You'd think Nintendo, who loves selling peripherals, would have released a mini dock by now. As shown by kits like this, it's not hard to scale down the dock and keep the exact same functionality. If that rumoured Switch mini ever comes out, it'll probably have something like this (possibly sold separately)
I want an official Nintendo mini dock that supports table top so bad. I can't believe it's impossible to play Smash on the go with a gamecube controller. Nintendo please fix.
This is exactly what I want. A mini Switch that you can put in your pocket plus a small dock like this that you can carry everywhere and use when there is a monitor/TV around would bring Switch's portability to the next level.
@@CountyJelly Yeah, WTF isn't everyone all over the Jumpgate? I've had one for months and no problem, and they know exactly what they're doing if you haven't seen their video explaining how safe it is.
@@Mosestylez 100%. And also their charging brick is more portable as it just accepts USB C to USB C cables. There really is no reason to even own an official dock anymore. If you have ANY doubt about how safe the Skull n Co dock is, GO WATCH THEIR VIDEO. I bet they know more about the PD protocol than Nintendo does.
Michael Reineke I'm very tempted to buy one now!! I don't want the Switch to get bent due to the heat or scratch up the screen everytime I put it and take it out of the dock... But is it possible to update the firmware with the JumpGate without getting bricked?? I've read that many consoles got bricked when they updated the console on a 3rd party dock. :/
It blows my mind that Bob doesn't access the feature that puts the switch head and shoulders above other consoles: the ability to continue your console gaming session on the toilet
Wisky Mo I guess it’s each time their own, I don’t have a television in my bedroom because I gave mine to my brother before Netflix released in Australia as my new room has no space. Anyway, I play handheld at home 90% of the time it’s only when I’m home alone or I have friends over that I play docked.
Let's not forget that this all comes down to Nintendo's decision to use non-complaint USB-C. The average consumer who doesn't watch these videos or does any research see's a USB-C port and thinks "OH! I can use this USB-C cable/dock/gagdget on this!!!" This is ALL on Nintendo. Edit: Grammar.
Also edited to say, immediately after getting my Switch, I wanted a 20k power bank, or better of course... Well, of course the first thing I look at is the back of the Switch, and see that it asks for 15v instead of the normal 5, so what did I do? Got a power brick with PD that outputs up to 15v...
@@WulffDen There's a brilliant one on my mini factory which uses screws from the dock, keeps the black plastic that sits on the spring so it still has the springiness, and has the HDMI side at the back so the other side with just 2 USB ports at the front. It's brilliant.
shogo guy | it means he was joking stupid. I bet you’re SUPER FUN AT PARTIES. Hold on lemme stop being sarcastic so u can understand better. Learn to take a joke kid.
I had one of these almost 2 years ago, it's nice but needs to be wider...look at when he docked his joycon the entire switch wobbled...I reassembled mine.
@@thebugg333 hell, I'm perfectly happy with my Best Buy Insignia dock, sure it's only got a single USB port, but on top of each single joy-con, my pro controller, my powerA red&black pro controller with the tactile buttons on the back, so I'll never have to use a wired controller anyway, so it's a charger for me lol.
One thing to keep in mind. The "bricking" happens when a power chip inside the system gets fried, because the wrong voltage goes into it. This only happens when the Switch is rebooted (very rare), or has a system update run on it (somewhat more common), while connected to the dock. Just don't have it connected to anything but the official dock when you're doing those two actions and it'll be fine.
I like the Linkstyle dock shell better than the Basstop because it keeps the spring-loaded part of the dock intact. For this mod, to get the USB C off the spring loaded section, there are two screws under that thin plastic sheet that you just take out. You didn't need to bend or snap that piece because you don't need the plastic that the USB C end is mounted to.
"There's no reason for the dock to be as big as it is." Sure there is: protection. A mini-dock like that works fine for an adult who knows better, but a child taking a switch out of it's dock would just rip it off with no care. The design of the dock sort of makes it so you have to pull it straight up in order to remove the switch. I could definitely see a child, if they had a mini-dock, pulling the switch off the dock at a bad angle and fucking up the little USB-C thing. Also, the thicker design makes it more resilient to damage in general, which is essential for any console targeted at kids.
Well, they still can make it a bit smaller without taking away the guards in the front and back. They could make them small enough to be convenient but big enough to force you to pull up.
That current dock is not at all child friendly. It tips over easily and then the switch just slides out. Meaning if a child runs by and tips it the switch does a slippy slide to the floor, which can actually also damage the screen on the way out. I've heard people complaining about their switch or joycons breaking because of this kind of stuff more than once.
@@toslverr I'm talking about protection of the dock, not the switch itself. Also, I'm not sure the dock is as easy to tip over as you say. I just tried intentionally tipping it over, and short of pushing it off my desk or grabbing it and tipping it that way, I can't it to tip over. It just slides.
I have been using this dock since launch(or almost, i dont really remember when i actually bought it) and its great. Not only its easy to pop in/out from the dock itself but it literally fits in my pocket. Ultra portable, Super trustworthy and it really is easy to assemble given you know something about screws and hardware. at first i was like "probably gonna use it a few times and then go back to the OG one. Never went back since i changed to it. 10/10 would recommend
The size of the dock has a pretty important purpose. Bending the inside of the usb port can prevent charging even if power delivery is on point. The sides of the official dock keep the switch in place with 0 strain on the port. Any dock that uses the port itself as a means of physically stabilizing the console can still brick it even if it's guts are official. It doesn't have to be as big as the standard one but it definitely needs to be desogned with this in mind.
This sounds extremely convenient. I travel a lot for work, and I hate having to to reach behind my TV console/furniture where all of my stuff is hooked up, and disconnecting my Switch's power cable and dock in order to take on a trip. This mod will make that process so much easier. Thank you for the video!
@@nathanmead140 I am a field technician for a company that builds marine communication systems for vessels. So I tend to go all over and spend anywhere from 3 days to an entire month on-site. So being able to take this tiny little dock (and know that it is safe because it uses the same Nintendo internals) is awesome.
