Now that we have the room, let’s be perfectly clear that these specs should still be filed under “rumor and speculation,” as this is still is reportedly a development kit model, and could change by retail. Some key things to notice in all of the facts and figures here is that the Wii U is running on a three-core PowerPC processor – the same as the Xbox 360. While there’s no indication as to what speed it’s running at (the Xbox runs at about 3.2 GHz), it’s safe to assume that it can run around that same speed as well.
Another interesting tidbit to look at is it’s GPU, which is one of the Radeon 4000 series: two generations newer than the Xbox, and nearly three generations newer than most standard computers. That’s some serious graphic prowess, something that Nintendo sorely needs to implement to prove they are in the arms race in the coming next-generation console battle.
Take a look at the rest of the specs, and tell us what you’re thinking.
Hardware Features
Main Application Processor
- PowerPC architecture.
- Three cores (fully coherent).
- 3MB aggregate L2 Cache size.
- core 0: 512 KB
- core 1: 2048 KB
- core 2: 512 KB
- Write gatherer per core.
- Locked (L1d) cache DMA per core.
Main Memory
- Up to 3GB of main memory (CAT-DEVs only). Note: retail machine will have half devkit memory
- Please note that the quantity of memory available from the Cafe SDK and Operating System may vary.
Graphics and Video
- Modern unified shader architecture.
- 32MB high-bandwidth eDRAM, supports 720p 4x MSAA or 1080p rendering in a single pass.
- HDMI and component video outputs.
Features
- Unified shader architecture executes vertex, geometry, and pixel shaders
- Multi-sample anti-aliasing (2, 4, or 8 samples per pixel)
- Read from multi-sample surfaces in the shader
- 128-bit floating point HDR texture filtering
- High resolution texture support (up to 8192 x 8192)
- Indexed cube map arrays
- 8 render targets
- Independent blend modes per render target
- Pixel coverage sample masking
- Hierarchical Z/stencil buffer
- Early Z test and Fast Z Clear
- Lossless Z & stencil compression
- 2x/4x/8x/16x high quality adaptive anisotropic filtering modes
- sRGB filtering (gamma/degamma)
- Tessellation unit
- Stream out support
- Compute shader support
- GX2 is a 3D graphics API for the Nintendo Wii U system (also known as Cafe). The API is designed to be as efficient as GX(1) from the Nintendo GameCube and Wii systems. Current features are modeled after OpenGL and the AMD r7xx series of graphics processors. Wii U’s graphics processor is referred to as GPU7.
Sound and Audio
- Dedicated 120MHz audio DSP.
- Support for 6 channel discrete uncompressed audio (via HDMI).
- 2 channel audio for the Cafe DRC controller.
- Monaural audio for the Cafe Remote controller.
Networking
- 802.11 b/g/n Wifi.
Peripherals
- 2 x USB 2.0 host controllers x 2 ports each.
- SDCard Slot.
Built-in Storage
- 512MB SLC NAND for System.
- 8GB MLC NAND for Applications.
Host PC Bridge
- Dedicated Cafe-to-host PC bridge hardware.
- Allows File System emulation by host PC.
- Provides interface for debugger and logging to host PC.
What do you think, Ranters — are these specs too good to be true, or rather, are they not enough? Give us your opinions, and we’ll track it down.
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“Under the hood it’s sporting an IBM-based multi-core processor, and AMD Radeon HD GPU”
No word on how many cores or what GPU specifically? This doesn’t tell us much because aren’t the current consoles sporting a “multi-core processor” and a “AMD Radeon HD GPU” (X360)?
That is an issue that we’re hoping will get resolved soon. It seems that Nintendo is staying purposefully tight-lipped over what type of CPU and GPU they are supporting. We’re hoping that more specific info will come out this week, in which case we’ll update this page.
Roger that, will check back.
Thanks!
@william case..in short NO current consoles do NOT have full hd support and anything predating the 3000 series from ati is not dx 10 compatible which the proprietary architecture for pc games needing resolutions over 1080p which is why it’s ati radeon hd for wiiu and x360..no hd label. the 360 and ps3 just can’t handle it right now.. they can upscale but they can’t produce quality above 720p in terms of textures and fill rate.
Is the Wii D terminal definitely not the hdmi output? just a thought since hdmi is D shaped?
D-Terminal is a European video input/output.
It looks like a connection for computer monitors and some TVs.
“It’s time to take a look at the Wii U tablet controller! Here’s a 5 minute video about all the buttons you ALREADY KNOW FROM EVERY OTHER CONTROLLER MADE INT HE LAST TEN YEARS! Screen? what screen? You mean that thing in the center of the controller? meh. It’s not biggy; but the rumble feature we;ve had since the N64 (Had to buy that seperately with a add-on back? what? I’m SURE that’s not true) is still there. And a home button! WII!! U!!!”
