The Nintendo Switch's Capabilities

[fujiwaratokwa]

"The switch is underpowered and Nintendo needs to update it" - - Probably you, or maybe someone else.

I should've posted this in the Nintendo Talk thread but I guess this is better suited for gaming in general.

Just making this discussion as a thought that I always had specially with this console.

Nowadays people tend to lool at the performance and the graphics of the games. Can't blame them, it does affect the overall experience of the games. But way back then even though there are games that perform exceptionally well, there are games that would perform like crap. Specially from the PS2/Gamecube era. Did we hear somethinf way back then about concerns in regarding game performance? I don't, social media and youtube still doesn't exist way back then so maybe that's why we didn't hear something. But I didn't remember seeing those concerns on magazines and TVs.

People tend to say that the switch is old and that it needs to be replaced with a successor and that it is underpowered. All of that is true but do we really need to?

I mean think about it, if Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Breath of the Wild just recently released this year would you rant about the games? Mario kart and some Nintendo games ran at 60fps in sub or Full HD and still looks good and is still fun to play.

It's not about the performance or time but it's about the games I guess? If the game is made for the console and they would utilise it like Monster Hunter Rise did then should we really be looking for an upgrade? To spend another huge chunk of cash for another reiteration instead of just buying good games for it?

This can also include the case for the PS4. Do we really need 120fps 4k for such games? I play my PS4 games and I don't see any issue with it. Yeah 30fps sucks but if you're playing a cinematic like game then I don't remember cinema having 60 to 120fps. If the game plays smooth and the gane gave us a hell of a ride, with its world and gameplay. Do we really need to look for graphical upgrades?

Just a thought. Maybe I just find it a bit of hassle to upgrade (similar with PC).

 

[DunkeyKong]

"The switch is underpowered and Nintendo needs to update it" - - Probably you, or maybe someone else.

I should've posted this in the Nintendo Talk thread but I guess this is better suited for gaming in general.

Just making this discussion as a thought that I always had specially with this console.

Nowadays people tend to lool at the performance and the graphics of the games. Can't blame them, it does affect the overall experience of the games. But way back then even though there are games that perform exceptionally well, there are games that would perform like crap. Specially from the PS2/Gamecube era. Did we hear somethinf way back then about concerns in regarding game performance? I don't, social media and youtube still doesn't exist way back then so maybe that's why we didn't hear something. But I didn't remember seeing those concerns on magazines and TVs.

People tend to say that the switch is old and that it needs to be replaced with a successor and that it is underpowered. All of that is true but do we really need to?

I mean think about it, if Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Breath of the Wild just recently released this year would you rant about the games? Mario kart and some Nintendo games ran at 60fps in sub or Full HD and still looks good and is still fun to play.

It's not about the performance or time but it's about the games I guess? If the game is made for the console and they would utilise it like Monster Hunter Rise did then should we really be looking for an upgrade? To spend another huge chunk of cash for another reiteration instead of just buying good games for it?

This can also include the case for the PS4. Do we really need 120fps 4k for such games? I play my PS4 games and I don't see any issue with it. Yeah 30fps sucks but if you're playing a cinematic like game then I don't remember cinema having 60 to 120fps. If the game plays smooth and the gane gave us a hell of a ride, with its world and gameplay. Do we really need to look for graphical upgrades?

Just a thought. Maybe I just find it a bit of hassle to upgrade (similar with PC).

It depends, some just like visuals more, others like smoother gameplay. For me though, I don't really mind. Some games can either look like shit but plays well or looked beautiful but plays like shit, I'd still play both sometimes

Library of games are important though, especially when they wanted to sell the console more

 

[freebie#47]

Considering they already announced the Switch 2.....maybe wait for that to release before complaints. Heck they already developing ps6 and next xbox console...

 

[RageBurner]

I'd say it's powerful enough. If hardware were ever the true decider, the Switch could never have beaten the competition sales wise. It's the software that matters, always.

 

[fujiwaratokwa]

It depends, some just like visuals more, others like smoother gameplay. For me though, I don't really mind. Some games can either look like shit but plays well or looked beautiful but plays like shit, I'd still play both sometimes

Library of games are important though, especially when they wanted to sell the console more

Yeah but I think we've peaked in terms of graphics and performance and it does not fully define a game anymore.

Post automatically merged: Feb 8, 2025

Considering they already announced the Switch 2.....maybe wait for that to release before complaints. Heck they already developing ps6 and next xbox console...

Not really complaining. Just wonderinf if we really need console upgrade is all.

Post automatically merged: Feb 8, 2025

Yes Nintendo needs to make a console that´s worth the money like why the hell should I pay 300 bucks for a console my mid range 500 bucks PC can emulate and play the games even better.

