Why are the CPU clocks of Switch 2 so low in docked?

Dampf

Member
I understand why it'd be running low in handheld mode, to save battery life.

But c'mon, 1 GHz is so low you can't expect good performnce out of the CPU at these clock speeds, even on power efficient ARM.

Curiously enough, the clock speeds in docked mode are actually lower than in handheld mode, you would think it'd be the other way around. Now I also understand why you want them to be similar, because graphics can be scaled more easily between the modes but the CPU performance is a more fixed target. Basically you won't want to have a situation where a game could run in docked mode but couldn't in handheld mode.

However, take a look how Cyberpunk shipped:


zBW5zQZ.png


It's obvious some developers don't care about abysmal performance.

In my opinion, Nintendo should add a mode where they heavily overclock the CPU in docked mode, to atleast 2 GHz or higher for titles like that, that would help immensely. Handheld will continue to run shitty like that but atleast in docked mode it would run decently.

Of course I don't know the thermal headroom they have in docked mode but I'd assume the temperatures are pretty low due to the additional fan. I think the charger also delivers up to 60W which should be more than enough.
 
Guess it's on Japanese time zone, if you set it to Europe it'll be clocked like 8 hours ahead so technically a bit faster? Give it a try.
 
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Of course I don't know the thermal headroom they have in docked mode but I'd assume the temperatures are pretty low due to the additional fan. I think the charger also delivers up to 60W which should be more than enough.
Have you tried holding it in your hands after a docked play session?

They're doing it to keep it cool.
 
Probably because it's a hybrid console, the expect people to pick it up from docked mode. Nobody wants a warm handheld, even a warm phone feels horrible.
 
However, take a look how Cyberpunk shipped:
If you want to have a conversation on how Cyberpunk shipped, that's a whole other debate. Base game runs great, Phantom Liberty has issues, but that's true for all console versions.

Drops at 50 on performance mode



Drops at 25 on quality mode

 
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Probably because it's a hybrid console, the expect people to pick it up from docked mode. Nobody wants a warm handheld, even a warm phone feels horrible.
Yes, that's a good argument, didn't think of that.

If you want to have a conversation on how Cyberpunk shipped, that's a whole other debate. Base game runs great, Phantom Liberty has issues, but that's true for all console versions.

Drops at 50 on performance mode



Drops at 25 on quality mode



The performance on SW2 is much worse though, my screenshot says it all. Series S is pretty stable at 30 FPS in Dogtown.
 
In handheld mode I play smaller games, like Dead Cells for example. Big screen games don't feel good enough for me and I prefer playing them on TV.
 
Yes, that's a good argument, didn't think of that.



The performance on SW2 is much worse though, my screenshot says it all. Series S is pretty stable at 30 FPS in Dogtown.
your screenshot of a single frame taken from a lengthy performance comparison "says it all"? wouldn't the video itself say it all? maybe you should edit your post to include a link to that
 
The performance on SW2 is much worse though, my screenshot says it all. Series S is pretty stable at 30 FPS in Dogtown.
Did you watch the video ? Series S runs at 40 fps in performance mode in Dogtown, while the image is super blurry. My point: Phantom Liberty is badly optimized on all platforms.

It's like taking Pokémon Scarlet Switch 1 to say "this console cannot run games at a stable 30 fps".
 
your screenshot of a single frame taken from a lengthy performance comparison "says it all"? wouldn't the video itself say it all? maybe you should edit your post to include a link to that


The full comparison doesn't fare anybetter. The game is unplayable on Switch 2, especially in the DLC.

The Switch 2 is not able to play the game (locked 30 FPS). It should not have released in this state. Adding insult to injury, is the very low traffic and NPC density that destroys the feeling of a lived in city.
 
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they says runs well in own vid you post oohoohoo
he use pic of one seconds of game hatter ahahaha harv dlss

better imige qualities thens series s

Screenshot-2025-06-16-044952.png


Screenshot-2025-06-16-045232.png


Screenshot-2025-06-16-045615.png

Well what they say doesn't match the footage they've shown, it runs terrible and only is locked 30 FPS in the least demanding areas in the game.

I'd rather have stable performance and much higher NPC density from the Series S than the better image quality on Switch 2.
 
I understand why it'd be running low in handheld mode, to save battery life.

But c'mon, 1 GHz is so low you can't expect good performnce out of the CPU at these clock speeds, even on power efficient ARM.

Curiously enough, the clock speeds in docked mode are actually lower than in handheld mode, you would think it'd be the other way around. Now I also understand why you want them to be similar, because graphics can be scaled more easily between the modes but the CPU performance is a more fixed target. Basically you won't want to have a situation where a game could run in docked mode but couldn't in handheld mode.

However, take a look how Cyberpunk shipped:


zBW5zQZ.png


It's obvious some developers don't care about abysmal performance.

In my opinion, Nintendo should add a mode where they heavily overclock the CPU in docked mode, to atleast 2 GHz or higher for titles like that, that would help immensely. Handheld will continue to run shitty like that but atleast in docked mode it would run decently.

