Power Bank for Steam Deck, Switch 2 and Mobile Gaming: Watts, Capacity and Flight Rules – Buying Guide 2026

Steam Deck, Switch 2 and phones don't last forever on the go. Valve quotes 3 to 12 hours of gameplay for the Steam Deck OLED, Nintendo about 2 to 6.5 hours for the Switch 2, depending on the game. If you want to play longer on a train or while travelling, you need a power bank. But not every power bank delivers enough power for the battery to actually go up while you play.

This guide covers how many watts the Steam Deck and Switch 2 expect, why the mAh number is misleading, what airlines allow, and five power banks that are available on amazon.de.

Transparency: We have not tested these power banks ourselves. All information comes from Valve, Nintendo, the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA), the Lufthansa Group and the verified amazon.de product pages (as of October 2026). We don't list prices because they change constantly.

What the Steam Deck and Switch 2 need

Steam Deck

For both models Valve specifies a 45W USB-C power supply with Power Delivery 3.0. The battery is 50 Wh on the Steam Deck OLED and 40 Wh on the LCD model. If you want the Deck to charge as fast as with the original charger while you play, the power bank should deliver 45W from a single USB-C port using USB Power Delivery (PD). With less power the Deck charges more slowly, and in demanding games the battery level can drop even while plugged in.

Nintendo Switch 2

The Switch 2 has two USB-C ports. According to Nintendo, the bottom port charges the console and connects it to the dock, while the top port is for accessories and charging. On the go the top port is handy because the cable doesn't get in the way when the console stands on its kickstand.

Nintendo lists two compatible adapters: the Switch 2 AC adapter (NGN-01) and the original Switch AC adapter (HAC-002). The older one charges the console directly but can't power TV mode in the dock. For unlicensed adapters Nintendo asks for at least 54W and notes that such products are not tested by Nintendo. So you don't need 54W for charging in handheld mode. A 45W PD power bank is a good choice if the console should charge quickly while you play.

According to Nintendo the Switch 2 battery is 5,220 mAh, and a full charge takes about three hours in sleep mode.

Mobile gaming

Phones usually need less. What matters is that the power bank supports your phone's fast-charging standard, which for many current phones means USB PD, plus PPS for Samsung. For ranked matches on the go we also suggest a power bank in our Brawl Stars and Clash Royale guides.

Watts per port, not total output

The box often shows the total output of all ports combined. An example from our picks: the 87W Anker power bank delivers up to 65W to a single device according to its Amazon listing. The 100W UGREEN splits into 100W (USB-C1), 30W (USB-C2) and 22.5W (USB-A).

What to look for:

• Single-port output: the port your Deck is plugged into needs 45W.
• Several devices at once: if a phone is connected too, the power bank splits its output, and the Deck may get less.
• PD instead of brand fast charging: proprietary phone charging standards don't help the Steam Deck. Look for "PD" in the specs.

mAh or Wh: what's really inside

The mAh figure refers to the voltage of the battery cells, not the voltage the power bank charges at. The energy in watt-hours (Wh) tells you more. Here's how to calculate it:

Wh = mAh × cell voltage (V) ÷ 1,000

With typical 3.6V lithium-ion cells, a 20,000 mAh power bank holds about 72 Wh. For the 25,000 mAh Anker, the Amazon listing itself states 90 Wh. If the Wh figure is printed on the case, that one counts.

Not all of that energy reaches your device, because the power bank converts the voltage and loses energy in the process. A 72 Wh power bank therefore can't quite refill the 50 Wh battery of a Steam Deck OLED one and a half times. The exact amount depends on the device, the cable and the temperature. Manufacturer claims like "charges a phone four times" are estimates.

The cable often holds you back

A thin phone cable can limit power. For 45 to 65W, a USB-C to USB-C cable rated for at least 60W is enough. For 100W and more you need a 5A cable (rated 100W or 240W). Three of the five models below have a built-in cable, which removes this source of trouble.

Flying with a power bank

Germany's Federal Aviation Office (LBA) treats power banks as spare lithium batteries:

• Carry-on only, they are forbidden in checked baggage.
• Up to 100 Wh they are allowed without approval.
• Over 100 up to 160 Wh only with airline approval and at most two per person.

Many airlines are stricter. Since 15 January 2026, Lufthansa Group airlines don't allow power banks to be used or charged on board. A maximum of two per person is allowed, and they must be kept in the seat pocket, on your body or in your bag under the seat, not in the overhead bin. Eurowings has similar rules. Check your airline's rules before every flight. All five models below are under 100 Wh.

Five example models

The following power banks were in stock on amazon.de and shipped by Amazon when we checked (October 2026). They aren't test winners but examples for different needs. All specs come from the amazon.de product pages.

Example model

For Steam Deck and laptop: Anker 165W 25000mAh Laptop Power Bank

A large power bank with 25,000 mAh (90 Wh according to the listing) and 165W total output. A single output reaches up to 100W. Two USB-C cables are built in: a retractable 70 cm cable and a 30 cm lanyard cable. Add one USB-C and one USB-A port, and you can charge four devices at once.

