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You can get the new dock without buying the OLED console.
When the OLED version of the Nintendo Switch released a few months ago, one of its major draws was its updated connector dock. The dock that comes with the Switch OLED is functionally identical to the dock that came with the original Switch, with one important addition: an ethernet port. When playing online games, wireless connections can be a bit spotty, so if you regularly play stuff like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a wired connection would go a long way toward keeping your experience consistent. For a while, the only way to get the new dock was alongside the Switch OLED, but that’s changed as of today.
As Nintendo originally promised prior to the Switch OLED’s release, they have begun selling the updated Switch dock separately. The updated dock can purchased from Nintendo’s online store in either black or white for $69.99. As mentioned, it’s pretty much the same as the old dock aside from the ethernet port, so you probably don’t need this if you don’t make a habit of playing online, though apparently the updated dock did receive some kind of firmware update recently that the regular dock and Switch Lite can’t make use of, so that’s something to consider.
You Can Now Buy the Nintendo Switch OLED's Upgraded Dock All on Its Own https://t.co/z14m1c1RUg pic.twitter.com/rO0EaGcpDS
— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) December 8, 2021
There are a few caveats to this offering: first, when I say you’re buying a dock, I mean only the dock. The AC adapter and HDMI cable are not included, so you’ll have to either get them elsewhere or grab them from an old dock if you have one. Secondly, Nintendo has stated that these docks will not be sold at retail. If you want one, the only way to get one is through Nintendo’s store. Or at least that’ll be the only way until the scalpers start flooding eBay with them.