Of course I don't know the thermal headroom they have in docked mode but I'd assume the temperatures are pretty low due to the additional fan. I think the charger also delivers up to 60W which should be more than enough.
From what you describe that does initially sound wrong but they are clearly stealing thermal headroom from the CPU for the GPU, whereas in handheld with memory bandwidth and GPU downclocked the CPU is needed to work harder to offset the loss of memory bandwidth, and the CPU will then have more thermal headroom and even at higher performance in handheld mode it proportionally increases power use less than a GPU and generates less heat.
 
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Well what they say doesn't match the footage they've shown, it runs terrible and only is locked 30 FPS in the least demanding areas in the game.

I'd rather have stable performance and much higher NPC density from the Series S than the better image quality on Switch 2.
i own 30 fps 99 per cents of time annnnnnnd better imige qualities then series s game over

game-over.gif
 
Well what they say doesn't match the footage they've shown, it runs terrible and only is locked 30 FPS in the least demanding areas in the game.

I'd rather have stable performance and much higher NPC density from the Series S than the better image quality on Switch 2.
Running terrible = staying at a locked 30 for the majority of the campaign? (Base game).

I wonder what words we would use to describe the performance of the PS4 at launch.
 
Running terrible = staying at a locked 30 for the majority of the campaign? (Base game).

I wonder what words we would use to describe the performance of the PS4 at launch.
The hardware performance of the PS4s at launch weren't the same as they are now?......or are you talking about a specific game? A console with a desktop mode and a peak CPU clock below 1.4GHz/1.8Ghz does mean something out with optimisation looking back in history of the Intel Core2Duo and Core2Quad CPUs by comparison to the +3GHz clocked core-i's that followed.
 
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The hardware performance of the PS4s at launch weren't the same as they are now?......or are you talking about a specific game? A console with a desktop mode and a peak CPU clock below 1.4GHz/1.8Ghz does mean something out with optimisation looking back in history of the Intel Core2Duo and Core2Quad CPUs by comparison to the +3GHz clocked core-i's that followed.
I meant the performance of the PS4 in Cyberpunk at launch.
 
I meant the performance of the PS4 in Cyberpunk at launch.
Ah, now I follow, but even still the PS4's brawny primary Jaguar core is clocked at nearly x2 the Switch 2's ARM core - it wasn't much optimisation for the PS4, but that's a lot to find for Switch 2 IMO.
 
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Ah, now I follow, but even still the PS4's brawny primary Jaguar core is clocked at nearly x2 the Switch 2's ARM core - it wasn't much optimisation for the PS4, but that's a lot to find for Switch 2 IMO.
According to DF video, the Switch 2 already performs better than the patched versions of the last gen consoles. My point was simply to reference what "terrible" performance really looks like (Cyberpunk at launch on the last gen consoles).
 
The TDP, the sleek form factor, the cooling system and the multiple components inside the console don't allow for adequate heat dissipation, for the console components to operate at higher clocks like competing consoles or even handheld PC's.
 
According to DF video, the Switch 2 already performs better than the patched versions of the last gen consoles. My point was simply to reference what "terrible" performance really looks like (Cyberpunk at launch on the last gen consoles).
annnnnd run betters then steemdeck oled

 
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Docked swich tends to be a bit hot, probably didn't want it to get hotter. They should have gone for a better CPU overall.
 
According to DF video, the Switch 2 already performs better than the patched versions of the last gen consoles. My point was simply to reference what "terrible" performance really looks like (Cyberpunk at launch on the last gen consoles).
They weren't great to say the least the X1 being shocking, but by the same token they certainly weren't making the same cutbacks as the Switch 2 to accommodate such a underspecced CPU for desktop console gaming, and if they had they would have ran much better even without DLSS IMO
 
Hopefully they're just being overly conservative for the early days of the console being on the market and they can increase the clocks a bit in the future.
 
They weren't great to say the least the X1 being shocking, but by the same token they certainly weren't making the same cutbacks as the Switch 2 to accommodate such a underspecced CPU for desktop console gaming, and if they had they would have ran much better even without DLSS IMO
The only cutback I can see on the Switch 2 relative to last gen is the shadow resolution. (Perhaps to save memory bandwidth). The crowd density setting looks to match the last gen consoles.
 
Have you tried holding it in your hands after a docked play session?

They're doing it to keep it cool.
I would assume they could increase the clock and power usage a bit, but the cooling solution would need to be (much) thicker then. Which of course would add weight too and make the handheld experience worse. Another Lite modell, again lighter as Switch 1 Lite was compared to regular Switch, and another one without a screen but with "unlimited" volume and weight would be a possible solution, but having the Lite was already removing the name giving feature and kinda weird compatibilitywise.
 
Y'all complaining about 1ghz when the PSP CPU ran at 222-333mhz :v

But I think it should be fine.
It's a shame Nintendo didn't use 4-5nm tsmc. Yeah would've cut on profit margins or made Switch 2 more expensive, but it would've been a lot better for it
 
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