Of course the main advantage to having the MX150 is that it’s a lot faster than Intel’s integrated graphics. In the heaviest GPU workloads, the MX150 is about 2.3x faster than the UHD 620 integrated into the i7-8550U. This gives it a big advantage in applications that use the GPU: Premiere, for example, renders a 4K video with Lumetri effects 84 percent faster with the MX150 inside than just having the i7-8550U.
Compared to the Ryzen 5 2500U, which also includes a powerful Vega 8 GPU along with a comparable CPU to the i7-8550U, the MX150-powered Switch 7 is, at best, 12 percent faster in GPU limited tests like 3DMark’s Time Spy graphics score. Some applications don’t support Ryzen Mobile as well as I’d like, particularly the Adobe suite, so it’d be good to revisit this comparison when we get better Ryzen Mobile drivers. As for gaming, the MX150 isn’t a powerful GPU so you shouldn’t expect to play everything on this tablet. However, as it’s so much faster than integrated graphics, you can get a decent experience in a handful of titles. Using Grand Theft Auto V as an example, you can get 50 FPS at 1080p, and above 30 FPS at the display’s native resolution using the lowest detail settings. Civilization VI is very playable at native res lowest settings as well, which is good news. You won’t want to touch the back of the Switch 7 during any lengthy combined GPU and GPU usage, as the passive cooler can get a bit toasty. The CPU sits at around 90°C and the GPU got as hot as 60°C in my testing using consecutive 3DMark runs, and most of that heat is dissipated directly through the rear panel.
