In an ideal reality, power banks for the Steam Deck would not exist, and we’d all be able to play our portable PCs uninterrupted from sunrise to sunset. World peace, I imagine, would follow shortly thereafter. For now, however, there are plenty of games that will cut a Steam Deck and/or Steam Deck OLED’s battery life to a couple of hours or less, so it’s worth getting them some help – especially for lengthy travels that would deny you the use of their own chargers.

Having bought several with my own cash – nobody puts RPS in the pocket of Big Power Bank – I tested them against some others I had to hand, eliminating the naughty ones that didn’t live up to their charging speed promises, and ended up with the recommendations you’ll find below. Even if they’re not outright Steam Deck essentials like a microSD card, or can open up new functionality like a good docking station can, any of these power banks would still make a good addition to your accessories pile: short battery life is arguably the most widely shared weakness among handheld PCs, and these will address that shortcoming directly.

Best Steam Deck power banks

• Ugreen Nexode Retractable – The best Steam Deck power bank overall
• JSAUX 20000mAh 65W PD Portable Powerbank – The best Steam Deck power bank for charging speed
• AsperX 65W 20000mAh Power Bank – The best cheap Steam Deck power bank
• Iniu 65W 20000mAh Portable Charger – The best compact Steam Deck power bank
• SiWiQU 20000mAh Power Bank for Steam Deck – The best Steam Deck power bank for mounting

Technically, any portable charger that isn’t some sub-45W stinker could adequately refuel the Steam Deck. But the Ugreen Nexode Retractable is the best because out of all the models I’ve used, it’s the one that least encroaches on the ordinary Deck-playing experience. To that end, it’s got a massive (but light) 60cm USB-C cable that lets you tap along while the Nexode itself sits on some distant table or neighbouring seat. No extra weight to hold, and no short-leashing yourself. Lovely. Then, once you’re charged, said cable coils back up inside the bank and magnetically clips down, so it’s a little easier to carry around or fish out of a packed bag as well.

This also has the best display of the bunch, with a clear overall charge percentage readout and wattage info for all three of its potential connections, and although the glass on mine has picked up some small scratches it’s still a solidly built unit overall. Its 165W charging speed is overkill for the Deck’s 45W limit, so this still only recharges about as quickly as the other power banks on this list, but then you could always put it to work topping up a laptop when you’ve no immediate need of more Steam Deck power.

What we like:
✔️ Long, light, self-tidying cable
✔️ Great display
✔️ High build quality

The JSAUX 20000mAh 65W PD Portable Powerbank was the first that I regularly paired with my own handheld, having come bundled with the JSAUX ModCase – one of my most favouritest Steam Deck cases. While I’ve now replaced it with Ugreen Nexode Retractable, this is still a deserving companion, what with its durable build and flexible integrated cable. Because the unit can stand upright by itself, I found this works well for playing the Deck while the Portable Powerbank rests behind it on a desk or plane/train seat table.

Also, and with the caveat that we’re talking tiny percentage differences here, it does seem to recharge the Steam Deck very slightly faster than the others I’ve tested. After an hour of refuelling a switched-off LCD Deck, the Portable Powerbank had it up from zero to 61% charged – narrowly beating the 59% and 60% results that all the others managed. It’s not much. But even 1% more could buy you precious seconds to complete that jumping puzzle/boss fight/diamond phallus construction that might otherwise have been lost to a premature shutdown.

What we like:
✔️ Speedy charging
✔️ Hard-wearing design
✔️ Integrated cable

Truly budget-priced power banks typically don’t offer the meaty capacity or flowing charge speeds that they’d need to keep up with the Steam Deck’s power demands. The AsperX 65W 20000mAh Power Bank is one very welcome exception: it can juice up a Deck just as fast as a Ugreen Nexode Retractable, and match its reserves size at 20000mAh, all for less than half the cash. It even has an equally generous 60cm cable.

There are tradeoffs, mind. AsperX’s power bank is wider, heavier, and made of cheaper-feeling plastic than most of the others here. And that cable doesn’t retract or otherwise tuck away anywhere, so be prepared for tangling if you keep it loose in a satchel. Still, its charging prowess means it performs where it counts the most, and if the loose wire is a concern, you could always use the money you’ve saved to buy a rubber band to tie it with. Plus several thousand spares.

