NOTE: This thread is NOT about piracy or any other subject which runs contrary to NintendoLife rules. This thread is about overclocking the CPU, GPU and RAM to achieve stable framerates, higher framerates and higher resolutions. Tangentially, mods/cheats may also be mentioned inasmuch as some games require modifications in the form of framerate cheat files or resolution mod files to unlock the maximum cap pre-programmed in. But these are merely a means to an end- the road we sometimes must travel to get to the promised land.
TLDR: Thread is about overclocking, not piracy. I kindly ask in advance to take your piracy discussions elsewhere, please
Hey guys. Rather than spam everyone with my delirious new-found excitement having discovered the wonders of overclocking Switch OLED, I thought it better to just start a thread so these overclocking posts aren't clogging other topics, and so we can actually have a dedicated home base of operations to discuss the how overclocking actually delivers on the elusive concept of the Switch Pro, sharing results for various games tested and hashing out for which ones the juice is worth the squeeze, and for which ones the Steamdeck OLED is likely the better option.
So. I recently sent my spare Splatoon 3 special edition Switch OLED out to get modchipped. $120 total cost, including the modchip, labor installing it, setting everything up and well as return shipping. Worth every last dollar and then some imo.
While a modded Switch can do many neat things (backup purchased games- either cartridges or digital purchases, backup saves to microSD and restore saves from micro SD, install custom themes, access a complete digital library of amiibo accessible from an overlay you can access at any time with a button shortcut, using any Bluetooth controller, streaming PS5/Xbox/Steam games, etc), the main reason I became interested in getting a modchip was for the overclocking.
While Switch is, by far, my favorite console I've ever owned, its no secret that many games struggle to maintain a locked framerate and/or adequate resolution, particularly in handheld mode. Up until now, I had simply made my peace with this fact and bent the knee by avoiding any game with such issues. Which unfortunately put a damper on the excitement of the full Switch library, as many of its best games were simply deemed, "not worthwhile".
It is this fact that has driven much of the fanfare for a Switch Pro and more recently, a Switch 2. But what if I were to tell you that we've had a Switch Pro all along? What if I were to tell you that right now, this very moment, you could have access to Persona 5 Royal at a locked 720p 60fps in handheld mode? What if I were to tell you that right now, this very moment, it's possible to play Hogwarts Legacy on Switch with an experience comparable to the Steamdeck? What if I were to tell you that this entire time, we've had the Switch Pro right under our noses? "Hogwash!" You might say. "If Switch Pro really existed more people would be talking about it! There has to be some catch- what's the catch?"
The catch, my dear Switch loving friend, is that you must be willing to pay $100 to send your Switch out to have a modchip installed, and you must invest a modicum of time into learning how to utilize it. Though I will point out, I've done the hard work so you don't have to. Once you know what to do- what files to download from where, and how to access the Tesla Overlay Menu in-game, it's a wrap.
I can't believe how easy it is. Get this- All it takes, once your Switch is chipped, is downloading this NX-Venom All-In-One package and unzipping to the root of your micro SD.
That's it. Done and done. Clicking that link, then unzipping to your micro SD is the totality of work involved from start to finish. Once you've done that, you can pull up the Tesla Overlay Menu at any time with L + D-pad_Down + R-Stick_Click. You can change the shortcut after the fact (I use Start + Select now). The Overlay menu provides access to all kinds of cool system modules and apps that run in the background.
The NX-Venom fork of sys-clk (sys-clk is the overlay app that actually lets you change clock speeds) bypasses the traditional overclocking caps of the vanilla sys-clk release, and allows you, right off the bat, to use clock speeds as high as the following:
NX-VENOM CLOCKS
CPU=2300
GPU=1220
MEM=2133 (1862 for Erista v1 models)
Obviously, just because we can push clocks that high doesn't mean we should. Especially in handheld mode. Originally, it was stated that the maximum safe GPU clock in handheld without a charger was GPU=460. However, Mariko can go as high as GPU=768 (the stock GPU clock when docked) without even remotely worrying about anything. But I wouldn't exceed 768 in handheld without a charger (the board for Mariko has an 18W power draw limit, except Switch Lite which has a 12W power draw limit). As long as the combination of CPU and GPU overclock doesn't grossly exceed this limit in handheld you're fine. Meaning, if you crank the GPU clock, don't crank the CPU clock, and vise versa. MEM clocks, on the other hand, should always be maxed out at all times. Not only is the cost negligible, it's the single largest bottleneck of the Nintendo Switch. Simply maxing MEM=2133 for handheld and docked, without even touching CPU or GPU, can solve many of your framerate issues.
