Could Switch's Non-Compliant USB-C Spec Be To Blame For Third-Party Docks Bricking Consoles?

Any reports of USB-C power banks/portable chargers causing problems?

Sneaky, yes. But at the end of the day a potentially sound business decision if you want to protect your profits and ensure only approved accessories are bought by customers (as long as no laws are broken, especially safety ones).

Not surprised to be honest. Nintendo at times is known to be hungry for money...

Yup, as I've been saying, if a USB-C compliant device causes the Switch to terminally fail that is absolutely Nintendo's responsibility.

I mean if that was the case wouldn’t charging your switch via a USB-C cable connected to a usb charger or power bank brick the console?

I occasionally charge my Switch at work using a USB-C cable connected to either my PC or an Anker USB hub. In light of this article, is that a bad idea?

When I am on the road, I use an iPad power adapter to charge my Switch and I had never any problems. And didn't people use these charging banks since the beginning?🤔

I am no more an expert than any other internet commenter, but if it were a hardware issue, then what did the 5.0 update have to do with it? If it really is a hardware issue with the Switch itself, why wasn't it happening before?

Also is it just docks, or chargers as well? Such as portable batteries? I haven't heard of portable batteries or wall charges having issues, but this article and the picture shown imply that might be the case.

@BJQ1972 when I travel I charge my switch with my phone's charger. it' takes a while for it to charge but it saves me the hassle of carrying extra stuff. been doing that since the switch came out, no problems yet

@Silbrandir @jswhitfield8 @Curlynob @MrBlacky
No, CHARGING the Switch itself is not an issue. What they said about Nintendo's power supply not being compliant to USB-C spec was about the dock itself, as that uses higher voltage (per USB-C specifications). All in all, the dock's HDMI output as well as the powering the Switch BY THE DOCK are not to spec. Powerbanks and such will supply only 5V, which is perfectly safe for the Switch itself.

It would be unforgivable to claim it is a USB-C connector when it is not universal. But my guess is that this is a rubbish claim, as it’d be short-sighted and counterproductive for Nintendo to do so

@chardir Nintendo gave you everything you would need to charge your console. Even though they are expensive Nintendo also sell other docks if you want more than 1. The user is responsible for using 3rd party hardware. The 3rd party is responsible for making sure their hardware is compatible when they develop it.

Again again again. This was happening even before 5.0.0. and it's not news anymore. Move on NL...

@Bondi_Surfer The Switch itself is USB-PD compliant, you can charge it using ANYTHING. It's the POWER SUPPLY that is not compliant and using it to charge other devices may break them. As well as the dock, which is designed to only be used with the Switch.

im glad i didn't rush to buy that nyko dock i almost bought one but it was out off stock i got lucky

I still feel my theory holds water.

I think it has nothing to do with compliance and more to do with patching up possible hardware exploitation, like the guys who were able the joycon hardware to hack the switch.

Nintendo realizes that on the software side of things, anything short of just straight up bricking your system isn't going to work for detouring any body from possibly using some kind of USB c modded device to attempt to mod the switch.

I feel like this is a future proofing thing they did to prevent hackers from exploing the USB C port on the switch and it probably has some built in software that detects if a non-nintendo charger is attempting to access the system and it bricks it to prevent any one from getting access to anything that might allow them to run custom firmware and the like on the system.

Considering that the updates for the switch were all oriented around protecting the system from hacking... I think this is about the best theory I can come up with.

Its actually sort of nice to see them care enough to prevent the system from being hacked.

Nintendo hardware is quality. Don't use cheap Chinese stuff. Supporting Nintendo by using first party products helps towards ensuring Switch success and better games.
3rd parties lazily cash in on Nintendo's hard work with cheap Chinese stuff anyway.

@Trikeboy I disagree. The whole point of USB-C is that it's an open agreed industry standard. If Nintendo aren't sticking to it then they shouldn't have put a USB-C port in there in the first place.

@PewnyPL Thanks!

@AlexOlney So a USB-C powerbank is less safe than an old USB-A one?

As far as I'm aware there is no officially licensed Switch powerbank? So Nintendo only recommends charging from a wall socket and has no battery it can recommend?

I argued with Nintendo support for 30 minutes on this. After I had a new Switch from them in-hand, free, and 1-day-aired, I called them and said they should give me a game. My argument was, the dock is fine, and it’s their software and actions that bricked my Switch and lost my saves - not Nyko. And... a make-good that costs them no money is easy. It’s a very small victory but I liked seeing my boys play that new easy Kirby game together.

@chardir They should fix their compliance, yes. And so should 90% of USB-C devices out there. The USB-C standard is a complex beast, and most devices break from it somewhere. Certification is still not well implemented in the industry.
It seems all these compliance issues, at worst, cause an overdraw that is still lower than what the offical dock/power supply give the Switch. Which wouldn't explain any of the bricking.