The engineers at Nintendo need to consider all ages of potential users to design a dock. I highly doubt if a school going 3rd grader would handle a miniature dock as carefully as a grown up man. So instead of convenience for the adult demographic users, Nintendo took the safer route that will make sure younger users won't end up losing/damaging their dock every couple of days.
That's true, but also consider a kid in 3rd grade isn't going to be buying another dock. If anyone is buying it it's probably the parents, and hopefully they're smart enough to keep it away from the kid. That said, if you're talking about a redesign for the Switch Mini, then yes I completely agree.
@@nathanmead140 I want Chad why your blade dawns jad wired Les dogues general yard play dogs think you I'm free this Gen. YR play dogs I want jad wired blay dumb chat while by dogs I want to
@@SzegediXY probably means that the original dock as is would be used for the kids and the adults might buy a second dock to do this mod with and keep that one away from the kids
I got my 2nd Switch dock back when Bestbuy had them on sale for $40 :) I also did this with that doc, so i have the main one, and the portable one. And yeah, there *is* a reason its so big. 1. it covers the screen to protect it from living room objects (think kids) 2. it makes it easier to align it so you know you are putting it in centered, where as with the portable ones, you have to be abit more careful to not break the connection. Basically, its big to make it more 'fool'/idiot proof. I've been debating adding weight to mine to keep it more in place (tho i havent had much issue as it is since i havent plugged in wired controllers).
dang it's almost like tempered glass screen protectors don't exist oh wait there are literally 6 digit figure switches scratched by the shitty dock design.
The Jumpgate Kickstarter campaign has some interesting information on bricked Switches - and they've done extensive testing to make sure their product doesn't brick the Switch. Basically, they believe Nintendo didn't protect the Switch enough from docks that didn't comply with the PD protocol and made some changes to try to cut back on hacking (which also makes the Switch a bit non-compliant). So as I understand it, virtually all docks that are in close or complete compliance with PD ought to be safe - Nyco docks apparently didn't do a good job of following the PD protocol. Considering the publicity around the incident, I doubt any third party dock manufacturer is going to repeat Nyco's mistake, and from the lack of news I'd say that nobody is repeating Nyco's mistake. Just don't get some some cheap questionable thing that would probably fry anything attached to it. I definitely don't understand the insistence on third party docks being unsafe and being the equivalent of throwing your phone on the floor. Nintendo could have easily used a proprietary port for charging and video output. They've done it before. They could have even taken the USB-C pinout and put it into a proprietary adapter. But they didn't. IMO they had every intention of allowing the Switch to be used with standard USB-C accessories, including chargers and third party docks. Having problems with third party docks was completely unintentional and we were never actually supposed to be fearful of using third party chargers and docks. You know, the "U" in "USB" means "universal" - it means that we shouldn't have to worry about this. The bricked Switches were an edge case, and shouldn't be treated as the norm. Considering that reports of bricking are largely non-existent these days, I'd say that continually bringing up these fears is counterproductive. Hopefully the next iteration of the Switch follows the protocols more carefully and we shouldn't have to even bring it up anymore. As far why these kinds of mods aren't as popular as you thought they would be? Because they're unnecessary. Third party manufacturers might not be sharing publicly how they fixed the problem with bricking Switches - but they're certainly figured it out. I don't imagine there's really much of a demand for devices aimed at people who insist on saying a problem has never been figured out and can't possibly be fixed. 8:35 - plugging the old dock or charger into the new Switch shouldn't be a problem, because the official Nintendo chargers never had any problems. It was the Switch itself that was problematic. I have never heard of any issues using a Nintendo charger even with a non-Nintendo device. The vice versa (using the new dock / charger with an old Switch) also shouldn't be a problem because I doubt the chargers for the new Switch will be any different than the old ones, and Nintendo is not about to pull a Nyco and design a crappy dock that fries old Switches.
unicatte oh I know - I love the fact that Nintendo choose to use USB-C. It just annoys me how Wuff Den is essentially telling everybody to treat it like a proprietary connection just because of some issues early in its life that got resolved. By the way, it turns out the bricking problem is actually fixable. You need somebody who is skilled at chip replacement, but Spawn Wave actually fixed his Switch.
Modding my official dock was the first thing I did when I got my switch more than a year ago and I have not regretted it yet. If you're on the fence about doing this mod I absolutely recommend you do it
@@mr.loungensmritz8710 I got the one from Basstop featured in this video, and if I remember correctly there are nonslip pads that come with it. I'm not home rn to check, but I'm pretty confident that I have nonslip pads on the bottom and they work great It is pretty light though which is good for portability, but when I first setup the dock the tension in the cables was enough to make it not lay flat on the surface
Doesn't help that the handheld only switch also has a smaller screen.... They could have at least used a larger screen with smaller bezels and kept the shell the same size... Would have looked SO much better. Same with the regular switch these bezels make these devices look like they are tablets from 2012
My switch dock has been in this shell since I bought it two years ago. The fact that I can carry it in a regular switch case makes it automatically worth it in my eyes.
i've been running the teal version of this for almost a year now and simply cannot imagine going back. yes, i am electronically inclined and am not afraid to rip something open just for funsies, but this barely qualifies as that. i could seriously hand this project to my 11-yr-old and it might take her 30-45 minutes to sort it out, and she can barely swap the batteries from her oculus controllers. so glad to see you reviewing this product!
I've had that Basstop dock for about 2 years, and so far, all of my Nintendo Switch consoles have survived using it. The only downside about this is the DIY assembly and when I did it, I didn't have any instructions and had to figure it out on my own.
The same thing happened to my dock with a PDP wired “pro” controller, I thought it was the controller until I plugged it into my computer. My Switch was “out of warranty” but Nintendo still fixed it for free. The best part? Even though I had to send them the dock (they paid for express shipping) I could still play my Switch! I fucking love this console.
Carlos Ramirez I’d love one that has the dock port angled straight up instead of 45 degrees. And slightly bigger so it doesn’t feel like the Switch could fall out of it
I did this a long while back...I reassembled my dock only because of the wobble...and my kids. I still have the shell but I have zero intention of using it again.
