Mariko OC Guide
Made with love by Dominatorul. Some parts of this guide belong to ChanseyIsTheBest and Lightos_
Table of Contents
- Safety Disclaimer
- Mariko Limits
- Monitoring Your Switch
- Checking Speedo and RAM Type
- RAM Tiers
- OC Settings for Switchcraft
- Clock Settings
- Troubleshooting
- How to test stability
Safety Disclaimer
Overclocking is inherently risky as it pushes the system beyond its original design. The risk level depends on how much you overclock and whether you stay within the limits of the chip and hardware.
Unstable RAM overclocking can cause SYSNAND/EMUNAND corruption and SD card corruption, particularly if done on SYSNAND. Test the overclock settings on EMUNAND and back it up before installing Switchcraft.
Mariko Limits
Mariko PMIC Limits
- Mariko uses a 5A CPU / 10A GPU PMIC for power delivery.
- Staying within these limits is essential for safe operation.
- Exceeding the PMIC limit slightly is possible, but not recommended and should be done with caution.
Reducing the voltage (undervolting, UV) decreases power draw, current, heat and helps avoid exceeding pmic limit.
Charger IC Limit:
- 18W limit restricts overclocking for both Erista and Mariko units (12W on Switch Lite). This is the main limiting factor, but the PMIC current limits for CPU and GPU will be reached first.
GPU Scheduling
This setting adjusts how much of your GPU can be utilized:
- On: Limits GPU usage to ~96.7%
- Off: Limits GPU usage to ~99.7% (up to ~5% performance boost)
- Recommended: GPU scheduling off.
Warning: Disabling GPU Scheduling will slightly increase power draw. Use it with caution.
Monitoring Your Switch
- Use status monitor overlay to indicate if you've bypassed the charger IC limit (e.g., -1W displayed while charging).
- To get the best results, be sure your battery is 10-90% to display the real charging
Checking Speedo and RAM Type
- Boot Hekate.
- Go to Console Info > HW & Fuses.
- Note your DRAM ID, CPU Speedo 0, CPU Speedo 2, and SoC Speedo.
- Speedos typically range from 1450 to 1810. A higher speedo means less voltage is needed for the same clock speed. A speedo of 1650 is generally considered good.
Speedo Brackets
- Speedos are divided into brackets.
- CPU UV mode depends on the position within your bracket, but the resulting voltage depends on your specific speedo.
- It doesn’t matter how high you can set CPU UV mode — what matters is using your maximum possible CPU UV mode.
RAM Tiers (Higher is better)
Tier | RAM ID |
---|---|
GOD-tier | NEI/NEE, WT:B |
S-tier | WT:F |
A-tier | AA-MGCR, AA-MGCL |
B-tier | AM-MGCJ, WT:E |
C-tier | AB-MGCL |
D-tier | NME |
OC Settings for Switchcraft
CPU Setting
- Voltage Limit:
- 1120 mV: Safe — recommended
- 1160 mV: Use with caution
- Boost Clock
- Whatever is within Voltage Limit.
- Undervolt Mode: 1–8 (start with 4).
- Increase gradually if stable and find your highest stable value.
- If the console fails to boot, lower the value.
- High Freq UV: 5–10 (find your highest stable value).
- A few rare units may reach 11–12 — test carefully.
- Low Freq Vmin: 590 mV
- High Freq Vmin: 720–750 mV
- Test lower values if your CPU bin is strong.
- Table Config: AUTO
- If you cannot even do High Freq UV1, try 1581 tbreak.
ℹ️ Note: Exceeding the PMIC limit during Boost Mode is safe, as it only occurs for short bursts (typically under 30 seconds), preventing long-term hardware stress.
GPU Settings
- Undervolt Mode: 2
- DVFS:
- When RAM is overclocked, the minimum gpu voltage requirement is raised.