Capacity

25,000 mAh (90 Wh)

Output

165W total, up to 100W from one output

Ports

2 built-in USB-C cables, 1 × USB-C, 1 × USB-A

In the box

Travel pouch

A good fit if you want to power a Steam Deck and a laptop on long trips and don't mind the weight of a large power bank.

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Example model

Lots of power on one port: UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 100W

20,000 mAh with 100W from the USB-C1 port via PD 3.0, plus 30W from USB-C2 and 22.5W from USB-A. According to the listing it supports PD 3.0 and PPS and shows the charge level on a display.

Capacity

20,000 mAh

Output

100W (USB-C1), 30W (USB-C2), 22.5W (USB-A)

Protocols

PD 3.0, PPS

Display

LED display

A good fit if your Steam Deck uses the strong port while your phone charges at the same time.

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Example model

With a built-in cable: Anker Power Bank 20000mAh 87W

20,000 mAh, 87W total output and up to 65W to a single device. The USB-C cable is built in, and Anker says it withstands over 10,000 bends. According to the listing, it recharges in 1.5 hours with a 65W charger.

Capacity

20,000 mAh

Output

87W total, up to 65W to one device

Cable

built-in USB-C

Recharging

approx. 1.5 h with a 65W charger

A good fit if you never want to forget a cable and mostly charge one device such as a Steam Deck or Switch 2.

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Example model

Compact with a display: CUKTECH 15 SE 65W

20,000 mAh from four cells (4S2P), 65W total output and three ports. According to the listing it supports PD, PPS, QC, FCP and SCP and recharges itself in 1 hour 40 minutes with a 65W charger.

Capacity

20,000 mAh

Output

65W total

Ports

3

Protocols

PD, PPS, QC, FCP, SCP

A good fit if you charge a Switch 2 and Android phones that use different fast-charging standards.

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Example model

For Switch 2 and phone: UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 45W

20,000 mAh with 45W, a built-in USB-C cable and one USB-C and one USB-A port each. According to the listing it recharges itself at 45W in four hours.

Capacity

20,000 mAh

Output

45W

Ports

built-in USB-C cable, 1 × USB-C, 1 × USB-A

Recharging

approx. 4 h at 45W

A good fit if you mainly charge a Switch 2 and a phone and don't need laptop-level power.

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Models compared

Model	Capacity	Max. from one port	Built-in cable	Best for
Anker 165W 25000mAh	25,000 mAh (90 Wh)	100W	yes, 2	Steam Deck + laptop
UGREEN Nexode 100W	20,000 mAh	100W	no	Steam Deck + phone
Anker 87W	20,000 mAh	65W	yes	one handheld, no cable hunting
CUKTECH 15 SE	20,000 mAh	65W total	no	Switch 2 + Android
UGREEN Nexode 45W	20,000 mAh	45W	yes	Switch 2 + phone

Checklist before you buy

• Can one USB-C port deliver 45W via PD? That matters for the Steam Deck.
• Does the cable match the output, or is one built in?
• Is the power bank under 100 Wh if you fly?
• Does it recharge fast enough if you only have one night in a hotel?
• Will you have a TV at your destination? Then pack a Steam Deck dock or, for the Switch 2, a case with room for accessories.

FAQ

Can I charge a Steam Deck with a 20W power bank?

Yes, but slowly. Valve specifies 45W for the charger. At 20W the battery can still drain while you play.

Will a 100W power bank damage a Steam Deck or Switch 2?

With USB Power Delivery, the device and the power bank negotiate the power. The device only draws what it requests. So 100W is an upper limit, not something forced into the device.

Can I run the Switch 2 in TV mode from a power bank?

For the dock with an unlicensed adapter, Nintendo asks for at least 54W. Nintendo doesn't approve power banks for this. On the go, a power bank is meant for handheld mode.

Can I take a 25,000 mAh power bank on a plane?

What counts is watt-hours, not mAh. The 25,000 mAh Anker is rated at 90 Wh according to its listing, which is under the LBA's 100 Wh limit. It's forbidden in checked baggage, and many airlines ban charging on board.

How many times does a 20,000 mAh power bank charge a Switch 2?

The exact number depends on voltage conversion, cable and usage. On paper, a 20,000 mAh power bank with 3.6V cells holds about 72 Wh. Nintendo only gives the battery's mAh, not watt-hours, so we don't give a fixed number.

Sources

As of October 2026. Product specs come from the verified amazon.de product pages.

• Valve – Steam Deck OLED tech specs
• Valve – Steam Deck LCD tech specs
• Nintendo – Nintendo Switch 2 tech specs
• Nintendo Support – How to Charge the Nintendo Switch 2 Console
• Luftfahrt-Bundesamt – Electronic devices with lithium batteries (German)
• FAA – Airline Passengers and Batteries
• Lufthansa Group – Power banks on board from 15 January 2026 (German)
• Eurowings – Prohibited and dangerous goods (German)
• USB-IF – USB Power Delivery