When I travel with my Switch, I just put the dock in my suitcase. There is usually a little bit of space on the side of my clothes that it fits into. The dock doesn't bounce around since the clothes hold it in place.
I was literally thinking of getting a 3rd party dock so I don't have to move my ass to the living room to play it on my TV. And I wondered: hmmm...why didn't Bob do another switch dock review in 2019? And this morning I woke up and opened youtube and BAM! Recommendation from Bob! Love you so much!
I got a similar enclosure and made this mod a while ago. I've been using it ever since. One nice thing about it is that I have a grip for my Switch in portable mode and I don't have to remove it when docking it with the smaller dock. I bought an extra dock on ebay at the time to do this. I didn't want to alter my original dock even though I knew I wouldn't use it very much after doing the mod. I managed to find someone selling just the dock with no cables for around $40 or $45 if I recall correctly. It worked out nicely.
I know you mentioned this, but anecdotally, I've been using my switch almost exclusively with the Insignia/BestBuy brand dock for over a year and a half and it's fine...I take it off when I'm done playing but I've never had an issue.
@@abeld94 I've used the Insignia dock exclusively every single day and it's perfectly fine. The only issue it has is that the original dock made a long scratch going down the screen :(
@@drewlassen4127 I wonder if it will be possible to buff the scratches out of the screen, it is plastic after all so it shouldn't be too difficult, then afterwards ideally apply a glass screen protector to prevent it from getting scratched again.
Not sure why I've been so hesitant but I recently sub'd the Channel; appreciate the good work brethren! Also, I was in BK (from Boston) on that AMAZING 1st truly warm day when you were Labo-VR'ing.
The Coov sh350 pro works like a charm, it even works 3rd party charger and the best part is that the company provides firmware update for the dock. :D Also it works with Dex, Macbook and the good old Type c to hdmi.
Just picked it up due to this video. I watch a ton of gaming youtubers but you, Bob, are the most likely to get me to purchase any item. I trust your judgment, man. Thanks
He doesn't like the idea of any dock that's not made by Nintendo or has their name on it (I think he would dislike it even if it was officially licensed by them, because Fanboy logic).
not sure if you mentioned this, but the shell does slightly block a small portion of the switch's vent so keep that in mind if A) you have a case on (even one that has vent cutouts) and B) you play power hungry games like zelda
I’m not sure I get why aftermarket docks are so high in demand, besides the cheap prices. I’ve always been super happy with the standard included one- it’s already pretty small, looks nice when the Switch is in it, & I’ve never had any issues with dock scratching/bending. Ever since I saw the epidemic of docks bricking/damaging consoles, I’ve never even considered an aftermarket dock.
This is perfect for me! I travel a lot for work, and I absolutely hate having to bring my big a$$ nintendo dock to be able connect it to the hotel TV . Thanks for the video man!
Yeah Even if you don't have the money for an official dock or a charge You better off saving up and buying the official one Even if this means you won't be able to play your switch for a while
Nintendo does sell a mini dock but it's not for connecting to a TV, it's more for playing and charging using tabletop mode, but this is also great because people can have a smaller dock to save room.
Shen Wang yes it is the only difference is that your not playing it’s actually better cuz your not making your switch work your doing the opposite your charging it
Skull and co made a nintendo switch dock that also works with a MacBook pro and similar, they said they tested it for 100 hours and that its safe to use, also teslong made one that is just like a cable with hdmi, you only need the original charger, It would be cool if you talked about it
Got mine in the mail yesterday. You don't have to bend out the USB-C, there are 2 tiny screws under the black tab that you are suppose to screw out and you just screw the tiny board onto the screw holes on the case. Seperate smaller screws came with the case for this purpose.
I did this to my dock a few months back and it is the best accessory I’ve ever gotten for my switch. I love it and I can fit it in my pocket. I got the black version and it came with screw covers that actually help it stick to surfaces so it doesn’t slide around. Super easy to swap over as well. Just need to be careful about stripping screws
Bought the smaller dock casing just like this one except for the color being black. Bought a new Switch dock on sale and put all the internals in the small dock and it works like a charm. No heating up or worries of scratching the screen!
It's only a 100% safe and the same if the spring load mechanism for the type-C USB is kept in the mini dock shell. It actually has a purpose which is to provide more support in taking the weight of the switch when it is being dock rather than just having the switch sit on the usb alone. Also, it's in a 45°~ angle as oppose to the original being in a straight 90°. Gravity plays a key role in the design and mechanism.
I found that Apple's USB-A to USB-C adapter works well for the Switch, and that pisses me off. I don't want to ever spend $20 on a stupid 6" cable again.
So I just got this. And it's awesome! I have two docks, a travel one and one plugged into my TV (so I don't have to keep yanking the cables out of the TV one, I travel with a dock enough to have bought a second dock a while ago). I did the mod last night, and man, that thing is gonna fit in my switch travel bag much easier! I'm so glad I found this, thanks!
Both my sister and I have switches so we only need to use one dock, so when we go on vacations or somewhere we bring the other one. Now I can’t imagine having to unplug your dock and plugging it back in once you get home.
I have a Hyperkin one that I found at PAX that gets around the problem of the charging in a different way. From what I could understand the problem is not charging in general, it's using the HDMI at the same time as charging. So Hyperkin went around that problem by making their protable dock do only one or the other. Output to TV, or charge while playing in handheld. It uses Nintendo's charger/cable, not their own. I'm not sure if that's the real problem explained here, but it's not a bad idea in itself. Gives a portal HDMI output, but gonna drain your battery doing so. Oh well.
This shell for the official dock is confirmed awesome, I swapped mine over after I found this on Amazon, so happy I can take my OG dock with me anywhere I go.
Gotta be honest, I have two Insignia Docks and have been using exclusively for about a year + and have not had any problems. So if you don't want to make one, maybe consider Insignia brand.
The official dock is cheaper now to finally pull this off. Manage to find a used one from this video for 35 bucks and the shell for 10 dollars. Thanks for reminding me of this mod i had in mind a while back
Damn I kinda want this now. I didn't ever think about using my docked Switch, but now...it'd fit in my carry case with ease, charger too, it'd be so easy to just pull it out anywhere a TV is nearby. Get a slim HDMI cable too and bam.
