It's previously been announced by Nintendo that the company will start selling the Nintendo Switch dock as a standalone item, however further information on stock and supply has been thin to say the least.
Until today you're only option was to buy just the dock unit itself from the Official Store, listed for $59.99, which is okay, but doesn't come with HDMI or AC Power cables. Nintendo seemingly solved this problem by announcing the "Nintendo Switch Dock Set" which includes both these essential cables and will be available "in limited quantities" from May 19th in the US.
Pricing is yet to be confirmed on the Official Store but expectations put the Switch Dock Set at around $89.99.
Other retailers are expected to stock the standalone dock too and we await confirmation of availability in other regions.
Have you been waiting to get your hands on another dock? We have, we want a communal one in the Nintendo Life office!
[source store.nintendo.com]
Comments 57
Strange how this wasn't announced in the EU direct
Didn't Nintendo at one point say the exact opposite?
Can we buy the standalone handheld part for cheaper too? That'd be good.
@123akis Agreed. It always seems that the US direct covers stuff that is pretty interesting, but isn't necessarily in the EU/AUS directs.
I think it'll be worth getting another dock for home though. Switch between the two TVs.
No need for one of these, I'll pass.
Did Nintendo announce if these new standalone docks do anything to reduce the screen scratching problem some people are having?
$60 jeez Switch accessories are expensive
Pay extra to not scratch your screen ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)
@Dezzy : The handheld part is the console itself and the most expensive part of the package. I don't think that excluding the dock and/or the Joy-Con from the package will result in a significant enough difference in manufacturing cost to justify selling it separately for a substantially lesser cost. I would imagine that a standalone unit would cost only $50 less (max) than the full package, and most people would likely just pay the extra $50 and get the accessories as well.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to buy a standalone Switch, but at this point, it's unrealistic.
Old news (that you covered already actually). It's really worth it though, switching between the bedroom TV and Living room is fantastic.
The placeholder price for this was something completely stupid like AU$130. I hope the price will be amended to something a little more sensible for our market.
But...why ? O.o
Nice!! this will able us to have Switch on multiple TV sets. No more family conflicts. Should we assume the dock will come with the required cables??? HDMI and power supply etc? For $60 it should!
Not for me, but good job giving folks more options.
@joey302 : The A/C adapter is included in the box (as indicated by the box). I would only assume that the HDMI cable is included in the box as well (and so it should).
$60 is still high but I guess is better than $90.
You all do realize that the retail dock will cost 90 right? The 90 dollar package includes the charge cable and hdmi cable as well as the dock. The 60 dollar dock that is currently available on nintendo's online store is literally just the dock with no cables and charger.
So the Switch unit itself is estimated to cost around $250 to make, and they package in a USB-C adapter, a pair of joycons, and a dock. Nintendo claimed they wouldn't sell the switch at a loss. So that leaves $50 for the joycons, adapter, and dock. Either the estimates are way off, or the dock costs pennies to make and they're selling it for way too much.
I've already got a 2nd dock from my other Switch.
That was one of the first things on my must-have list. This is the first console you can literally dock anywhere you want to play it.
No way I was passing up on that opportunity. I should get one for my parents house too. That way I could come over and my old man can watch me play. He likes NES Mario and was talking about trying Zelda since I bought him an NES Mini. Sounded really intrigued by this new Zelda, which is strange because he's not into games. Heck, he can barely turn on the computer lol.
@sillygostly yea didn't notice that. Getting blind as a bat in my old age! Lol. But yea for $60 I agree HDMI cable should be a toss in. It's really a great unique idea by Nintendo. Glad to see them using their noodle for once instead of all these boneheaded moves they've been making over the last several years! Hmmm 🤔🤔 I wonder if this would hurt Switch sales knowing that you can just bring the tablet over to another dock in the other room?? Interesting....
@JaxonH I work with my dad every day and I always gotta help him with his phone lol. He's 73 but hasn't touched a video game since Atari 5200 Galaxian!! No interest at all in any technology like emailing etc. he's old school and he always says to me when I'm doing an email "oh jeez son just pick up the phone and call the guy!" Lol
@joey302
Yup yup lol... my dad is 73 also.
The good old technology-ignorant baby boomers lol... dad doesn't even carry a cell phone. Was going to get him one of those jitterbug phones with the giant key buttons, but he wouldn't know how to operate it lol lol
I had a feeling Nintendo would take their sweet time making spare docks available in Europe, so I pre-ordered two Switches. I sold the spare Switch tablet and kept its dock, Joy-Con controllers and accessories.
@JaxonH pretty Wild they're the same age lol. But I think you're dad may be actually worse then mine lol. While My pop can text and add to his contacts (but can't find his contacts after he adds them) he's horrible with his pictures (can't figure out how to send pics) and of course doesn't go near the emails. But what's funny is he's always always asking me to help him. Problem is he has a galaxy and me an iPhone and I'm just lost with the galaxy. Luckily mom has a galaxy so she helps him. But oh man does he drives us batty! 😃
Wow !
I really want it in White or Blue or Silver color. Can I dye it with Spray color ?
