Alright, so where do we begin with the latest Nintendo Switch 2? Let’s dive in, bit haphazardly maybe, but hey, you’ll get the point. So, this thing’s got some sweet upgrades. Bigger screen, more pixels, 120 Hz refresh — like, why didn’t we have this before, right? And those Joy-Con controllers? Click on with magnets now. Fancy stuff. Oh, and graphics got a boost too, plus some social bits. Sounds like switching to this might be fun — or not?
But wait… Nintendo’s pulled a classic move—limiting that USB-C port. Why? Apparently, they don’t want you using non-official accessories. Hmm. Two sources over at The Verge say Nintendo’s cooking up encryption stuff and other tech wizardry. Remember that story on GamesRadar? They said a strange 20V power requirement was blocking Jsaux from making docks? Maybe that’s true, or maybe Nintendo’s just switched gears with their USB-C setup. Who knows?
So, Sean Hollister, a senior guy at The Verge (no clue how he digs into this stuff), looked into it. Basically, you plug a dock in and bam! The system usually sorts itself out. Power, video, Ethernet, all that jazz. But not with Switch 2. It’s all locked up with secret codes. Like, over 30 mystery messages pass between the dock and the console before something happens. Tested third-party stuff didn’t stand a chance, except — plot twist — the Antank S3 Max.
Never heard of Antank, but this dock seems to play by Nintendo’s secret rules. Costs about $36, needs official power gear to work right, and still, the power’s a touch off. Funny how that works. However, maybe Nintendo’s gonna make life even tougher for unofficial gear with updates. Antank themselves hinted, “Yeah, things might change with firmware, but hey, our dock’s ready for updates too.”
So, will these third-party docks keep up with Switch 2? No idea. Things could flip overnight, or maybe this issue sticks around. And oh, if you want to keep up with this tech drama, hit that Follow button over at Tom’s Hardware. Trust me, they’ll keep you filled in — or just as confused as me.