I think using my switch charger to charge my Google pixel has fucked my pixel battery... This really helps explain why that might be the case. Awesome video.
There is/was an Article from an Engineer on Google+ (yeah, I know ...) which explained what happens during the loading inside the dock and why nintendo decided on that or might have decided. It was because the USB-C Standard wasn't quite finished during the switch development and they had to decide on something. (About the latter I'm not quite sure if that was really the case, but the article still explained what happens during charging)
This is the exact same dock that I bought. It's excellent for travel since it can fit into most Switch travel cases. Add in ultra slim HDMI cables, and you're all set.
The 3ed reason you might need a new switch dock is if you thought that to use your switch in handheld mode you needed to leave it in the dock and carry it around with you and you inevitably drop it in front of the freeway cassing it to be run over by a Prius driving at 200mph.
This dock is super easy and well worth the money. I have a Satisfye grip, and it even can stay on while docked, because y’all know how “easy” it is to take that off...
i removed the board from the original dock and bought a shell like this orange one. never locked back and it works great (and it should as it's still the original tech)
You my friend, have given me the courage to do this. I was hella nervous! But SUCCESS! Thank you so very much! My desk looks so much better! ☺️ Happy Lady right here❣️ If you scan the QR code on the box, a RUclips video pops up and it walks you through the process. I watched you, and them, and got it done.
Wowww lol I was just watching the last video you did 8 months ago and I was wondering " I wonder when he's going to do an update on 3rd party docks " and BOOM ! Great vid !
This also fixes the issue of potentially scratching or scuffing your screen. The original dock is so stupid in its design it blows my mind Nintendo went with it
I use 2 different 3rd party docks. One of which is the insignia which has absolutely no complaints about bricking since it's release years ago. I also have a 5 in 1 dock I got on Amazon. They all work great. If they do brick it though it'll be your fault and i'll send you a bill. 😊👍
You'd think Nintendo, who loves selling peripherals, would have released a mini dock by now. As shown by kits like this, it's not hard to scale down the dock and keep the exact same functionality. If that rumoured Switch mini ever comes out, it'll probably have something like this (possibly sold separately)
They probably will when they do the switch mini
I want an official Nintendo mini dock that supports table top so bad. I can't believe it's impossible to play Smash on the go with a gamecube controller. Nintendo please fix.
This is exactly what I want. A mini Switch that you can put in your pocket plus a small dock like this that you can carry everywhere and use when there is a monitor/TV around would bring Switch's portability to the next level.
@@f0fuchsia742 THANK YOU I WAS SCREAMING ABOUT THIS THE WHOLE TIME
Switch Mini is rumoured to have no docking functionality at all.
The only safe, Portable Nintendo Switch dock .... is the official Nintendo dock in a 3rd party casing... i admit i have been clickbaited!
I use the jumpgate and haven't had any issues
@@CountyJelly Yeah, WTF isn't everyone all over the Jumpgate? I've had one for months and no problem, and they know exactly what they're doing if you haven't seen their video explaining how safe it is.
@@MichaelReineke Would you recommend JumpGate? :)
Looks very good :O
@@Mosestylez 100%. And also their charging brick is more portable as it just accepts USB C to USB C cables.
There really is no reason to even own an official dock anymore.
If you have ANY doubt about how safe the Skull n Co dock is, GO WATCH THEIR VIDEO.
I bet they know more about the PD protocol than Nintendo does.
Michael Reineke I'm very tempted to buy one now!! I don't want the Switch to get bent due to the heat or scratch up the screen everytime I put it and take it out of the dock...
But is it possible to update the firmware with the JumpGate without getting bricked??
I've read that many consoles got bricked when they updated the console on a 3rd party dock. :/
“ i rarely play my switch portably “. You my friend don’t have a Nintendo switch. You have a Nintendo Docked.
no point in playing handheld if I only play it at home
It blows my mind that Bob doesn't access the feature that puts the switch head and shoulders above other consoles: the ability to continue your console gaming session on the toilet
@@ohiowrslr14 XD
Wisky Mo I guess it’s each time their own, I don’t have a television in my bedroom because I gave mine to my brother before Netflix released in Australia as my new room has no space. Anyway, I play handheld at home 90% of the time it’s only when I’m home alone or I have friends over that I play docked.
@@nathankwan6570 finishing metro last light while taking a dumb was the best shit of my live
Let's not forget that this all comes down to Nintendo's decision to use non-complaint USB-C. The average consumer who doesn't watch these videos or does any research see's a USB-C port and thinks "OH! I can use this USB-C cable/dock/gagdget on this!!!" This is ALL on Nintendo.
Edit: Grammar.
@Oliver Staples Thanks bud! We're currently saving up to get another dock so we can try something like that soon :P
Absolutely addicted to your videos, especially the accessories videos!
I think the Switch might have some performance related thing for the power draw
@@itcamefromabox saving up to get a $70 dock? Idk that RUclips is your forte if it's hard to get $ like that..,
Also edited to say, immediately after getting my Switch, I wanted a 20k power bank, or better of course... Well, of course the first thing I look at is the back of the Switch, and see that it asks for 15v instead of the normal 5, so what did I do? Got a power brick with PD that outputs up to 15v...
Video evidence that Bob likes docking
Wait... You do know what “docking” is right? XD (in regards to sexual activity)
Lol
Dicking. Who doesn’t love a good dicking ?
2 penises sharing 1 for skin. Lmao
👉👈
There are also plenty of 3D printable cases for this. If you have a 3D printer or access to one they work great
I had this in my notes but forgot to mention it for some reason.
Try your local public library to see if they have a 3D printer available for patron use!
@@WulffDen There's a brilliant one on my mini factory which uses screws from the dock, keeps the black plastic that sits on the spring so it still has the springiness, and has the HDMI side at the back so the other side with just 2 USB ports at the front. It's brilliant.
@@bhoebn yea because everyone lives in the us
@@Solaxe yea because public libraries only exist in the us...? Other countries have public libraries.
