Nintendo Switch Firmware Brings FPS Drops In Some Games; Hardware Probe Reveals More Than A Glorified Tablet
ByThere is a design flaw discovered in the Nintendo Switch firmware that is responsible for frame rates issues seen in "Fast RMX," "Dragon Quest Heroes II," and specific areas of "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild." A software fix is underway while a look inside the hardware of the newest console reveals that the Switch is more than just a glorified tablet.
The Nintendo Switch firmware design flaw is believed to be slightly draining the GPU resources, as discovered by Eurogamer in a hands-on review of "Fast RMX" from Shin'en Multimedia. The Switch in docked mode actually delivers sustained 1080p resolution but it now fluctuates between 900p and 1080p. A look into the settings and turning off the "Auto Connect" to Wi-Fi instantly resolved the problem.
An anonymous third-party developer confirmed the Nintendo Switch firmware problem, saying that the console periodically tries to auto-connect especially when there is no network available, Nintendo Life has learned. The task supposedly works in the background but affects the in-game performance instead. The FPS drops were easily resolved and Nintendo is already working on a patch to correct the flaw.
While the Nintendo Switch firmware has hit a small snag, a look into its hardware reveals an impressive engineering feat. Mindtribe has disassembled the console and published its findings in detail including nifty tidbits and engineering ingenuity showing close attention to details like putting a stamped-in date on the injection molding marks and pictograms ion chips orientation. Under the case shows the motherboard, battery and main components with a huge heatsink right in the middle to ensure the custom-made NVIDIA Tegra processor will not run hot and surprisingly it does not. There is also a small radiator and a fan juxtaposed next to the battery, another cooling solution by Nintendo engineers.
The Switch also features a new USB-C connector that provides all the power and data requirements of the console. Special care was given to its durability as the console may often be mobile. Mindtribe indicates that the Nintendo Switch hardware shows a powerful console that is more than just a "glorified tablet." With a steadily growing games lineup for the next 12 months, the Switch had a huge record-setting launch and sales continue to soar. The only thing left now is for Nintendo to pay attention to the Nintendo Switch firmware to ensure it is really designed to feature the best in-game performance possible.