The 5 Best Chargers For Your Nintendo Switch In 2023
The Nintendo Switch is a truly portable console, operating as a standard video game system when connected to a TV, or as a handheld in its portable mode. Because of its nature as a hybrid console, a good charger is vital when not docked. Sure, you can use the one that comes with the Switch (and maybe you should, but we'll get to that), but there are a lot of options out there as well.
We looked at five of the best chargers and power-related products available for the Nintendo Switch in 2023. These were the ones that impressed us most, either because of their capabilities, or because they pack bonus features that Nintendo neglected to add.
If you desperately need to play "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" for extended play sessions outside your home, these are worth your hard-earned dollars and will keep your time in Hyrule going even longer.
5. Official Nintendo Switch AC Adapter
Nintendo's standard Switch charger is perfectly fine. It's good quality, there have been no mass reports of them falling apart. It does exactly what it's supposed to do because Nintendo designed the Switch and this charger to go together. That means there are no worries about hidden incompatibilities or the charger failing to measure up.
If there were two shortcomings of Nintendo's official AC adapter, it would be its size and price. The official charger is big, boxy, and not exactly travel-friendly because it may not easily fit into many carrying cases. Then there's the fact that Nintendo charges $30 for a brand-new one. That's expensive compared to some of the other power plugs out there — Nintendo tax is real with this one.
That being said, if you want guaranteed reliability, there's no beating the official Switch charger, and you get one packed in with the system. That also means you can find them used for fairly cheap if you look around. Just be careful of knock-offs.
4. pdobq Nintendo Switch charger
There are countless numbers of unofficial Nintendo Switch chargers, and it would not be easy to cover them all. Some are good quality, and others are shoddy and take a long time to charge. This one, by pdobq, is one of the highest-rated Switch chargers on Amazon.
It's nothing fancy, it keeps your Switch charged, and that's about it. However, it is smaller and significantly cheaper than the official Nintendo Switch AC adapter — by nearly half the price. Unlike many third-party chargers, this one supports docked mode, so you can play games on your TV if you have a dock to place your console in.
While official Nintendo stuff will be high-quality, third-party chargers are a mixed bag. This particular one has excellent reviews, but plenty of sketchy ones exist. Some can even damage your Switch if they don't have the proper safety features included. Make sure to do research first.
3. Official Nintendo Switch Charging Stand
Nintendo's official adjustable charging stand isn't a charger per se. You still need to connect a USB-C power adapter to it, so it's more like an extension to your existing charger. Making up for that shortcoming is that it's one of the best adjustable stands for Switch tabletop play. It's also very small, has several usable angles, and is simple to set up.
Essentially, this stand will level up whatever charger you use. Its small size makes it great for travel, but it's also just a handy way to store and charge your Switch while you're not using it. There are a lot of similar stands out there, but the quality is mixed, they're bulky, many don't even have charging ports at all, and they usually only offer one or two play angles. $20 retail isn't a half-bad price, as most third-party ones with more drawbacks have similar prices. Since it's Nintendo-made, you can be sure of the quality and compatibility, too.
The only snag is that this product is hard to find. It's unclear if Nintendo quietly discontinued it, but you may need to check eBay or Amazon to find one. Also, be aware that this is not a dock, just a charging stand: In fact, reviews say that you actually can't connect a dock to this stand, as the USB-C port on the side is power-only.
2. GuliKit Battery Master
The whole point of a good charger is being able to play more on the go, and the GuliKit Battery Master ensures you get that. Instead of a wall plug, this is a standard power bank, explicitly designed for the Switch and built to fit it perfectly. This 10,000mAh battery pack claims an extra 10 hours of play and clips neatly onto the Switch's back in handheld mode.
Even better, it can charge the Switch as you play, so it's not one of those power banks where you have to stop while it slowly recharges the system's built-in battery. You can also use it as a standard power bank and charge up anything with a USB-C port, like a phone.
One thing to note is that the battery won't fit over cases for the most part, so you'll probably need to play your Switch without one if you use this. Also worth mentioning is that this power bank doesn't block any of the Switch's vents, but power banks can often get hot themselves (like when charging a high-draw device), so it's possible it could cause the Switch to heat up as well.
It's $40, which is a bit pricey, but the extended playtime and convenient form factor might be worth the extra cash, depending on your use case.
1. Genki Global Covert Dock
If you need a charger that is truly travel-friendly, the Genki Global Covert Dock has got you covered. It's not only a capable charger for your Switch, but it's also a tiny dock with HDMI and USB ports, as well. The cable is nice and long at six feet, meaning you can use it in a hotel without worrying about whether or not there's a plug near the TV.
Best of all, this charger comes with interchangeable plugs for three different international outlet styles — European, UK, and Australian. If you're a gamer who travels outside the country, it's hard to beat this charger. It is pretty expensive, running about $70. However, when you consider that it's also a dock and costs just slightly more than Nintendo's official one, it doesn't seem so bad. It's far more portable and usable around the world.
The only downside is that there are reports that it's a bit slower than the official charger, so you may see slow charge warnings, and it might take a while to fully recharge (especially if you're playing it while charging, of course).