@libzhark I'm not even that fussed about the compliance. If a third party device doesn't work then fine, that's not Nintendo's fault. It's the fact that the Switch can't recover itself after a hard reset - that is Nintendo's fault.

@AlexOlney... hmm well I don't know... a switch shape brick can be still be pretty useful. One can never have enough door stops.

@AlexOlney Could we have a list of approved car chargers?

The fact is that a lot of people in the industry put money and effort into developing the USB-C standard. If you're not going to implement them properly then use a proprietary connector instead. To use USB-C connectors and not use USB-C protocols is at best mis-leading, at worst it's a deliberate attempt to profit from other peoples work (the design of the connector, the economy of scale of using an off the shelf part) without contributing anything.
Nintendo should be ashamed of themselves.

This makes sense to me. My first launch unit became bricked after I used a phone charger to charge it. Ever since I got my replacement unit, I've only ever used official Nintendo chargers and it hasn't happened again.

@chardir What the investigator found was that the cases where the switch would stop charging were all fixed by a reboot. Unless I missed a paragraph, he didn't find anything that would cause the bricks being reported.

Don't see the issue with this really. It's Nintendo's console and they bundle it with a dock and power supply for a reason.

If third parties are selling docks and power supplies that cause the console to not work then that's their fault and the fault of those people buying them unfortunately. If these companies haven't completed the adequate research to ensure their products are fit for purpose then they should be forced to pay up to repair any consoles that have been affected.

@Bengals76 Hori or PowerA are the licensed ones:

https://store.nintendo.co.uk/nintendo-switch-accessory/nintendo-switch-car-charger-adapter/11420060.html

So Nintendo is pulling an Apple here? 😫

Always buy genuine

@wrathfulzeus... But to a high standard, overseen by Nintendo.
Ojo projector docks and SFANS docks aren't... Big big difference.

@FX102A Then they should have used a proprietary connector instead of an industry standard one.

I use a C to C cable with a PD power bank and have had absolutely no problems. Everything I’ve read seems to be about issues that put the Switch in docked mode.

@Sabroni " If you're not going to implement them properly then use a proprietary connector instead."

Best comment in the thread.

This is at least partly Nintendo's fault as I read it, if what I'm reading is accurate.

B/c the Internet loves car analogies...

If you buy a car and the manufacturer tells you it runs on regular gasoline, (petrol to some of you) then you go and fill up your car with regular gasoline and your engine dies, then the manufacturer tells you, well the engine works with "sort of like" regular gasoline but it's our own tweaked special blend, it is NOT the gas stations fault when your car dies. And several people here are blaming the gas stations for delivering industry standard gas. Well actually they are blaming companies for delivering cheap Chinese products b/c that's what Nintendo wants them to think. Fanbois, ugh

Nintendo installed USB-C ports in the Switch and dock without telling people they weren't actually USB-C ports. It most certainly is Nintendo's fault if that is the case. At least for the dock, Switch seems compliant enough.

If somehow this turns out to be true, that Nintendo is advertising USB-C but it isn't spec then I expect a class action lawsuit in the US and I expect Nintendo to lose.

You can't call something a well known spec and support industry wide specification if it isn't compliant. This is why Apple renames everything, to own it and control it. If Nintendo wanted control over their port, even if it is very similar to USB-C, then they should have called it USB-N instead so people would know what to expect. If Nintendo lied, that's illegal, if this is true.

In their legal defense the Switch box says the use of any unauthorized device will make your Switch unplayable. So their is a disclaimer. Any good lawyer would probably turn that against them though, Nintendo "knew" they were deceiving the public about the interoperability of the USB-C port.

If I can be in an ongoing class action lawsuit about Sony removing Other OS from PS3 all those years ago I can easily imagine this making it's way there as well. Requires proof though, not Internet musings. We'll see.

I'm glad i'm waiting for revision 2 of Switch before i get one.

I waited with Switch due to my huge backlog on Xbox One and PS4.

@AlexOlney Seems like they are blocking unofficial 3rd party support but a licensed 3rd party power supply would be good. At least that's how it reads to me.

Anything power supply related should always have first party gear. Otherwise you leave yourself open to damage and voiding warranty. It's a no-brainer

@FX102A Not a sound decision if you're abusing specifications of a standard, simply because you couldn't be bothered making a propietary port.

Loving the “Universal” serial bus standard ::roll eyes::
Mini-a, mini-b, etc....

Also, just buy a $15 Shell. Tiny dock that fits in your hand using all Nintendo's supplied hardware. 🤫 easy, clean, no bricking

I also have to say ridiculous there is no manual included, people don't break their console on purpose.

@cfgk24
China has nothing to do with it. If I make a cable, and I allow other companies to use my cable for their devices provided they follow the specifications I set out, so that everyone's usage of that cable can communicate using the same language and create mass compatability with minimal error, and Nintendo comes along, decides to integrates my cable into their device but violates the specifications I set, using whatever specs they feel like using, and then blames everyone else using my cable design for being "cheap chinese crap" when it interferes with their device, who do you think is gonna have the book thrown harder at them?

