Here’s why Nintendo Switch consoles keep frying

For over a year, Nintendo Switch owners have wondered about—and outright feared—plugging their "hybrid" portable console into unofficial docks. And for good reason: scary, anecdotal reports about third-party Switch docks "bricking" the machine popped up soon after the console received its version 5.0 update in early 2018. What gives?

[Zeldafan64]

Had mine since launch and it still works perfectly

[rdgneoz3]

Are you using a 3rd party dock?

[NiteX]

Used the Insignia dock for over a year now. No issues.

[Zeldafan64]

No, it's the original dock. New joy cons though but I dropped the original ones pretty hard.

[Sirk7x]

Kind of a clickbait title, even though it's a very informative article. Seems it's not that the Switch isn't USB-C PD compliant, it's that shitty third party dock engineering is just supplying too much power, or hitting pins it shouldn't due to Nintendo shrinking things a bit, causing a short.
I suppose Nintendo could have made public documentation on exactly how it all works, and the chip they're using, but there's no legal obligation or business incentive for them to do so.
Also, Nyko docks were/are outputting 9V, whereas the chip on the Switch only takes 6V max. 50 percent over, definitely gonna brick.

[Tross]

So...don't use third party docks.

[ZeekQuattro]

There is always potential for disaster with any 3rd party peripheral. I learned that the hard way as a kid. My mom got me an accessory for my Gameboy that was supposed to add lighting and magnify the screen. Instead the damn thing tried to melt my Gameboy as the battery acid ate through the device and onto my Gameboy. What a fun time that was.