Nintendo Switch 2 USB Port Lockdown Poses Challenge for 3rd-Party Dock Makers

[sudothelinuxwizard]

I really hope the EU goes after them for this. Even Apple had the sense not to stoop that low.

 

[trsttte]

That is only for charging. It is compliant with the charging directive regarding usb c.

Is it though? Does it charge the same way at the same speed with any 3rd party USB-PD charger as it does with the original one?

If they're doing weird things with the connection like first going to 20V and then negotiating to 15V that could easily break Power Delivery broad compatibility.

I really hope the EU goes after them for this. Even Apple had the sense not to stoop that low.

... after being sternly warned to not even think about it when the a rumour appeared saying they were thinking about it

 

[sudothelinuxwizard]

... after being sternly warned to not even think about it when the a rumour appeared saying they were thinking about it

That's true, but that was out in the open for Nintendo.

 

[Geofrancis]

The regular switch charger won't charge anything other than very basic 5v devices as it only done 5v and 15v breaking pd compatibility.

 

[Craptacular]

Choice is good, basically. Cheaper choices in dock, smaller choices in dock, more versatile features in dock etc. Just because Nintendo offer a dock in the box doesn't mean everyone will be satisfied with it.

Choice for the sake of there being choice that you are never going to exercise is not a really strong argument for the anger directed at Nintendo over this.

What features are missing from the current dock for the Nintendo switch 2? It has an ethernet port, it has an HDMI port, we know from the verge article that its dock does in fact support 120hz 4k and vrr. It also has a couple of usb c ports. What features are missing in the dock?

Look, I get it that people always like to have more choice whenever possible but it is only really important if it doesn't come with one in the box, has very gimped features that 3rd party make up for, which they won't, and or everyone wants additional docks for the other tvs around their house and 3rd party docks are significantly cheaper; but none of those really apply here.

Is it though? Does it charge the same way at the same speed with any 3rd party USB-PD charger as it does with the original one?

If they're doing weird things with the connection like first going to 20V and then negotiating to 15V that could easily break Power Delivery broad compatibility.

So, per the article:

If a dock fails either the voltage test or the proprietary communication protocol, the Switch 2 defaults to a USB-only mode, disabling video and power delivery.

The EU standard deals with charging devices. Nintendo switch 2 console is hardly a charger, so the EU standard doesn't apply here. What would break the EU standard would be Nintendo's official charger not charging anything but its console.

 

[Geofrancis]

The EU standard deals with charging devices. Nintendo switch 2 console is hardly a charger, so the EU standard doesn't apply here. What would break the EU standard would be Nintendo's official charger not charging anything but its console.

That's what the current switch charger does, if you try and charge a tablet it just starts and stops charging repeatedly without adding any power.

 

[Visible Noise]

That's what the current switch does, if you try and charge a tablet it just starts and stops charging repeatedly without adding any power.

You’re charging a tablet from the switch?

 

[ro9ue01]

How about Nintendo sending some rope for the customers as after sales accessory for the person to hang him- or herself?

 

[Dr. Dro]

Appart from children who like puzzle games and Mario Cart, why would an adult buy one of these? The worst handheld on the market, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

I bought a switch lite for my daughter and it was almost unusable. online services are poor, games are far too expensive, Bluetooth headphones dont work properly. it ended up just playing minecraft and fortnite and youtube. i just bought her a laptop with a AMD 4650u after that, its far more practical and the game selection is infinitely better with access to steam, old games and emulators.

You did good! I'm looking forward to the day I get to introduce computers to my kids

What you say is the truth and nothing but the truth, but ultimately it all bucks under social pressure and... well, the Arteta classic there will apply.

 

[Craptacular]

That's what the current switch does, if you try and charge a tablet it just starts and stops charging repeatedly without adding any power.

Huh? You are trying to charge another device from the switch tablet?

I mean my og switch ac adapter charges other devices just fine for me......

Appart from children who like puzzle games and Mario Cart, why would an adult buy one of these? The worst handheld on the market, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Why? Because you enjoy Nintendo games like Metroid, Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Bayonetta, JRPGs, etc.

As a handheld it has the highest performance per watt, it also comes with a dock included in the box and the joy cons are removable so that you can do local multiplayer on the go, it has DLSS, and its noise cancellation microphone is the best on the market, something DF confirmed and validated.

 

[trsttte]

What features are missing from the current dock for the Nintendo switch 2?

Ventilation and a decent price. You mentioned yourself another great use case for 3rd party docks: having docks on other tv's around the house.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Ventilation and a decent price. You mentioned yourself another great use case for 3rd party docks: having docks on other tv's around the house.

Now now, we can't have you just buying a cheap third party dock.

