Skip to main content

SFANS portable Nintendo Switch adapter review

The SFANS adapter makes it so much easier to dock your Nintendo Switch on the go

sfans portable nintendo switch dock review
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Why you can trust Digital Trends – We have a 20-year history of testing, reviewing, and rating products, services and apps to help you make a sound buying decision. Find out more about how we test and score products.“

The SFANS adapter isn’t cheap, but makes it easier to dock your Switch anywhere.

Recommended Videos

It’s pretty easy to grab your Nintendo Switch and bring it to a friend’s house, but if you’re taking it with you, there’s a good chance you’re going to leave the dock at home, even if you’ll have access to a TV. Bulky and unable to fit in most carrying cases, the dock isn’t really designed to ever leave your entertainment center. And without it, you won’t be able to view its full resolution and bright, crisp colors. As we discovered while preparing for our SFANS Switch adapter review, this crowdfunded portable dock is among the best Nintendo Switch accessories if you prefer to always game on the big screen.

Splatoon 2 ran exactly as it did on the original dock, with the same resolution, colors, and framerate.

Initially funded through a very successful IndieGoGo campaign, the SFANS portal Switch dock is a fully functional replacement for the original dock that comes bundled with the console. On the bottom of the adapter, which is just slightly wider than the creator’s “Oreo-sized” claim, there are ports to plug in both the Switch’s included USB-C power adapter as well as an HDMI cord. (The cords are not included.) Our review unit also came with a portable stand that looks almost identical to one produced by Hori, allowing the console to stay elevated and get enough ventilation. For an $80 pledge on the crowdfunding page, you can have the cable, adapter, and stand all included with the SFANS.

Playing the Switch with the adapter feels almost identical to using Nintendo’s dock. Aside from the Switch taking just a few seconds longer to shift its display to the television, we encountered no performance issues at all. Splatoon 2, for example, ran exactly as it did on the original dock, with the same resolution, colors, and framerate. After more than an hour of play, the SFANS was barely warm. The device also charges the Nintendo Switch like the original dock.

Though it is meant for travel, the adapter seems fairly delicate. In place of the small USB-C nub on the original dock, there’s a short cable that plugs into the bottom of the Nintendo Switch. The flat-ribbon cable doesn’t look like it can take much abuse, and it’s directly connected to the SFANS, so you won’t be able to replace it if it breaks.

The adapter also serves as a USB hub for the Switch. The left side sports two USB 3.1 ports, and the right side has an additional two USB-C ports. Though there’s little reason to need extra ports at this time, you may take solace knowing that you have the option.

It’s worth noting that most of these features are actually available in an existing adapter designed for the Samsung Galaxy S8 that costs a fraction of the SFANS $60 pledge price, though it sports a different external design that doesn’t look like a cute little Joy-Con Grip. According to SFANS, the board inside the device has been used in several other products, which appears to include the S8 adapter, but that substantial work was done to its firmware in order to make USB-C power deliver work properly on the Switch.

“There are a ton of normal USB Type C-to-HDMI solutions. What we did was use one of them and did secondary development based on it,” an SFANS representative told Digital Trends. “[We] can assure you that SFANS is not a rebranded product. It is a redesigined and reengineered product that fits Nintendo Switch.”

Whatever they did, it seems like it works. Unlike many other power-delivery solutions that we have seen for the Nintendo Switch, which often don’t properly charge the system, the SFANS works as advertised.

Yes, $80 is a lot to ask for everything you’ll need to take your Switch on the go, but an extra power adapter and portable stand will already set you back $50. The adapter is certainly expensive, but it does exactly what it’s supposed to do.

Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
The Nintendo Switch 2 gets one more last-minute launch game
Two people stand near a bone dragon in Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is getting one more launch game on June 5 in the form of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. Players who currently own it on Nintendo Switch will be able to upgrade to a Switch 2 edition for a fee.

Released last week, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a new game by developer Level-5. It's a sequel to Nintendo 3DS cult hit Fantasy Life, a "Slow RPG" in which players take on various jobs from woodcutter to chef. The game was a surprise hit when it released on May 21, surpassing 65,000 concurrent players on Steam at its peak. While it's already available on Nintendo Switch, it will get a Switch 2 Edition in time for the console's launch.

Read more
Nintendo reveals which games aren’t backwards compatible with Switch 2
The Switch 2 next to a TV with Mario Kart.

Ahead of the Switch 2's June 5 launch, Nintendo provided an update on which Switch games aren't fully backwards compatible with the new console. The list includes several games with issues that are currently being investigated, as well as some video streaming apps.

Ever since the Switch 2's announcement, Nintendo has been vague about what Switch games would and wouldn't work on its new console. Many fans previously assumed that backwards compatibility issues would be limited to games that utilized the Joy-con's IR sensors. Nintendo has now clarified exactly what won't work on the new system, as well as what games currently have problems that it plans to address around launch day.

Read more
You might want to wait to get your Nintendo Switch 2
OLED Nintendo Switch

Your Nintendo Switch 2 preorder won't ship with an OLED screen, but an OLED-version isn't out of the picture. Nintendo has reached out to Samsung Electronics Co. to manufacture Switch 2 chips in a bid to ramp up production speeds and potentially break its sales projections by March 2026, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

The Nintendo Switch 2 was met with almost unprecedented demand in Japan, and Nintendo has issued an apology that it had to limit pre-orders. Roughly 2.2 million people requested a preorder in Japan alone, and preorder numbers for Europe and North America haven't been shared. However, pre-orders sold out quickly, indicating high demand across the globe.

Read more