Over the past two weeks, I’ve been trying to figure out why the Nintendo Switch 2 wouldn’t work with a number of USB-C accessories that worked perfectly well with other devices, including third-party docks and some of the best-reviewed webcams . But today, I have firsthand confirmation that existing devices can work—as long as their manufacturers issue the right firmware updates, and as long as Nintendo doesn’t break compatibility going forward.
You don’t necessarily need to buy a brand new gadget to connect a TV or video headset to your Nintendo Switch 2. Three manufacturers have already proven that firmware updates are sufficient for now, and hopefully more will follow!
The existing gadgets I’ve just successfully tested are: the Avermedia elite go gc313 pro and Avermedium Core Go gc313 Compact charger docks, the Elgato Facecam Mk.2 webcam, and the Viture Pro Mobile Dock for the company’s AR glasses.
None of them worked with the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch, but now each has firmware updates available, and I was able to get them all working in my own home—and perhaps, nail down a few more things directly regarding Switch 2 compatibility.
The gadget: Elgato Facecam Mk2
The story: Elgato was one of the first companies to promise it would update some non-working webcams to work with the Switch 2, and it provided its own theories to The Verge about why they didn’t work on day one. The company won’t officially release its firmware updates for the Facecam Mk2 and Facecam Neo until the end of July, but it sent us an early copy so I could show you the video proof!
Here, follow along with me as I install and test it for the first time:
(Sorry, I don’t have permission to share the first firmware update files.)
What we learned: Elgato originally stated that the main reason its cameras didn’t work was that the Nintendo Switch 2 requires cameras to advertise a low-resolution 480p video mode, even though that’s not the mode the Switch 2 ends up using. Sure enough: The USBVIEW tool shows me that the Facecam MK2 now makes 480p the default video streaming mode that a USB host device (like the Switch 2) will see before anything else.
Além disso: lembre -se de quando a Ugreen nos disse que as câmeras não funcionariam com o Switch 2 se usassem o protocolo HID (dispositivo de interface humana)? Estranhamente, parece Elgato na verdade adicionado Algumas referências escondidas em seu firmware mais recente. Aqui está o diff Se você quiser espiar.
Foto de Sean Hollister / The Verge
Os gadgets: Avermedia elite go gc313 pro e Avermedium Core Go gc313
A história: Eu nunca tinha ouvido falar dessas docas de carregamento compactas de 100w GaN, o GC313 Pro de US $ 130 e o GC313 de US $ 90 – mas agora parece que eles são as primeiras e únicas docas portáteis do Switch 2! (O Pro também funciona como um cartão de captura USB de 1080p60, se você está se perguntando sobre o preço do Delta.) A empresa tem Uma página inteira dedicada a alternar 2 atualizações de firmware de compatibilidadeprincipalmente para seus dispositivos de captura de vídeo, mas também essas docas portáteis, bem como Uma doca permanente mais tradicional Se você não se importa de conectar sua chave no de cabeça para baixo.
O que aprendemos: A atualização do firmware foi rápida em instalar e a conexão HDMI funciona totalmente – provavelmente porque o Dock da AvermediA agora está usando exatamente os mesmos comandos proprietários que vemos o dock oficial da Nintendo usando. (Outra vezPeguei um analisador de PD USB-C para verificar. Antes da atualização, a doca da Avermedia não falava a linguagem da Nintendo e foi rapidamente rejeitada; Após a atualização, sim.)
A doca da Avermedium não funcionou de maneira tão confiável quanto a doca oficial em meus primeiros testes. Nem sempre conecta a primeira vez que o conecto e também há um pequeno atraso. Observação também: o GC313 parece suportar a saída de baunilha 4K60 sem HDR ou VRR.
Como você lerá abaixo, o fabricante de óculos de vídeo Viture possui uma atualização de firmware que torna seus gadgets compatíveis com o Switch 2 – mas tira Compatibilidade com o comutador Nintendo original. Mas eu testei o dock da avermedia trabalhando com ambos Gerações de Switch, e Viture diz que fará o mesmo no futuro.
O gadget: Viture Pro Mobile Dock
The story : This $130 dock is a battery pack that can power your handheld or phone while routing its video to Viture’s USB-C video glasses or a USB-C monitor. (The HDMI port is for input, not output to a TV.) With a firmware update, it gains support for the Switch 2 but breaks support for the original Switch unless you downgrade later. A future update will support both, though, Viture co-founder Emily Wang tells The Verge .
What we learned : Viture sent me their pre-updated dock, so I didn’t test it before and after. But with the update, it works perfectly—after a delay, which appears to be due to some miscommunication between Viture’s devices and the Switch 2, if I’m reading the USB-C PD traffic correctly. But after this miscommunication, I can see that the Viture Dock sends exactly the same proprietary commands as the official Nintendo dock.
One of the things we’ve heard from the beginning is that Switch 2 docking stations need to offer 20 volts of power for the Switch 2 to serve in TV mode—even though the handheld only uses 15 volts. But the Viture Dock only advertises a maximum of 15 volts at 1.34 amps (20 watts total), and yet Viture got the video output working anyway.
We know these third-party docks are working with the Switch 2 as of today, and we expect more to be on the way.
(One I haven’t been able to test is this Hagabis one that fits the entire HDMI adapter into a cable instead of a dock – beware that the firmware update only officially works with the 8K version which is black so not white or red and blue and keeps going out of stock.)
But we don’t know if Nintendo will move to block these accessories with firmware updates. Currently, it appears that each of these docks can trick the Switch 2 into thinking they’re the official dock by emulating its controls, but several manufacturers admit that this could lead to a cat-and-mouse game, where they’ll need to issue new firmware updates to keep up with Nintendo.
“Similar to what Antank shared with you, it is true that we may need to provide firmware updates if Nintendo changes their protocol specifications,” Viture tells The Verge.
