If you’re one of many Nintendo Switch gamers, you may have experienced the frustration of your battery going low when you were nowhere near a charger.
As a proud owner of one of the best-selling consoles, you already know that your console uses a USB-C port. But does it mean you can charge a Nintendo Switch with a phone charger?
Is It Possible to Charge a Nintendo Switch With a Phone Charger?
The short answer to this question is yes; you can charge your beloved Nintendo Switch console with any USB-C type phone charger (this applies to Nintendo Switch’s latest OLED model too).
However, the long answer is more complicated, and here’s why:
Nintendo Switch chargers are built to charge the console with around 39 watts. However, every phone charger has a different wattage. They can vary from 5 watts to 100 watts, which is the maximum nowadays.
Most phone chargers we use today have decent wattage, but a huge portion of them is still insufficient to charge Nintendo Switch at an adequate speed.
For example, if you’re playing games while charging your Nintendo Switch, the power you’ll be getting will be lower than the power you’re depleting from playing games.
Nintendo recommends using the official charging cable to charge your Switch console. This way, you can ensure that you’re getting the fastest possible charge and avoid any potential issues caused by third-party cables.
In addition, using incompatible cables may damage your Switch’s USB port, making it impossible to charge until getting repaired by Nintendo or an authorized repair shop.
What Are Alternative Ways to Charge Your Nintendo Switch Without the Dock?
USB-C is so prevalent nowadays that most of the electronic devices produced nowadays use it. Some of them include laptops, computer peripherals (headphones, mouses, keyboards, etc.), tablets, and much more.
Nintendo has followed this trend, allowing Nintendo Switch to charge in various ways. As we previously stated, this is not recommended, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Some of the other ways you to charge your Nintendo Switch are:
- Power banks – Power banks have come a long way from being able to charge a smartphone once to be able to power much more powerful devices at super-fast speeds. In addition, most of the power banks made in the last few years have USB-C support, allowing them to charge your Nintendo Switch console and let you play all the best Nintendo Switch games when you’re nowhere close to the dock.
- Car chargers – There are officially licensed Nintendo Switch car chargers that you may use to charge your Nintendo Switch and Pro Controller while on the go. Although their charging speed is lower than the official Switch Dock, it can come in quite handy, especially during long-distance journeys.
- Reverse charging – Some high-end smartphones of today support technology called reverse charging. This means they can charge any other device with USB-C support – including Nintendo Switch. These smartphones usually come with around 6000 mAh, while Nintendo Switch comes with 4310 mAh. In other words, you’d need to sacrifice more than half of your smartphone’s battery to charge Nintendo Switch fully. You should only use this as a last resort and only if your phone is powerful enough to accomplish this.
What Are The Ways To Charge Your Dock?
Unlike Nintendo Switch, its dock comes with the official AC Adapter from Nintendo. It does not support USB-C or any other charging method.
Basically, you can only charge it using the proprietary Nintendo Switch AC adapter (model No. HAC-002).
So there you have it; now you know all about charging your Nintendo Switch and its dock. You should always use the official Nintendo products to charge your Nintendo Switch. This is to avoid potential risks and even void a warranty.
It’s probably fine for you to charge your Nintendo Switch with a phone charger from time to time. But the official chargers are sold for as low as $16, and the console is much more expensive. Don’t take the chance of breaking your console!
