Wii U Specs

[Hadrian]

If you missed it (yeah right) the Wii U was announced moments ago as part of Nintendo's E3 press conference.

Here's everything the Wii U is packing:

Size: Approximately 1.8 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide and 10.5 inches long.

New Controller: The new controller incorporates a 6.2-inch, 16:9 touch screen and traditional button controls, including two analogue Circle Pads. This combination removes the traditional barriers between games, players and the TV by creating a second window into the
video game world.


The rechargeable controller includes a Power button, Home button, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons. It includes a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope, rumble feature, camera, a microphone, stereo speakers, a sensor strip and a stylus.

Other Controls: Up to four Wii Remote (or Wii Remote Plus) controllers can be connected at once.

The new console supports all Wii controllers and input devices, including the Nunchuk controller, Classic Controller, Classic Controller Pro and Wii Balance
Board.

Media: A single self-loading media bay will play 12-centimeter proprietary high-density
optical discs for the new console, as well as 12-centimeter Wii optical discs.

Video Output: Supports 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i. Compatible cables include HDMI, component, S-video and composite.

Audio Output: Uses AV Multi Out connector. Six-channel PCM linear output through HDMI.

Storage: The console will have internal flash memory, as well as the option to expand its memory using either an SD memory card or an external USB hard disk drive.

CPU: IBM Power-based multi-core microprocessor.

Other: Four USB 2.0 connector slots are included. The new console is backward compatible with Wii games and Wii accessories.
Note: Details are subject to change.

Confirmed games
Assassin's Creed
Darksiders II
Ghost Recon
Dirt
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Metro II
Batman: Arkham City

Prototypes/Yet to be confirmed
Battlefield
New Super Mario Bros Mii

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/30597...official-specs/

EDIT:
More info from Engadget
QUOTEIBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM. It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.

 

[SamAsh07]

Can't wait for New Super Mario Bros Mii!!

I'll create a Reggie and Obama Mii, and play co-op

 

[Hadrian]

Updated first page with this:

IBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM. It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/ibm-put...nintendo-wii-u/

 

[machomuu]

Can't wait for New Super Mario Bros Mii!!

I'll create a Reggie and Obama Mii, and play co-op

Make an Iwata Mii, too.

 

[Veho]

Dumpy little sucker

Other Controls: Up to four Wii Remote (or Wii Remote Plus) controllers can be connected at once.

What I want to know is, can you connect more than one of those new controllers at once?

 

[Hielkenator]

Updated first page with this:

IBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM. It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/ibm-put...nintendo-wii-u/

It not a pc for gods sake. Stop comparing.

 

[SamAsh07]

Can't wait for New Super Mario Bros Mii!!

I'll create a Reggie and Obama Mii, and play co-op

Make an Iwata Mii, too.

Of course! Even Miyamoto!!!

The Watson part is funny lol, so does that mean our Wii U will be more intelligent than us?? I hope it doesn't talk. :X

 

[Satangel]

Updated first page with this:

IBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM. It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/ibm-put...nintendo-wii-u/

It not a pc for gods sake. Stop comparing.

The Wii successor should at least be as strong as the PS3, because in a few years the PS4 will come out and then all the hardcore games like GTA and CoD will be developed for that kind of hardware and power. The Wii U really has to have an enormous power boost to keep up.

 

[Wizerzak]

More eye-friendly version:

 

[Jiggah]

Dumpy little sucker

Other Controls: Up to four Wii Remote (or Wii Remote Plus) controllers can be connected at once.

What I want to know is, can you connect more than one of those new controllers at once?

Hearing a no on this.

 

[Seraph]

Updated first page with this:

IBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM. It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/ibm-put...nintendo-wii-u/

It not a pc for gods sake. Stop comparing.

Stop comparing what? An IBM rep says it's got a CPU that can compete against the 360's/PS3's why wouldn't compare because it's not a PC? You realize game systems also use processors...

And I doubt it would only support one Wii U controller...of course more demanding games might only allow one.

 

[Veho]

Rumors had it that local multiplayer games would have the option to stream each player's screen to their respective controller, instead of using splitscreen. Can't do that if you can only connect one

 

[Wizerzak]

Rumors had it that local multiplayer games would have the option to stream each player's screen to their respective controller, instead of using splitscreen. Can't do that if you can only connect one

I really hope you can use more than one. We might finally be able to play tactical games on a console with cheating.

 

[SifJar]

"proprietary high-density optical discs" - no DVD backups then

Should hopefully make piracy at least a little harder.

 

[DSGamer64]

It doesn't surprise me that they are opting to use their own discs for a new console. I just hope the discs are reasonable for storage and will meet the requirements of future games without multiple discs.

 

[Seraph]

That just means they're using bluray or some other kind of DVD that only works on their system. The Wii used proprietary discs too (which were just special DVD's).

 

[Rydian]

More info from Engadget

IBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM. It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.*facepaw*

What I want to know is, can you connect more than one of those new controllers at once?

I'd hope so. Anybody know the resolution so we can check the bandwidth that'd be used for four lower-resolution screens compared ot possible 1080P output? Yeah there'd be come encoding overhead and input, but that shouldn't take up that much.

QUOTE(Seraph @ Jun 7 2011, 05:50 PM)

The Wii used proprietary discs too (which were just special DVD's).

Hm, running over disc-based systems...
Playstation - CD.
Dreamcast - GD-ROM (modified CD file structure and tighter lines, modified PC drives can read/burn).
XBOX - ???
Playstation 2 - DVD, unmodified, right?
Gamecube - Mini-DVD, modified a bit.
Wii - DVD, modified a bit.
360 - DVD, modified a bit or plain jane?
Playstation 3 - BD, plain jane?

 

[Slyakin]

More info from Engadget

IBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM. It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.

*facepaw*

I lol'd so hard. Thanks!

 

[ChuckBartowski]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER7
Thats the architecture Watson used. If its the same as the models listed on the page, then i expect this to be fairly powerful.

 

[Nujui]

More info from Engadget

IBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM. It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.*facepaw*

What I want to know is, can you connect more than one of those new controllers at once?

I'd hope so. Anybody know the resolution so we can check the bandwidth that'd be used for four lower-resolution screens compared ot possible 1080P output? Yeah there'd be come encoding overhead and input, but that shouldn't take up that much.

QUOTE(Seraph @ Jun 7 2011, 05:50 PM)

The Wii used proprietary discs too (which were just special DVD's).

Hm, running over disc-based systems...
Playstation - CD.
Dreamcast - GD-ROM (modified CD file structure and tighter lines, modified PC drives can read/burn).
XBOX - ???
Playstation 2 - DVD, unmodified, right?
Gamecube - Mini-DVD, modified a bit.
Wii - DVD, modified a bit.
360 - DVD, modified a bit or plain jane?
Playstation 3 - BD, plain jane?

The PS2 also had CDs.