Connect Your Switch To a TV Without a Dock thanks to Brook Gaming's HDMI Cable!
190In this video, we unbox and test out the Brook Gaming HDMI Cable, a "dockless" HDMI cable to connect your Switch to your television without a traditional dock.
Going places. Remember that? Yeah, those were fun times, weren't they? Back when we could go places, I would often take my Nintendo Switch with me to play in the hotel, but taking a traditional dock with me was kind of a pain. Enter the Brook Gaming USB Type C HDMI Cable and AC Adapter Charger for the Nintendo Switch, an all-in-one solution that allows you to connect your system to your television.
The overall design is pretty simple and compact. The unit is literally just a cable, with an HDMI connector on one side, and 2 USB-C connectors on the other. The overall length of the cable is about 5-6 feet at the longest point, with the secondary cable being about 1-2 feet shorter. The 2 USB-C plugs are both labeled for where they need to connect, one for the Switch and one for the included power supply.
Let's talk about the included power supply. Unlike many other manufacturers, including Brook themselves with their Power Bay dock, the HDMI cable actually also includes a power supply. While this could be a concern for some, Brook isn't concerned. In fact they are so confident in their power supply and the cable itself, they provide a warranty for the cable. Basically, if your Switch is damaged by their cable, Brook will repair or replace your Switch. That's confidence in a product.
Upon connecting to my HDMI switch box, I started running into some issues with frame drops. The drops would get so serious that my PVR 60 Pro capture card stopped recording. I wound up bypassing my HDMI switcher and connecting straight to my capture card and the issues were instantly resolved. I don't anticipate taking an HDMI switcher with me when I travel, and I don't see this as a daily driver, so for me this is a non-issue.
Once I got my switcher issue figured out, playing my Switch via the Brook HDMI cable was pretty flawless. The audio and video all functioned exactly as it would with my regular OEM dock, and that's a great thing. Now, some may not like the fact that you cannot connect USB accessories to this cable, but this is not a problem I have personally. Overall performance was great!
Why it RoX:
- Works as advertised
- If your Switch is damaged by this, Brook will take care of it
- Braded cable design
- Metal housings on connectors for extra durability
- Compact AC adapter included
- Responsive performance
- Accurate audio and video reproduction
- Super compact and portable
What could be improved:
- Cables are far too short for my taste
- Some compatibility issues with my HDMI switch box
- Power input is a male connector instead of female
- Lacks USB inputs for wired controllers and other accessories
- No ethernet connectivity
Should You Buy One?
Traveling with the Nintendo Switch is one of the things that makes it such an amazing console. Let's be honest, traveling with the stock Nintendo Switch dock is a pain due to the massive size, and the Brook Gaming HDMI cable is super capable and portable in comparison. The wonderful thing is the fat that it simply works, and works well. I would really prefer if the power input was a female USB-C cable instead of a male connector, that way I could use any power supply I'd like, and having longer cables would be a huge improvement. Those are minor gripes on a product that really does work amazingly well. Once we can finally get back to going places, the Brook HDMI Cable for the Switch will not be far from my travel bag.
#Brook #NintendoSwitch #PortableDock #Dockless #SwitchAccessories #Gaming
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