{"id":722,"date":"2024-01-06T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-06T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senses.se\/en\/review-mclassic-hdmi-graphics-card-for-consoles\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T21:46:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T19:46:16","slug":"review-mclassic-hdmi-graphics-card-for-consoles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.senses.se\/en\/review-mclassic-hdmi-graphics-card-for-consoles\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: mClassic \u2013 HDMI Graphics Card for Consoles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Graphics cards are commonly associated with PCs, where the spectrum ranges from integrated solutions suitable for office tasks to high-end ray-tracing cards that push the boundaries of game development (and strain your budget), often utilized for cryptocurrency mining. Consoles offer the advantage (and disadvantage) of a fixed hardware configuration, ensuring consistent experiences for all players, but also leading to faster obsolescence. Marseille Inc<\/strong>, following a successful Kickstarter campaign, aims to challenge this paradigm with the mClassic<\/strong>, an external graphics processor in the form of an HDMI dongle. This device promises enhanced graphics and higher resolutions. But does it deliver? And how significant are the improvements across different platforms? senses investigates the technology and provides answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mClassic boasts a remarkably simple setup, offering true plug-and-play functionality. Requiring no specialized knowledge or software installation, users simply connect two cables. The package includes an HDMI dongle (housing the processor), an extension cable (facilitating connection to the Switch’s dock), and a USB cable for power (1W), sourced either from the console or an external power supply if the console’s USB port is unavailable. The dongle features three operational modes: off (pass-through), on (green LED, optimized for modern 16:9 games with upscaling, Anti-Aliasing, and sharpening), and retro mode (blue LED), designed for 4:3 aspect ratios and older consoles outputting at 480p or higher. We’ll delve deeper into the retro mode’s performance later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"mClassic<\/a>
mClassic dongle. Photo: senses.se<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The mClassic operates by analyzing the HDMI data stream, and where appropriate, upscaling the resolution, enhancing colors, and smoothing edges through intelligent Anti-Aliasing (AA). This technology builds on the previous mCable<\/strong>, also from Marseille Inc, which was a dedicated HDMI cable with similar functionality. The mClassic is an updated version, offering higher resolutions and the convenience of toggling the effect on or off. With a price of 1200 SEK, a considerable investment, the key question is: how much of an impact does it make, and for which users?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Game Formats That Benefit from mClassic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The mClassic can upscale 480p, 720p@60fps, and 1080p@60fps signals to 1440p. (The earlier mCable version was limited to 1080p). It’s important to note that this is not native<\/em> 4K (2160p), despite some marketing materials implying this. Perhaps a future iteration will offer true 4K support. The distinction between upscaling and native resolution is crucial. Modern displays incorporate sophisticated upscaling algorithms to fill the screen, but native resolution inherently requires less processing and yields a sharper, more detailed image. (Attempting to artificially add sharpness or detail through TV settings typically results in unwanted noise and artifacts). The mClassic delivers either 1080p or<\/em> 1440p output, depending on the input signal. This provides a noticeable improvement for platforms like the Nintendo Switch<\/a><\/strong>. Games appear more vibrant, edges are smoother (thanks to AA), and overall sharpness is improved. While the results are not transformative, the difference is perceptible when toggling the processor on and off, provided you have a good image source<\/a>. For those anticipating a “Switch Pro,” this offers a welcome enhancement. Many Switch titles lack native AA support, making the mClassic particularly effective. Prime examples include Mario Odyssey<\/a><\/strong> and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe<\/a><\/strong>, which exhibit a near “next-gen” visual quality with the mClassic connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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