The Truth About Using 3rd Party Nintendo Switch Docks
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- Опубликовано: 10 июл 2024
- Back in the day there was a stigma that using a 3rd party Nintendo Switch dock would damage or break your console. Is that the case today?
Let's talk about it!
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Recommended 3rd Party Switch Docks
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Gulikit Dock | amzn.to/3benro5
Skull 'N Co Jumpgate Dock | amzn.to/3SfYQ2E]
Genki Covert Dock | amzn.to/3Q3dCIR
Genki Covert Dock Mini | amzn.to/3hZ3PYp
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Игры
If you use a 3rd party dock I'd love to know what kind and what you think about it!
Top Velo switch “dock” which is basically just an ac adapter with video out is cheap, small, and convenient. However if you lose the USB C cable provided its nearly impossible to find another one that works with it.
I use the Genki covert dock, it's a small portable dock about the size of the official AC adapter. The reason I like it is that it's very compact and it fits easily in my carrying case. It doesn't have as many USB ports as some of the other docks out there but it's easy to get around that by just using a USB hub.
I've seen that one before and it's been getting some great reviews
I just bought one off of Amazon and it's arriving tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens!
Hey is if ok if I use a third party adapter to connect to my original dock
@Jefftroidvania There is a lot of confusion on this topic. TL;DR most USB PD complaint chargers will work just fine. The official Nintendo AC adapter is USB PD 2.0. As long as you stick with a name brand, you'll be fine. The Switch can handle up to 6V on the data line, and up to 20V on the power line. So it has a bit of a buffer. Obviously you don't want more than 5V and 15V respectively. But a variance of +/- 0.5-1V measured on the power line is normal.
What I believe is often cited as "the Switch is not USB PD compliant" is a post by Nathan K about the Switch pulling more than 300% the supported amperage. Keep in mind that particular test was with 15V/0.5A, where the Switch pulled 1.5A. This is not typical of an adapter you would use (< 22.5W). It just means the Switch would pull at least 1.5A. This is fixable by a firmware update, and it has been considering the new Genki Cover Mini supplies 1.33A (20W), whereas the original supported 1.66A (30W).
What would happen if the Switch pulled more amps than supported? Depending on the implementation of the adapter: (1) The voltage could drop under spec. (2) The voltage would drop out completely, tripping a safety feature. (3) The adapter itself would overheat and potentially catch fire. (So stay away from Chinese knockoffs!).
Additionally the official AC Adapter only supports 5V and 15V. Most other adapters on the market support 5V, 15V, and 20V. The Genki dock is listed as supporting only 5V and 15V as well. Adapters that support up to 20V would not send more than 15V, unless it was a design defect. Even if it did, the Switch has a buffer up to 20V on the power line.
What caused infamous bricking was the Nyko dock sending 9V over the 5V data line. The data line can only safely take up to 6V. The Nyko specifically was badly designed. It did not use a USB PD chip, but instead used a cheap microcontroller with emulation. The Nyko actually could brick the Switch before the 5.0 update, but it made it "cook" the USB PD chip in the Switch more because 5.0 included a feature that made the Switch periodically check for updates while sleeping.
The only way a USB PD charger or a well made dock could possibly brick the Switch is if (1) the USB C connector pins are damaged causing the power and data lines to cross, or (2) if more than 20V is sent over the power line. Case (1) has actually happened with the official dock and AC adapter! With a well made dock and charger this is rare. It takes considerable abuse to happen. However, cheaply manufactured Chinese knockoffs might not be made to spec, with the mins not spaced properly. This is particularly bad for docks, because the USB-C head is made smaller than spec so it can be plugged/unplugged more easily. With a smaller head and improperly spaced pins, this increases the chances of a power/data line cross. So if you stick with a name brand with a good reputation, you'll be fine.
Other cases of "bricking" are usually caused by a bad Switch update, which have nothing to do with the adapter/dock. This can be corrected by resetting the Switch by plugging it into the power undocked and holding the power button for 15 seconds.
One special case where a USB PD adapter does not work: The new Anker 747 GaNPrime does not work with the dock. Looking into it more, it has to do with Anker's new IQ 4.0, which has a dynamic power delivery feature that adjust voltages to "charge more efficiently". The Switch dock does not like this. In fact, even though they say the adapter supports the Switch, and it does charge in portable mode, the charging indicator shows up twice. The older IQ 3.0 chargers work just fine, as does my Apple 140W charger. With both of these and the official AC adapter the indicator shows once. Interestingly this "dynamic power delivery" feature is not PPS because the older IQ 3.0 chargers supported PPS. Even though the GaNPrime doesn't work, it won't damage the Switch.