@Yorumi yeah, but that means it's a common factor and can be removed from the equation (unless you're calculating the level of hypocrisy)

Someone pointed this out to me over on reddit but really its everyones fault here not simply Nintendo

"it was the fault of the phone manufacturers for pushing the spec before it was ready. It is the fault of charger companies for them being all over the board. It is the fault of the spec designer for having the spec try to do too much and letting a bunch of things get certification for with very loose requirements. It is the fault of Nintendo for allow such a situation to exist."

It's not Nintendo's fault third party manufacturers never bothered to actually test their products with switch first

Egads, good thing I didn't go through with trying to charge my Switch with my Samsung phone charger. (I was excited when I discovered both were USB-C)

While powerbanks seem to be OK for the Switch, I can't be too sure about using non-Nintendo charging cables. I may have dodged a bullet with that one!

@Wolfgabe "It's not Nintendo's fault third party manufacturers never bothered to actually test their products with switch first"

The point of USB-C is that you don't have to test your device with every single other device that has ever or will ever use USB-C. Many devices that use USB-C were made before the Nintendo Switch was even heard about, and do you know how many work with the Nintendo Switch dock? None. Absolutely none.

Maybe Nintendo manufactorers should have tested that their Switch with third party products first.

@electrolite77

They did not claim to, (they have a disclaimer against it) but by using a industry standard port, it is implied, for the exact reason no toaster comes with a fork-shaped hole.

Isn't this illegal?

@Eddyson It's not outright "illegal" I don't believe, but it likely would not stand up in court if someone decided to take it that far.

Ive used a Huawai USBC phone charger with mine for the last six months and its been fine. I guess its at our own risk if we are using other chargers etc.

its very contradicting to say that its still Nintendo's fault for not saying anything about 3rd party accessories. its general in electronics that is always best to use 1st party accessories for your device.

people are just emotional now because their system got bricked, its your own fault and yes i am being a jerk but in the sense of acting like a grampa that told you so.

and then people want to again add the issue of saving file, yes that is still an issue but you still chose to use a 3rd party accessorie while you where consious of this issue so you still chose the risk for convience.

as a gamer my basic mentality still dates from the late 90's early 00's era so all these things arent really that much of a problem to me. electronica in general is a lot more vulnerable right now not just with gaming so consumer just need to be more carefull with their stuff.

back in the day we 'slammed' our devices if things didnt work, would you still do that now? i dont think so.

Simple. Don't buy products from a company too cheap to go through the proper licensing and testing procedures. This is 100% on the cheap 3rd party manufacturers and on the cheap consumers. Not on Nintendo.

I'm running into a similar issue with my laptop I use for work. I've had charging problems, issues using the multi port, and other problems. From my reading, Samsung is blaming using other power usb converters and so on. Really? So I'm supposed to use 20 different power to usb converters for all my different devices? In this day and age it should be almost all of them work with each other. If not, just make it propriety.

I created an account here just to post about this, because I think a lot of people here are confused and don't understand the spec.

Nintendo is using a regular USB-C port. It's not special. I'm also fairly certain that the Redditor is incorrect.

I wrote a whole lot more about this over here: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/03/nintendo_comments_on_third-party_docks_bricking_switch_systems#comment4406405, but it basically comes down to handshake protocols of USB-C. PD-bricks should be fine, assuming the wattage is correct and the PD bricks are made up to snuff.

It isn't like Nintendo doesn't make official chargers and docks...just buy the items made by Nintendo for your Nintendo product.

@libzhark

yeah.

when i bought a new A-C cable for the switch i made sure to look at (forgot the site) that showed a list of known good cable/cable manufacturers.

apparently this is happening on other devices as well (well not a dock breaking it but cheap cables/out of spec stuff).

C is a mess right now imo.

@electrolite77 thanks for reading! I'm at work right now and have given all the different Google Plus stuff a read and the original Reddit threads. Nathan K, on Google +, is a super smart guy and I suspect he's right about chargers and power delivery (although my Switch seems fine after using my MacBook Pro charger for the past year).

I think the dock thing legitimately comes down to a combination of power and handshake issues, though, which means it's a combination of all these things and likely some internal politics we'll never be privy too.

Nintendo absolutely deserves condemnation for not using a "standard" USB-C protocol, but for what it's worth, there are maybe two companies in the world up to those standards. One of them is Apple. Otherwise, folks like Nathan K are having a hard time finding USB-C peripherals that behave well.

@Blathers This is my bad; I hadn't had time to read through everything yet. I love Nathan K's research and have been following it since early 2016 when he started experimenting with Pixels and MacBooks. I suspect he's correct about PD issues, although I'm not sure that's related to the dock. I've been using my MacBook Pro charger and a power bank for a year while travelling through, and haven't had issues with the Switch. It sounds like a lot of it is over-drawing power, and I think that can be fixed with software.

