For Nintendo Switch owners and those who love retro gaming, one of the coolest gaming products on sale during Prime Day 2024 is mClassic graphics upgrader. The massive discount on this game-changing gadget was only supposed to last for one day, but The deal has been extended until July 31, or until supplies last. The mClassic normally sells for $100, with few discounts outside of Prime Day and Black Friday, but it’s only $80 on Amazon. The deal matches the mClassic’s lowest price to date.
$80 (originally $100)
For many, the main appeal of the mClassic is its Nintendo Switch functionality. It offers a significant visual upgrade—although how much you notice the difference depends on how graphically savvy you are. Switch games can be upscaled to 1440p (60fps) or 4K (30fps). It has built-in anti-aliasing technology to smooth jagged edges and sharpen images. In our experience, the exact increase in visual fidelity varies from game to game, and you won’t get real 4K, like PS5 and Xbox Series X.
On consoles with HDMI, such as the Switch, PS3, and Xbox 360 (except for the first generation 360 console), you simply plug it into the console, connect the included power cord, and reconnect the HDMI cable from the TV to the mClassic dongle.
mClassic significantly improves the overall image quality and playability of pre-HD era consoles (Super Nintendo, N64, GameCube, etc.) on modern flat-panel 4K and HDTVs. We tested the mClassic a few years ago and were impressed by its performance on retro gaming consoles. CRT TVs are obviously still the best choice for retro gaming, but for anyone who doesn’t want a bulky set or the hassle of finding one, the mClassic is a great option.
notes: Consoles without HDMI ports (like the aforementioned retro Nintendo consoles) will need to connect the mClassic to an adapter, like this $30 model or this $18 one .
On the side of the dongle, you’ll find a switch that allows you to turn the enhanced features on and off. There’s also a mode designed for retro consoles, displayed in a 4:3 aspect ratio (like “square” CRT TVs). Depending on the retro game you’re playing, you may want to turn this mode on instead of using the default widescreen settings that stretch the image. Even using the 4:3 aspect ratio of retro mode, mClassic still improves image quality.
Marseille, the maker of the mClassic, recommends locking the Nintendo Switch to 720p (the resolution in handheld mode) when connected for best results. Based on our testing, we agree with this recommendation, but don’t forget to turn 1080p back on before gaming without mClassic.
If you’re worried about increased latency due to the HDMI cable running through the dongle, we never noticed that. Marseille claims the device adds an average of 0.2 milliseconds in this regard, but you might have to be a robot to notice. mClassic also features lossless audio passthrough.
Keep in mind that you’ll also need to play the game on a TV or monitor that supports 1440p or 4K resolution to take full advantage of mClassic’s features. However, if you’re gaming on a 1080p panel, the mClassic can still offer image quality improvements.
