Nintendo's Switch OLED Dock Can Be Purchased Separately

cool can I buy the system itself individually too?

@YoungLink64 I assume most of the people who would be getting this already have a Switch and just want the better dock, so they'd already have those things?

Well that solves my question

Hope they sell the Switch itself separately - no Joy-Cons, dock, AC adapter, or HDMI cable.

@YoungLink64 This is the same company that left out the AC adapter in newer 3DS models, should you really be surprised that they did this?

I'd really like to hold this new dock in my hands to see how it is.

The old dock is pretty fragile, and I worry about it when I have to move it place to place.

It's nice that they offer this but I do find it strange not to sell in retail.

Then again, it's 2021. They probably don't want to deal with the idiots who can't read coming back to the store and complaining that there was no Switch in the box, just a dock.

You know that would happen. And you know it would happen often.

So can I order the whole console by itself then?

News of just the console without the $80 controllers and $100 dock would be exciting. They could probably financially be able to sell it for 150, since it wouldn't have a USB charger or HDMI cable. But I don't see that happening when anyone that would want one will probably just pay full price.

I'd be more interested if they released the console unit without the Joy-Con or extra stuff. I don't see a need to pony up extra cash for everything on the OLED upgrade especially given it has no benefits in terms of the dock by itself, but that larger screen does look noticeably nicer

I buy this dock and system just so it'll look like a twin brother next to my PS5 and Magnavox Odyssey.

Wish they pitched this as a premium for gamers. Most consumers will pay for regular unit; so why the price change if it barely makes the standard unit look inferior? Strange marketing decision in my mind…

@YoungLink64 reminds me of my good old circle pad pro xl, just shows up as is loose

@Thorthegreat12 Just by having an OLED screen and longer battery life already made it feel superior than the original though. There are games where you could see things a crappy LCD/LED screen won't be able to show.

The more I think about it, the more dissapointed I am in this. Yeah the screen is bigger, but it's still 720p. It doesn't look better, it's just a slightly bigger screen. Age of Calamity will still load in grass 1 foot in front of you. The dock doesn't have anything special other than a LAN cable which you may not even need given how broken Nintendos online service is. It's not even New3DS levels of improvement, it's like they sneezed an idea on a paper and called it a day. I get that undocked upgrades will be difficult, so docked only would make sense if they finally, yknow, improved to basic modern standards. Doesn't need to be PS5 or XBOX level, just... not what we have right now

@Ghost_of_Hasashi Yep - totally get that. Just thinking on a marketing end it won’t convey much difference to consumers. Nearly everyone I know could not care less about battery or screen compared to price point. That’s why I personally think they should justify price with spec differences as well. OLED is well worth it but to many it means nothing. Really excited for this personally but was hoping for a new chipset (Age of Calamity’s frame rate is an embarrassment ).

This makes the lite look like a bargain. This also allows Nintendo a chance to price the Pro around 450 without too much resistance.

Pro - 450 or 500
Oled - 350 this will replace the original docked version in due time.
Lite - 200

The fact it replaces the USB port is a no-deal for me. GC Controller adapter takes 2 ports, charging Pro Controllers takes 1. Besides, you can get USB LAN adapters cheaply anyway. Hard pass.

Just buy a lan adapter.

@Markiemania95

The built-in LAN port only replaces the USB port inside the dock. It does not interfere with the two on the outside, meaning you’re free to continue using the GameCube Controller adapter with both USB ports for the full effect.

@YoungLink64 No HDMI, no power adapter, no box, no retail, no tomato, add onion. You legit made me lol very hard

I wish they could sell the Switch OLED without the dock and the doggy controller, for people that doesn't want to play on TV (like me)

@N00BiSH That's the most important question. Can the core system be bought alone? Meaning, no dock, joycons, cables or anything else. Just the core system.

@N00BiSH Yeah, I would love know that as well. But, I think they will only sell it as a set.

Wait, aren't there two USB ports on both models?
Edit: Ah, the old one has one on the back as well. But now that I think about it, it looked like one on the inside, when they showed the graphics for how the LAN cable is plugged in, next to the HDMI port. Apparently, that was something else.