Are the guys at Nintendo HIGH!? This is thier controller video?! they don’t even talk about the screen which is supposed to seperate this controller from all the others?! Have they given up on trying to market things well, or are they so egotistical about hs strong thier in-house franchises are that they don’t think they have to try anymore?
lmao, true. It worked better in the context of the press conference, since it was edited down to one or two minutes, and there was enough talk about the screen in the rest of the conference. But yeah, pretty glaring omission in the full-length version. Although, now that I think about it, this is probably just part of a “press packet” or whatever, in which there’s surely a second video that talks about the screen.
Nintendo has bigger problems than this underpowered machine. Check out this CNN article:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/05/tech/gaming-gadgets/wii-u-demo-e3/index.html?hpt=hp_c3
No one besides gamers even knows this is a new system. LOL
Haha they need to be fired! And Nintendo needs a name change! Lol poor journalism + bad marketing = misconception!
It’s CNN I haven’t seen any journalism from them worth mentioning in my life. Then again the last story that was “really” news worthy was the Watergate scandal.
Yeah, 9/11, the collapse of the USSR, and two Iraq wars totally weren’t as newsworthy as a politician spying on other politicians. (I do agree that 24-hour news networks suck.)
Bah, got more info from NBC that day. Plus I was in class when the towers were hit.
I was in class when the second one was hit, but I heard about the first one being hit on NPR. It’s always weird to think about, because I was so tired, on my way to school that it didn’t even register as a thing for me. I was like, “Wow, that pilot messed up lol.” Then a few hours later someone in my world history class announced the second tower getting hit and people started saying crazy stuff like all these other cities had been hit too and everyone had to call their out of town relatives and make sure they were okay. Pretty surreal day, that was. Anyway, this has gotten pretty far off-track, lol. CNN sucks.
HEY, LOOK AT THOSE SPECS!
Oh man, lol. Talk about facepalm. This video here says “entirely new console,” and I seem to remember Reggie saying things like that a couple times during the press conference, too. Yup, they should’ve changed the name. Too late now.
Yeah, it’s going to take A TON of highly specialized marketing to fix that. Really hope they think of something to offset that, just today when iw as trying to watch the conference (was in class) a kid behind me said “aw is that that stupid Wii tablet attachment.” I turned to him and gave him a
I think anyone who is going to buy this thing at launch knows what it is. Isn’t that what matters? Dumbass “journalists” who can’t even do a simple Google search, are not Ninty’s bread n butter.
Apparently “casual” gamers are their bread & butter…
Do you think casual gamers are more likely to follow a national news organization or read articles on video game sites?
Did you even read my comment before you jumped it? I did say “anyone who is going to buy this thing at launch”. Let me slow it down for you. Nintendo launches Wii U. FANS and FAITHFUL buy Wii U. Wii U sells out. Wii U on eBay for $3000. Wii U very hard to find for 6 months to a year. Nintendo good.
By that time everyone should know what the Wii U actually is and what it is fully capable of. One article on CNN doesn’t mean anything.
Man something must’ve crawled up your bum. So your comment was that the people who will buy this at launch will still buy at launch? What a revelation…LOL
Did you read my comment? Or was your Nintendo Fanboy rage just too much?
Now casual gamers, and heck most reasonable people, have to be convinced to buy a console. One article on CNN this close to launch, may be all it takes to make someone say no thanks.
This is Nintendo’s fault, maybe they should be a little clear, you know, for people other than you.
Hi, I know this isn’t the right spot to ask this, but does anyone know when Bioware’s E3 conference is? Thanks
I don’t think BioWare is going to have one. EA’s happened already I think. But what does BioWare have to show? DLC or concept art for DA3 (I’m not counting C&C) are the only things I can think of. BSN or the DA/Mass wiki would give you any info needed really.
All I can think of when I hear Wii U is Ling from Kung Pow: Enter the Fist…WiiiiiiiUUUUUU, WiiU, WiiU!
These specs are better than I expected, and good for it! If these are true I’m even more psyched for its release!
I wish there was more RAM, but what little of this I understand looks pretty good.
If those are the specs then why not say so officially?
As for sound The WiiU inherits the 10 year+ old Macronix DSP sound core from the Wii and Gamecube athough upclocked to 120MHZ and mostly likey 32 Bit word size for 100 voices + discrete 6.1 channel surround)) vs 81MHZ and 16 Bit word size on Gamcube/Wii (64voices=2 channel stereo and virtual surround sound via Pro Logic2)The Nintendo 3DS also has a DSP that’s slighty faster at 134MHZ but it’s only 16 bit like the 480p Home consoles and thus can handle only stereo/Virtual Surround like the 480p systems athough Resident Evil:Revealations on 3DS uses the it’s 134MHZ DSP speed for some really good stereo HRTF’s when using headphones.
hi there you are right 24 hours news suck soo much nintendo should have there own 24 hour tv network channel broad cast from nintendo head quter be alsoume what do you think should nintendo have there 24 hour news briad cast channel that creates jobs yeah job creation