@sillygostly took another squinty look at the box again and that looks like the HDMI cable to the left of the power supply. So I think we're good 😊
@joey302 : D'oh. How did I miss that?! #OldFartsUnite
I do want another dock, but $60US is insane. That'll end up being $80 Canadian. These things need to be like $30 CDN, tops.
@Einherjar So you can have it set up on another TV if you're the sort of person who wants to switch from one room to another. Say the missus wants to watch her soaps downstairs so you go upstairs but not really keen on staying in portable mode. It's a brilliant selling point really. How much effort is it to move any other console to another room only for a couple of hours? No one does it for that reason. Now with Switch, you can (for an additional $60)
Glad the cables are supplied though, unlike the one they offered through the parts store at launch. Tsk tsk.
@Baker1000 Yeah, i can see that. Thanks for pointing out a reason ^^
@sillygostly LMAO!!! Too funny!!! 😃😃😃 well at least we know we don't have to hunt down various cables!! Lol 😂
@antdickens
Why did you write "these will be available from May 19th in the US and are currently listed at $59.99 on the Official Store" when the dock in Nintendo's store selling for $59.99 is a different SKU without power supply and HDMI cable?
Price is ridiculous
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
The "Nintendo Switch Dock Set" reported in this article is not the SKU currently sold for USD 59.99. You're welcome.
They have had those at the Nintendo store for awhile now..
JoyCon = $80
Dock = $60
Charger = $30
That's $170!
That's already more than half of what the whole thing costs!
Take a look at efforts to reverse engineer the dock. There's a lot more to it than most people are giving it credit for.
The dock is available now and has been for weeks.
@RedMageLanakyn That Japanese firm that done the cost break down went a bit further recently said the Joy-con cost around $90 to manufacture. With the console and dock costing $167.
I think its a good deal because you get the charger and hdmi cable, ill for sure be getting this so I can keep my main set hooked up with my extra dock and cables in my case ready to go and all I take is the switch
Way too expensive. Half price is what I expected when they announced that it would be cheap. Considering the quality of the build too.
@Grawlog it's pretty brilliant. i imagine it'd be cool to have a buddy who has a switch as well, and you each buy different digital games. then you meet anywhere, swap tablets, get home, dock it and done — you have the other person's library installed.
Actually tempted - I have the Switch upstairs so I can use it dedicated rather than be forced to share my main screen that the family uses. Another dock will solve that (only if all the cables are included!).
The Nintendo Store version for US$60 does not include the A/C adapter and HDMI cable. The retail version will include them, however, but will cost significantly more. And to think that Nintendo was going to price the package more sensibly.
I guess it will cost AU$130 after all…
I think it's a good idea to sell these separately as it makes it very convenient to play in an alternative room without messing around disconnecting all the wires from your TV
However I do think this is rather expensive for what is effectively a glorified HDMI cable
@BornInNorway81 thanks for the feedback, I've updated the article to make everything clearer
@JaxonH I hadn't thought about that. I may need an extra dock for my parent's place if the monopoly carrot doesn't convince my mom to jump in.
Way to expensive. I just bought an extra HDMI cable so I don't have to reach behind my tv all the time but I'm taking the dock and power adapter with me.
This is freakin' disgusting. Screw Nintendo. That piece of crap dock was bad enough as a pack-in, but to sell it at that price and then charge that much extra for cables? Bull crap and screw them. I have a friend that's looking for a Switch and I'm seriously considering selling him mine. Except he's a friend and I don't know if I want to do that to him. With all of the issues (which I'm sure plenty of Nintendrones on here are going to come at me for mentioning... because they are in denial that there ARE any issues) and the 'money-pit/wallet-suck' nature of the system, I think it would end up a sore spot.
Again - there is absolutely no way in hell Nintendo can justify these price points. Screw them.
$89.99
That is absurd, vile, disgusting, abusive . . .
In Japan they are selling this for £65. The new battery packs for the Joy-Con are priced at £25.
Decided not to buy a switch, this is the first time i haven't bought a Ninty console at launch. Everything related to the switch is expensive, also the games i once loved by Nintendo are no longer of interest to me, like all their platform games and they must make up about 50% of their releases. The games I want seem to be of their radar, like Advance Wars, Metroid Prime, 1080, Waverace, Battalion Wars etc. I normally buy MK but I played and own it on Wii U. Time for me to move on from Ninty I think, they will have to bring some special games out to bring me back into the Ninty bubble again
3rd parties, please take note:
Make a folding portable version of this (or accomplish TV out with cable alone), and it will outsell this overpriced brick, and go straight up Nintendo's rear. (I'm still miffed at them for the absurd shortage of NES Minis.)
Go for PS4..
As for Switch, just ignore..
Time to scratch your screens, guys!
Any news on this at all.
I have not seen any pre-orders anywhere.
https://www.amazon.it/Nintendo-Switch-Dock-Set/dp/B071992NQ2/ref=sr_1_20?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1495062368&sr=1-20&keywords=Nintendo+Switch
It's for pre-order on Amazon Italy for €89.99... That's £78. So it'll be £80 in the UK, which is absurd.
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