Iogear releases Nintendo Switch Game Pro 60 portable dock

What you need to know

• There are a number of replacement Nintendo Switch docks on the market.
• The new Dock Pro 60 from Iogear is much smaller than the rest.
• You can carry it with you in your pocket because it's so portable.
• The device costs $80 and you can read more about it on the company's website.

If you own a standard Nintendo Switch, the dock that's the size of a hefty book is the only way to connect it to your TV. While there are a number of larger devices on the market, there's a smaller one that just launched from Iogear. The Dock Pro 60 USB-C 4K Station with Game+ Mode — the name is quite the mouthful — allows you to connect your Switch to any display with the charger and the bundled USB-C cable.

I've been using it for the past few days and it works like a charm. Instead of constantly plugging in the Switch, you just have to insert the USB-C cable and you're good to go. This allows you to connect it discretely instead of having the ever-present dock in front of your display. There are also two USB ports in the front that should make connecting controllers a piece of cake.

Since I got my hands on the Dock Pro 60, I haven't used the original or other third-party ones at all. The picture quality seems like it's being "boosted" because the video looks crisp on a 4K TV. This is definitely a great solution if you want to take your Switch with you and want to play on larger displays when traveling. It's also a great solution if you don't want to use a massive dock that can block your view if you have a smaller setup.

Since I don't own a Nintendo Switch Lite, I wasn't able to test if it works with one. However, Nintendo says that the Switch Lite lacks the hardware necessary for visual output. If you're buying the Dock Pro 60 for a Switch Lite, it may not work. Please keep that in mind when making a purchasing decision, and if you still want to buy one, make sure the retailer has an easy return policy like Amazon.

Now comes the slightly bad news, the Dock Pro 60 costs $80 and doesn't feel as high-end as it should. The other third-party docks are considerably less expensive, but they have been known to brick consoles. The Dock Pro 60 is also made out of plastic and is very light. I would've like to seen a machined aluminum construction because that would make the Dock Pro 60 much more durable. However, the advantage of having a plastic body is that it barely weighs anything and is around the size of a credit card.

The Dock Pro 60 is quite versatile because it works with Android, Mac, and Windows, too. Let's say that you want to connect your USB-C-only laptop to a 4K display, you can easily do so with this device. Going back to its Switch usage, you should consider buying one because it's incredibly tiny and can easily connect the handheld to your TV. It frees up a lot of space and allowed me to hook up my Switch at my friends' houses instead of playing on the tiny screen. Plus, it might just be the smallest and lightest Switch dock on the market.