Quick - this Prime Day lightning deal just hit a Nintendo Switch accessory I wouldn't dare play without

mClassic HDMI upscaler in hand with Nintendo Switch running Super Mario Wonder — (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

I don't often tell people to rush for Prime Day offers, but there's a Nintendo Switch accessory lightning deal live right now that's well worth grabbing. If you use Ninty's hybrid handheld with a large 4K TV, I genuinely think you need to check this out, as the mClassic will help smooth out visuals with anti-aliasing capabilities and upscaling tricks.

If you pop over to Amazon right now, you'll find the Marseille mClassic for $79.99, as a limited-time Prime Day gaming deal has slashed 20% off the HDMI dongle. Normally, you'd have to fork out just under $100 for this Nintendo Switch accessory, and while I do hesitate to recommend it to everyone for that price, taking $20 off sends it to the top of my add-on priority list.

This isn't the first time the mClassic has dipped to under $80, and it has received smaller discounts already in 2024. Still, it's the first time the dongle has returned to its lowest price since December last year, which is a long time to wait if you've been holding off for discounts. Just keep in mind that you'll have to sign up for the subscription service to bag this sweet Prime Day Nintendo Switch deal, not to mention there's one of those pesky percentage claimed bars filling up as we speak.

Should you buy the mClassic?

mClassic HDMI upscaler sitting against Nintendo Switch running Super Mario Wonder on woodgrain desk — (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

I've said this before, but I was hyper-skeptical about the Marseille mClassic before testing. For what it's worth, it feels like I wasn't the only one, as the idea of a small HDMI cable middleman magically giving your Nintendo Switch visuals a makeover sounds like a hardware snake oil pitch. However, once you get a feel for what the accessory can actually do graphically, it becomes clear that it's actually a clever way to ensure your favorite Ninty adventures don't look horrible on larger gaming TVs and high-spec monitors.

There are two main features at work when you connect the mClassic to your Switch. The first is a relatively standard upscaler that can ramp things up to 1440p if you use a compatible screen. As a main rule of thumb, I always try to avoid giving my TV big upscaling tasks, and this HDMI dongle is far more efficient in scaling lower resolutions than your big screen.

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom closeup of Link's face with mClassic switched off — (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

The second is more interesting, as the mClassic uses an anti-aliasing algorithm to smooth Switch jaggies and weird effects with post-processing. It's important to note that it doesn't just make Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom look like it was made in Unreal Engine 5, but it does do a number on any unsightly edges and textures associated with the 2017 handheld. There's also a switch at the side you can toggle to apply the same processing to retro console visuals while maintaining an old-school 4:3 aspect ratio, but it does admittedly remove the pixelated charm from 8 and 16-bit systems.

The main question you'll likely be asking yourself is whether these enhancements are worth $80, and it's worth considering before clicking buy. Personally, I can't play the Switch in TV mode anymore on anything larger than a 32-inch screen without the mClassic, as my eyes instantly pick up on jagged edges and aliasing. All I'll say that is if you're never done wondering when the Nintendo Switch 2 is actually going to arrive, I'd try this gadget out as a short-term remedy.

Looking for more savings? Take a look at Prime Day TV deals and Prime Day monitor deals for excellent display discounts. Alternatively, swing by Prime Day Steam Deck deals for a bunch of portable PC price cuts.

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