I'm coming closer to a conclusion that the hardware is so-so as a portable due to size, pieces, and potentially battery life, and it may not warrant the space around my entertainment setup for TV play without an incredibly strong software factor. I have a lot of devices that do similar things right now, and this isn't demonstrating the sort of jump that normally motivates me to reshuffle those.
Also, I'm assuming the base is just providing full electrical power for the CPU/GPU, and in mobile mode, it's clocked lower to extend battery life. That would explain Nintendo's statement and Dale's at the same time, unless I've missed something. If Dale is insisting that it's actually a co-processor, I'd be surprised if it were true.