So they replaced the USB port that was there to plug a LAN connector into with a LAN input.

Wow this thing is just a massive money grab

@Franklin that's my issue with the current dock too. It's far too fragile. I take June with me to my Caravan and have to wrap it in a towel for travel to keep it safe. The new one does look better, but time will tell I guess

That would work fine with me.
I have an extra AC adapter because of my Switch Lite

@Markiemania95 that usb port is always taken up by my adapter for the Ethernet cable atm.
Plus it's a pain to access.
I use gamecube one when playing smash but it's too clunky to leave in I find.
A smash designed Dock would be great with adapter for GC and lan built in. I'd buy that straight away

Just agreeing with the 'please let me buy the console itself' comments. I've just forked out for Joy-Cons so don't need any more. The old dock is fine - this does look much nicer, but not £60 nicer. And over the past 12-18 months, the Switch itself hasn't really been used handheld. But, I'd probably bite at £150 for the console alone, keep my original docked with my 8bitdo/Retro-bit controllers, and throw the joy-cons on the new one for a dedicated portable.

@tee-cup I would have thought that a substantial number of people interested in this are in the category of “I want docks in multiple rooms so I can play my 1 Switch on different TVs”

@Flash84

I use tupperware, but it's not ideal.

@YoungLink64 "And there is a cheap LAN adapter already available, why buy a 60 dock?"

As people mentioned above, this isn't targeted towards people who want to "upgrade".

Just as with the first model, this is primarily an option for customers that want a second dock. E.g. people who play Switch regularly with friends or family, but don't want to drag it to their place all the time.

(I do agree though that 60 bucks is a bit much)

@Roibeard64 This should totally be a thing.

OK, so they are selling this separately but without an AC adapter or HDMI cable?

Like others have said, it's going to be niche demand for this, usually for someone that wants a second dock attached to a different display, so why not include the AC adapter at least, if not the HDMI cable also?

Am I right to assume you can still get the Nintendo AC adapters separately? I bet they won't be in white to match the new dock either even if you can

@YoungLink64 I am absolutely fine with that. It's not like you get all the accessories or packaging for free you know? You pay for everything in the box, including the box itself. So for me, it's actually more customer friendly, not to force me to pay for crap I don't need nor want. I already have all the cables I need for the dock, why should I have to pay for more? And for those who need the accessories, they can always buy them individually. Yes, you have to think for yourself what you need, that might be a challenge for some customers.

@HalBailman That would be great. I'd also like to buy only the switch tablet, without joy-cons or dock or anything esle. Just give me the tablet for the price of a switch lite! I already have a dock and enough joy cons. Only thing I am interested in is the OLED screen. Come on Nintendo!

@Linker2A03 Yes, I’m well aware that it does not interfere with the two on the outside… the point is that I believe that 3 USB ports is already pretty low as is, considering each of them are in use most of the time for me, so even 1 being removed is a problem.

@Markiemania95
Whoops, I somehow didn’t see the part of your comment that said you were charging your Pro Controller. I understand what you’re saying now.

I’ve dealt with a similar setup with the LAN adapter taking the one port inside the dock, but I usually find an unused USB port somewhere in the house, such as the one in my recliner, and then I’m good to go. It only takes some hours to charge, so I’m not bothered. You get used to not having that third USB port pretty quickly.

Not even an AC adapter? Nintendo is so exceedingly lazy

I'd actually buy a Lite with an OLED. I loved the first gen OLED Vita. There is no reason in the world I can see to buy $350 model though

Reverse Oreo.

I was interested in the dock until the one less USB port was mentioned.

Let us buy the switch without the dock or joycons

@YoungLink64 Yeah, I have a lot of resentment for Nintendo right now, as well. I've been supporting the company since the NES, and I really disagree with almost all their decisions lately. Well, there's always PC gaming, for me!

