Switch overclocking: how powerful is the fully unlocked Tegra X1?

The Nintendo Switch has delivered a host of handheld miracles since it first launched in March 2017. What initially looked like last-gen console power packed into a handheld has given us so much more, to the point where the system plays host to id Tech 6 ports - and even an upcoming conversion of The Witcher 3. Low level access to Nvidia's Tegra X1 has seen some astonishing results over the last couple of years - but it's capable of more. Much more.

Whether it's down to heat dissipation or battery life concerns, the fact is that Nintendo's hybrid console runs at significantly lower clocks compared to the Tegra X1's stock specification, meaning lower theoretical performance. The firm has gradually unlocked more of the console's power for developers, but we're still a long way from a fully unleashed Tegra X1 - unless you have an older, hackable version of the hardware. This kind of modification is not recommended and may lead to your console being banned from online services, or worse still, being rendered completely inoperable. Regardless, I was eager to test the full extent of the system's potential across a range of power hungry games.

We've previously used a homebrew tool called SysClk to examine the frequencies of the Switch processor in order to nail down how Nintendo has gifted more power to developers over time - mostly in handheld mode. However, SysClk has another function - overclocking the console beyond Nintendo's limits, topping out at the stock clocks Nvidia set for its original Tegra X1 design. Using Nintendo's docked configuration as a comparison point, GPU frequencies can be pushed up by an additional 20 per cent, while the CPU can enjoy an additional 75 per cent.

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