Best power bank charger for Nintendo Switch 2021

Best Battery Backup for Nintendo Switch iMore 2021

• Best overall: Anker PowerCore 20100 for Nintendo Switch
• Best runner-up: Mophie Powerstation XXL
• Best kickstand: ZeroLemon Battery Charger Case for Nintendo Switch
• Best for travel: Bionik Power Commuter Travel Bag with Battery
• Best for Joy-Cons: HyperX ChargePlay Clutch
• Best for handheld charging: Marval Power GuliKit Battery Master - Backup battery charger

Best overall: Anker PowerCore 20,100 Nintendo Switch Edition

Nintendo officially licenses this PowerCore battery pack from Anker, so you know it will work properly with your Switch. It packs in 20100mAh of power and also has Power Delivery, which will let you recharge it in just three hours when plugged in the wall and charge the Switch at full-speed even when you're playing a game.

You'll get up to 15 extra hours of game time from one charge, and there's an extra USB port so you can also power a cellphone or other device. Considering how powerful the battery is, it's pretty sleek. Its biggest downfall is that it's pretty expensive, which often comes with official licensing.

Best runner-up: Mophie Powerstation XXL

Not everyone wants a big-honkin' battery. Sometimes, all you want is something you can slide into your pocket or clip onto the back, so it's all one piece with the Switch. These alternatives not only exist, but they're pretty good.

You can buy giant batteries to power your Switch multiple times over, but you may not be super happy about carrying it around places. These batteries are often heavy or oddly shaped, making them difficult to fit in a pocket or small carrying case for your console. The Powerstation XXL is pretty darn big, but it's smaller than most batteries in its category. It's capable of charging up your Switch with an additional 14 hours of use, but like many USB-C battery backups, it'll only keep it from going dead if you're trying to play and charge at the same time.

Best kickstand: ZeroLemon Battery Charger Case

If you don't want to worry about cables, this is your best bet for a Switch battery. It's like a charging case for your Switch. It clips onto the back of the device and has a USB-C plug that sends the juice to your Switch. It also has a little compartment on the back so that you can take two additional game cards with you. It has a long kickstand on the back, instead of that awkward and unbalanced design the Switch comes with. The four-light status LEDs on the side will let you know when the charger needs its own charge.

It has a 10000mAh battery, so you're going to get 10+ hours of additional gameplay out of it. When you're just going to need a little extra power while you shred games in the car, you'll get through a few additional hours of leveling before you need to re-up. Plus, that helpful stand makes it a lot easier to play multiplayer games in tabletop mode.

Best for travel: Bionik Power Commuter Travel Bag with Battery

If you just want to make one purchase to get ready to travel with your Nintendo Switch, this should be it. The ultra-slim 10,000mAH power bank can be used to charge your Switch and USB-C compatible smartphones and tablets with a built-in charging cable, meaning you have one less thing you can forget when packing. One downside is the battery is a little big compared to others of its capacity.

It also comes with an awesome travel bag that has pockets for 18 game cartridges and Joy-Cons. The canvas exterior looks good and will protect your games and accessories. Toss it in your backpack or use the removable shoulder strap to carry it separately for easy access.

Best for Joy-Cons: HyperX ChargePlay Clutch

Maybe you want to keep playing while you're charging your Nintendo Switch, but you also want a comfortable grip for your Joy-Con controllers? If so, that's where the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch comes in. Just hook up this case, and you'll be able to continue using your Nintendo Switch on the go. There are even detachable Joy-Con grips, so you can set up the Nintendo Switch with a kickstand mode and detach the controllers easily.

The main drawback is the 6000mAh battery, which means you're getting around five hours extra playtime, which is less than half of what's on offer from some other batteries. It's also fairly large, doubling the weight of the Nintendo Switch, so bear that in mind.

Best handheld charging: Marval Power GuliKit Battery Master

If you don't see yourself using a kickstand while playing your Nintendo Switch on the go, then this battery attachment will be the perfect fit for you. Unlike other batteries that attach directly to the unit, this one isn't nearly as bulky, so your fingers won't get extended further while you're grasping the Switch in your hands. However, it does make the Switch weigh more, so you need to be prepared for that.

It offers 10000mAh, which gives you 10-plus hours of additional battery life. There are multiple ports on the side of the battery, so you can charge more than one device at a time. That makes it a helpful unit for charging your smartphone when on the go.

Bottom line

When you combine power output, price, and design, the Anker PowerCore 20100 Nintendo Switch Edition battery quickly becomes the best Nintendo Switch battery pack for just about every situation. It will give you 15 hours of extra playtime and charge your system at full speed, so you don't have to stop playing your game. We also recommend it above any other Nintendo Switch battery pack because it's officially licensed, so it's designed to work perfectly with the system.

If you've got one of the newer Nintendo Switch models, such as the Nintendo Switch OLED, your handheld console will last much longer playing games than if you were on a launch edition. However, it's still a great idea to pick up a battery, as more playtime never hurts.

The Anker PowerCore 20100 Nintendo Switch Edition can simultaneously charge other devices such as an iPhone or iPad. When the power bank itself is out of juice, you can just plug it into the wall, and it will recharge in three hours thanks to its Power Delivery. It also doesn't take up much space when you're traveling. If you're looking for something more specific from your backup battery, one of the other picks will work, but the Anker PowerCore 20100 Nintendo Switch Edition is probably your best bet.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide