Hardware Wii U GPU outed?

[Deleted_171835]

Over the past couple of days, we've seen an email that claimed the Wii U featured an E6760 GPU. I didn't think too much of it until a user on Neogaf claimed to have received another email saying the exact same thing. I've contacted AMD for confirmation but in the mean-time, here is the email.

There are other things that make this rumour more credible than most:

Green Hills Software's MULTI Integrated Development Environment selected by Nintendo for Wii U Development
http://www.ghs.com/n...tendo_WiiU.html

In May of this year, it was announced that the AMD Radeon E6760 would use Green Hills Software.
http://www.altsoftware.com/press-new...-embedded-syst


Insiders on other sites have said that Nintendo told developers that the Wii U's GPU is roughly equivalent to the 4850. The E6760 scores better than the 4850 in 3D Mark Vantage (at 5870).

The Wii U was confirmed to use a maximum 75 watts of power by Iwata. The E6760 only runs at 35 watts.

The Wii U was confirmed to use a 40nm GPU. The E6760 is 40nm.

Details on the GPU: http://www.em.avnet....Processors.aspx

 

[Foxi4]

I would be very careful about e-mails until you receive one yourself. They can be easily forged.

 

[Deleted_171835]

I would be very careful about e-mails until you receive one yourself. They can be easily forged.

I know, that's why I didn't post it until I heard the exact same thing again on a different forum. The other details seem to point to this GPU, though.

 

[GamerzHell9137]

To tell u the truth, i don't give a shit.
I don't need internet browser nor a music player nor a video player on a console.
If i wanna hear music watch videos or browse the internet ill use my PC.
I just wanna see great games on consoles, nothong more nor less.

 

[Ghostyis40]

Were still wasting time on this wow what part of "Next-Gen" are we not getting? lol just wondering, I've seen and gone hands on with the Wii U so I've got a good idea what it can do. Graphicly it out shines and preforms the X360 and PS3 on every scale and level. The performance of the systme has me excited I can't wait to pick up my Wii U on Nov 18th.

 

[Foxi4]

I just wanna see great games on consoles, nothong more nor less.

Which nowadays requires good specs by proxy, so this is an interesting issue.

 

[GamerzHell9137]

I just wanna see great games on consoles, nothong more nor less.

Which nowadays requires good specs by proxy, so this is an interesting issue.

WII was good but it didn't had good specs right?

 

[Deleted_171835]

I just wanna see great games on consoles, nothong more nor less.

Which nowadays requires good specs by proxy, so this is an interesting issue.

While I do agree that a sufficiently powerful console is necessary (for third-party support at least), you don't need a powerful console to get great games. The Wii which was essentially an overclocked Gamecube gave us Xenoblade, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Trauma Team and Donkey Kong Country: Returns.

 

[Snailface]

I would be very careful about e-mails until you receive one yourself. They can be easily forged.

Two people on neogaf were sent the same email from amd.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=42398987&postcount=4830

gaf insanity spilling over to the temp. What are we gonna do?

 

[Foxi4]

While I do agree that a sufficiently powerful console is necessary (for third-party support at least), you don't need a powerful console to get great games. The Wii which was essentially an overclocked Gamecube gave us Xenoblade, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Trauma Team and Donkey Kong Country: Returns.

Admittedly good games that could've been even better if they were made for a stronger platform. The Wii was far behind the times and didn't allow developers to spread their wings, which resulted in a mountain of shovelware, a few semi-decent games and a handful of gems - I'd know, I have a Wii.

 

[Deleted_171835]

While I do agree that a sufficiently powerful console is necessary (for third-party support at least), you don't need a powerful console to get great games. The Wii which was essentially an overclocked Gamecube gave us Xenoblade, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Trauma Team and Donkey Kong Country: Returns.

Admittedly good games that could've been even better if they were made for a stronger platform. The Wii was far behind the times and didn't allow developers to spread their wings, which resulted in a mountain of shovelware, a few semi-decent games and a handful of gems - I'd know, I have a Wii.

Shovelware is the result of a successful platform, not a weak system. And saying that the games could have been better on a more powerful system is kind of silly, I could argue that with all last-gen games.

 

[Foxi4]

Shovelware is the result of a successful platform, not a weak system. And saying that the games could have been better on a more powerful system is kind of silly, I could argue that with all last-gen games.

Please, stop.

If there is one kind of software that necessitates strong specs, it's video games. Stronger CPU's allow developers to employ more complex maths in their video games, resulting in a higher instance count and more intelligent AI with less performance loss. Stronger GPU's allow for better graphics, and nowadays with technologies like PhysX, better in-game physics. A greater amount of RAM memory working at faster speeds improves loading times and allows for more resources at any given time. All those things greatly influence the final product, and if there is one thing that game programmers should be given, it's wiggle space to spread their creative wings and achieve new heights.

All in all, good specs are good, bad specs are worse. Having to optimize your game time and time again due to limited specs instead of using the development time to improve upon the product is a waste of creativity.

 

[Walker D]

While I do agree that a sufficiently powerful console is necessary (for third-party support at least), you don't need a powerful console to get great games. The Wii which was essentially an overclocked Gamecube gave us Xenoblade, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Trauma Team and Donkey Kong Country: Returns.

Admittedly good games that could've been even better if they were made for a stronger platform. The Wii was far behind the times and didn't allow developers to spread their wings, which resulted in a mountain of shovelware, a few semi-decent games and a handful of gems - I'd know, I have a Wii.

