Nintendo releases requirements for third-party USB cables

Switch units have been bricked in the recent firmware upgrade.

Nintendo decided that it won’t be using proprietary charging ports on the Nintendo Switch. This is old news, but favorable, since many gamers prefer to use cheaper, third-party chargers instead of the “OEM” parts for USB-C cables.

Sadly, the reason behind this in previous systems isn’t just to make a profit- it’s to also ensure quality.

When you make a system that allows any manufacturer to make an accessory for it, you unleash the slew of crappy parts that could very well damage the system itself such as slow charging times or fried hardware. Nintendo is starting become aware of this and is probably second-guessing their decision. They warn (it’s in Japanese, so translate it)that the USB-C cables should only be used with 56K Ohm resistors to be safely used and prevent any damage with the Switch.

If charging from a USB source with the USB-A type outputs, Nintendo suggests only to use the official cable (HAC-010) that are included with the Pro Controller or Joy-Con Charging Crip. However, you can only get this Japan. If you’re in the US, you won’t be able to buy it by itself and must get it bundled.

A Nintendo support mod stated that:

“any USB cable that supports a USB Type C port should work just as well”

So this means any third-party cable should work, right? Using USB cables that don’t fit the bill could seriously damage the Switch’s internals or charge it super slowly. It could even fry it in slow motion or charge it so slow that it won’t carry the full amps required.

Where did all this news come from? It appears that a bunch of Switch consoles turned into Switch Bricks after the 5.x firmware update with consoles using the third-party docks from Nyko.

If you don’t want to take any risks, go with OEM parts. If you want to save some cash, do your research first before buying.

Photo: https://nyko.com/products/portable-docking-kit-for-nintendo-switchNyko