 

[Geofrancis]

You did good! I'm looking forward to the day I get to introduce computers to my kids

What you say is the truth and nothing but the truth, but ultimately it all bucks under social pressure and... well, the Arteta classic there will apply.

look at used corporate laptops, they are metal and are pretty much indestructible. as long as it has a decent IGPU it can be used as a gaming laptop, they arent going to be playing AAA games,

 

[Dr. Dro]

look at used corporate laptops, they are metal and are pretty much indestructible. as long as it has a decent IGPU it can be used as a gaming laptop, they arent going to be playing AAA games,

Oh yeah, but I need to get me a good woman and have them first

5090s will be hand me downs by that point

 

[Geofrancis]

I used to sell refurbished laptops years ago back when everyone was buying those plastic netbooks that fell apart and were painfully slow, I was selling Dell latitude D430 magnesium business laptops for kids, I would replace all the stickers like the intel and windows stickers to make it look new again, they could pick the colour of the carbon vinyl on the lid to personalise it. so when it came to get another laptop I done the same thing and ended up with the HP Elitebook 845 G7 with a Ryzen 5 Pro 4650U for £240, a steal since this retailed for £1300 and was around 3 years old when I got it and has a 6 core cpu the GPU power of a GTX1030.

 

[Bomby569]

they went to all the trouble of encrypting the signal on the dock... the same company that can't make a secure console, even for a few years, over and over and over

 

[Daven]

Locked out, proprietary technology. Nvidia and Nintendo are made for each other.

 

[Craptacular]

Ventilation and a decent price. You mentioned yourself another great use case for 3rd party docks: having docks on other tv's around the house.

Switch 2 dock comes with ventilation; in fact, Nintendo made note of that as one of the key improvements in their presentation of the NS2 dock over the NS1 dock. I wouldn't call price a "feature". The NS2 dock kit comes with an AC adapter as well an HDMI cable, those were not included with the NS1 dock kits. Plus, Nintendo has to make a profit.

It is only a great use case if it is common, how many owners of the NS1 have multiple docks around the house or even want multiple docks? Not many of them, and that had several licensed third-party makers.

Think of the PS5 and Xbox, how often do the owners of said console move the console from TV to TV in the house? Rarely, almost everyone just connects to the main TV in the house and leaves it there, same with the NS 1 and 2 docks.

If you want to look at what is in demand the NS2 all in one carrying case for $85 dollars on Nintendo's website is completely sold out.

 

[ixi]

I really hope the EU goes after them for this. Even Apple had the sense not to stoop that low.

Good luck sending from ipawn via bluetooth data to other brand mob. phone .

The NS2 dock kit comes with an AC adapter as well an HDMI cable, those were not included with the NS1 dock kits.

Maybe did not catch what you're saying, but when I bought ns ~6 years ago. In package with ns came dock, power adapter and as well hdmi cable.

 

[Craptacular]

Maybe did not catch what you're saying, but when I bought ns ~6 years ago. In package with ns came dock, power adapter and as well hdmi cable.

Yes, when you buy the console it comes with a dock, power adapters, and hdmi. If you buy an additional dock with the NS, it is just the dock, the additional NS2 dock comes with a power adapter and an HDMI cable

 

[jpvalverde85]

Nintendo should be punished for not using a standard like DP over USB-C, is just image, USB and Power, cut the bs, they could have spend those 2 bucks on a better display, not in making life harder for the users...

 

[PixelTech]

It is only a great use case if it is common, how many owners of the NS1 have multiple docks around the house or even want multiple docks? Not many of them, and that had several licensed third-party makers.

Think of the PS5 and Xbox, how often do the owners of said console move the console from TV to TV in the house? Rarely, almost everyone just connects to the main TV in the house and leaves it there, same with the NS 1 and 2 docks.

Divorced parents with kids that go from home to home. Or people who have a cabin who want a dock there. Or rich people with multiple homes/seasonal homes. Or a friend that wants to share their S2, but not have to bring over their dock every time.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Off-topic and maybe not. I'm surprised people are bashing nintendo for this. If nintendo provides dock with console itself, why would you want a different one?

Why nobody is bashing apple for they limitation with bluetooth? Wana send files over bluetooth from apple to samsung, oh no, you are in trouble.

We are bashing Apple. EU bashes Apple.
Btw, EU just fined Apple with a couple hundred millions again.

 

[Craptacular]

Divorced parents with kids that go from home to home. Or people who have a cabin who want a dock there. Or rich people with multiple homes/seasonal homes. Or a friend that wants to share their S2, but not have to bring over their dock every time.

So.....a minority and you also need a charger and hdmi cable, which Nintendo offers with their additional docks. The majority of NS1 and NS2 owners don't have a cabin or multiple homes / seasonal homes. The most common one would be the divorced parents.

 

[PixelTech]

So.....a minority and you also need a charger and hdmi cable, which Nintendo offers with their additional docks. The majority of NS1 and NS2 owners don't have a cabin or multiple homes / seasonal homes. The most common one would be the divorced parents.

Very common in MN to have a cabin.