Best Power Banks for the Nintendo Switch 2020 (review)
Looking for the perfect power bank for your Switch? We've got you covered.
- Has great capacity with a maximum of 29 watts of output
- Can charge power up larger devices
- Compatible with a lot of fast charge protocols
- Small, functional size
- Good value for money
- Basic design
The RAVPower PD Pioneer 10,000mAh is a small but powerful power bank capable of charging your Switch at its sweet spot of 18w with more capacity to spare.
- Wireless charging at 10 watts with a maximum output of 22 watts
- Capable of of charging at 12/15V which works great with the Switch
- Slim form factor
- Very affordable at $25
- Not available on Amazon
The ZMI WPB01 is a very capable yet affordable pack perfect for charging your Switch.
- Compact for a 20,000mAh pack
- Decent price for a pack in the 20k category
- Has a wide array of fast charge protocols
- Massive output of 60 watts
- Lacks Programmable Power Supply (for new Samsungs)
The RAVPower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh is a 20k pack capable of a massive 60 watts of output that can charge not just your Switch but other devices as well such as laptops.
- Has 45 watts of output, being able to charge other devices aside from the Switch
- Affordable for a 20k pack
- Great value for money
- Hard to get in various places around the world
The Xiaomi Gen 3 Pro is a great affordable pack with more than enough capacity to power up your Switch.
- Small and compact form factor
- Available on Amazon
- Great value for money
- Gives us only the required output
The Aukey PB-Y23 is the best alternative to the Xiaomi Pro as it is easier to get your hands on.
Table of Contents
With the Nintendo Switch being played in handheld mode, it’s very easy to drain its battery which leads us to the question of if it is safe to charge using third-party power banks. Luckily, we found out that yes – it is completely safe to power up your Switch in handheld mode using non-Nintendo licensed portable chargers. There have been no reports of users bricking their Switches using power banks from other brands in handheld mode; only accounts of consumers having trouble with third-party docks.
How does the Switch charge?
The Switch powers itself up using USB-C which is great because of the promise of universal compatibility. However, the USB-C that Nintendo uses does not exactly comply with the USB-C standard. This makes it confusing with regards to charging the Switch using third-party devices.
This was followed by a wave of bricking reports from 2018 supposedly caused by third-party docks. But in saying that, we would like to reiterate that there have been zero reports of third-party power banks bricking a Switch. It is completely safe to charge your device using a third-party portable charger.
Picking the right power bank for your Switch
To be able to charge your Switch in the best possible way, here is what we’re looking for in a power bank: Power Delivery, at least 18 watts of output, and a 12 volt or 15 watt gear. This is also the sweet spot for charging an iPhone which means that this is the most common standard by which these power banks are getting put out to the market. Meaning, there are plenty of options out there that can charge your Switch just perfectly.
That being said, there’s really no reason to buy the Nintendo-licensed Anker portable chargers. Aside from them being way overpriced, they’re not really great power banks in general. Instead, take a look at our picks for the best power banks for your Nintendo Switch.
Best power banks for your Nintendo Switch
RAVPower PD Pioneer 10,000mAh
This is one of the best 10k packs to charge your Switch with its great capacity, being able to easily hit that sweet spot of 18 watts of output. Aside from that, it actually has a maximum of 29 watts of output which means that you can use this to power up larger devices. It’s also compatible with a lot of fast charge protocols so no matter what model your phone is, you can also charge it with this portable charger.
ZMI WPB01
It has a maximum output of 22 watts (with wireless charging at 10 watts) which means that it also easily hits the required 18 watts of output that the Switch needs to charge at a very optimal rate. It’s perfectly capable of charging at 12 volts or 15 volts as well and it works flawlessly with the Nintendo Switch. It’s a slimmer pack and it’s a great bargain retailing for $25 (although it’s not yet available on Amazon).
RAVPower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh
Like the 10k version, it’s a tremendous pack with a great form factor. It has a decent price with a massive array of fast charge protocols. It’s capable of a great 60 watts of maximum output which is more than enough to easily charge a Switch and other devices.
Xiaomi Gen 3 Pro
It might be harder to get in various places around the world but it’s such a steal at $30. It has 45 watts of output which is way more than what you need for a Switch but you can still use this to charge a multitude of other devices. It is slightly larger than what you need to charge a Switch but if you’re after a budget pack in the 20,000mAh range, then this is the perfect option for you.
Aukey PB-Y23
This portable charger hits a maximum of 18 watts of output which is exactly what we need. It’s a great alternative to the Xiaomi pack as that is pretty hard to get your hands on. It’s also a great power bank with a much smaller form factor than the other 20k packs so you are going to get more portability with this one.
Zendure Supertank
This power bank just hits the mark on “airplanable” portable chargers with its massive output of 100 watts. This pack is perfect for long-haul flights since it has everything you need to power up your Nintendo Switch and that great 27,000mAh capacity. Aside from your Switch, you’re going to be able to charge your laptops with this one which is always handy on very long trips.
Conclusion
That wraps up our list of the best power banks for your Nintendo Switch. All our opinions are based on our in-house testing so rest assured that these packs are proven and tested. From the 10k to the 27k category, all our picks are bound to power up your Switch perfectly.