@Yorumi I'd 100% agree with you that the Switch should have a better error recovery in place here. This is pretty inexcusable, and I'm not trying to make excuses for Nintendo. My original point, perhaps lost in the mountain of text I wrote, was to say that the fault doesn't entirely lie with Nintendo when hardware manufacturers are generally all awful at implementing USB-C spec properly. (Nintendo should take some of the blame, but I don't want to act like the third parties are all innocent here.)

@Yorumi That compliance process is silly though. If everybody just followed spec, it'd be a non-issue. Same with power bricks. Nyko should never need to get verified by Nintendo, and herein lies Nintendo's fault in the problem. But I also doubt that the Nyko dock is up to any sort of spec, period, regardless of the Switch itself.

@Blathers Chinese goods have a reputation for being poorly made mostly due to cutting costs and poor quality control. Nintendo does not cut costs, or corners.
When you bought a 'switch'. The entire product was a tablet console, dock, controllers and cables /charger. You decide to replace some of those components with 3rd party components and then you complain Nintendo are being bad. No sympathy.

@cfgk24 Nintendo cut costs by taking an industry standard port (instead of developing their own proprietary like they've done with every console up until this point) and instead of getting it certified, they just pretend like it's not the industry standard port despite the fact that it looks (and functions... mostly...) like one. I have to match the certification-violating Nintendo dock with an equally certification-violating Chinese product in order to get it to perform the function I need (since Nintendo has failed to release any sort of dock alternative)

If they advertise this as being a device that uses USB-C and does not mark with warnings that the USB-C is not a standardized version or whatever, could Nintendo be in some sort of class action lawsuit territory? Saying "not recommended for unlicensed" because unlicensed is not tested is a completely different matter than saying "our device does not share industry standard USb-C compatability." That was a selling point of the console, that you could grab any old USB-C cord and block and charge it up anywhere. I'm kind of angry as hell.

@Blathers Bad luck mate..
Look at all the false marketing around 3rd party docks. Did you fall for that?
The switch Dock is part of the Switch package.

@AlexOlney From one of the links in the post:

“Some of these issues are chipset- and hardware- level, meaning they can only be fixed via a hardware revision ASAP.”

@nathan_393 I agree that software should have prevented the bricks, still, yeah you are right, people tend to forget that these "standards" are not always standard, every company loves to make their own tweaked version of everything. Samsung's phone for example had this protocol on micro-USB that let the phone transfer high-rate of data (with image and stuff) while charging, thus working just like our current common "type-C" years before type-C. Nintendo also does this now and then. Let's remember that the Wii U didn't run Blu-Rays and the Wii didn't run DVDs, they both actually run proprietary type of media "created" by nintendo that was exactly like blu-ray and dvd. XD

@rjejr I love your analogy but Nintendo have not come out and said you can fill your car with any regular gas. They’ve clearly said you are advised to only fill your car with gas from the Nintendo dock. Also the switch has a USB-C port. They’re not lying about that. It’s annoying as hell sure, and slightly misleading but I don’t think you can blame Ninty for unlicensed docks effing it up. Now if I’m wrong and Ninty did actually say you can fill your car with any regular gas then they are liable for sure.

@Wolfgabe "It's not Nintendo's fault third party manufacturers never bothered to actually test their products with switch first"
But they did. Then Nintendo pushed an update that made the switch notice the non standard charger and brick itself.

@rjejr @Sabroni But, with a USB-C cable, you can charge your Switch anywhere, on the go, without needing an extra proprietary cable.

Do you want to have to pay extra for a proprietary cable just to be able to charge your Switch anywhere?

This has me worrying about using the anker usb-c cable and battery pack I’ve been using since launch to play for extended periods. I haven’t had any issues yet but I’d be pretty upset if my console were bricked simple for using a battery pack.

Ugh. This isn't Nintendo being "sneaky," it's Nintendo practicing egregiously bad electronic engineering. Specs exist for a reason.

The thing that worries me is that i believe Nintento is pushing something with their updates to block 3rd party accessories. I was using the Nyko Dock fine for about 4 months with no issues. All was well up until 5.0 update hit. The same day i had updated my Switch is the day Nyko Dock bricked my Switch. How is it that it was functioning fine for almost half a year and yet on the day of the patch, it bricks my system? i had to send it out to Nintendo to get it repaired, unable to retrieve my information and lost everything and still paid $120. They are doing something to prevent further system exploits and this includes hardware.

I don't see Nintendo's fault here, it's not like they are advertising the port to be universally compatible. It just happens to be a common port. But I may be biased here, since I've never have and will never buy any unlicensed product. I've yet to see one that's worth it.