I have tested this with my OG Switch and Dock (early production). Later editions of the Switch have been updated with better hardware. The OG Switch is firmware updatable, the OG Dock is not. The OLED dock is firmware updatable.
What a great comment. Super thorough. Thank you!
You're right about the docks, the OLED dock has a firmware update option but the og dock does not
@@jefftroidvania I was wrong about the official Nintendo AC adapter and dock not being USB PD complaint. I updated by post above. (At first I thought I couldn't edit, but then realized I was on my branded account. Whoops!). Quite a bit of an information dump. I did a ton of research. Sadly what I found is a lot of this information does not have a lot of views, whereas videos like the WULFF DEN one is widely cited by people afraid of bricking their Switch. I've seen so many reports of people saying they've used USB PD Switches just fine, with many people piling on about how "unsafe" it is. I just had to get to the bottom of this.
Since @jefftroidvania needs to fix his audio anyways y'all should Collab on a follow up vid with all this information!
My man woke up and chose *INFORMATION*
I love you for this man
I love the commitment to info, but is a TL;DR possible?
Exactly what i needed! Short, quick, and straight to the point. Not to mention that soothing voice. :)
☺️Thanks!
Very informative and straight to the point. Saved me a lot of hassle researching about 3rd party docks!
Awesome video. Best summary out there about this issue.
I was searching a video like this for many days,thanks for the info+new sub
I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the kind words and the sub ☺️
I've been using that first dock you showed the one with the magnetic back stand for over two years now works fine no problems
I use it all the time and I'm actually playing my Tears of the Kingdom using it right now! lol
Thanks for the video man. I'm using the usb-c dongle with hdmi, usb-c, and usb ports. Works well... but needing that Nintendo power adapter almost ruins the portability for me. Also, I see you've already acknowledged the volume on your video, I'd suggest like -10 db, currently this video is -17.7. Best of luck, I'll keep watching!
skull and co made a great video about 3d party switch docks but i feel like they should make a updated one with new docks hitting the market
I'll have to check it out!
Really informative. Thanks for the quality video
No problem! Thanks for watching ☺️
Nice and informative video. I'm planning to buy the Gulikit one but I read that with the OLED model the output signal is only 480p. Could you confirm that? Thanks in advance!
I haven't heard anything like that. The gulikit dock should output 1080p for both the Switch and Switch OLED. From what I understand, besides the screen itself, the internal hardware is exactly the same so it should output the same.
@@jefftroidvania Thank you for the reply. Yeah I searched more and I didn't find more about the issue. Now I'm between the Gulikit and the Skull & Co. Jumpgate dock. It seem that both are the best in the market.
Honestly I've heard great things about the Skull & Co one too so I think you can't go wrong with either!
Great info, we'll researched 👏
Thanks!
I did a super genius move and put a different HDMI cord into the dock. It was too wide and after a week or so broke the port on the dock. The Switch is fine, but I need a new dock.
That's rough!
Mines a dirt cheapy, works perfectly and I like the set up way better, switch is on a metal stand, easy access to the screen, charge controllers etc. And looks better to me than that cheap plastic brick
I've been meaning to get a new dock because my official one doesn't charge or connect to the TV and now I'm not sure if it's even worth buying a third party dock considering how expensive a brand new official dock is
I really like the Gulikit one. I've heard great things about the Skull & Co one. There's a lot of options if you don't want to get the official dock
My man has a relaxing voice
Thanks! ☺️
For videos of your quality, you deserve way more subscribers. I will say that this video is a little quiet but I turned the volume up on my speakers so it's all good.
Thanks! I really appreciate it.
Others have also said that the videos are quiet so I've updated my workflow to make it louder in future videos! ☺️
yea its quiet
I use my gulikit dock with the official Nintendo Power brick since 2019. No problems 😂 i use this dock also for Dex with my Samsung phone.
Nice!
By any chance do you have the OLED model? I read that the signal is only 480p when you use it with the OLED.
I just bought a dock that looks like a charger but with HDMI output on it...
I hope it would work well in the long term.
You might be talking about the Genki Covert Dock! Or the Covert Dock Mini. I have a video about the mini and it's an awesome dock!
came here for the info... subbing for the gnarly beard man !!! nintendo wizard
Thank you so much for the comment and the sub!
out of curiosity would this work if i buy this and i need to like transfer files my files from the computer to switch and what do u recommend me to buy?
Docks would really only be useful for playing the Switch on a TV. If you have a Micro SD card in your switch you can connect that to a reader on your computer to transfer files but I don't believe there's a way to transfer files directly onto the Switch.
Are you still using the gulikit dock? i ended up just buying one because im sick of carrying the oficial dock around when im travelling or visiting my friends. I hope it doesnt give me any problems, will use it with the oficial charging brick
Yeah I have the official dock in my living room and the Gulikit dock on my desk in my office. It's been working fantastically and I haven't had any issues.