What we like:
✔️ Dirt cheap
✔️ Long cable
✔️ No compromise on performance

N’awww, lookaddit. The Iniu 65W 20000mAh Portable Charger is barely 10cm tall (and weighs a good 100g less than the JSAUX and AsperX power banks),and yet it hits the same 20000mAh sweet spot as its chunkier rivals, thus sacrificing absolutely nothing in terms of handheld-powering usefulness.

It might be worth packing a separate cable, as the one included – while quite cute in disguising itself as a carrying strap – is short enough to limit your movements when playing and recharging at the same time. That’s not a huge problem, though, as the Iniu won’t empty your pockets any quicker than it will fill them, despite also offering the convenience of a screen and the comfort of an unexpectedly robust-feeling design. The matte, almost rubbery finish is the kind of lightly reinforcing touch you’d see from a high-end external SSD – impressive stuff.

What we like:
✔️ Easily pocketable
✔️ Lightweight
✔️ Nicely textured

To avoid trailing cables, the neatest solution is to physically conjoin your power bank to your Steam Deck and wave them around as one. Assuming you don’t want Sellotape wrapping the screen, this is best done with a dedicated mounting kit, like that of the SiWiQU 20000mAh Power Bank for Steam Deck.

God, these names. Anyway, SIWIQU’s kit is all purpose-built, snaps onto the Deck easily but securely, and can fill an empty battery to 60% in an hour, more or less matching its unmounted peers on charge speed. All good showings, even if it does make the Steam Deck considerably heavier. On that note, the JSAUX power bank (above) is a tad lighter and can be similarly mounted by installing the JSAUX ModCase with its silicone strap attachment; SIWIQU’s, however, is cheaper all-in, and I personally prefer how it sits almost flush with the Steam Deck’s back panel, instead of half-dangling inside a strap like in the JSAUX setup.

What we like:
✔️ Viable alternative to loose power banks
✔️ Good capacity and charging speed
✔️ Mounting kit affixes securely

The best Steam Deck power banks: FAQ

What charging speed do I need?

Both the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED are limited to drawing power at 45W; OLED models can deliver more of those watts towards the battery reserves, allowing it to recharge slightly faster, but the maximum draw is the same across both.

This may make it seem like the multiple 65W (or higher) power banks I’ve recommended are going to drench the Steam Deck in more juice than it can drink, as the handheld’s own limit prevents them gaining any speed benefits over a 45W charger. Which isn’t untrue, but then 65W power banks aren’t consistently more expensive than 45W power banks, and it’s perfectly safe to connect a faster bank to a slower device, so there’s no real drawback to going over the limit either.

Conversely, you should absolutely avoid power banks that go under the 45W level. While both switched on and recharging, a Steam Deck needs about half of those watts to keep itself running, and the other half to charge the battery faster than it can drain. Thus, trying to skimp with a 25W or 15W charger would mean you’d always need to stop playing and switch off before attempting to refill. And even then, low-wattage power banks will still recharge slower than a 45W model. For reference, my tests determined maxing out that limit will fill an empty battery to around 60% after one hour, provided it remains switched off or in sleep mode.

What capacity should I get?

Again, don’t aim too low with this, as the smaller the capacity, the shorter the effective uptime it will provide your Deck. 20000mAh (milliampere hours) is both a very common size, and a wise choice: it’s more than enough for a 100% recharge of both the original Deck and Steam Deck OLED, while being small enough to avoid falling foul of airline restrictions on portable battery capacities (usually up to 27000mAh, depending on the company).

If you’re not going to be taking your Deck up in the skies, there’s little stopping you from going bigger, and power banks of 30000mAh or more aren’t uncommon at all. They do tend to be physically bulkier, though, so portability remains a concern. Good luck fitting a 60000mAh charger in a pair of skinny jeans, is all I’m saying.

Will these work on other handheld PCs?

Yes, in the sense that they can all funnel power into a USB-C port. Charging times and appropriate capacities will vary though, as not all handhelds share the 45W limit of the Steam Deck family. The Asus ROG Ally X, for example, can refill at 65W, and can even take advantage of 100W speeds on high-end USB-PD chargers. As can the Lenovo Legion Go S, come to mention it, though 65W is fine for that as well.