@AlexOlney 100% the power management handled by the USB port can be altered by the firmware

@AlexOlney if feel like if this is the case, they made it specifically not to work with topical usbc chargers, they might get sued. At least in the states. Imagine someone using their Nintendo USB to usbc charger for their switch instead of their pro controller and destroying their system. Seems like Nintendo would be the ones to blame.

That's why you define standards that are supposed to be adhered to industry-wide.
Producing proprietary software & hardware is never a good idea.

Curious if dock extenders using the official dock are an issue, my guess is no because and extender doesn’t have power supply or controls it’s just a female to male cable but not sure 100%

@MrBlacky changes happened when firmware 5.0 came out so we need people to confirm they still use power banks since

Personally I don't think Nintendo were being nefarious here. I reckon the specific features of the switch demanded that non compliant changes were made and this is just an unexpected and unfortunate result.

Plug and play third party accessories have always been junk, in my opinion, anyway. Nearly every third party controller, cable, power supply, etc. that I've ever owned since the days of the Atari 2600 have felt like garbage or eventually failed. The only official piece of hardware I've ever owned that failed were the three Xbox 360's that red-ringed on me that I foolishly purchased from Microsoft.

@ennan since USB C is a standard, it would the be device that regulates how it draws power or sends a signal in and out of that USB C Port, the fact they changed this a year in is questionable but hard to prove intent

@cfgk24 "Look at all the false marketing around 3rd party docks. Did you fall for that? The switch Dock is part of the Switch package."

I am using the official dock. Just shows you're just reading my comments looking for a way to blame me for attempting to use a universal port in a way it's designed to be used.

It seems to me that a lot of people here are talking about chargers and cords, and not just docks. Has there ever been a confirmed case of a usb c charger bricking a Switch? Haven't people been using power banks since the Switch launched without issue? I bought a usb c power bank specifically for the Switch, but haven't used it. Should I not?

If chargers aren't the problem, and only 3rd party docks are breaking Switches, docks Nintendo has always advised against using, how can the blame lie with Nintendo? These companies are making unofficial docks to capitalise on the Switch's success (which is fine; supply and demand). It is in no way Nintendo's responsibility to make it easy for them to do that, or to guarantee the safety of systems attached to such accessories. These 3rd party companies are the ones making docks and claiming they are safe, cheap alternatives to Nintendo's dock, when they aren't. If I order a 3rd party accessory for anything, phone, tablet, etc, it is up to that 3rd party to make sure it does what they say it does, and no one else.

PS- I actually did buy the Nyko dock when it came out, but returned it without ever using it after hearing about the risk.

@Blathers Going abroad is nothing to do with Nintendo hijacking anything.
But I can help you here. I've taken my Switch to France, Spain, Hungary, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, and Japan. What would you like to know?

@Blathers Only the Switch Dock is officially designed to be used with the Switch..

@chardir It's only Nintendo's responsibility if they claimed it was USB-C compliant. I don't see anything in their advertising materials or manuals mentioning that the charging port is a USB-C port. They just refer to it as a charging port. The fact that it is partially USB-C compliant may have more to do with Nintendo being able to use existing hardware components than any deliberate effort on Nintendo's part to be compatible with 3rd party USB-C accessories.

As a counter-point, they do advertise that their dock has 2 USB 2.0 ports on it. If those ports didn't conform to the USB 2.0 standard, that would be something you could blame Nintendo for, since that's an advertised feature.

@Yorumi exactly this, its one thing to not send the signal, but bricking is not cool, the device is and should be smart enough to not draw too much power to the point it fries itself

@Yorumi
Only if you use docks they recommend against using. I've never heard about a Switch getting bricked from anything else. If you have, please let me know, because I'd like to know what not to use. Going by the gasoline example someone used in a previous post, using these unofficial docks would be like using a gas alternative recommended against by the manufacturer. Regardless, it's up to the 3rd parties to make sure their devices are compatible, not Nintendo. And as some people on here have said, I'm not sure Nintendo ever said the Switch followed these industry standards in the first place.

That's true to a point, but again, it's not Nintendo's job to make sure their system is well defended against 3rd party accessories that could harm it. If you use the Switch as they recommend, you won't have these problems. If I buy a sketchy computer part and it fries my pc, whose fault is it? The company that made my computer and/or its working parts, or the company/seller that sold me the sketchy part? Or maybe my fault for using it, despite knowing it isn't official or recommended?

@Yasaal Wait. So Nintendo, a for-profit company, wants money? Well now I’ve heard everything!

@Yorumi If the cheap 3rd party manufacturers had gone through the proper licensing process, they would have been given the proper specs for the "USB-C" port, and this wouldn't have even been an issue. So, yes I am calling them (and you apparently) out because they fault lies with the dock makers, not with Nintendo. They can (and should) do whatever they have to so they can ensure that companies that don't follow licensing procedures aren't making profit off of their hard work.

Well, that explains why my MacBook charger no longer works on the Switch. For the first year or so it was a godsend when I kept forgetting to pack the Switch charger when I went on trips away from home, but remembered the computer charger. Airports don't sell Switch chargers!

