Antank S3 Max Dock for Switch 2 Review
For most Switch 2 owners, the official dock does the job just fine. It sits under the TV, stays plugged in, and rarely gets a second thought. But the moment you want to move your setup, whether that’s to another room, a different screen, or even taking it on the road, unplugging cords and moving the dock quickly becomes a hassle. That is where the idea of a second dock comes in. Something smaller, easier to move, and ideally a bit more affordable. The problem is, third-party docks have not exactly earned a great reputation. Between reliability issues and firmware updates knocking them out of action, they have been a risky investment for a long time. That brings us to the Antank S3 Max, a compact, lightweight dock that promises to deliver the full Switch 2 experience in a much smaller form factor. On paper, it ticks a lot of boxes, but after my own past experiences, I was more interested in whether it could actually hold up over time.
Before we get into the review, I like to get disclaimers out of the way. What’s It Like? never accepts paid reviews or charges a rate for coverage. I did receive the Antank S3 Max dock for free for testing purposes, but Antank has zero editorial control over this review. Everything here is my own opinion, just like any of my game reviews. I have also been provided with a discount code for viewers who want to try the S3 Max dock. I do not receive any compensation, kickback, or other benefits from this; this review remains fully independent.
My History With Aftermarket Docks
I haven’t had very good experiences with third-party docks on the Switch 2. I once purchased one for a trip to Japan so I could continue working while abroad, only for it to be knocked out of action by a firmware update the night before my flight. It was Pokémon ZA launch week, and I ended up losing a fair bit of traction because of this. Once bitten, twice shy, they say. That said, I’ve recently been complaining to my wife about needing a second dock. My office only has a small screen, but my living room has an 85″ 4K TV that’s simply glorious to play games on. I rarely used it since unplugging the dock from my game recorder and fiddling with the power cables hidden behind my desk just didn’t feel worth it. I’m getting older, and getting down on all fours while blindly fumbling with the power pack usually leaves me more sore and annoyed than anything.
The main pain point, though, has always been my budget. Official Switch 2 docks go for around $170 AUD here, and after spending $50 on one that became redundant literally a week after I purchased it, aftermarket options didn’t feel worth the risk. Well, that changed when Antank emailed me about reviewing their S3 Max dock. It’s a smaller, lightweight dock that seems travel-friendly and has all the features I needed to finally move easily between my office monitor and my glorious living room TV… if it can weather Nintendo’s firmware updates, that is.
Features
I’m not one for suspense or mystery, so I’m pleased to report that one of the best features of the S3 Max is its firmware update support. Using a USB cable and a PC, you can update the dock if needed, so a firmware update will not suddenly knock it out of action like some third-party docks I have had in the past. The dock has already survived two firmware updates since I started testing it, with the most recent being a major update that added Switch 1 backwards compatibility boost modes.
The S3 Max also features original-grade architecture, which allows it to perform proper handshakes with your Switch 2 console, something most third-party docks cannot manage. This is also why some cheaper docks have been rendered unusable. On top of that, Antank includes what they call 4-layer protection, providing safeguards against short circuits, over-power, overheating, and recovery options.
On the hardware side, it weighs just under 110 grams, has two USB ports, and offers a LAN port in the model I received and tested. Its minimalist, open-ended cooling design keeps it compact while still capable of 4K at 120Hz, just like the official dock. The S3 Max also includes a one-touch switch to toggle output between TV and handheld mode, allowing you to play in tabletop mode while charging.
Design
From a design standpoint, the Antank S3 Max is well built for a device that aims to stay as small as possible. There are a few caveats, however, that come with this compact design. Firstly, there are no real guides for docking your Switch 2, so you have to carefully line up the USB-C port to place the system correctly. Once docked, it sits nice and secure, but this also means you have to hold the dock while removing the Switch due to its lightweight nature. The second caveat is case compatibility. You cannot dock your console if it has a bulkier case, like the Coowps P2, which slots easily into the official Nintendo dock. For me, the portability was a huge plus. I recently travelled to Melbourne for TGX, and the Antank dock was perfect for saving space and weight in my pack. The tradeoff of having to remove the P2 case to dock the Switch was well worth it for the convenience of a compact, travel-friendly setup.