- DVFS (
Dynamic Voltage Frequency Scaling
) automatically adjusts your vmin based on your ram clock. - When using the base ram clocks (1600 MHz), DVFS is not active
- 2 (Hijack method): Recommended — provides the lowest value possible.
- 1 (Official service method): Use only if you encounter issues with mode 2.
- DVFS Offset:
- Auto at first, lower it as much as possible once you find your maximum ram frequency.
- Test DVFS Offset stability at a medium frequency. (
998 MHz
for instance) - This helps improving battery in handheld mode with high RAM OC.
- It's possible to add positive offset, but this shouldn't be used unless you have issues.
- Vmin: 550–620 mV
- Typically not worth adjusting, as you should always use max RAM.
- Vmax: 800 mV
- Voltage Offset: 5–15
- Test with 5, 10, or 15 when using UV2.
- Some GPUs may require 0 for stability.
RAM Settings
-
DRAM Timing:
- 0 — AUTO_ADJ: Auto-adjust MTC table with LPDDR4 3733 Mbps specs, 16Gb density. Change timing with Advanced Config (Default).
- 1 — AUTO_ADJ_HP: Same as AUTO_ADJ, but with RAM power-down disabled.
ℹ️ Tip: AUTO_ADJ_HP improves latency, but some RAM modules may not handle it well.
- First, find your max RAM clocks and timings with AUTO_ADJ.
- Then test AUTO_ADJ_HP. If stable, use it — otherwise, stick to AUTO_ADJ.
- DVB Shift: 1–5
- Boosts SoC voltage to help stabilize RAM, especially at high frequencies (2400 MHz+).
- It's adviced to start of with a DVB shift of 4 and only lower it to 2-3 after finding your max ram speed.
- Higher DVB shift does not increase power draw, but it is going to increase heat slightly.
- Undervolting DVB is pointless.
RAM Configuration Based on Tier List
Tier | RAM ID | Ram Clock | VDD2 | VDDQ | Common Timings | Super Tight (ST) Timings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOD | NEI/NEE/x267 | 2500–2933 | 1175 mV | 640 mV | (3-3-2) 2-5-5-4-6 | (4-4-4) 3-7-6-5-6 |
GOD | WT:B | 2466–2600 | 1175 mV | 600 mV | (4-4-5) 5-2-6-5-6 | (6-6-7) 7-2-6-5-6 |
S | WT:F | 2400–2533 | 1175 mV | 600 mV | (4-4-2) 5-4-6-3-6 | (5-5-4) 5-5-6-5-6 |
A | AA-MGCL/MGCR | 2300–2600 | 1175 mV | 640 mV | (4-4-5) 5-5-6-7-6 | (4-4-8) 6-5-7-8-6 |
B | AM-MGCJ | 2300–2466 | 1175 mV | 640 mV | (3-2-4) 2-4-4-4-6 | (4-3-8) 2-5-4-4-6 |
B | WT:E | 2300–2466 | 1175 mV | 600 mV | (2-2-2) 2-4-4-4-6 | (3-5-3) 3-5-4-5-6 |
C | AB-MGCL | 2133–2500 | 1175 mV | 640 mV | (4-4-4) 4-4-5-6-6 | (4-4-8) 5-5-6-8-6 |
D | NME | 2133–2333 | 1175 mV | 640 mV | (2-2-1) 0-1-4-3-6 | (3-3-4) 0-1-4-4-6 |
RAM Tuning Notes
💡 Extra Headroom: For an additional 66–100 MHz, try 1212.5 mV. This can also help with tighter timings.
ℹ️ Manufacturer’s Safe Limit
- 1175 mV is the absolute safe value guaranteed by the manufacturer.
- Above this level, nothing is guaranteed—silicon quality may vary.
- No damage from overvolting has been reported, but proceed at your own risk.
- Undervolting RAM is pointless, at least 1175 mV should be used.
🧪 Testing Method:
- Start by setting DVB = 4 using the common preset.
- Test ST (Super Tight) timings.