Welp the switch Lite doesn't even dock
beat me by 1 week
@@dr.saltyballsack69 rekt by nerd
0vab :D eh... I think I know how to make it work... as long as we can still get it to have wireless control I can do it
@@CDGHT Nintendo said it was impossible because they removed the feature from the soc, So it is impossible unless you Homebrew/mod it
And the rumored new Switch Pro supposedly won't be portable! We may never get a redesigned dock. D:
"I can't stop docking my f**king Nintendo Switch!" -
Strange Addiction (S03E12)
no it's not there isnt even a Season 3 episode 12 looser
@@shogo_guy r/wooosh
You need to leave it out for 5 minutes or else an overcharge might occur killing the charging port, battery and mother board.
@@BraxtonKovary what the hell does r\whoos mean
shogo guy | it means he was joking stupid. I bet you’re SUPER FUN AT PARTIES. Hold on lemme stop being sarcastic so u can understand better. Learn to take a joke kid.
Seeing a lot of brick-related docks isn’t such a comforting thing, so I’m glad to finally see a solid dock pop up on the market!
I had one of these almost 2 years ago, it's nice but needs to be wider...look at when he docked his joycon the entire switch wobbled...I reassembled mine.
@@thebugg333 hell, I'm perfectly happy with my Best Buy Insignia dock, sure it's only got a single USB port, but on top of each single joy-con, my pro controller, my powerA red&black pro controller with the tactile buttons on the back, so I'll never have to use a wired controller anyway, so it's a charger for me lol.
One thing to keep in mind. The "bricking" happens when a power chip inside the system gets fried, because the wrong voltage goes into it. This only happens when the Switch is rebooted (very rare), or has a system update run on it (somewhat more common), while connected to the dock. Just don't have it connected to anything but the official dock when you're doing those two actions and it'll be fine.
I cant afford to brick my damn system screw that smh
I like the Linkstyle dock shell better than the Basstop because it keeps the spring-loaded part of the dock intact. For this mod, to get the USB C off the spring loaded section, there are two screws under that thin plastic sheet that you just take out. You didn't need to bend or snap that piece because you don't need the plastic that the USB C end is mounted to.
"There's no reason for the dock to be as big as it is." Sure there is: protection. A mini-dock like that works fine for an adult who knows better, but a child taking a switch out of it's dock would just rip it off with no care. The design of the dock sort of makes it so you have to pull it straight up in order to remove the switch. I could definitely see a child, if they had a mini-dock, pulling the switch off the dock at a bad angle and fucking up the little USB-C thing.
Also, the thicker design makes it more resilient to damage in general, which is essential for any console targeted at kids.
Goodness me gracious those are some very good points! Why didn't I think of those before!
Well, they still can make it a bit smaller without taking away the guards in the front and back. They could make them small enough to be convenient but big enough to force you to pull up.
@@danielcardenas8520 the higher guards also help protect the screen from children's antics, not just the usb port.
That current dock is not at all child friendly. It tips over easily and then the switch just slides out. Meaning if a child runs by and tips it the switch does a slippy slide to the floor, which can actually also damage the screen on the way out. I've heard people complaining about their switch or joycons breaking because of this kind of stuff more than once.
@@toslverr I'm talking about protection of the dock, not the switch itself.
Also, I'm not sure the dock is as easy to tip over as you say. I just tried intentionally tipping it over, and short of pushing it off my desk or grabbing it and tipping it that way, I can't it to tip over. It just slides.
I have been using this dock since launch(or almost, i dont really remember when i actually bought it) and its great. Not only its easy to pop in/out from the dock itself but it literally fits in my pocket. Ultra portable, Super trustworthy and it really is easy to assemble given you know something about screws and hardware. at first i was like "probably gonna use it a few times and then go back to the OG one. Never went back since i changed to it. 10/10 would recommend
The size of the dock has a pretty important purpose. Bending the inside of the usb port can prevent charging even if power delivery is on point. The sides of the official dock keep the switch in place with 0 strain on the port. Any dock that uses the port itself as a means of physically stabilizing the console can still brick it even if it's guts are official. It doesn't have to be as big as the standard one but it definitely needs to be desogned with this in mind.
This sounds extremely convenient. I travel a lot for work, and I hate having to to reach behind my TV console/furniture where all of my stuff is hooked up, and disconnecting my Switch's power cable and dock in order to take on a trip. This mod will make that process so much easier. Thank you for the video!
What kind of work stuff?
@@nathanmead140 I am a field technician for a company that builds marine communication systems for vessels. So I tend to go all over and spend anywhere from 3 days to an entire month on-site. So being able to take this tiny little dock (and know that it is safe because it uses the same Nintendo internals) is awesome.
The engineers at Nintendo need to consider all ages of potential users to design a dock. I highly doubt if a school going 3rd grader would handle a miniature dock as carefully as a grown up man. So instead of convenience for the adult demographic users, Nintendo took the safer route that will make sure younger users won't end up losing/damaging their dock every couple of days.
That's true, but also consider a kid in 3rd grade isn't going to be buying another dock. If anyone is buying it it's probably the parents, and hopefully they're smart enough to keep it away from the kid.
That said, if you're talking about a redesign for the Switch Mini, then yes I completely agree.
@@ProLifeDrifter Keep away the dock from the kid? How do you even do that? Close the system inside a vitrin or what?
@@SzegediXY lock it up in a safe
@@nathanmead140 I want Chad why your blade dawns jad wired Les dogues general yard play dogs think you I'm free this Gen. YR play dogs I want jad wired blay dumb chat while by dogs I want to
@@SzegediXY probably means that the original dock as is would be used for the kids and the adults might buy a second dock to do this mod with and keep that one away from the kids
I got my 2nd Switch dock back when Bestbuy had them on sale for $40 :) I also did this with that doc, so i have the main one, and the portable one.
And yeah, there *is* a reason its so big. 1. it covers the screen to protect it from living room objects (think kids) 2. it makes it easier to align it so you know you are putting it in centered, where as with the portable ones, you have to be abit more careful to not break the connection.