@TrueWiiMaster

I didn't get bricked by using a macbook charger, but it did crash the console and drain the battery when I left it charging over night on my trip last month.

@Lone_Beagle Seems like the Switch is standard USB-C but the dock is the issue. Seems like Nintnedo went to the trouble of putting something in the dock that is required for TV output, otherwise anybody could just buy a $20 USB-C to HDMI cable and ditch the dock. Nintneod didn't want that, so it looks like they tried to have it both ways, standard USB-C for charging, proprietary USB-C for TV out to force people to use their $80 dock. So 3rd party chargers work to power the Switch in portable mode, 3rd party docks w/ TV-out do not. It's the USB-C in the dock that's the issue, not in the Switch itself.

That's all just conjecture on my part, but that seems to be the issue, the dock, everything else is just taking everyone off track.

@beazlen1 I think if Nintendo were smart they never said it was USB-C. Google can't find them saying it. They never gave the DS and 3DS charge ports names as far as I know so maybe they never said this was USB-C? In which case I suppose they are in the clear. I still think they get sued though if this is indeed a big issue and not just 3 unfortunate guys. I know the screen scratching dock issued has disappeared, nobody talks about that anymore. So if there are 1,000 bricked Switch out there it's an issue, 3 or 4 people it's accidental. Like dead pixels on a monitor, 3 or less is ok. Don't know why, they just are.

@electrolite77 That's pretty much the crux of it I think, was Nintendo misleading? I actually looked at my box for any mention of USB-C and didn't see any, but I never looked in the manual b/c I'm one of those old guys who doesn't believe in instructions and such. So it's possible Nintendo never says it's USB-C anywhere and we just all assumed it was b/c the plug fits and chargers work. I also don't know if that's the problem w/ the 3rd party dock use. It's possible the Nintneod dock is fine and in spec and all of those other 3rd party docks have issues like some people here say.

Nintnedo saying "don't blame us for not testing 3rd party docks, that isn't our job" isn't the same thing as them saying - "our docks are spec standard USB-C, those other docks must be faulty."

Really, when you read word for word what they said, it's almost like they are admitting they aren't using standard USB-C by saying "don't use others, they won't work".

Nintendo (recommends) that Switch owners only buy officially licensed Switch products . . . Unlicensed products and accessories do not undergo Nintendo’s testing and evaluation process. They might not work at all with our game systems, and they could have compatibility problems with certain games, the Nintendo Switch system itself, and other licensed accessories and peripherals.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/03/nintendo_comments_on_third-party_docks_bricking_switch_systems

All of that testing and evaluating stuff kind of lays the blame on the other manufacturers like a smoke screen w/ Ntneod snickering he he he and bhwa ha ha in the background like some cartoon villain. This is really the telling part - "they could have compatibility problems". Who's fault that is, Nintendo, for not using the spec USB-C, or 3rd parties, for using cheap faulty products, hasn't been answered.

@Yasaal lol why because you should only use Nintendo license stuff.lol

Lol u get what u pay for.if you buy something cheap lol nuff said by Nintendo approved no problem lol

@cfgk24
I am using the official dock. I don't need to know anything, I already did the hours of research finding the information I needed to match its power requirements.

@TrueWiiMaster The official Nintendo dock refuses to power on using any charger or power bank that doesn't violate the standards in the same way the official dock does, which narrows it down to like two chargers, and one power bank. The Switch itself is more or less fine with a lot of different power sources but the dock is an absurd case of requiring a super exact spec.

@BAN There is a big difference between for profit and hungry for much more profit.

If I remember correctly, USB-C is always very tricky. Since it launched, there were a couple cases of burned equipment using type-C cable purchased thru. Amazon. If you used type-c cable better use the original one then risking burned device.

Surely the only benefit of this being USB c was that you didn't need to use the Nintendo charger all the time?

And those saying this isn't Nintendo's problem really are fanboys. Can't stand this, well only by Nintendo official attitude. If Nintendo had wanted to avoid this issue, they could clearly have adjusted the shape of the port to not be usb c, they didn't. While they may not have specifically marketed as USB c, they let reviewers etc say how great it was that it had that flexibility and now they're hiding behind the standard "only buy official stuff" line.

Is it really worth bricking a console to save a few bucks?

Nintendo and non compliance with standards is not a surprise! Anything to save a penny if it means destroying their console.

@mikegamer It's more about the people who are less knowledgeable than us, they see "Switch dock", maybe "USB-C compliant" if they're halfway tech-savvy and assume it's alright, and then (To a layman) buying a dock for half the price seems like a good idea.

The least Nintendo can do is publish an explanation of some sort as to what is going on, just saying "Buy our stuff and you'll be fine" without any explanation why that is so comes across as pretty arrogant, and ruining the goodwill they got with Switch so far over something like this seems a bit silly to me.

