This USB-C dongle adds Bluetooth audio to the Nintendo Switch
Want another option for using wireless headphones with your Nintendo Switch? Maybe take a look at the Kickstarter for Genki, then. It’s a $39 USB-C Bluetooth dongle for Nintendo’s hybrid console. You can pair two headsets to it, if you’d like, and apparently the whole setup shouldn’t add much too lag (40ms) between what you see on screen and what you hear like a traditional Bluetooth audio signal would. One downside, however, is that the Genki draws power from the Switch itself, which means if your battery goes low on a flight, you can’t recharge the system and use the dongle simultaneously.
More than that, because it uses the USB-C port, if you have the system docked and still want to use Genki’s wireless audio (the pledge page boasts 60 feet of range), you’ll have to either pony up an additional $10 for a USB dock adapter, or another $20 to get a Genki, adapter and passive stand.
Designer Human Things says that it’s far enough along that it’ll be ready to ship by October. Genki has struck a chord with folks, though, with nearly 6,000 backers pledging $307,676 as of this writing. The original campaign goal was a paltry $30,000. But, while this project doesn’t run the risk of not hitting the finish line, as we’ve seen countless times before, how long it takes to actually show up versus what the designers promised is another matter entirely.
Here’s the thing: if you head over to Alibaba or Amazon UK, these types of accessories already exist. And last year, Nintendo added USB audio support to the Switch in a firmware update. So, while you’re welcome to back this, know that other options are available and by the time Genki actually ships, there will very likely be even more on the market.
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