables at bay. You can charge all your gadgets with that one device, including your smartphone, in-ears and smartwatch. Although this Zens charger looks good, it has a few weak points.
As the name suggests, the Nightstand Pro 2 is meant to be for your bedside table. The benefit of this? The charging dock can be plugged in, put in position, folded out and can then simply be left where it is. If I’d only done that during my review, the charger’s shortcomings might not have been so apparent.
Mind you, the charger does come with two attachments for the power adapter. So, as well as the type C adapter used in the EU and Switzerland, you also have the option to use type G and type A. Perfect for a trip to the UK or the US.
The thing is, the option of swapping plug types makes the power adapter pretty bulky. It’s actually thick enough to block all three sockets on a typical Swiss triple-socket power outlet.
If you’re packing the charging station in a suitcase, it won’t take up much space. Although it tips the scales at a hefty 300 grammes, it’s still compact when folded shut, measuring around ten by ten centimetres and just over two centimetres tall.
Standby and charging
I test the Zens device with the assumption that it’ll be used on a bedside table. In those circumstances, it’d be plugged in 365 days a year. I measured around 0.4 watts in standby mode, which works out at an annual consumption of 3.5 kWh. Compared to charging stations I’ve tested before, this is a really good figure.
Bear in mind that the iPhone charges significantly slower on a magnetic dock via induction than it does via cable. Like other charging station manufacturers, however, Zens can’t do much about that. Induction charging is simply less efficient; only about half of the power goes into the battery, while the other half generates heat.
Even the current Qi2 standard, which Zens has installed, charges the iPhone with a maximum of 15 watts. During charging, the power meter says the charger’s drawing 22 watts from the socket. The difference is lost.
Room for two Apple gadgets
The Nightstand Pro 2 boasts enough space to charge two of your Apple gadgets at the same time. An iPhone or an Airpods case can go on the large plate, while an Apple Watch can charge on the puck. To do this, you have to flip open two parts of the charging station. Step one goes without a hitch. There’s a small notch for your finger, so you can fold the MagSafe surface upwards.
Underneath the folded up part, there’s the charging puck for your watch. Although I use the first hinge’s 80-degree angle to get a good grip, popping out the puck is no easy task – and it’s a hazard for your fingernails. The notch is inconveniently placed and too small. As a result, I keep the station opened out pretty much all the time, even if folding the lid back down after each use would look neater in the bedroom.
Still, the device is really robust and sturdy, so I’m not concerned about accidentally breaking it when I’m prising away at the puck.
Once it’s all nicely folded out, I can dock my iPhone. Horizontally. The charger’s not high enough to do it vertically. Meanwhile, the part that charges an Apple Watch has been better thought through. The puck is positioned high enough so that there’s even sufficient space for a larger wristband.
Oh, there’s also a compartment that opens up once you’ve flipped open the MagSafe adapter and popped out the charging puck. This provides storage space for an Airpod case, but doesn’t charge it. Zens has missed an opportunity here if you ask me. Since the device has room for another charging coil in the base, it could’ve easily become a dock capable of charging three gadgets at once.
Zens has had the right idea on LEDs. To be precise, there aren’t any. Having a light-up battery indicator on a device intended for use in the bedroom would just be a nuisance. Once docked, the Apple gadgets hold in position, and charge. If you want to check charging progress, you can see it on the display.
In a nutshell
Looks aren’t everything
To me, the Nightstand Pro 2 doesn’t seem to have been totally thought through. It doesn’t have a third charging slot for Airpods – despite a bedside table being the ideal place to charge them. In my view, the proprietary power adapter and cable are outdated. USB-C should be standard for this sort of product. The Zens charging dock’s strong points are its great build, high-quality materials and well-executed design. If you’re looking for a charging dock for your bedroom that’ll power your Apple Watch and iPhone in a horizontal position overnight, the Zens is the one for you.
Pro
- Very high charging performance
- Compact
- Stable
- No annoying LEDs
- Very well made, using high-quality material
Contra
- Compartment for your Airpod case doesn’t have a charging coil
- iPhones can only be charged in a horizontal position
- Charging puck for your watch is very awkward to pull out
- Bulky power adapter covers triple-socket power outlets almost completely
- Proprietary cable and power adapter
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