Also, why use a standard-connector when you're going to do non-standard stuff with it? That's just asking for confusion...

I have been using apples usb c charger for a year. It works like a charm. If it didn’t I might not have used the switch so much, as I now proritize buying stuff that can charge with the same charger. I would still have it but would probably not buy so many games, since I would not be playing on the go.

Nintendo should not have used USB-C then, if they do not want to follow the compliance requirements.

If Nintendo doesn't want to play nice with others, and just do the Apple thing, then they should just keep using proprietary connectors instead of an industry standard.
Everything else is just misleading, and a very bad move by Nintendo.

I remember how people were happy about Nintendo finally was using a industry standard with the Switch. And now this!!!

Everyone defending Nintendo in this, are just delusional fanboys. Wake up.

Actually, Nintendo should get a big fine, if they do not follow the USB-C standard, but are using a USB-C port. They are misleading their customers!

Pretending to use a industry standard, and not doing it, is far worse than just using proprietary stuff and be honest about it.

@mikegamer It's not just saving a few bucks, for many it's also saving space (as the various 3rd party docks are often smaller and thus easier to transport) or having more options (like the projector dock or docks with extra USB ports).

Using non-standard USB-C protocols means that you're limited to Nintendo peripherals and their prices. It limits what one can do with their Switch.

I've charged it before with a non Nintendo USB C type charger with no problems, but that was before the update. I'll keep that in mind for future reference.

Doesn't their own dock sort of wreck screens if you're not super-duper-it's like playing a game of Operation-careful, though? That's why peeps are buying third-party docks, isn't it?

@BJQ1972 No, because they aren’t supplying the same amount of power in portable mode compared to docked.

@PewnyPL USB-C w/ PD uses several different voltages. It's no longer just 5v: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#PD

@SuperC142 I am clearly aware. What I meant is that powerbanks usually only give 5V so they will be safe for the Switch

@PewnyPL Actually, it's not clear that you're aware and USB-C w/ PD don't only give 5V and that's specifically what is being questioned (are they safe?).

Would Nintendo be above purposefully doing this to create fear of third-party peripherals so people stick to the overpriced Nintendo ones?

Not sure, but Nintendo under Kimishima's leadership has certainly dialed up the greed level to 11.

@SuperC142 I meant standard powerbanks (with USB-A). Though you are right that my post is not clear about it, and someone could thiink I meant USB-C powerbanks as well.

@PewnyPL No worries- I didn't know you knew this and wanted to help, but I am concerned about using USB-PD compliant batteries, now. Maybe I should stick with old, USB-A for the time being to ensure it is only 5V, as you say. It makes me sad though because I paid a premium for my fancy, fully-compliant, USB-PD battery.

I will never support unlicensed products. And honestly, I'm still weary of licensed, 3rd party products.

All these kickstarted and off market docks can go jump off a bridge.

@SuperC142 For now it likely would be the safest bet. So far only the 3rd party DOCKS were confirmed to break consoles, so perhaps charging itself should be fine, as I didn't hear any reports of USB-C powerbank bricking a Switch. But for time being, better to stick to 5V only ones.

From my understanding ( I design a small subset of functionality for ARM reference modeling for a living) your not going to have an issue with a USB type C charger doing any damage as long as the charger is complaint AND you are not using the output switching at the same time. IE output to TV. It does not matter if the output is active or not. So chargers should be fine but docks are a risk.

While a USB-C->USB-C adapter won't charge the switch, basically 100% of every USB-A->USB-C cable and adapter I've used has charged the switch, even off my monitor's USB-A ports, so that solves that issue really, just screw USB-C accessories.

Stick with Nintendo licensed products and you will be golden!

@RupeeClock thunderbolt 3 is a standard of it’s own, nothing specific to Apple ( apart they’re one of the few companies using at scale ) - https://thunderbolttechnology.net/blog/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-does-it-all

I’ve been using an Anker desktop charger, and an Anker USB-C to charge my Switch without any issue....

So who's the moron that decided it uses a nonstandard for a common standard?

So in summery, Nintendo has a universal power port on their system, the main benefit of which is so you are not required to buy Nintendo proprietary products, but the Switch isn't SB-PD spec compliant, meaning you have to buy either Nintendo's official products or products that work only with the Switch and the Switch only, defeating the purpose of having a universal port in the first place.

That doesn't completely explain what Nintendo changed in the Switch's software that caused the problem to arise though when it wasn't a problem before.

@SmaggTheSmug That doesn't answer my question. Is saving space and money really worth a disabled console that's a PITA to get sent in and fixed?

@MysticX Nintendo sticking to their draconian proprietary bull crap as usual.

If it's not against the law to diss the specs, it is tremendously scummy. BUT I am not surprised Nintendo found a way to sell that they were using a standard port and STILL enforce proprietary equipment.
Say it with me: Because NINTENDO!