Performance
As you know, all the features and marketing do not mean anything if it does not perform, so I put the Antank S3 Max through a series of tests.
Heat Management
The lightweight design means there are no fans, so it relies on open-air cooling. To test this, I loaded up Cyberpunk 2077 and spent 20 minutes driving and shooting along the same route on both the official dock and the S3 Max.
At the end of each session, I removed the console and took a temperature reading. Living out in the outback, I relied on a trusty infrared thermometer. It is not exactly cutting-edge, but it is reliable for surface temperature.
The official dock recorded 42.1°C after the test. After allowing the system to cool completely, I repeated the same test with the S3 Max, which recorded 42.4°C.
That is genuinely impressive. Despite lacking active cooling, the open design keeps temperatures almost identical to the official dock.
Image Quality
Next was image quality. For this, I played Monster Hunter Stories 3 on both docks using an Alienware 180Hz QHD gaming monitor.
Switching between the official dock and the S3 Max, I could not see any difference in image quality, resolution, or refresh rate. My PC detected both outputs identically, and in real-world use, they looked the same.
LAN Performance
The final test was the LAN connection using the Switch 2’s internal network test. Both docks were tested using the same Ethernet cable connected to a Starlink setup. Each test was run three times in quick succession.
It is also worth noting that Wi-Fi relies entirely on the Switch 2 console itself, so wireless performance will be identical regardless of which dock you use.
Official Dock (Round 1):
119 Mbps down, 28.2 Mbps up
122 Mbps down, 18.4 Mbps up
123 Mbps down, 32.6 Mbps up
Antank S3 Max (Round 1):
65.3 Mbps down, 19.1 Mbps up
44.1 Mbps down, 25.3 Mbps up
46 Mbps down, 19.5 Mbps up
Due to the difference, I repeated the test in reverse order, starting with the S3 Max after a full console restart.
Antank S3 Max (Round 2):
70.7 Mbps down, 23 Mbps up
44.1 Mbps down, 26.6 Mbps up
77.3 Mbps down, 42 Mbps up
Official Dock (Round 2):
128 Mbps down, 29.9 Mbps up
119 Mbps down, 42.3 Mbps up
137 Mbps down, 35.7 Mbps up
Across both rounds, upload speeds were fairly comparable. However, download speeds were consistently lower on the S3 Max compared to the official dock. That said, in real-world use, the S3 Max holds up well where it matters most. Thermals are excellent, and image quality is indistinguishable from the official dock. LAN performance is the only area where it falls short, with slower download speeds, although this may not impact everyone depending on how they use their Switch.
Value
Value is where the Antank S3 Max really shines. It comes in at almost $100 AUD cheaper than the official dock, while offering near-identical performance when it comes to heat management and image quality. Yes, LAN performance takes a hit, but as mentioned earlier, Wi-Fi relies entirely on the console itself, so for many players, that difference will not matter. At around $62 AUD for the standard model, or $88 AUD for the version with a LAN port, the S3 Max offers excellent value. Especially when compared to my previous third-party dock, which cost a similar amount and was rendered unusable within a week. What sets the S3 Max apart is the added peace of mind. Features like firmware update support and built-in protections help safeguard both the dock and your Switch 2, which is something cheaper alternatives simply do not offer.
On a personal level, this has made a real difference. I have been able to step away from my office setup and enjoy games on the big screen in my living room, without the hassle of crawling around and dealing with cables. It has also been easy to travel with, and using it alongside my game recorder meant minimal disruption to my workflow. I do recommend the S3 Max for anyone looking for a second dock to use across different rooms. It is lightweight, looks sleek, and most importantly, it delivers a reliable 4K HDR experience on the big screen.
Buy the Antank S3 Max Dock
Check it out here – https://antank.net/products/s3-max?ref=fvjtylys
Use code: JADENWANG for 10% off
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