Yeah definitely make sure to use the official charger with it so when it goes to "docked mode" it draws the correct power
@@jefftroidvania thanks man, great vid btw
Do any of these newer switch docks feature 4x or more USB controller ports ?
I haven't seen any with more than 2 but that's not saying there isn't something out there that has that.
You could also get a USB hub that has 4 ports and then plugs into one of the USB ports on the dock. Controllers don't require a lot of bandwidth so that should work.
I bought the Powerwave Minidock & AC adaptor today...wish me luck!
Fingers crossed!
@@jefftroidvania It's 2023...hopefully any issues have been sorted out by now? Also considering Powerwave make a lot of accessories for Nintendo...
nice info
Could someone please tell me whether you can use the switch screen instead of a monitor or TV while using one of these docks? Thank you!
If you leave the HDMI cable disconnected I believe they will still let you use the Switch screen instead
Do you think it's okay to use an aliexpress third-party charger with the N-Switch lite?
It will most likely charge the Switch Lite fine most of the time but you run the risk of the charger not regulating the voltage properly and if it provides too much power to your Switch Lite it could cause damage.
You're probably less likely to have issues plugging directly into the USB C port as I think most issues with the regular switch was with plugging into the dock but if you can manage to buy the official charger it's probably not worth the risk
@@jefftroidvania Thank you, I'll definitely buy the official Nintendo charger.
Quick question: will using a third party dock just once affect the switch? Also, great video! I learned a lot.
You most likely won’t see any issues immediately if there are any. Also, more recent 3rd party docks have intelligent chips built in to regulate the voltage if a Switch is plugged in so there’s been way less problems than there was originally
I bought a 3rd party dock on monday, still using my official nintendo charger and it never powered up once. Idk if it was just bad luck or maybe they updated the firmware to not work with these? what do you think
I’d say try the dock with a different device like a laptop or a tablet and see if it works
It’s very possible that it might work for something like that but not for the switch
If it doesn’t work at all for those either then the dock may be broken
it works in regard to power supply ie. it charges the switch. only the light thats on the front never lights up and the switch never goes into tv mode. its the Heystop brand switch dock@@jefftroidvania
I’m not super familiar with that dock. Some of the reviews on Amazon had similar issues in the reviews so maybe you received a defective unit. If you got it on Amazon you should still be able to return it and maybe try a different one.
I know the Genki Covert Dock and the Covert Dock mini are a little more expensive but those work really well
I have the Gulikit one and that one works well too
So. Will I be fine if I use a third party dock with the official power cord I already have ?
I’ll say that you still run a risk but the risk is much much less if you use the official power cord. I can’t guarantee anything for sure unfortunately
here from 24 subs
So to use any 3rd party dock u have to use Nintendos charger?
You don't necessarily have to but it's highly recommended so the switch gets the correct voltage
Yes, or else you'll fry your Switch
I have a problem, that when I plug in my portable dock, that it will on show, that it powers my switch, but it wouldn't show up on TV
That's definitely odd. Does the screen on the Switch go black when you dock it? If the screen stays on then it's probably not detecting the HDMI. It could be a bad cable or a bad port on the dock.
You'll also want to make sure you're using the official Switch charger with the dock so it's being supplied with the correct amount of power.
@@jefftroidvania The thing is that the screen doesn't turn black. It is just on but it shows that it's loading. I tried to use it on my laptop and it worked perfectly fine. So no problem with the cable.
I happen to use the charger of my laptop, so more power than the original switch cable.
It's possible that the dock you're using doesn't work with the Switch. Even if it works to output the display of a laptop it may not work with the Switch.
I think the best bet is to use docks that specifically say they're made for the Switch. Some of the ones that are compatible with Samsung Dex on Samsung phones and tablets might work too
@@jefftroidvania it did that same to me It worked for like a week then it stopped showing on my screen but it charged my Nintendo switch
I'm thinking of buying one of the third party mini dock, to bring it with me on holidays, to plug switch to the TV's in hotel etc. If I understand you correctly, using unofficial docking station should be safe for my device, but I have to use official charger? True?
That's what I've come to understand. As long as the charger is the official Nintendo charger it will be able to provide that specific voltage/amperage.
If you're buying one for traveling I would actually recommend the Genki Covert Dock Mini. It's not mentioned in the video but it's a great portable dock and it has a built in power plug. The dock has some kind of microchip or sensor that can tell you connected the switch and it adjusts the power accordingly so it will be safe. It just doesn't have a USB port (only HDMI/Power)
@@jefftroidvania thank you for your express reply :) I will definitely think about it.
So if i hv a portable dock rated at 36W is it safe?