- If ST fails, relax timings one by one in this order:
t8 → t1 → t2 → t3 → t6 → t7 → t4 → t5
.- For pushing beyond ST, apply the same incremental approach.
⚡ Performance: ST timings provide enhanced performance over common timings.
⚠️ Stability Notes:
- Lower T5 or T6 if you encounter issues.
- RAM contributes the most to overall performance — prioritize finding your maximum frequency first.
- Rarely, some modules may fail even with common timings. If so, lower timings until stable.
Clock Settings (Safe)
Mariko Max Safe on Battery [HAC-001(-01), HEG-001]
Switch units available from August 2019 and beyond, includes OLED & requires modchip
- CPU: 1963 MHz
- GPU: 998 MHz
- RAM: 2133 MHz – 2500+ MHz (use whatever is stable; 2400 MHz recommended for best battery life-to-performance ratio)
Note: Drawing over 8.6W on battery will cause battery issues. Please avoid doing that for extended periods!
Switch Lite Max Safe Clocks on Battery [HDH-001]
- CPU: 1785 MHz
- GPU: 921 MHz
- RAM: 2133 MHz – 2500+ MHz (use whatever is stable; 2400 MHz recommended for best battery life-to-performance ratio)
Note: Drawing over 6.5W on battery will cause battery issues. Please avoid doing that for extended periods!
Switch Lite limits are lower due to the 12W board power limit, but counts as Mariko for all other purposes.
Mariko Max Clocks Docked and Plugged [HAC-001(-01), HEG-001]
*Switch units available from
August 2019 and beyond, includes OLED & requires modchip*
- CPU:
- 2397 MHz: Safe to use.
- 2500 MHz: May exceed PMIC limit, use carefully.
- 2600 MHz: Exceeds pmic limit on most switches unless the voltage is kept low, around 1070 mV.
Determining truly safe voltages is difficult; we are only working with estimates.
However, no damage has been reported from these recommendations. - GPU:
- Sched off: 1228 MHz (safe with 1228 MHz voltage < 800 mV, otherwise use 1152 MHz)
- Sched on: 1267 MHz (safe with 1228 MHz voltage < 800 mV)
- 1228 MHz sched off outperforms 1267 MHz sched on, so it's recommended.
- RAM:
- 2133 MHz-3000 MHz+ (whatever is stable)
Switch Lite Max Clocks Plugged [HDH-001]
- CPU:
- 2397 MHz: Safe to use.
- 2500 MHz: May exceed PMIC limit, use carefully.
- 2600 MHz: Exceeds pmic limit on most switches unless the voltage is kept low, around 1070 mV.
Determining truly safe voltages is difficult; we are only working with estimates.
However, no damage has been reported from these recommendations.
- GPU:
- Sched off: 1228 MHz (safe with 1228 MHz voltage < 800 mV, otherwise use 1152 MHz)
- Sched on: 1267 MHz (safe with 1228 MHz voltage < 800 mV)
- 1228 MHz sched off outperforms 1267 MHz sched on, so it's recommended.
- RAM:
- 2133 MHz-2800 MHz+ (whatever is stable)
Switch Lite limits are lower due to the 12W board power limit, but counts as Mariko for all other purposes.
Troubleshooting
My Switch won't boot into EMUNAND after I have installed SWITCHCRAFT:
- Your atmosphere version is likely not up-to-date, update your atmosphere version.
- CPU UV level is too high, lower it or set it to 0.
My configs are not being applied:
- Ensure you reboot your console after changing settings in SWITCHCRAFT.
I can't set my clocks above 1785/921/1600:
- Your kip is not being loaded, check if it is located in
/atmosphere/kips
- Your hekate_ipl.ini file is not set up correctly:
- Validate that your boot entry contains
kip1=atmosphere/kips/loader.kip
- It has to be below
pkg3=atmosphere/package3
(or fss0)
- Validate that your boot entry contains