And if rumors are right Switch 2 will be equal to a PS4 in power so even weaker than PS4 pro

Nintendo want more third party games but their weak ass console can barely run all modern third party games.

And im not paying 300-500 bucks just to play Zelda and mario instead I rather don´t play them at all.
Same with Sony honestly why should I pay 600+ bucks for a PS5 just to play Final fantasy 1 year before PC port.

Honestly to god I grew up on console but I honestly lost interest in consoles. Back in the day you could justify saying consoles where cheaper than a gaming PC which where the case.

I mean back in 90s a nes was what 199 bucks while a decent PC that could play games cost around 1000-2000 bucks. Honestly not sure about American prices.

Today if you go full AMD you can build a very nice gaming PC for 800 bucks that can Run Baldurs gate 3 and Cyberpunk and other heavy games at high or even max settings and still have 70+ fps.

The Switch would fracking run Baldurs gate 3 at 5 fps. and switch 2 maybe 30fps.

If you want a hanheld get a steamdeck becuse at least if like me you have a large library you can play them with out paying 79.99 for a new game.

Gaming just sucks nowadays (at least a huge chunk of them)

Post automatically merged: Feb 8, 2025

I'd say it's powerful enough. If hardware were ever the true decider, the Switch could never have beaten the competition sales wise. It's the software that matters, always.

Yeah, i mean if Nintendo would release games with the quality of mario kart 8 (mind you a wii u game) then would people really felt like an upgrade is really needed?

 

[lil_thang]

The switch is objectively an underpowered console and I'm sure their Switch 2 will continue to disappoint players in regards to performance on the switch 2.

If you don't believe this you are huffing serious jimtendo copium. Look at the port of Doom Eternal on the original switch.

 

[fake-kun]

I'd say it's powerful enough. If hardware were ever the true decider, the Switch could never have beaten the competition sales wise. It's the software that matters, always.

This.

 

[MasterEn]

raw power, insane graphics, processing power.
these mean nothing if the end result is shitty or mediocre.
it would take decades to get the most out of any console.
for the most part, the graphics can't really improve much more. the ps3/360 were pretty much the peak of that. at most, the newer systems are just simply putting a polish on that.
i've yet to see more than 1 game for the newer systems that i would want, and most end new games are ported to pc or switch.
i'm not impressed by a system rendering a character with 35,000 individual strands of hair on their head and 15 zippers and belts on their outfit. lightning didn't become a better character because of that. she just got worse in my eyes because her creators don't truly care about her, just what they can show off on a runway model.
pikmin 1 and 2 can render over a 100+ individual models and an environment with multiple ai's running independently of one another at the same time. gamecube games.
there's a lot more i could go on about, but i'll stop here for now.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I was very disappointed when I saw it struggling with something as simple as Little Dragons Café.

 

[MasterEn]

I was very disappointed when I saw it struggle with something as simple as Little Dragons Café.

there's a few variables that could be responsible for that.
it's not very optimized, or it needs more power than the switch can produce. or third, it was ported poorly over to the system.
if there are plans for multiple platforms, you need to build the game with the weakest one in mind. matt mcmuscles mentioned that in his what happened video on mighty number 9. the wii u was the weakest system that actually got a game made for it. there were plans for the psvita and 3ds getting the game too.
its terrifying to think what would have happened if that had come to pass.

 

[DunkeyKong]

Yeah but I think we've peaked in terms of graphics and performance and it does not fully define a game anymore.

Of course, but again it depends since there's a lot of games that people like, even if it's just a simulation

 

[fujiwaratokwa]

The switch is objectively an underpowered console and I'm sure their Switch 2 will continue to disappoint players in regards to performance on the switch 2.

If you don't believe this you are huffing serious jimtendo copium. Look at the port of Doom Eternal on the original switch.

Yeah it is underpowered. My point is does that really matter? Nintendo and other game dev was able to develop really good games on the "underpowred" switch. You may blame the switch for being underpowered due to it unable to properly ran Doom. But is it only the hardware's fault? Or the game producer and dev's fault as well? Just like with mortal kombat, do you really need to port that triple A game to an underpowered console? I'm happy with what Nintendo brought to the table. Even game devs became amazed at how Nintendo was able to run Tears of the kingdom on that device. What I want to say to people is that it doesn't matter of the console, heck I would even buy PS2 games if they would still release games for that thing as long as the game is good and fully utilised.

Post automatically merged: Feb 10, 2025

there's a few variables that could be responsible for that.
it's not very optimized, or it needs more power than the switch can produce. or third, it was ported poorly over to the system.
if there are plans for multiple platforms, you need to build the game with the weakest one in mind. matt mcmuscles mentioned that in his what happened video on mighty number 9. the wii u was the weakest system that actually got a game made for it. there were plans for the psvita and 3ds getting the game too.
its terrifying to think what would have happened if that had come to pass.

