[Megathread] Nintendo Switch

**Keile** · 2017-03-03, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by zito

The game was never designed for the switch in the first place, it's a port of the WiiU version and it's also the main reason why the WiiU version was delayed in the first place to make it a launch title.

The switch is literally a portable WiiU I don't understand why people say otherwise. (But it will also never be able to play WiiU games like Pikmin 3)

It's clearly more powerful than the WiiU. But it's not where Ps4 and XBO are. The WiiU was stronger than the Wii, but weaker than PS3 and 360. The Switch is stronger than the PS3 but weaker than the PS4/XBO. Nintendo seems to keep taking "mid" generation steps.

Which is fine by me, if the games are fun graphics are secondary in my book. Some of the greatest games out there aren't really that graphically intense.

**Jtbrig7390** · 2017-03-03, 01:36 AM

Originally Posted by Keile

The WiiU was stronger than the Wii, but weaker than PS3 and 360.

No it wasn't, The Wii-U was around 25% stronger then the PS3 and the PS3 was 30% stronger then the 360.

Just saying.

**Truhan** · 2017-03-03, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by Jtbrig7390

No it wasn't, The Wii-U was around 25% stronger then the PS3 and the PS3 was 30% stronger then the 360.

Just saying.

Yeah, I suspect the lack of any third party titles whatsoever on the Wii U is the reason nobody notices that.

**Jtbrig7390** · 2017-03-03, 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by Truhan

Yeah, I suspect the lack of any third party titles whatsoever on the Wii U is the reason nobody notices that.

Ya and the ones that was there (Watch Dogs) ran like shit compared to last gen versions.

**Keile** · 2017-03-03, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by Jtbrig7390

Ya and the ones that was there (Watch Dogs) ran like shit compared to last gen versions.

OK after doing sleuthing and tech specs you look to be right. The power difference is minimal with the WiiU barley edging out the PS3 in raw specs. It has ups and downs (slower CPU than PS3, stronger GPU, more RAM but SLOWER RAM as well).

But the thing was abysmal for devs to work for due to it's unique architecture. Thankfully Nintendo made the Switch more dev friendly with an architecture a lot closer to the rest of the current generation. So devs will be a lot more likely to port games over.

**Truhan** · 2017-03-03, 02:05 AM

Originally Posted by Keile

OK after doing sleuthing and tech specs you look to be right. The power difference is minimal with the WiiU barley edging out the PS3 in raw specs. It has ups and downs (slower CPU than PS3, stronger GPU, more RAM but SLOWER RAM as well).

But the thing was abysmal for devs to work for due to it's unique architecture. Thankfully Nintendo made the Switch more dev friendly with an architecture a lot closer to the rest of the current generation. So devs will be a lot more likely to port games over.

I think the Switch's new architecture has more to do with the fact that it's an Nvidia chip that's already on market. According to Wikipedia, the Switch uses Nvidia's NVN architecture. The PS3's CPU was actually a nightmare for some developers because of it's unique number of cores (seven), but games like Final Fantasy XIII showed that games could run much better on PS3 than 360 if developers got to know the architecture. Nobody was gonna bother with the Wii U's shitty architecture when it wasn't that much better than PS3/360, the PS4/XBone were only a year away, and the PS4/XBone have the same x86 coding architecture (making ports between the two relatively easy).

**Keile** · 2017-03-03, 02:13 AM

Originally Posted by Truhan

I think the Switch's new architecture has more to do with the fact that it's an Nvidia chip that's already on market. According to Wikipedia, the Switch uses Nvidia's NVN architecture. The PS3's CPU was actually a nightmare for some developers because of it's unique number of cores (seven), but games like Final Fantasy XIII showed that games could run much better on PS3 than 360 if developers got to know the architecture. Nobody was gonna bother with the Wii U's shitty architecture when it wasn't that much better than PS3/360, the PS4/XBone were only a year away, and the PS4/XBone have the same x86 coding architecture (making ports between the two relatively easy).

That nVIDA architecture is what has me excited for the system. The games we have seen NOW may not look anything special compared to the current offerings on other consoles, but I have a feeling that given time the system will really shine and show what it can ACTUALLY do. BotW, for example, may have FPS issues but the game is also one of the first to be developed for the system AND started life as a WiiU game.

Down the road when developers, including Nintendo themselves, fully learn how to tap into the Switch's potential I have a feeling we will see some impressive things.

**Truhan** · 2017-03-03, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by Keile

That nVIDA architecture is what has me excited for the system. The games we have seen NOW may not look anything special compared to the current offerings on other consoles, but I have a feeling that given time the system will really shine and show what it can ACTUALLY do. BotW, for example, may have FPS issues but the game is also one of the first to be developed for the system AND started life as a WiiU game.

Down the road when developers, including Nintendo themselves, fully learn how to tap into the Switch's potential I have a feeling we will see some impressive things.

I don't know how different the NVN architecture is, but it is a simple fact - the overwhelming majority of games in my Steam library have an Nvidia splash logo when they start up. I think I have one modern game with an AMD logo, the rest either have Nvidia or no splash. Devs seem to love Nvidia on PC, so I hope that means great things for the Switch.

**Remilia** · 2017-03-03, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by Keile

OK after doing sleuthing and tech specs you look to be right. The power difference is minimal with the WiiU barley edging out the PS3 in raw specs. It has ups and downs (slower CPU than PS3, stronger GPU, more RAM but SLOWER RAM as well).

But the thing was abysmal for devs to work for due to it's unique architecture. Thankfully Nintendo made the Switch more dev friendly with an architecture a lot closer to the rest of the current generation. So devs will be a lot more likely to port games over.

If we're going into the gritty details, since Wii U's spec is mostly based off people that hacked / cracked the thing. Then it has a way higher memory bandwidth than either the Xbone and PS4. The EDRAM in the Wii U is extremely high capacity and fast for what it is despite the basic glance over.

Originally Posted by Truhan

I think the Switch's new architecture has more to do with the fact that it's an Nvidia chip that's already on market. According to Wikipedia, the Switch uses Nvidia's NVN architecture. The PS3's CPU was actually a nightmare for some developers because of it's unique number of cores (seven), but games like Final Fantasy XIII showed that games could run much better on PS3 than 360 if developers got to know the architecture. Nobody was gonna bother with the Wii U's shitty architecture when it wasn't that much better than PS3/360, the PS4/XBone were only a year away, and the PS4/XBone have the same x86 coding architecture (making ports between the two relatively easy).

Wikipedia is fail if it thinks NVN is an architecture. NVN is an API, which doesn't instill confidence since that means there's a layer of abstraction since it's just Vulkan.

**Truhan** · 2017-03-03, 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by Remilia

Wikipedia is fail if it thinks NVN is an architecture. NVN is an API, which doesn't instill confidence since that means there's a layer of abstraction since it's just Vulkan.

Well, damn.

**Jester Joe** · 2017-03-03, 02:46 AM

Originally Posted by Tech614

Fixed.

I literally posted a video of the frame rate dropping to 0 ZERO but people still keep acting like the performance issues don't exist on the Switch?

LUL?

So until you're DF and actually frame tested the game don't try to claim which one is the least shitty on performance. The frame drops in all likelihood are mostly cpu related with the physics engine and both the Switch and Wii U have potato CPUs.

FYI, that video hasn't been working since I tried watching it earlier today at about...1PM EST.

EDIT- it's working now though.

**Video Games** · 2017-03-03, 02:46 AM