The best battery packs for the Steam Deck | Digital Trends (2024)

The Steam Deck can play an incredible variety of games thanks to the Steam library and its multitude of control options. But that can take a toll on battery life too. Some have found that using the wrong settings on a game can drain the entire battery in as little as 90 minutes. Even in the best of circ*mstances, you may only get several hours out of your favorite game before the Deck calls it quits.

That’s why one of the best accessories for the Steam Deck is a reliable power bank that you can take with you on travels and use to charge the Deck up when you need to. It has to be portable, and needs a USB-C connection to work with the Deck, so not every battery pack will work, but we've separated the wheat from the chaff and found the best Steam Deck battery packs available in 2022.

Anker PowerCore III

Best well-rounded power bank for Steam Deck

Anker’s reliable PowerCore III is the perfect mix of portability and power for your Steam Deck. It tops out at 45 watts via USB-C, which makes it perfect for charging the Deck at top speed (Steam Decks appear to handle around 30W or more for the fastest charging). The 19,200mAh capacity is also enough to hold at least a full charge or two for the Deck. There are even a couple of extra USB-A ports for charging additional accessories if you prefer.

The PowerCore III comes with its own travel pouch, and is small enough to easily fit in many pockets. There aren’t a lot of extra features, but you don’t really need any for a reliable Deck companion when the core specs are as good as this.

Anker PowerCore Slim

Best affordable power bank for Steam Deck

If you’re not as worried about how much charge a power bank can hold, but would rather have a highly portable model at an affordable price, you should take a look at this PowerCore Slim. This 20W PD charger may not be the most powerful on our list, but it’s also one of the least expensive and designed for tight spaces with a 0.6-inch height and “MultiProtect” features that help prevent the case from being damaged by fire, extreme temperatures, and much more.

Those specs make this power bank a great choice if you’ve had trouble with damaged battery packs in the past and want something much more durable, no matter where you take it (or accidentally leave/drop it). It should serve for a full charge of your Steam Deck, but don’t expect it to have much juice left after that.

Elecjet PowerPie P20

Best fast-charging power bank for Steam Deck

While it’s bulkier than many smaller chargers, this PowerPie P20 is a perfect fit with the Steam Deck, offering up to 45W of charging power and a 20,000mAh storage capacity. It has both USB-C and USB-A to help support a variety of devices, and is a great pick for speedy power delivery.

The bank can provide a device like the Switch with an extra 10 hours of playtime, so it should also be suitable for a couple of charges for your Steam Deck. It also has a pleasantly short charge time itself, completing a full re-filling in around 2.5 hours. Oh, and don’t worry about it being designed for Samsung devices — the USB-C connection will serve well for your Deck or any compatible gaming laptops you may have.

Aukey PB-WL03 Power Bank

Best phone-friendly power bank for Steam Deck

Steam decks and smartphones are a common pairing. If you’re playing your Deck for an extended session, your phone is probably close by where you can watch for new messages or quickly look something up. This Aukey power bank has your back with a design that’s friendly for smartphones, including a stand that turns the bank into a wireless charger for your phone. Charging your deck and your phone at the same time with the 20,000mAh capacity, while having a perfect perch for your phone so you can keep an eye on it.

The charging bank included both USB-C and USB-A connections. There’s also a small screen that will show you how much battery life is left on the device. Note that the 18W max output is a little low, so this is another model that you’ll want to start charging early on, although the PD 3.0 and Quick Charge 3.0 support do help.

Ravpower 90W Power Bank Charger

Best high-capacity power bank for Steam Deck

If your top demand is power, this is the charger for you. It offers a massive 90W max output (65W with the USB-C port) to charge laptops — and your Steam Deck — at top speeds, with a 30,000mAh capacity that can provide a few charges to your Deck when you need them most. It also has a respectable recharge time of 2.5 hours, so you can fill up the bank again quite easily.

The charger also sports excellent safety features, including temperature control to make sure it doesn’t overheat when in quick charging mode. It is a bit bigger than many of our picks, so you’ll want to make sure your Deck case or pack have enough room for it.

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