Basically, its big to make it more 'fool'/idiot proof. I've been debating adding weight to mine to keep it more in place (tho i havent had much issue as it is since i havent plugged in wired controllers).
oddly enough idiot proofing it caused plenty of idiots to scratch the screen on the official dock lol
What's up doc?
A few quarters or nickels might work for that (if there is enough space inside for them)
I also feel like it has to do with the torque. no support on either side means the switch can lean in either direction and bend the input ports.
dang it's almost like tempered glass screen protectors don't exist
oh wait there are literally 6 digit figure switches scratched by the shitty dock design.
I did this to my dock last year, only downside is that it slides like crazy if there's even a little bit of tension on the cables that are plugged in
Burgundy Burnouts this one is much better:
J&TOP Portable DIY Replacement... www.amazon.com/dp/B072V9ZBSK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Mine came with little rubber feet. I didn't know what they were for at first lol
Truuu. Little rubber footz are key
This man has been living his life in fear over switch docks
In his mind a single isolated incident blown up to epic proportions means that it happens every day and it still happening up to this day.
The Jumpgate Kickstarter campaign has some interesting information on bricked Switches - and they've done extensive testing to make sure their product doesn't brick the Switch. Basically, they believe Nintendo didn't protect the Switch enough from docks that didn't comply with the PD protocol and made some changes to try to cut back on hacking (which also makes the Switch a bit non-compliant). So as I understand it, virtually all docks that are in close or complete compliance with PD ought to be safe - Nyco docks apparently didn't do a good job of following the PD protocol. Considering the publicity around the incident, I doubt any third party dock manufacturer is going to repeat Nyco's mistake, and from the lack of news I'd say that nobody is repeating Nyco's mistake. Just don't get some some cheap questionable thing that would probably fry anything attached to it. I definitely don't understand the insistence on third party docks being unsafe and being the equivalent of throwing your phone on the floor.
Nintendo could have easily used a proprietary port for charging and video output. They've done it before. They could have even taken the USB-C pinout and put it into a proprietary adapter. But they didn't. IMO they had every intention of allowing the Switch to be used with standard USB-C accessories, including chargers and third party docks. Having problems with third party docks was completely unintentional and we were never actually supposed to be fearful of using third party chargers and docks.
You know, the "U" in "USB" means "universal" - it means that we shouldn't have to worry about this. The bricked Switches were an edge case, and shouldn't be treated as the norm. Considering that reports of bricking are largely non-existent these days, I'd say that continually bringing up these fears is counterproductive. Hopefully the next iteration of the Switch follows the protocols more carefully and we shouldn't have to even bring it up anymore.
As far why these kinds of mods aren't as popular as you thought they would be? Because they're unnecessary. Third party manufacturers might not be sharing publicly how they fixed the problem with bricking Switches - but they're certainly figured it out. I don't imagine there's really much of a demand for devices aimed at people who insist on saying a problem has never been figured out and can't possibly be fixed.
8:35 - plugging the old dock or charger into the new Switch shouldn't be a problem, because the official Nintendo chargers never had any problems. It was the Switch itself that was problematic. I have never heard of any issues using a Nintendo charger even with a non-Nintendo device. The vice versa (using the new dock / charger with an old Switch) also shouldn't be a problem because I doubt the chargers for the new Switch will be any different than the old ones, and Nintendo is not about to pull a Nyco and design a crappy dock that fries old Switches.
Don't put it as if Nintendo using a proprietary connector in place of USB-C would be a good thing.
unicatte oh I know - I love the fact that Nintendo choose to use USB-C. It just annoys me how Wuff Den is essentially telling everybody to treat it like a proprietary connection just because of some issues early in its life that got resolved.
By the way, it turns out the bricking problem is actually fixable. You need somebody who is skilled at chip replacement, but Spawn Wave actually fixed his Switch.
@@logicalfundy Sorry for having misunderstood it then. And thank you for pointing me to that video, that's very interesting.
In case anybody is interested, here's a direct link to Spawn Wave's video: ruclips.net/video/gRt0Ldk66D0/видео.html
@@logicalfundy So are you saying now we can use any docks without worry? I just want an extra for my bedroom for a quick session at night.
I 100% agree that this dock here 0:33 is one I very like. I've been using it for 1 year now and I just can't get over it I always use it.
"You won't believe how this man made his dock smaller and stopped it wobbling!"
Modding my official dock was the first thing I did when I got my switch more than a year ago and I have not regretted it yet. If you're on the fence about doing this mod I absolutely recommend you do it
How light is it? Will it get slippery when on a table? I was thinking about putting friction pads on bottom once i get it.
@@mr.loungensmritz8710 I got the one from Basstop featured in this video, and if I remember correctly there are nonslip pads that come with it. I'm not home rn to check, but I'm pretty confident that I have nonslip pads on the bottom and they work great
It is pretty light though which is good for portability, but when I first setup the dock the tension in the cables was enough to make it not lay flat on the surface
That moment when the new switch isn’t even going to need a dock because it won’t be able to connect to a tv at all
F
Doesn't help that the handheld only switch also has a smaller screen.... They could have at least used a larger screen with smaller bezels and kept the shell the same size... Would have looked SO much better. Same with the regular switch these bezels make these devices look like they are tablets from 2012
My switch dock has been in this shell since I bought it two years ago. The fact that I can carry it in a regular switch case makes it automatically worth it in my eyes.
You look like this kid in highschool who use to sell me shrooms good times
I use the Best Buy Insignia doc when I travel for business. It works great and has a smaller footprint. Highly recommended without any issues.
Why did the dock become so expensive? In Mexico costs almost the same as a new Nintendo Switch.
DAMN
allegedly they stopped selling them separately
i've been running the teal version of this for almost a year now and simply cannot imagine going back. yes, i am electronically inclined and am not afraid to rip something open just for funsies, but this barely qualifies as that. i could seriously hand this project to my 11-yr-old and it might take her 30-45 minutes to sort it out, and she can barely swap the batteries from her oculus controllers. so glad to see you reviewing this product!
- Bob, what are you doing?
