Is the Nintendo Wii U specs a disappointment or something to be happy about?

Prior to the launch of the Nintendo Wii U, a lot of speculation was made about the specs of the console. Some said it was going to be 5 times more powerful than current gen consoles, while others speculated that it was going to be 3 to 4 times as powerful as the Xbox 360. It wasn’t until recently when the console was hacked by a hacker named Marcan and the specs were revealed to the public.

[OneAboveAll]

From what i'v seen and been playing the graphics are fantastic. Obviously first party games are going to look the best. I mean I like the graphics in Nintendo Land. I know it's not realistic it's down to the arts tyle but the lighting and shaders look amazing. Mario is nice and crip looking as well.

The gpgpu is what is going to make games look great.

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

I'm ready for my mind to be blown by a new Metroid Prime.

[SilentNegotiator]

Developers looking to the future: "Disappointment"
Armchair Experts/Fanboys: "ZOMG Next-gen awesomeness! Just you WAIT!"

If all you want is a system that's barely more powerful than current gen systems, fine. But don't act like you know better than people who develop professionally, is all I'm saying. Stop hyping the GPGPU.

[dougr]

I'm fine with something just more powerful than the current systems of ps3 and xbox because...well...I already have something that is much more powerful than the xbox and ps3 probably combined. The games on the Wii U are great fun, that is all that matters. It's not like people buy Wii's to play the GTA's and Uncharted's, they buy them to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Donkey Kong, etc.. PS4 isn't out, when it is, I'll buy one, but I definitely don't regret purchasing a Wii U, because without it I wouldn't get to play the latest mario/kart/party and zelda.

[V0LT]

If you factor in that the Wii U is doing what the PS3/360 are doing right now out of the gate on some lousy ports what makes you think it isn't way more capable?

[guitarded77]

Honestly, I don't really care, and I'm a programmer (not in games). I just bought the system to play Nintendo exclusives new and old. As long as I get a Zelda in HD I don't really care if it is more or less powerful than current gen systems. I will still play my third party multi-platform games where my friends are.

On a side note, please take a second to sign the Wii U trophy/achievement petition... it is something I do care about on the Wii U. Petition at link... Thank's.

http://originalgamster.com/...

[Theyellowflash30]

SilentNegotiator, you got to be one of the biggest Wii U trolls on N4G. Let people enjoy their system. If you only care about graphics fine then. The Wii U is FINE. The graphics look good. And Nintendo's first party games will rock. If you don't want one... fine. But don't sit here and act like the Wii U is sh*t cause your a graphics whore.

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

"The gpgpu is what is going to make games look great."

GPGPU is not used for graphics...

[PopRocks359]

Let me guess; you think that's the CPU's job? Please, enlighten us with your obviously accurate and infinite wisdom of modern entertainment technology.

[millzy102]

shutUPandTakeMyMoney your an idiot who doesn't understand computer components.

[herbs]

Yah because the GPU in GPGPU doesn't stand for graphic processing unit or anything right guys right >_<

[Main_Street_Saint]

Actually, yes it is; according to what I seen online from various sources. If it truly can do everything they say it can do is something that remains to be seen, however.

[mdkgod43]

@One mario is not crip looking my lil bro has the wii u and it looks just like the wii mario bros lots of edges and stuff

[Phsychotica]

I'd just like to point out that GPGPU technology has been in most PC graphics cards for over three years and the additional performance is usually limited to specific tasks, which has at best only average effects overall and at worst no noticeable effect.

[PopRocks359]

It's neither because nothing has used the Wii U's guts to their full potential. Everything shown so far are either current generation ports, Wii developed games moved over to the Wii U, or Nintendo Land which is a compilation of tech demos turned into small games.

Give it until the first Zelda or Metroid for this thing. They'll probably look a lot smoother, lest we've all forgotten what the Zelda E3 tech demo looked like.