You can push the MEM even higher through the EOS Wizard, another app in the Tesla Overlay Menu that lets you undervolt the CPU/GPU and adjust RAM timings to squeeze up to MEM=2400+, but the gains will be negligible (5% at best even with perfect RAM timings, undervolt and winning the chip lottery) so I'd recommend not messing with it and just sticking to what's available by default.
Recommended Moderate Overclock For Most Games
DOCKED (Mariko Only)
CPU=1785 at most
GPU=921 at most
MEM=2133 at most
HANDHELD (Mariko Only)
CPU=1428 at most
GPU=768 at most
MEM=2133 at most
Recommended Max Overclock For Demanding Games
DOCKED (Mariko Only)
CPU=1963 at most
GPU=998 at most
MEM=2133 at most
HANDHELD (Mariko Only)
CPU=1785 at most
GPU=844 at most
MEM=2133 at most
Guides will claim not to run GPU in handheld beyond GPU=614, but you can push to 844. With official charger you can push same clocks as docked though.
BOOST MODE FOR EVERY GAME
I should mention, one benefit not often talked about is the fact sys-clk will activate Boost Mode for every game. That's where the CPU clocks temporarily increase to CPU=1785 during loading screens to decrease load times. Not all games are programmed to utilize Boost Mode, but with this package, every game benefits from decreased load times! And, you can modify the CPU clock used for Boost Mode. Wanna push past 1785 to the 2k range? No problemo. Who needs an SSD when you've got sys-clk!
CAP AT ANY FPS, UNCAP ANY FPS
Another thing you can do is cap any game at any FPS, as well as UNcap any game's framerate and raise to any FPS. Link's Awakening stutters causing aggravation and don't wanna push clocks to lock 60? No problem. I got you. Just cap at 30fps and you're done.
NO MORE FRAME DROPS
Tired of Switch games almost nailing it, only to fumble with FPS stutters and drops once you're finally getting into the game? Be tired no more. Juice that puppy with some extra clocks and you're good to go.
Trials Rising framerate issues are GONE.
Ni No Kuni 2 framerate issues are GONE.
Ys IX framerate issues are GONE.
Trails of Cold Steel 3, Cold Steel 4 and Into Reverie framerate issues are GONE.
MH Stories 2 framerate issues are GONE.
Borderlands 3 framerate issues are GONE.
Hogwarts Legacy framerate issues are GONE.
[Insert Game Here] framerate issues are GONE.
I can't think of a single game where you couldn't get stable FPS. You may need to cap at 30 and juice the clocks, but if there's any Switch game out there where capping FPS and maxing the OC still isn't enough, I'd like to know about it. I'm sure they exist, so it would probably be good to document them in a master list or something.
Let's take a look at what an OC Switch can do. Mind you, some of these are using the v1 Erista model. The v2 OLED will fare much better as it can OC higher with less power draw. And, they're not even increasing the memory! Which is the #1 bottleneck and the cheapest OC to utilize.
Look at that. Just increasing memory by 250 Ghz and nothing else, solves all framerate issues in TotK. If you keep MEM=2133 across the board globally, you'd be able to push near 60fps in TotK without even overclocking CPU or GPU!
Red Dead Redemption Near 60fps (v1 Erista Model)
CPU=1785. GPU=921. MEM=1862
Running on a Mariko with GPU=982 and MEM=2133 you'd be pretty much locked.
Hogwarts Legacy Unlocked Framerate, Higher Resolution
CPU=1581 GPU=982 MEM=2400
While they are maxing MEM=2400 keep in mind the gains beyond 2133 are negligible and often times worse so you can absolutely match this performance with NX-Venom out of the box.
And what about other benefits of the overclock? Well, one very impressive dividend is the fact we can handle running this Final Fantasy VII Remake for Switch, titled Final Fantasy VII Omnislash. The stock Switch can't handle streaming in all the new HD assets, textures, etc.
Want a legit Final Fantasy VII Remake on Switch that stays true to the original game, like Metroid Prime Remastered or Mario RPG (same game untampered with, but with a modern graphical overhaul), this package allows us to indulge in such a Fantasy. Note- you must own FFVII on Switch for this mod to work.
After looking into this we have decided that this isn't a forum thread we can have active here as it's still technically modding a current gen console
We do understand why you would think this wouldn't go against our guidelines so we will be updating the Community Rules soon to make it clear what we can allow here
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Topic: Official Switch Overclocking Thread
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