Nintendo Switch, as a main portable game host, brought a lot of joy to our journey outside. However, the handheld mode is portable, and the original base of the TV mode is not very convenient to carry. When I was on vacation, I still needed to connect to the big screen.
Of course, there are many smaller TV mode converters on the market that are powered by additional PD chargers to achieve portability. The Genki Dock I bought from Amazon a while ago is a ‘smaller’ two-in-one product that integrates the original base + PD power supply, allowing you to carry it with you in TV mode with a charging head.
Genki Dock has three interfaces with functions as follows:
- HDMI: the output will display the corresponding content on the screen through the cable
- USB-A 3.1: Expansion interface (you can also simply use it for charging), connect to the storage devices, mouse, keyboard and other devices you need, because as a video output adapter, it is naturally compatible with computer video output and iPad The large screen mode of devices such as Pro.
- USB-C PD: Responsible for power supply, the power is 30W. Of course, it can not only power the Switch, but also mobile devices that comply with the PD 3.0 standard can also be used normally. The internal components use the popular GaN gallium nitride technology.
After using it for a period of time, Genki Dock let me say goodbye to all kinds of bulky Dock, and easily connect mobile phones, computers, iPads, NS and other devices to the TV to watch my favorite programs or play games on the big screen.
So today I will also share my experience with Genki Dock.
What devices do I usually connect with Genki Dock?
I received Genki Dock before returning to my parents’ house, so I recently used it for the switch TV mode that I brought back to my parents’ house. This is also the main selling point of Genki Dock.
I have also taken the Switch to the company or a friend’s house before. Of course, it’s unrealistic to bring the original base and it’s too bulky. So if you need to use TV mode when going out, my plan is to buy a third-party portable dock, which is a bit like a USB adapter, which is quite convenient. The disadvantage is that it will cause people to worry about unstable voltage and burn the switch host.
Genki Dock is more convenient, which is equivalent to integrating the bulky base and bulky power adapter. The above picture is very intuitive to see the portable effect of the Genki Dock solution.
According to the official introduction, Genki Dock R&D engineers have studied the circuit structure of the official dock in detail, and used high-standard components to make Genki Dock meet the charging standards of the Switch, so there should be no need to worry about circuit problems causing Switch damage.
Since Genki Dock adopts the universal USB PD 3.0 charging standard and supports USB-A and HDMI output, you can also think of it as an ‘adapter + charger’ assembly. In theory, as long as a device that provides a full-featured USB-C interface (supports PD fast charging, data transmission and video output at the same time), it can perform all its functions; including but not limited to notebooks, tablets, and even mobile phones.
I tried to connect my OnePlus 7T to the TV through Genki Dock, and then sat on the sofa to play some mobile games that support handle control, such as “Pascal Contract”, “Minecraft” and so on.
Playing mobile games on the big screen in this way has much lower latency than the wireless projection solution; under the premise that the handle is well adapted, there is even a feeling of playing a game console.
Compared with the previous adapter (charger), what makes me satisfied or dissatisfied with it?
Compared with the previous power adapter, I am most satisfied with the size and shape of the Genki Dock. Plugged into the power strip, Genki Dock is a vertical straight barrel type, which occupies a small area of the power strip, so it will not affect the use of the side jacks. It is really very user-friendly and moderate in height.
I believe that most people who are interested in it are because of its size. After all, its size is smaller than the original Switch’s power adapter, but it also includes the Dock function. It is said that this kind of Dock that is directly connected with a USB-C cable has another advantage: Compared with the original Dock that requires the entire Switch to be plugged in, it may be more conducive to heat dissipation when running games.
In addition, the shell of Genki Dock uses a translucent splicing design, which is similar to the Pro handle of the Switch. I personally like this slightly frosted translucent shell, you can vaguely see the components inside, full of technological sense.
I think the most unsatisfactory part is that it supports relatively small output power. It may be due to the size that this small Dock only supports 30W output; it is certainly sufficient for Switch, mobile phones and iPad, and it can also meet the needs of some thin and light notebooks. But for notebooks like MacBook Pro, it’s not enough.
As a product that focuses on portability, where do I use it?
I just went on vacation some time ago, and I personally have the experience of picking up TV and playing Switch in the hotel. You can unplug the HDMI cable of the set-top box in the hotel and connect it to the Genki Dock, so that you can enjoy big-screen games in the room.
If it is just for travel or business trips, Genki Dock is too small. After all, for most people, there are not many opportunities to use TV mode when going out. So after the holidays, Genki Dock was used by me as my daily charger, and of course I would use it in TV mode.
At home, Genki Dock can be used to charge iPad and iPhone, and USB-C supports 5V/2A, 9V/2.44A, 15V/1.66A, and can provide fast charging for devices. USB-A only supports 5V/1A.
Surprisingly, Genki Dock supports extended screens, and you may use it as an adapter. For example, MacBook Pro connects to HDMI display, or iPad connects to HDMI display. It seems that the product team has fully explored the usage scenarios.
You can buy it from Amazon, I believe it will be the best accessory for your switch.