Applying the correct voltage/amperage is more important than the wattage. The official Nintendo power adapter for the Switch is configured for 15 volts at 2.6 amps which is 39 watts. Any other combination of voltages and amperages can cause issues and ultimately could cause damage to the logic board.
If you're talking about the Genki Covert Dock or the Covert Dock Mini which have the power brick built in (and which aren't talked about in this video) then those have a chip in them that can detect that the device plugged in is a Nintendo Switch and change to the correct voltage/amperage.
If you're talking about a laptop dock/usb-c hub then it's probably questionable.
If you can use your own power adapter then you can use the official nintendo one and it will be safer.
@@jefftroidvania its this one i got from amazon. its has 5 stars from all who reviewed it! Switch Dock Charger for Nintendo Switch, Mirabox 36W Portable TV Docking Station for Nintendo Switch with 4K@60Hz HDMI/USB2.0/PD USB-C Fast Charging Ports, Full-Featured USB-C to USB-C Cable Included
I wanna buy one, but am afraid of the input delay
I haven't experienced any input delay with the Gulikit one!
I use third party dock and charger, still fine.
Perhaps Nintendo fix the charging issue and any usb type c charger can charge the switch now.
Isn’t this the point of usb c cable.
lol yeah the point of it was to have a universal standard but Nintendo implemented usb c in their console before the standard was official so they went by their own thing which is what causes the issue
Recently I bought a switch, without the original dock, and I want to buy one from aliexpress thas looks like the original but it isn't 😂 it is a good idea? Lol
I’m not sure I could recommend that in good conscience lol. I would honestly avoid that, especially for the Switch
There’s some decent ones from skull n co, insignia (Best Buy), and Genki that are decently priced. You can also get the official dock separately on Nintendo’s site
But the ac adapter is included with the 80 dollar dock…
That's definitely true. At the time of the video's release, Nintendo had discontinued their official dock and for a while you couldn't buy it.
Also, sometimes people want a different form factor. It wasn't mentioned in this video but there's also the Genki Covert Dock (and the mini) that's all built into a power adapter.
@@jefftroidvania there are similar cheaper other docks like the genki. I have one of these and it works for me. I think Nintendo has patched this issue. Power ic defects aren’t a thing anymore
I like the 3d Praty suck
Vedo some googtips
I was thinking about
Getinome!!🤟🤟🎮
3rd party dock destroyed my Switch just yesterday....paid $40 to then have to replace my entire setup.
That's awful! ☹️ I'm sorry to hear that. As improved as these docks have become there's still a risk due to Nintendo using a unique power requirement when docked.
Were you using the official Nintendo USB C power adapter with the dock?
@@jefftroidvania the power source was a round pin 12v adapter. That was probably what caused it honestly.
I bought a 3rd party like a yr ago and it worked fine. Havnt used it since last winter and now i go to hook it up and its showing no power. I guess 20 bucks doesnt count for nothing anymore. Ha
😩 That sucks. I'm sorry to hear that
@@jefftroidvania thanks bro. I never understood how things just stop working while not being used. 😆
its not quiet that guys deaf lol
😅
I was wondering if it’s safe or not
3rd party docks are absolutely safe as long as you're using the official Nintendo charger for the Switch.
@@jefftroidvania
Ohh, I was about to get one my self, but I was going to pair it with a third party ac adaptor which made by JYS, it said Charging Brick AC Adaptor
I dunno if it’s safe or not, but thx for the Info
@@mitsuki7212 Don't use 3rd party charger, or else you'll fry your Switch. Just buy used AC adapter (official one ofc)
@@idkwastaken
Okay thx for the info, I rather stick with may original dock and charger, I just wanted to have at least another pair, so If I come and visit may family I could bring a small dock
134 subscriber
🙌
Cool channel man I will subscribe
Thanks!
Hey man your videos are whisper quiet with maxed out volume on iPhone. FYI
Thanks for letting me know. When I watch them on my computer at half volume they seem fine. I'll check on more devices going forward
@@jefftroidvania your audio is great lol
Glad it wasn’t just me, I have some failing earbuds so Im used to having to max things out, but this time I thought they were going on me
Your speaker must suck
You need to buy a new phone.
3rd party docks create lag
I imagine you mean input lag. I have the Gulikit dock and the Genki Covert Dock Mini and I've never experienced inout lag compared to the official dock.
I've also not seen any empirical evidence in any studies that show that there's any kind of lag. You also need to make sure you're using the correct power supply and using proper, high quality cables.
If you know of any studies that show they have input lag I'd love to read them
Mine doesnt charge the switch, its a piece of garbage
I'm sorry to hear that. Which 3rd party dock did you buy? Also, are you using the official Nintendo power adapter with it?
it really is