Power adaptor options for Nintendo Switch
December 31, 2023 2:13 AM Subscribe
Looking for a temporary solution -- the Switch requires 15V - 2.6A through what looks like a USB-C.
We have a couple of adaptors - a laptop one which supplies 20V - 2.25/3.25A and an iPad one which I believe supplies 5V - 2.1A.
Are either of these suitable until we get a proper replacement?
We have a couple of adaptors - a laptop one which supplies 20V - 2.25/3.25A and an iPad one which I believe supplies 5V - 2.1A.
Are either of these suitable until we get a proper replacement?
Best answer: The iPad charger (or any decent* USB charger) will be fine. *I would be careful to use a good brand as some cheaper chargers don't support the USB power protocol properly and can cause damage.
The Switch can use anything up to 15V/2.6A, but it's fine with slower chargers. It will negotiate the best available charging rate with the charger. https://www.anker.com/blogs/chargers/can-you-use-any-usb-c-charger-for-switch
The Switch uses around 7W for active gaming, so your iPad charger will be enough to power it and give a bit of battery charge on top. (Our just leave it to charge for a few hours.) https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Corporate/Consumer-Information/Eco-design/Information-about-energy-efficiency-and-eco-design-of-Nintendo-Switch-family-consoles-2026830.html
posted by matsho at 2:56 AM on December 31, 2023 [3 favorites]
The Switch can use anything up to 15V/2.6A, but it's fine with slower chargers. It will negotiate the best available charging rate with the charger. https://www.anker.com/blogs/chargers/can-you-use-any-usb-c-charger-for-switch
The Switch uses around 7W for active gaming, so your iPad charger will be enough to power it and give a bit of battery charge on top. (Our just leave it to charge for a few hours.) https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Corporate/Consumer-Information/Eco-design/Information-about-energy-efficiency-and-eco-design-of-Nintendo-Switch-family-consoles-2026830.html
posted by matsho at 2:56 AM on December 31, 2023 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks both, the iPad charger is working well.
posted by Kiwi at 4:42 AM on December 31, 2023
posted by Kiwi at 4:42 AM on December 31, 2023
Best answer: USB-C, especially as far as charging goes, is USB-C— absolutely anything will work, and you do not need to worry about voltage, current, etc. The 20V rated is the maximum that it will put out, but it won’t give that to the Switch unless the Switch indicates that it can handle it.
The charger and the device will negotiate and (usually) pick the highest voltage/current that the device and the charger can handle.
The difference between chargers, though, is going to be charging speed and/or whether it’s able to even operate. As matsho points out, even the iPad charger should be enough to play the Switch and charge it, but even the tiniest charger willl be able to charge it when the device is off.
I’ll regularly charge my Kindle using a 90W charger that came with my laptop, so that I don’t have the bring multiple chargers— it won’t charger any FASTER, but it won’t damage the Kindle, which certainly wouldn’t be able to handle the maximum voltage and current the 90W charger can put out.
posted by gregvr at 4:42 AM on December 31, 2023 [4 favorites]
The charger and the device will negotiate and (usually) pick the highest voltage/current that the device and the charger can handle.
The difference between chargers, though, is going to be charging speed and/or whether it’s able to even operate. As matsho points out, even the iPad charger should be enough to play the Switch and charge it, but even the tiniest charger willl be able to charge it when the device is off.
I’ll regularly charge my Kindle using a 90W charger that came with my laptop, so that I don’t have the bring multiple chargers— it won’t charger any FASTER, but it won’t damage the Kindle, which certainly wouldn’t be able to handle the maximum voltage and current the 90W charger can put out.
posted by gregvr at 4:42 AM on December 31, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: The charger and the device will negotiate and (usually) pick the highest voltage/current that the device and the charger can handle.
That said, there's no guarantee that the result of that negotiation will be that the device charges as fast as it's designed to.
All USB-C chargers start out by supplying 5V with a 900mA current limit, then negotiate upward from there. But if I understand the spec correctly, there's nothing in it that forces a charger to implement all the intermediate voltages that USB-C defines support for.
Universal power bricks almost always have support for all the intermediate USB-C voltages, but there would be no reason for a laptop charger designed to accompany a 20V laptop to do that. So when the Switch says "I can handle 15V if you've got it", there's every chance that the laptop charger would respond "Sorry, I can offer you 5V or 20V but nothing in between" and they'd settle on 5V which is no more than you'd be getting from the iPad charger anyway.
Definitely an improvement over the bad old days of weird-sized barrel connectors of dubious polarity, though. It is nice just being able to plug shit in and see if it works without having to worry about letting out the magic smoke.
posted by flabdablet at 6:47 AM on December 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
That said, there's no guarantee that the result of that negotiation will be that the device charges as fast as it's designed to.
All USB-C chargers start out by supplying 5V with a 900mA current limit, then negotiate upward from there. But if I understand the spec correctly, there's nothing in it that forces a charger to implement all the intermediate voltages that USB-C defines support for.
Universal power bricks almost always have support for all the intermediate USB-C voltages, but there would be no reason for a laptop charger designed to accompany a 20V laptop to do that. So when the Switch says "I can handle 15V if you've got it", there's every chance that the laptop charger would respond "Sorry, I can offer you 5V or 20V but nothing in between" and they'd settle on 5V which is no more than you'd be getting from the iPad charger anyway.
Definitely an improvement over the bad old days of weird-sized barrel connectors of dubious polarity, though. It is nice just being able to plug shit in and see if it works without having to worry about letting out the magic smoke.
posted by flabdablet at 6:47 AM on December 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
Any modern USB C power supply rated at 30W or more will provide 15V for a Switch. Furthermore, any compliant USB C power supply will not *burn out* a Switch as they will only switch to a higher voltage once the Switch requests it.
Not all power supplies are “modern” unfortunately. Generally the voltage and current ranges are written in small print. Early Apple Macbook power supplies are actually common offenders because they offer 9V @ 3A, and 20V @ 4.2A. But the good news is it’s safe to try and if it works it works.
actually the deal with USB C power supplies on startup is considerably more complicated than that, and while they start at 5V the 900 mA is usually not the right current value.
posted by doomsey at 10:12 AM on December 31, 2023
Not all power supplies are “modern” unfortunately. Generally the voltage and current ranges are written in small print. Early Apple Macbook power supplies are actually common offenders because they offer 9V @ 3A, and 20V @ 4.2A. But the good news is it’s safe to try and if it works it works.
actually the deal with USB C power supplies on startup is considerably more complicated than that, and while they start at 5V the 900 mA is usually not the right current value.
posted by doomsey at 10:12 AM on December 31, 2023
Note that you may not be able to play and charge at the same time with a third-party USB adapter. My Switch is finicky about that, especially in the dock. And despite that there should be enough power. So keep an eye on the battery meter, especially if you’re playing something that doesn’t autosave.
posted by snuffleupagus at 1:52 PM on December 31, 2023
posted by snuffleupagus at 1:52 PM on December 31, 2023
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