Many have tried, all have failed, but one third-party maker is attempting to bring a functional portable third-party dock for the Nintendo Switch to market.
Currently, the only reliable way to connect the Switch to the television set is the official dock, but it’s hardly something you want be carting around with you when using your Switch on the go.
Genki thinks it has found the solution and is launching its pocket friendly Covert Dock, which contains a charger for the console itself, a USB 3.1 accessory port and a HDMI port for connecting to an external monitor. The accessory has been slimmed right down thanks to the use of GaN technology.
The company knows it has work to do to convince users it has a reliable and safe solution, following reports that the Nyko Portable Docking Kit had bricked Switch consoles for some users.
Andrew Genk, who is an engineer for the firm says it has identified why other solutions failed and has designed the Covert Dock accordingly. The device has a dedicated chip that ensures only the correct voltage is send to the console itself.
Related: Upcoming Nintendo Switch games 2019
On its Kickstarter page, the company wrote: “Our engineer, Andrew wrote up a in-depth article on the causes of bricking, and essentially it’s caused by poor components overloading the M92T36 chip, which manages the docking and power of the Switch. When damaged, the Switch cannot be charged, but fortunately the chip is replaceable and your save progress is unharmed.
“To maximize reliability, we made sure not to skimp on parts. We’ve configured the Covert Dock to use only standard Switch charging profiles when used with the console and conform to PD standards for other USB-C devices.”
The Genki dock is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, where it’s available for an early bird price of $49. The firm expects to deliver the product before the end of 2019.
Genki has previous, which means it’s probably more trustworthy than many solutions you might see, having delivered on its previous Kickstarter campaign, a Bluetooth adapter for the Nintendo Switch.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
