Going Genki With the Covert Dock: Gamescom Hands On Preview

Genkik Covert Dock Preview

The Genki Covert Dock is an outstanding idea that looks like it could set the Nintendo Switch free. We got our hands on one out in the wild when the Genki Covert Dock came to Gamescom 2019

Tucked away among the madness of Hall 10.1, the Human Things team were brand new to Gamescom and it took some sharp elbows to get through the throngs. Was it worth it to see the Genki Covert Dock in action? Yes! The Genki Covert Dock first caught our attention here at Gamespace when they launched a Kickstarter for the minuscule device. The follow up to Human Thing’s first project, a Switch centric Bluetooth audio adaptor, the Covert Dock is a brand new take on the Nintendo Switch Dock. As a third party peripheral, it allows players who want to expand Nintendo’s mobile powerhouse beyond the constraints of the front room.

Why?

If you’ve ever had to cram a 4 player Mario Kart match onto one tiny Switch Screen, or wanted to use something bigger than a pint-sized Joycon on the go, then you might appreciate the Genki Covert Dock. This particular device shrinks the bulky Nintendo Switch dock into something akin to a mobile phone charger. With ports for power, HDMI, and USB peripherals this new design of dock means that Switch owners can plug in and play on its, without having to delve behind the TV to pack up their home dock.

How?

What is astounding about the Genki Covert dock is its size. The Human things team have managed this through some huge steps in GaN technology. This means that, by using gallium nitrate instead of silicon-based charging tech, their dock can convert power for the Nintendo Switch with minimal heat, and when run all day at Gamescom we found that the dock really does live up to the test. What the Genki Covert Dock also brings to the table is a wealth of experience. When talking to the team at Gamescom, CEO and Founder of Human Things Eddie Tsai was under no illusion that their first Kickstarter gave them the grounding to launch the Genki Covert Dock. It gave Human Things an understanding of how to work with Nintendo’s hardware platform, in a stable and reliable manner, giving consumers a great level of confidence that this isn’t a hack job that might go wrong.

Genki Convert Dock Preview

 

It wasn’t the only thing that the Human things team learned from their Bluetooth endeavors, which are still available over on the official Genki website. The Genkioi Covert dock is available for US and international audiences but you’ll find very few stretch goals if any. The team found that providing a wealth of color customization options with their previous project left the production process a lot less streamlined than it could otherwise have been. They were packing all the way up to deadlines and we would assume that smaller runs might also cost more to produce. So, this time around you’ll find a focus on providing a quality product with plenty of connectivity. What’s hard to express is how little there is to be said about the Genki Covert dock, all because it just works. This device looks and feels like a premium mobile charger, transitioning between docked and handheld modes is arguably easier than with a traditional Switch dock, and there was no discernible difference in performance. The connectivity and response from a connected Switch is nothing short of what you would expect from the official dock, while the whole unit comes in significantly below the cost of grabbing a second official Nintendo Switch Dock Set.

To top it off, when I do get my hands on one of these, the Genki Covert Docks it should be fully capable of charging laptops like the Macbook Air and even USB C connected phones. All in, our time with the Covert Dock lived up to our initial expectations. ‘m hoping that this isn’t the last time I’m going to hold a Genki Covert Dock in my hands and I’d encourage you to take a look at the Kickstarter while you can too. If you own a Nintendo Switch and you take it out and about you should definitely check out the Genki Covert Dock.

 

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