More importantly, the power requirements of the first-generation Switch models and the Switch 2 differ, which can further create confusion. Therefore, it’s important to understand what each Switch model needs for charging or power in portable or TV mode, so you can decide whether your phone’s power adapter will be sufficient.
First-generation Nintendo Switch consoles
Luza Studios/Getty Images
The first generation of Nintendo Switch includes three different models. While all Gen 1 models are reasonably flexible for charging in portable mode, the requirements are slightly stricter in TV mode. To charge one of your first-generation Switch models, you need up to 14W of power, depending on the model. According to Nintendo’s EU common charger specs, while the standard Switch requires 10W for faster charging in handheld mode, the Switch OLED and Switch Lite support 14W and 9W, respectively. As long as your USB-C phone charger with USB PD support can deliver 5V or 15V at an appropriate amperage, you’ll be fine. Fortunately, this is true for most phone chargers.
However, in TV mode, the Switch and Switch OLED only accept 15V at 2.6A, for a total of 39W. Therefore, you will need a USB-C power brick capable of delivering 15V at up to 3A, which means at least a 45W charger, to meet these power needs. Unfortunately, this is not very common in many phone chargers. So while you can use any USB-C phone charger to power your Switch on the go, you’ll need either Nintendo’s official power adapter or a compatible 45W charger to power the Switch in TV mode.
Charging the Nintendo Switch 2
laur2321/Shutterstock
As the Switch 2 is a major upgrade over the first-generation models, it has higher power requirements, especially in TV mode. According to Nintendo’s EU common charger specifications for the Switch 2, it requires 12W for handheld charging and 54W for TV mode. 12W portable charging is easily achievable with any phone charger capable of pushing 5V or 9V. However, in TV mode, the Switch 2 only accepts 20V at up to 3A to deliver its 54W. This means your phone charger needs to produce at least 60W of power with a 20V-3A power profile to operate the Switch 2 in TV mode, which, again, is rare for phone chargers.
Similar to the first-generation Switch models, you should have no problem using your regular USB-C phone charger to charge the Switch 2 while traveling or around town, since you’ll only be using portable mode. However, if you want to plug it in, make sure you’re using at least a 60W USB PD power brick. Keep in mind that if you’re actively using your Switch while charging in portable mode, it’s best to have a more powerful charger on hand to prevent your battery from draining during gameplay.