You said, more or less, the same thing that he did ...what I kinda agree too btw

(besides, I don't think that the fun factor would increase that much by making that good wii games in better graphics ..maybe just a bit)

 

[Foxi4]

You sayed, more or less, the same thing that he did ...what I kinda agree too btw

(besides, I don't think that the fun factor would increase that much by making that good wii games in better graphics ..maybe just a bit)

I got the impression that he was saying the opposite, but perhaps it's just me.

The way I see it, it's best if a console has specs good enough to give the programmer enough wiggle room to experiment with different features rather than restricting him or her due to the amount of resources at hand. Fun factor aside, it's simply easier to program for a stronger platform than it is to a weaker one (provided that the SDK's are equally easy to use).

 

[Deleted_171835]

Shovelware is the result of a successful platform, not a weak system. And saying that the games could have been better on a more powerful system is kind of silly, I could argue that with all last-gen games.

Please, stop.

If there is one kind of software that necessitates strong specs, it's video games. Stronger CPU's allow developers to employ more complex maths in their video games, resulting in a higher instance count and more intelligent AI with less performance loss. Stronger GPU's allow for better graphics, and nowadays with technologies like PhysX, better in-game physics. A greater amount of RAM memory working at faster speeds improves loading times and allows for more resources at any given time. All those things greatly influence the final product, and if there is one thing that game programmers should be given, it's wiggle space to spread their creative wings and achieve new heights.

All in all, good specs are good, bad specs are worse. Having to optimize your game time and time again due to limited specs instead of using the development time to improve upon the product is a waste of creativity.

That argument is kind of silly. Should MGS3 have been delayed until the PS3 came out for more intelligent AI and better graphics. Should Halo have started on the 360 and not the Xbox because of the potential for better visuals? Should all console-exclusives be moved to the PC because of the vastly superior specs?

There is actually a negative to this, increasing budgets. Do you honestly believe a game like Xenoblade would have had the same scale on the PS3/360? It would have cost significantly more to make. But I digress.

I'm not saying that the Wii specs were a good thing. It affected the system's third-party support. It's just that worse specs doesn't automatically prevent you from having great games just like games aren't necessarily greater just because they're on a more powerful platform.

 

[zanfire]

I just wanna see great games on consoles, nothong more nor less.

Which nowadays requires good specs by proxy, so this is an interesting issue.

WII was good but it didn't had good specs right?

Id argue with you that it wasnt that great of a system >_>;

had it hacked to play any game i wanted for free and i played it by far the least of all my systems. Lots of shovel-ware and even some good games mad worse by stupid motion controls.

 

[Foxi4]

Do you honestly believe a game like Xenoblade would have had the same scale on the PS3/360? It would have cost significantly more to make. But I digress.

When you guys were enjoying Xenoblade, the rest of the world was kinda focused on Skyrim, which is far "bigger", mainly due to better specs of the consoles it runs on and of the PC.

I'm not saying that the Wii specs were a good thing. It affected the system's third-party support. It's just that worse specs doesn't automatically prevent you from having great games just like games aren't necessarily greater just because they're on a more powerful platform.

I think we're on the same page then - I'm not saying that it's impossible to make good games on systems that lack good specs - I'm merely saying that it's easier to program for them, which is a third-party magnet, among other things.

 

[Walker D]

You sayed, more or less, the same thing that he did ...what I kinda agree too btw

(besides, I don't think that the fun factor would increase that much by making that good wii games in better graphics ..maybe just a bit)

I got the impression that he was saying the opposite, but perhaps it's just me.

The way I see it, it's best if a console has specs good enough to give the programmer enough wiggle room to experiment with different features rather than restricting him or her due to the amount of resources at hand. Fun factor aside, it's simply easier to program for a stronger platform than it is to a weaker one (provided that the SDK's are equally easy to use).

The "a sufficiently powerful console is necessary (for third-party support at least)" point that was in both arguments I thought.

And yes ..having a powerful console is less of a problem to worry about I guess = to more 3rd parties and more ports too.

But, even it being a important base (for the reasons above, and others..), I don't think its the 1st priority. Differentiation and innovation is this 1st priority ( in my opinion).
Nintendo seems to be doing well on this things now I guess ...doesn't have a bad base, and worked on that 1st priority too.

 

[Foxi4]

Oh, I agree. I like the fact that the WiiU tries to be in the "center" of the user's home due to the varied uses of the tablet controller - you can literally take your WiiU experience wherever you want without worrying about cables.

I admit - I am worried about the internal SSD drive, as I mentioned in numerous threads, I am worried about the lack of BluRay/DVD support but I'm surely not worried about the specs. I merely wish for more "integration".

Nowadays a console pretty much replaces a Media Center - it's a hub of entertainment for the house and it sort of necessitates connectivity with the rest of the "grid". Nintendo's alright on the innovation front, but they tend to lack in the integration front... we'll see though.

 

[Deleted_171835]

Do you honestly believe a game like Xenoblade would have had the same scale on the PS3/360? It would have cost significantly more to make. But I digress.

When you guys were enjoying Xenoblade, the rest of the world was kinda focused on Skyrim, which is far "bigger", mainly due to better specs of the consoles it runs on and of the PC.

...How can you even compare the two?

Just so you know, Skyrim and Xenoblade's worlds are actually damn pretty similar in size. I've played a bit of both and I honestly can't say which one is bigger. But comparing the two games makes no sense. One is a JRPG, one is a WRPG. One has a focus on the story (with an excellent plot I hear), Skyrim well has dragons. The combat is very different. The art-style is quite different.

The existence of Skyrim doesn't negate Xenoblade's greatness.