
Yesterday, we reviewed the SFANS Adapter, a super-portable dongle-like device which connects to your Switch and allows it to run in docked mode. In our review, we considered the SFANS to be an excellent bit of kit which is ideal for those who like to take their Switch on the road, or don't have room in their current AV setup for the Switch's bulky dock.
Since our review went live, it has been brought to our attention that the SFANS isn't unique by many means; in fact, the unit inside the casing - known as CF001 - is already widely available in China and is intended for use with Samsung smartphones like the Galaxy S8 and S8+ - both of which use the same USB Type-C connection as the Switch. These units cost around $30 in China and are designed to imitate Samsung's DeX device.
SFANS isn't the only product based on this hardware - a Kickstarter campaign for Switch-Con is also running at the moment and the unit looks almost identical, outer casing aside. Digging deeper, it's possible to find posts on Chinese forums investigating how these dongles function with the Switch, and these have since been verified by posters over at GBA Temp.
So what does this mean for SFANS and Switch-Con, and any other device which uses the CF001? They're still excellent pieces of kit and our opinion of them remains unchanged; however, when you consider that the original CF001 is being sold at a significantly lower price it might be wise to shop around and see if you can pick a variant up at a lower cost.
Thanks to Lockdown555 for the tip and extensive research!
Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
Comments 34
Meh, no real need. My dock stays home.
Half the price? The arbitrary Switch markup strikes again.
I have both an S8 and a Switch. Grabbing one of these therefore intrigues me...
Not for anything over £30 though.
I'd read that before and said so 2 weeks ago.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/06/switchcase_hopes_to_give_your_switch_more_comfortable_grips#comment4012010
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/switch-con/switch-con-worlds-first-hdmi-hub-for-switch-and-s8
Now we know why they're also Galaxy S8 and S8+ compatible. I wasn't aware though that there was a $30 unit and so ya, this is another example of Nintendo owners once again being extorted. Sneaky snakes.
@Paddle1 Scalpers with scalpels.
Okay so anyone know if you can buy one in the UK today? I've seen a S8 adapter on Amazon but someone asked if it worked on Switch and was told No. If they are widely available in China anyone know of a website that ships to UK?
Im interested too if anyone knows where to get one
@Arno The Switch dock doesn't have a fan, it just keeps the unit upright for airflow.
@Arno There is no fan in the dock, it's in the Switch itself.
@Arno @AcridSkull I'd still advice to keep the Switch upright or at least at an angle instead of flat on the table, when using any unofficial dock. Airflow is going in through the little vents in the middle bottom, while hot air is blown out through the top.
Handy if you have a Macbook too.
I've got a carrying case for my dock if I need to take it somewhere. No risk of overheating and destroying Switch with the official dock.
@Alikan There are reports of the system warping in the official dock.
@Jaxad0127 you mean the three reports of angry gamers bending their switches which has nothing to do with the dock? If your Switch has a problem, call Nintendo, don't post a monetized video on youtube for hits.
@MisterKorman again, its not an error if someone gets angry and bends their Switch with their hands. That's called being an idiot. Making up a story and posting it on youtube with "alternate theories" about how your Switch dock melted your Switch is called being a liar and such slander loses sales. It was disproven because melting the case into a bent shape would be hot enough to damage the Switch's insides and make it nonfunctional, not just bent.
That's all fine and great, but can I get a link to buy? Maybe a link to a link?
@MisterKorman it's an assumption based on science. The temperature the casing has to reach in order to bend would destroy the hardware inside the Switch. It had to have been done by hand, either by a factory worker, a shipment worker, or the most likely cause, the end user.
@Paddle1 Doesn't include an AC adapter and HDMI cable, while making it harder for air to flow through the Switch. I'd rather buy another official dock than this one (if I ever needed one).
@Slaz cant they just flip console so it lies on its front screen, assuming it has a protector or other precautions to prevent damage?
It's amazing how all of these "reviews" are going up for this item without ANY sort of research. This was reported on reddit a few weeks ago as well, it's pretty obvious they're repackaging and scamming people & these reviewers are simply making them more money.
Don't all out using USB Type-C that does not belong to the Switch. The Type-C port is extremely sensitive and you can break if you end up getting a dodgy portable dock. Cool concept, but I advise sticking to your own Dock.
I prefer the kickstarter one, they said they would ship at August. Can't wait to get mine.
@Arno The fan is inside the Switch.
If the board is a Chinese knockoff of the Samsung Dex Station, then wouldn't the fair comparison to make be between the Switch Dock and the Dex Station, not the Chinese knockoff undercutting them both?
The Switch Dock retails for $90.
The Dex Station retails for $150.
Switch dock pricing doesn't seem so unreasonable now, does it?
Ya, I've decided to go with the Nyko portable dock. It's $45, just as small, and stands the unit upright on its own (no need to carry a separate stand, even though I do keep my tiny tripod stand in my case).
I wonder if there is any risk of overheating..? I was never clear on whether the full-sized dock contributes anything to airflow and/or heat dissipation.
So, does this mean the hardware in the official dock is S8 compatible too?
@thatawesomedude I wonder the same thing but I assume so. Somebody please drop their Galaxy in and find out.
So far pretty much every 3rd party Switch "Dock" I've seen is both cheaper and works better (doesn't have any chance of scratching the screen) than Nintendo's $90 Switch Dock.
@StarDust4Ever I have a Galaxy S8 and have tried dropping it in. Simply doing so doesn't appear to do anything, but it could be that it just needs to have an app set up, but since the screen is mostly blocked once dropped, there's no way I can tinker around and experiment without a USB-C extender.
@Fath Much better comparison.
@DarkKirby Let's hope these developments lead to Nintendo releasing their own mini-dock at a more reasonable price.
If not... well then the 3rd party manufacturers might make a good fortune. ^^
Since that Chinese $30 Galaxy S8 dongle is not optimized for the Switch, how can we be sure that using it is safe?
What's the guarantee that it outputs the correct amount of power etc.?
@BrokenskullZero Never thought of that, but yes, I'm sure it's okay to flip it over so that the screen is down and the vent is up. Still, hot air likes to travel upwards, so keeping the Switch more upright while docked would still be optimal I'd say.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...