The latest Nintendo Switch firmware update, update 8.0.0., didn't introduce any major feature to the system, but it seems like this isn't really the case, as something big has been introduced quietly to the console.
The new update introduced a hidden boost mode which overclocks the console's CPU, and allows faster load times. The recently updated Zelda Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey already take advantage of this new feature, and load times have been improved in both titles, as detailed by several reports.
Yeah, I get 21 seconds when loading my save file vs 26 seconds when OCing (now UCing) to 1.2 GHz vs 31 seconds (!!!) in v1.5.0. GPU is also OC'd to 768 MHz automatically.
EDIT: Test results before the update and after:
Loading savefile: 31 seconds -> 21 seconds
Fast travel: 19 seconds -> 11 seconds
Entering shrine: 10 seconds -> 7 secondsEDIT2: Mario Odyssey does the same and it REALLY improves the start time!
Oh my. The update DID improve Shrine loading times, pog! pic.twitter.com/Mdr3onYudk
— Pikastroff (@Pikastroff) April 26, 2019
While it seems like games need to be updated to take advantage of this feature, this is proof that we still haven't seen everything that the current Nintendo Switch model can do. If a Pro model will eventually get released, we should expect these improvements to be even bigger.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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