The Antank S3 Max Nintendo Switch 2 dock is a perfectly suitable replacement for those looking for a smaller footprint for docked play.
Despite some concerns I’ve read online regarding the Antank S3 Max Nintendo Switch 2 Dock, after having used it myself for a while now, I can safely say, at least from a practical use-case scenario, that the Antank S3 Max dock is a solid replacement for the standard dock that ships with the console.
One of my biggest issues, quite literally with both the original Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2, is just how much room the bulky dock takes up on my desk, making it particularly annoying for travelling. With the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, I felt perhaps that the large dock was justified, due to it now housing a built-in fan used for cooling purposes. Having used the Antank S3 Max dock, however, I can say that despite it lacking any cooling and having it cover the bottom vents of the Nintendo Switch 2, its open design allows plenty of air flow.
Instead of sandwiching the Nintendo Switch 2 between two pieces of plastic, the Antank S3 Max dock proudly displays your new Switch 2 console on a sleek horizontal dock that allows it to breathe and makes it easy to quickly grab and go. Or, at least, that was what I was hoping would be the case, with its open back design. However, in practice, I found the Antank S3 Max dock for the Nintendo Switch 2, unfortunately, has a bit of a snug fit when inserting it into the dock, requiring both hands to grip it when removing it from its firm hold.
“Having used the Antank S3 Max dock, however, I can say that despite it lacking any cooling and having it cover the bottom vents of the Nintendo Switch 2, its open design allows plenty of air flow.”
In terms of IO, the Antank S3 Max dock features two USB 3.0 ports, USB-C, HDMI, but no Ethernet, while also including a curious little button, which can be used to turn the docking functionality off if you want to use the Antank S3 Max dock as a literal dock or stand for tabletop play. It should also be mentioned that the Antank S3 Max dock for the Nintendo Switch 2 does not include a power brick or adapter for the wall outlet and will require the use of the official Nintendo one, which may add to the cost if you’re planning on having your old dock around.
Outside of a smaller footprint and more affordable asking price, the Antank S3 Max dock might seem like just a cheaper alternative, as it lacks Ethernet support while still requiring the use of the official Nintendo Switch 2 power adapter, making it seem like a strange proposition. In truth, however, the Antnak S3 Max dock is a great alternative for those who are out and about and are inclined to travel and bring their Switch 2 with them for use in scenarios like hotel rooms or staying at someone’s place.
“The Antnak S3 Max dock is a great alternative for those who are out and about and are inclined to travel and bring their Switch 2 with them for use in scenarios like hotel rooms.”
And if you’re like me and don’t require the use of an Ethernet cable, the Antank S3 Max dock is more than enough for casual gamers looking to use their Nintendo Switch 2 console on the TV for less. As far as testing the dock, I tried a variety of Nintendo Switch 2 software and the limited but growing library of Switch 2 exclusives, with sessions lasting anywhere from 40 minutes to two hours, just to put the Switch 2 under realistic conditions that would stress the system enough to detect any issues.
Thankfully, the Switch 2 performed identically to when using the stock dock, outside of, of course, the lack of Ethernet support. In terms of practical temperatures, I didn’t find that the Switch 2 would get hot or feel drastically different from when undocking the console from Nintendo’s offerings.
Finally, for those who use third-party cases for their Nintendo Switch 2, despite the smaller footprint of the Antank S3 Max dock, I was still unable to dock the console when testing both my Genki Attack Vector case and my friend’s Dbrand Nintendo Switch 2 Killswitch case, which uses a special bracket to even be used on the official dock. In other words, it’s not really a fault of the Antank S3 Max, but it’s still worth mentioning if you are looking specifically for a dock solution that works with third-party cases.
Ultimately, the Antank S3 Max dock for the Nintendo Switch 2 is a solid third-party option that delivers the same performance you are used to for less, while being the perfect companion for taking on the road.
