Get the Anker Nano Power Bank 45W. Its cable is built in. Keep the bank in a pocket or a small belt pouch close enough for that cable to reach the Frame's one USB-C port, in the rear of the headset. It gives up to 45W, as much as the Frame takes, though not for long and only while nothing else is plugged into it.
At a Glance#
Best overall : Anker Nano Power Bank 45W View on Amazon
Lightest : INIU Carry P50
For longer sessions : INIU P62-E1 20,000mAh
Key Highlights:
- The Frame charges at up to 45W through one USB-C port in the rear of the headset
- The Anker Nano's 70cm USB-C cable is built in, stops at any length you like and pulls back in when you're done
- The INIU Carry P50 is the lightest of the three at 160 g and gives 45W from either USB-C port with nothing else plugged in, slowing to 30W after about ten minutes at full power
- The INIU P62-E1 holds 20,000mAh, twice the other two, and still gives the Frame up to 45W from USB-C1 while your phone charges from another port
- Keep the bank in a pocket or a small belt pouch: Valve balanced the headset front to back
Who these power banks are for#
- You want to play longer than the Frame's own 21.6 Wh battery lasts, away from the wall.
- You want the bank and its cable as one thing: get the Anker Nano.
- Weight matters most to you: get the INIU Carry P50.
- You play long sessions, or want to charge your phone from the same bank while you play: get the INIU P62-E1.
How we picked#
- We picked banks that put out at least 45W from a single USB-C port, the most the Frame charges at.
- We skipped MagSafe and Qi2 magnetic banks: the Frame charges through its USB-C port, so a magnetic pad does nothing for it.
- We kept to banks small and light enough for a pocket or a belt pouch.
- The specs come from the makers' own pages, the listings we link to and an independent test. We haven't tested these banks ourselves.
What the Frame needs from a power bank#
The Frame charges at up to 45W, from 15V at 3A, through one USB-C port in the rear of the headset. That makes 45W from a single port the number to look for in a bank.
Keep the bank in a pocket or a small belt pouch and run the cable up. Valve balanced the headset front to back, and even the 160 g INIU Carry P50 weighs more than a third as much as the Frame's 440 g with its headstrap, so don't hang a bank on the strap.
If your bank's cable won't reach, get a USB-C cable long enough to run from your pocket to the back of your head, ideally with a right-angle plug for the headset end.
The Frame's battery is 21.6 Wh, and part of a bank's charge is lost on the way. That leaves the two 10,000mAh banks here good for about one more charge each, and the 20,000mAh INIU for about twice that, at twice the weight of the Carry P50.
For a charger and microSD cards, see our Steam Frame accessories.
The three side by side#
| Power bank | Capacity | Weight | Cable | Most from one port | With a phone too | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anker Nano Power Bank 45W | 10,000mAh | 231 g | Built-in, 70cm | 45W | 15W | View on Amazon |
| INIU Carry P50 | 10,000mAh | 160 g | Detachable | 45W | 15W in total | View on Amazon |
| INIU P62-E1 20,000mAh | 20,000mAh | 323 g | Detachable, short | 65W | 45W to the Frame | View on Amazon |
Anker Nano Power Bank 45W — Best overall#
Its USB-C cable is built in, pulls out to 70cm, stops at any length you like and winds back in when you're done, so the bank and its cable are one thing to carry. Measure from where you'll keep it to the back of your head, leaving slack for turning: if that comes in well under 70cm, its own cable will do.
It gives the Frame 45W from a single USB-C port and weighs 231 g. It can't sustain 45W for long, though: Anker says heat builds up at full power, so think of it as extra playtime rather than a wall socket in your pocket. Leave its other ports empty while it charges the Frame, because with a second device plugged in it drops to 15W.
Our Anker Nano review goes deeper on it.
Key Specs
Capacity : 10,000mAh
Most from one port : 45W
With a second device plugged in : 15W
Cable : built-in, retractable, 70cm
Weight : 231 g
Bottom line. The simplest bank to carry for the Frame. Charge only the Frame from it.
INIU Carry P50 — Lightest#
At 160 g it's the lightest bank here, and either of its USB-C ports gives the Frame the full 45W. It holds 10,000mAh, the same as the Anker.
Like the Anker, it slows down at full power: it drops to 30W after about ten minutes.
Its lanyard cable comes off, so swap in a USB-C cable long enough for the Frame. Charge one thing at a time, because with two devices plugged in it drops to 15W in total.
Key Specs
Capacity : 10,000mAh
Most from one port : 45W
With a second device plugged in : 15W in total
Cable : detachable lanyard
Weight : 160 g
Bottom line. The one to get if weight matters most and you don't mind bringing a longer cable.
INIU P62-E1 20,000mAh — For longer sessions#
It holds 20,000mAh, twice the other two, so it goes about twice as far before it needs charging itself.
Plug the Frame into USB-C1, the port the bank also charges through. It's rated for up to 65W of output, has the 15V the Frame charges at, and still gives the Frame 45W while your phone charges from another port, which neither of the others can do. Its second USB-C port stops at 12V and 36W.
Like the other two, it won't give full power all the time. INIU says it gives full power while your device's battery is low, then turns its output down to prevent overheating and protect your device.
The trade is weight. It weighs 323 g, twice the Carry P50 and well over the Anker. Its included cable is a short lanyard that doubles as a carry handle, so bring a longer USB-C cable for the Frame.
Key Specs
Capacity : 20,000mAh
Most from one port : 65W, from USB-C1
With your phone on another port : 45W to the Frame
All three ports in use : 45W from USB-C1, 15W shared by the other two
Input : 45W, through USB-C1
Cable : detachable, short
Weight : 323 g
Bottom line. Twice the capacity, and the Frame still gets up to 45W from USB-C1 with your phone on another port.
Which one should you buy?#
The Anker Nano Power Bank 45W is the one to buy for the Steam Frame: its 70cm cable is built in and pulls back in, so the bank and its cable are one thing to carry.
Get the INIU Carry P50 instead if every gram counts and you don't mind a separate cable, or the INIU P62-E1 20,000mAh if you play long sessions away from power or want to charge your phone from the same bank. Everyone else should get the Anker. View on Amazon
FAQ#
Does the Steam Frame come with a charger?
No, the Frame doesn't come with a charger. A Steam Deck charger works, and so does any USB-C charger of 45W or more, which lets you play for as long as it's plugged in.
How much power does the Steam Frame need from a power bank?
Up to 45W, through its one USB-C port in the rear of the headset. Get a bank that gives 45W from a single port. The Anker Nano drops to 15W, and the INIU Carry P50 to 15W in total, when a second device is plugged into their other ports, so charge only the Frame from them. The INIU P62-E1 still gives the Frame up to 45W from USB-C1 while your phone charges.
Can I clip a power bank to the Steam Frame's strap?
We wouldn't. Valve balanced the headset front to back, so keep the bank in a pocket or a small belt pouch and run the cable up.