@DarkKirby Because Nintendo realized people weren't buying their official products. It wasn't problem before because Nintendo didn't expect there to be a soft spot in their market share.

Man this is classic, Nintendo intentionally bricking users that dont use their licensed product. Top form Ninty. The best part is 3rd parties didnt even know because they took Ninty at their word at what they said the Switch uses.

@Yasaal Isn't that business model anyone large company should follow? lol.

My dock is on the "NIB" side.
On account I dig playing in handheld mode 99.7% of the time.
I found her on LOGAN/launch day.. on a wim. No preorder, walked into Toys R Us and it was true love.
❤️She's like wind..❤️

I have been using a power adapter I purchased from Amazon with no ill effects. I have been using it with my official dock and been using it without the dock to charge my Switch. I have also been using an Aukey power bank with a generic USB-C cable from ebay and it is still working with no issues! I find it strange for Nintendo to use an almost universal connection and then not expect people to shove everything that fits in there...

Ok so from what I understand this is an issue for docked users or portable powerbanks using power delivery ?
I currently use a portable powerbank usb c to c 5V/3A with a Benson approved usb c cable. Should I be concerned with this set up for on the go gaming ? As I haven't used the powerbank with the switch since updating to 5.0 firmware.

Typical Nintendo, a product costing all of $5 to make runs us $75 ....thanks Nintendo

@Yorumi
But it isn't drawing too much power and frying the system... unless you use incompatible, unofficial accessories. The port on the Switch is not designed to work with such devices, and while inconvenient (I'd like to buy safe, cheap, and portable 3rd party Switch docks), that's fine. It only has to work with what Nintendo says it will work with. How can they be responsible when they advise against using the harmful docks that they didn't even make?

The comparison you made to electrical outlets doesn't really work. It's kind of a reversal of the Switch situation. Universal functionality is not part of the Switch's design, nor is it inherently necessary. All that matters is that it does what it's supposed to when hooked up to the right parts. It can work with one thing and be fine. Electrical outlets' usefulness, on the other hand, lies with their universal functionality. As that decreases, so too does their usefulness. The Switch's functionality is largely unaffected by incompatibility with 3rd party docks.

@Yorumi i stand corrected, my argument was based for the docks not usb-c in general.

That is kinda stupid because i do ecpect to be able to use a normal USB-C kabel to recharge my switch with or to just connect it to a PC, to manage my files on the SD-card or something.

still not a big problem for me though, i dont mind taking the charger with me but if you are traveling the world you might not have the same plug in, while USB is mostly the same everywhere.

@SpectralDynamite See? Told you so~

I have the latest firmware. I use a USB-C Cable to a 10-port usb charger and my switch is fine.

@Yorumi
I do. But that applies to USB cables and ports. Similar to but less than electrical outlets, their functionality lies in their universal nature. That does not apply to specific functionality of devices plugged into them (not all USB cables support the same charging, or give enough power for some devices, for example). There is no guarantee that plugging a usb device into any given usb plug will make it work. In the Switch's case, the system can be charged through USB c (and it sounds like that's still, at least mostly, the case), but cannot be docked through USB c. Docking requires their own hardware. Docking with the wrong hardware puts the system at risk, just as trying to run anything with the wrong hardware would.

@AlexOlney 90% of all USB C devices are not "PD" Compliant. They are just charging profiles in attempt to standarize the industry. Nintendo just created theyre own profile as with every smartphone/tablet manu

@JoeyJoeJoe this is correct. Nintendo Life continually review 3rd party [removed].

Fact is, most readers of this site are passionate Nintendo fans, they don't mind spending the money on the correct accessories as they are familiar with the potential pitfalls.

Obviously Nintendolife get money from the companies to review/cover this muck.

@johndevine Mind your language!

@electrolite77 okay now im confused LOL. So i can use a normal USB-C kabel to charge the Switch, but not a 3rd party dock to charge and play on TV?
If thats the case then i am going to be a [removed] again and fall back to my original point that its peoples own fault for using 3rd party docks.

Obviously there must be some kind off technique for Switch to smoothly transition the screening from handheld to dock. That in itself must have gone through a lot of testing before they could garantee the quality. How many other devices can do that and at the same time upscale the power and visual output within realtime rendering? Its not about being a Nintendo lover its about knowing how devices nowadays overal are a lot more vulnerable.

The real question is did these companies seek Nintendo's approval which would have lead to getting the right specs to make their products work? I don't blame Nintendo as they can only test what they make and they have always since 1985 been very upfront about only buying products that are officially licensed by them. There are 3rd party products that carry that seal and that's all I'll be buying. With that said, it does make the market smaller for accessories which isn't a good thing. Hopefully, Nintendo will find a happy medium and license some more products soon.

I bought a charger for my switch for my desk at work. don't really fancy carrying my dock around. can't use it now. Thanks Nintendo! it was just a charger dock without any HDMI output.