- Docking...
* Hans Zimmer’s music starts playing in the background *
I've had that Basstop dock for about 2 years, and so far, all of my Nintendo Switch consoles have survived using it.
The only downside about this is the DIY assembly and when I did it, I didn't have any instructions and had to figure it out on my own.
I’ve done this to an extra dock, you do not have to break or bend any components to do this!!!! Just look closely during disassembly
The same thing happened to my dock with a PDP wired “pro” controller, I thought it was the controller until I plugged it into my computer. My Switch was “out of warranty” but Nintendo still fixed it for free. The best part? Even though I had to send them the dock (they paid for express shipping) I could still play my Switch! I fucking love this console.
No one is comfortable with their dock being wobbly...
Carlos Ramirez I’d love one that has the dock port angled straight up instead of 45 degrees. And slightly bigger so it doesn’t feel like the Switch could fall out of it
I did this a long while back...I reassembled my dock only because of the wobble...and my kids. I still have the shell but I have zero intention of using it again.
@@soridosuneku everyone wants a bigger dock
When I travel with my Switch, I just put the dock in my suitcase. There is usually a little bit of space on the side of my clothes that it fits into. The dock doesn't bounce around since the clothes hold it in place.
SirBilliam same with me and the dock by itself is not heavy at all
I was literally thinking of getting a 3rd party dock so I don't have to move my ass to the living room to play it on my TV. And I wondered: hmmm...why didn't Bob do another switch dock review in 2019? And this morning I woke up and opened youtube and BAM! Recommendation from Bob! Love you so much!
Wulff, you are amazing. Appreciate your honesty and not recommending some bullshit. Your status is so well deserved
How's your dock Bob? HOWS YOUR DOCK??
I got a similar enclosure and made this mod a while ago. I've been using it ever since. One nice thing about it is that I have a grip for my Switch in portable mode and I don't have to remove it when docking it with the smaller dock.
I bought an extra dock on ebay at the time to do this. I didn't want to alter my original dock even though I knew I wouldn't use it very much after doing the mod. I managed to find someone selling just the dock with no cables for around $40 or $45 if I recall correctly. It worked out nicely.
4:10 he starts talking about the dock itself
This guy rambles too much
I know you mentioned this, but anecdotally, I've been using my switch almost exclusively with the Insignia/BestBuy brand dock for over a year and a half and it's fine...I take it off when I'm done playing but I've never had an issue.
How is your switch doing on 2020?
It's perfectly safe. You are correct
@@abeld94 I've used the Insignia dock exclusively every single day and it's perfectly fine. The only issue it has is that the original dock made a long scratch going down the screen :(
@@drewlassen4127 I wonder if it will be possible to buff the scratches out of the screen, it is plastic after all so it shouldn't be too difficult, then afterwards ideally apply a glass screen protector to prevent it from getting scratched again.
I can't be the only one bothered by the fingerprints on the Switch in the background.
The dock LED has a Light Defuser and it fits into the grill of the new plastic, no modifications, it just fits.
Not sure why I've been so hesitant but I recently sub'd the Channel; appreciate the good work brethren!
Also, I was in BK (from Boston) on that AMAZING 1st truly warm day when you were Labo-VR'ing.
The Dock by Skull and Co is also good. They even are putting a guarantee behind it to replace your console if it does brick
They're actually the ones who emailed me telling me they use USB-PD lol
"Mine's already slightly bent from doing this a few times"
heh
The Coov sh350 pro works like a charm, it even works 3rd party charger and the best part is that the company provides firmware update for the dock. :D
Also it works with Dex, Macbook and the good old Type c to hdmi.
7:17 weird flex but ok
I was thinking about doing videos in my money bin from now on. 😊
Got mine yesterday and set it up in no time. No regrets!
I really want to attempt this but I fear I will mess something up lol
Just picked it up due to this video. I watch a ton of gaming youtubers but you, Bob, are the most likely to get me to purchase any item. I trust your judgment, man. Thanks
Don't like the Jump gate dock, do ya Bob? I personally like mine
He doesn't like the idea of any dock that's not made by Nintendo or has their name on it (I think he would dislike it even if it was officially licensed by them, because Fanboy logic).
not sure if you mentioned this, but the shell does slightly block a small portion of the switch's vent so keep that in mind if A) you have a case on (even one that has vent cutouts) and B) you play power hungry games like zelda
I’m not sure I get why aftermarket docks are so high in demand, besides the cheap prices. I’ve always been super happy with the standard included one- it’s already pretty small, looks nice when the Switch is in it, & I’ve never had any issues with dock scratching/bending. Ever since I saw the epidemic of docks bricking/damaging consoles, I’ve never even considered an aftermarket dock.
This is perfect for me!
I travel a lot for work, and I absolutely hate having to bring my big a$$ nintendo dock to be able connect it to the hotel TV . Thanks for the video man!
this video aged like blue cheese, especially at 8:06
Yes indeed. I saw that and was like, "AAAAAAAAAND we got the Switch Lite that doesn't dock at all..."
I've done this. One of my favorite mods. A little hot glue and you can easily keep the led too.
"My dock gets a lot of use" I think you messed up one of the letters there, Wulff, you manbeast.
Brilliant. Considering doing this as I bought a second switch for my daughter (pink case). Thanks for the video.
No matter what the other companies tell you, just use the official dock. Its not worth taking the risk of bricking your $300 switch
Yeah
Even if you don't have the money for an official dock or a charge
You better off saving up and buying the official one
Even if this means you won't be able to play your switch for a while
And saving up for 80 dollars is better than 300
Nintendo does sell a mini dock but it's not for connecting to a TV, it's more for playing and charging using tabletop mode, but this is also great because people can have a smaller dock to save room.
If I don't plug the HDMI cable in this dock, will this played as a chargeable stand for portable mode Nintendo Switch? Is that safe?