@YoungLink64 I really hope they pick up! The potential is there, but I haven't bought a 1st party game from Nintendo in over a year. Last 3rd party game I got on their console was Cyber Ninja. Metroid Dread looks like more of the same trash they keep churning out. If you're excited for it, go for it and enjoy, but for me it looks like more recycle content! Haters, incoming

@YoungLink64 That's an amazing sounding vision of a Zelda game. That would look very impressive! And good for you for minimizing! There are just so many games, and it's impossible to play all of them. Choosing a few favorites to spend time with is admirable in this "throw away," society we live in.

@YoungLink64 They're selling it without those because the reason for someone to buy it would almost always be as an upgrade to their own existing dock, which already has the cables. If it sells for less than the old dock with the cables, this is only a good thing. For those few that for whatever reason want/need an OLED dock but don't have any dock cables already and they also don't want an OLED Switch, you can buy said cables separately.

@Cheez $150? The whole thing is $349 and that’s with a HDMI cable that costs them maybe 79 cents, an AC adapter that costs them about 2 bucks, Joy-Con that cost them about 20 bucks each and a dock that costs them maybe 20 bucks. The system itself probably costs $150 to make at the very least. Back in 2017 it was reported by a company who did a tear down that the system with the dock cost $167. Now they did a small redesign and have a new OLED screen, so production costs that dipped in the 4 years since have surely shot back up.

If they sold the tablet alone, I would think $249 would be the going price.

Nintendo sells it without cables and everyone moans

If Nintendo sold it with the cables included it'd cost more and everyone would moan

If Nintendo didn't sell it at all everyone would moan

It's just a thing you can buy if you want it and no one is being forced to do that.

The original dock is way overpriced so this new one will probably be too. If current Switch owners want an ethernet connection, a USB dongle is far less expensive then buying a new dock. This new model does look nice though.

Considering this just a dock that has one less USB port (the one under the power/HDMI is now an ethernet port), I would expect this to cost as much as the previous dock, knowing Nintendo, maybe a little bit more.

@SkullDragr $249? The original dock sans ethernet sold for $90, joy cons $80, usb c charger $30. So without an official HDMI that's $450. Plus you're not considering how technology gets more affordable over the years, if the chips and materials cost $167 four years ago then it's going to be less aside from the screen. Also screens that small are pretty affordable because of how they produce OLED screens on big plates where they cut TV screens out of. That's why you can get a 2 inch OLED for $10 or less. Because it's basically scrap from producing the TVs.

@Cheez accessories and games are how companies make money. They charge $90 for a dock that costs $20 to make. They charge $79 for a pair of Joy-Con which surely don’t cost much. Microsoft and Sony have sold their consoles at a loss for years in order to get consumers on board, after which they gouge with overpriced controllers, headsets, remotes, etc.

I said, costs surely decreased from the original but this is slightly larger, so it’s a redesign. The chip is the same but internals may not be. May be a different board entirely.

@SkullDragr I doubt they'd waste the money to redesign the board when they have more space to work with, but they may have. We'll just have to wait and see.

I doubt they'll ever sell just the system but if they do I can't fathom then selling it for more than the Switch lite.

I really have no use for this dock (Ethernet port is useless for me since the modem is in a different room than where the Switch is), but I might consider getting it if they made a black version of it.

BAM! The dock is all I wanted. I'm coming SSBU online, just be patient...

@YoungLink64 100%, I agree. Was just using them as examples.

@YoungLink64 I hope so!

@Franklin Fragile? I mean yeah it's flimsy, but somehow I feel like I could drop it off a freeway overpass in rush hour and it would still work.

@BAN

You first then!

@Franklin I’m considering it.

@YoungLink64 Talking about the dock specifically. But I also didn’t say it wouldn’t crack, just that it would still work.

But since you seem to be talking about the system itself, there’s actually videos of people dropping it from way higher than a sitting position and it still working afterwards. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y8QCFNAgPDo

Lol yeah I don’t know, guess it depends how it hits. This one seems to have had most of the damage relegated to the joycon. Nintendo has a pretty good record with their stuff being physically resilient, probably going back to the days of needing to account for most of their customers being kids. Switch seems more fragile than their earlier systems, but it can occasionally take a beating.

Ohh this is going to go over well. Especially at that $350 price tag. Nintendo, I love you, but you do dumb things sometimes.