The Antank S3 Max is an affordable Switch 2 dock that actually works

Review: Antank's offering is a plug and play solution that gets the job done.

Antank's S3 Max dock is one of only a small few third-party dock options that actually works with the Nintendo Switch 2.

Nintendo's new machine has been with us for a little while now, and with that comes the usual bunch of accessories. However, one group of extras is currently a bit of a confusing mess — docks.

Now, every Nintendo Switch 2 sold comes with an official dock included, but just as with the original hybrid, many folks want more than just one. Whether it's to hook up your Switch 2 in another room of the house (without needing to set everything up each time), or to have a smaller, portable dock ready to go for travel, avoiding being stuck with just handheld play.

So, third-party options are a thing, and they're often cheaper and smaller than Nintendo's official offering. When it came to grabbing a secondary dock, there was plenty of choice for original Switch owners, but Switch 2 shoppers haven't been so lucky.

This is mainly due to a supposed change in how the Switch 2 machine communicates to the dock (Sean Hollister at The Verge has been diving into the technicalities of this). The current line of thinking is that, broadly speaking, the Switch 2 performs something of a handshake with the dock, expecting a certain 'key' string. If the dock hands over the right 'key' code, the Switch 2 treats it as a proper dock and things should just work. However, this code is said to be different than that of the original Switch — which explains why older docks no longer work.

Nintendo’s doing this for fairly obvious reasons — they don’t want some dodgy third-party dock to potentially damage your new handheld thanks to some power or heating issue.

This is where Antank's offering comes in. The Antank S3 Max TV Dock Station for Nintendo Switch 2 is one of the few currently available third-party docks that actually work, straight out of the box.

The 3S Max is a fairly straightforward proposition — it comes in a simple, slim line box, where you'll find the dock inside, complete with neat Switch colour accents, and not much else. You need to bring your own HDMI cable and USB C cable for power. But, it works, and for the price of roughly $35 it's a compelling offering for those seeking a secondary dock.

There's two models available, one with an ethernet port, and one without. The LAN equipped model is about five bucks more.

I’ve been testing the dock in my office with a portable monitor from UPERFECT, and the set up couldn’t have been easier. This thing was pretty much plug and play.

My version doesn't have the ethernet port, but beyond that difference, both models have an HDMI port, USB port for power, two USB A ports for any additional accessories, and a little clicky button for switching between TV and tabletop mode. The button goes from TV to tablet quick enough.

Now, there's been some concern spotted online regarding airflow with this Antank option, and sure enough the model does restrict the vents found on the bottom of the Switch 2. However, it's not really been a dealbreaker for me. Because this dock doesn't have tall sides like Nintendo's option, both the screen and back of the hybrid are fully exposed. I'd wager this open approach helps negate things. Yes, the Switch 2 ran a bit hot during my final battle with Ganondorf, but it likely would have in the original dock too — that's why Nintendo has added a fan this time around.

The lack of any tall side walls on the dock also means you're not going to scratch your screen when docking. It's a little thing, but one more point in the S3's corner.

Another bonus is its weight, or lack of — coming in at just over 100 grams. The lightweight nature of this thing means you can chuck it in your bag ready for the weekend and not really notice it. A slim, travel companion.

The dock itself also has a trio of rubber feet, meaning that, despite its small weight, it won't move around on your desk thanks to these feet stopping it from slipping out of place.

It's a simple device, and on the whole a neat little package.

Yes, there is a chance Nintendo could change things and cause some issues on compatibility, but it looks like Antank have a possible solution there too: you can update the firmware for this dock, and there has already been a couple of updates since release (fixing a HDR bug for example).

The Antank S3 Max dock is a plug and play, portable option at an affordable price point, plus, because there’s a means to hopefully update it should Nintendo interfere, it feels like a solid option to recommend. From all of the third-party options out there right now, this is looking like a winner.