Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
The Nintendo Switch is known for its portability, but unfortunately its docking station doesn’t boast the same benefits. The team at Human Things have realized this and have developed one of the tiniest Switch docks on the market: the Genki Covert Dock. This little beaut comes with all the features of the full docking station, albeit at a fraction of the price tag and size.
Despite only launching on Kickstarter earlier today, the Genki Covert Dock has amassed more than $270,000 USD of its humble $50,000 USD goal.
How the team managed to shrink a Switch dock down to such sizes is rather ingenious. Usually, a small unit generating a lot of power is bound to get extremely hot, though if the Kickstarter breakdown is anything to go by, this won’t be the case for this device. Apparently, the team utilizes Gallium Nitride in order to keep the device cool.
The three main ports are present: USB-C, USB 3.1, and HDMI. The USB-C isn’t just for the Nintendo Switch, it can also be used to charge your USB-C devices, including phones, tablets, and laptops. The USB 3.1 charges and passes data while the HDMI also works as a DisplayPort.
For more good news, the Genki Covert Dock actually takes up significantly less space when plugged in. It won’t be hanging off the side of your AC powerpoint or choking up extra space on a powerboard.
When it comes to plugging your Switch into new devices to charge, many users are worried about frying or bricking their consoles. The team’s engineer, Andrew, has written up a piece about why these things happen. To avoid these problems from cropping up with the Genki Covert Dock, the team has gone to great lengths to add further protection and reliability to the design. You can even update the firmware down the track in the event the Nintendo Switch’s docking protocols change.
For those like myself who live outside of the US, or for those who travel internationally, there is an option in the Kickstarter to back a bundle which includes global adapters. With 36 days remaining until the Genki Covert Dock Kickstarter ends, all that's left to do is watch the funding tick up.