Yeah, if a certain game was released on an underpowered console just to port it and make some quick buck then it would also affect the performance of the game and how people would see that certain console disregarding the marvels it had prior to that game.

Post automatically merged: Feb 10, 2025

raw power, insane graphics, processing power.
these mean nothing if the end result is shitty or mediocre.
it would take decades to get the most out of any console.
for the most part, the graphics can't really improve much more. the ps3/360 were pretty much the peak of that. at most, the newer systems are just simply putting a polish on that.
i've yet to see more than 1 game for the newer systems that i would want, and most end new games are ported to pc or switch.
i'm not impressed by a system rendering a character with 35,000 individual strands of hair on their head and 15 zippers and belts on their outfit. lightning didn't become a better character because of that. she just got worse in my eyes because her creators don't truly care about her, just what they can show off on a runway model.
pikmin 1 and 2 can render over a 100+ individual models and an environment with multiple ai's running independently of one another at the same time. gamecube games.
there's a lot more i could go on about, but i'll stop here for now.

Developers should just optimise what they have in terms of hardware

 

[RageBurner]

Developers should just optimise what they have in terms of hardware

I agree. This tendency to try and beef up hardware has a practical limit, and it's very, very close already. Besides, powerful hardware can be used to simply waive off bad optimization and bruteforce a performance level that should have been possible on lower specs with proper optimization. It's a very bad practice and it's becoming more and more prevalent.

 

[ciro64]

I discovered you can overclock your switch via homebrew alone. You can define the ammount overclock, there's a safe amount you can go without hurting your console, the only drawback is that it will deplete the battery faster in portable mode. Turns out Nintendo placed artifical limits on Switch's processor.

There was a video showcasing games, I'm too lazy to go after it now but straight up makes some games stop struggling with fps. I have yet to try it for myself

 

[RookerSalen]

I'm gonna be honest here. I hate console wars and the constant pursuit for power. I remember people complaining about the wii being underpowered in comparation to the ps3 or xbox 360. And the wii sold a lot more. I'm not trying to defend nintendo, but developers must focus on making the expirience in console rewarding and different to a pc. Like, in the DS the trauma center series was a lot of fun, and the world ends with you is an unique experience in DS. When the wii came a lot of fun games used the wii mote in a lot of wacky and interesting forms. Like I said, I'm not defendind nintendo, the console I enjoyed the most was my ps2 and ps3, but the wii was different and that was awesome. The reason the switch sold so much was because of that, it was different.

Also, I know game making is hard but please, the developers are getting so lazy, if DOOM can run in the switch there's no excuse to optimize the game. I don't care about things looking realistic, I just want a good artstyle and good gameplay, maybe good music and that's it.

Good artstyle examples:

 

[fake-kun]

I'm gonna be honest here. I hate console wars and the constant pursuit for power. I remember people complaining about the wii being underpowered in comparation to the ps3 or xbox 360. And the wii sold a lot more. I'm not trying to defend nintendo, but developers must focus on making the expirience in console rewarding and different to a pc. Like, in the DS the trauma center series was a lot of fun, and the world ends with you is an unique experience in DS. When the wii came a lot of fun games used the wii mote in a lot of wacky and interesting forms. Like I said, I'm not defendind nintendo, the console I enjoyed the most was my ps2 and ps3, but the wii was different and that was awesome. The reason the switch sold so much was because of that, it was different.

Also, I know game making is hard but please, the developers are getting so lazy, if DOOM can run in the switch there's no excuse to optimize the game. I don't care about things looking realistic, I just want a good artstyle and good gameplay, maybe good music and that's it.

Good artstyle examples:

Mega Man ZX cameo.

 

[fujiwaratokwa]

I agree. This tendency to try and beef up hardware has a practical limit, and it's very, very close already. Besides, powerful hardware can be used to simply waive off bad optimization and bruteforce a performance level that should have been possible on lower specs with proper optimization. It's a very bad practice and it's becoming more and more prevalent.

I agree. Instead of developing hardware, they should just develop a technique to make high graphics work on weaker devices. The closest thing we got is the AMD AMR and DLSS.

 

[RageBurner]

I discovered you can overclock your switch via homebrew alone. You can define the ammount overclock, there's a safe amount you can go without hurting your console, the only drawback is that it will deplete the battery faster in portable mode. Turns out Nintendo placed artifical limits on Switch's processor.

There was a video showcasing games, I'm too lazy to go after it now but straight up makes some games stop struggling with fps. I have yet to try it for myself

There are also custom made cases for the Switch that allow safe overclocking by providing actual, proper active cooling. In some examples I've seen, the performance can nearly double, and the temperature doesn't rise much past the original spec.