Shen Wang yes it is the only difference is that your not playing it’s actually better cuz your not making your switch work your doing the opposite your charging it
Skull and co made a nintendo switch dock that also works with a MacBook pro and similar, they said they tested it for 100 hours and that its safe to use, also teslong made one that is just like a cable with hdmi, you only need the original charger, It would be cool if you talked about it
They did make the switch lite dock smaller it’s so small that It doesn’t fucking exist
Got mine in the mail yesterday. You don't have to bend out the USB-C, there are 2 tiny screws under the black tab that you are suppose to screw out and you just screw the tiny board onto the screw holes on the case. Seperate smaller screws came with the case for this purpose.
Insignia docks seem to be find.
I did this to my dock a few months back and it is the best accessory I’ve ever gotten for my switch. I love it and I can fit it in my pocket. I got the black version and it came with screw covers that actually help it stick to surfaces so it doesn’t slide around. Super easy to swap over as well. Just need to be careful about stripping screws
I used the wrong screwdriver many time lol
Im from the future and the switch lite isnt compatible with a dock lol
Bought the smaller dock casing just like this one except for the color being black. Bought a new Switch dock on sale and put all the internals in the small dock and it works like a charm. No heating up or worries of scratching the screen!
Don't know why Nintendo just don't make a revised dock and discontinue the older one
Because they don't need to.
This is amazing! I'm currently doing the vanlife lifestyle and anything that revolves around with the idea of being compact is an essential for me.
My official dock has a light up Pokémon glass in the front and changes colors. I’m not sure I want to replace that.
It's only a 100% safe and the same if the spring load mechanism for the type-C USB is kept in the mini dock shell. It actually has a purpose which is to provide more support in taking the weight of the switch when it is being dock rather than just having the switch sit on the usb alone.
Also, it's in a 45°~ angle as oppose to the original being in a straight 90°. Gravity plays a key role in the design and mechanism.
I found that Apple's USB-A to USB-C adapter works well for the Switch, and that pisses me off. I don't want to ever spend $20 on a stupid 6" cable again.
So I just got this. And it's awesome! I have two docks, a travel one and one plugged into my TV (so I don't have to keep yanking the cables out of the TV one, I travel with a dock enough to have bought a second dock a while ago). I did the mod last night, and man, that thing is gonna fit in my switch travel bag much easier! I'm so glad I found this, thanks!
"I'm probably streaming right now!" *checks stream* ... liar..
Both my sister and I have switches so we only need to use one dock, so when we go on vacations or somewhere we bring the other one. Now I can’t imagine having to unplug your dock and plugging it back in once you get home.
I've been using a similar transplanted dock and I have zero regrets. Easier to carry, easier to place on a desk, and it still has everything official.
I have a Hyperkin one that I found at PAX that gets around the problem of the charging in a different way.
From what I could understand the problem is not charging in general, it's using the HDMI at the same time as charging. So Hyperkin went around that problem by making their protable dock do only one or the other. Output to TV, or charge while playing in handheld. It uses Nintendo's charger/cable, not their own.
I'm not sure if that's the real problem explained here, but it's not a bad idea in itself. Gives a portal HDMI output, but gonna drain your battery doing so. Oh well.
This shell for the official dock is confirmed awesome, I swapped mine over after I found this on Amazon, so happy I can take my OG dock with me anywhere I go.
Gotta be honest, I have two Insignia Docks and have been using exclusively for about a year + and have not had any problems. So if you don't want to make one, maybe consider Insignia brand.
Damnit, he got me at 5:24. Those sound effects get me every time man XD
The official dock is cheaper now to finally pull this off. Manage to find a used one from this video for 35 bucks and the shell for 10 dollars. Thanks for reminding me of this mod i had in mind a while back
Damn I kinda want this now. I didn't ever think about using my docked Switch, but now...it'd fit in my carry case with ease, charger too, it'd be so easy to just pull it out anywhere a TV is nearby. Get a slim HDMI cable too and bam.
I think using my switch charger to charge my Google pixel has fucked my pixel battery... This really helps explain why that might be the case.
Awesome video.
I found a deal on a second hand dock for $40 that drastically brings down the price of this mod. I’m happy
I bought this back after the switch first came out. been my go to switch dock since. My daughter wants me to do it to her switch dock to.
There is/was an Article from an Engineer on Google+ (yeah, I know ...) which explained what happens during the loading inside the dock and why nintendo decided on that or might have decided. It was because the USB-C Standard wasn't quite finished during the switch development and they had to decide on something. (About the latter I'm not quite sure if that was really the case, but the article still explained what happens during charging)
This is the exact same dock that I bought. It's excellent for travel since it can fit into most Switch travel cases. Add in ultra slim HDMI cables, and you're all set.
I like that the dock is big so it protects the precious screen
Guys, I just did this mod. This is an absolute NECESSITY for Switch owners.
The 3ed reason you might need a new switch dock is if you thought that to use your switch in handheld mode you needed to leave it in the dock and carry it around with you and you inevitably drop it in front of the freeway cassing it to be run over by a Prius driving at 200mph.
This dock is super easy and well worth the money. I have a Satisfye grip, and it even can stay on while docked, because y’all know how “easy” it is to take that off...
Every time I see your videos, I want to come over and clean your switch.
I did the gut swap on my dock, all 3 of them. Well worth it
i removed the board from the original dock and bought a shell like this orange one. never locked back and it works great (and it should as it's still the original tech)
You my friend, have given me the courage to do this. I was hella nervous! But SUCCESS! Thank you so very much! My desk looks so much better! ☺️ Happy Lady right here❣️ If you scan the QR code on the box, a RUclips video pops up and it walks you through the process. I watched you, and them, and got it done.
Wowww lol I was just watching the last video you did 8 months ago and I was wondering " I wonder when he's going to do an update on 3rd party docks " and BOOM ! Great vid !
This also fixes the issue of potentially scratching or scuffing your screen. The original dock is so stupid in its design it blows my mind Nintendo went with it
I have an insignia and its a really good portable dock, with a cheap price tag too, never had any problems
I use 2 different 3rd party docks. One of which is the insignia which has absolutely no complaints about bricking since it's release years ago. I also have a 5 in 1 dock I got on Amazon. They all work great. If they do brick it though it'll be your fault and i'll send you a bill. 😊👍