[1upgamer99]

I am good with the Wii U specs. Even this article talks about the GPGPU its muti-core NEWER tech. I wont even argue with the current gen owners. We have not seen what the Wii U is capable of yet, and I am sure that it will do some very cool things. Wii U may not be the huge step in next gen PS4 will be, but it is next gen. Also it does not have the price tag of PS4 will have (and I will buy). The gamepad makes games like BOPS2, Madden 13, a much better game (IMO). I tell people that knock the Wii U, if you have not played it (Not just demo) you have no Idea what you are even knocking. I have now rented Assassin Creed 3 for Wii U (own it for my PS3) I do like the gamepad with this game as well, It makes the game more fluid and real, having to interrupt the game less is nice. Not a deal breaker over other versions. Going forward my choice in ports will be Wii U. At least for now.

[GraveLord]

Is? Really?
Go back to school man.

[SilentNegotiator]

No comma between "school" and "man"?

Go back to school, man.

lol jk

[ChickeyCantor]

Isn't it more likely that the school failed him. Not the other way around?

[punisher99]

"Is the Nintendo Wii U specs a disappointment or something to be happy about?"

Its not a disappointment at all. But at the same time, the WiiU is not a real true next gen console. But its gpgpu does make the 360 and the PS3's GPU look dated. The WiiU does have some 1st and 3rd party 1080p games. That right there might make Sony and MS release their consoles next year or early 2014. So you've gotta give Nintendo their respect for being able to do 1080p.

[wishingW3L]

GPGPU is a technique to offload CPU work to the GPU; it's not a chip. If it were a chip then it wouldn't need a CPU... And there isn't a single Wii U game running at 1080p. In fact the ports has been running at lower frame-rate than even the PS3 which is the console with the lowest frame-rate when it comes to multiplats.

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

Monster Hunter on Wii U runs at 1080p and if I'm not mistaken, 60fps.

[lilbroRx]

There are currently 9 or 10 confirmed native 1080p games on the Wii U.

Rayman Legends
ZombiU
Toki Tori 2
Nano Assault Neo
Puddle
Monster Hunter 3G Ulimate
Little Inferno
Might Switch Force: Hyper Drive
Transformers Prime
Skylanders Giants
Sonic All-Stars Racing

I can't remember the rest at the moment. I'll have to look them up.

[bozebo]

It'll be fine :/

The games will look worse than others next gen but the system has enough power so that it has no real creative limitations.

Nintendo will make good first party titles (probably the same games again... though there's scope for a Pokémon MMO they could pull out of the bag, 2GB of RAM is enough for an MMO unlike 360/PS3s limitations) and find a way to entice more 3rd party devs if they need to.
Considering it has a better model for pushing updates and DLC than the PS3 and 360 at the moment, that will probably cary on into next gen (I think Sony and MS have business reasons for being pricks to developers/publishers) - netting Nintendo pretty good support from smaller, more innovative developers. (many of whom aim at the more casual markets, like Nintendo do)

I'll still not be gaming on it much, unless they make a Pokémon MMO.

[thebudgetgamer]

Specs smecs I say, bring on the games.

[DivineAssault]

we wont know until nx yr or the yr after.. Every time nintendo puts out a system, theres long dry spells of nothingness.. But when that new Zelda or Metroid show up, its always a fantastic stretch of gameplay.. Wii launched w twilight princess which made me enjoy the new system right away but this one has nothing close.. I dont want another mario anytime soon & still waiting on 3DS versions of zelda n metroid so wii u will be sitting there for a very long time before i see anything worth buying.. Rayman, Bayonetta, & Smash bros will prolly be all i play throughout 2013 (if they even release at that time)

[evilbart]

Personally its the most fun I have had with a console in a long time I think its great,I will leave the spec arguments to the nerds Nintendo has always been about fun and this console is super fun

[mcstorm]

I really could not care less about the specs. I cant get enough of my wiiu at the mo. Ive just picked up bo2 and im not a cod fan and it enjoying it but zombieu and mario u are some of the best games ive played.

[dirthurts]

Ram makes the games. Processing power and graphics you can work around, but memory is where you store the gameplay elements, which it has plenty of. I think the system will do just fine.
If I wasn't so happy with my pc I would have one already. Still contemplating it.
Would love one for Christmas, but that isn't going to happen.

[Schawk]

Yea remember how we seen the ps3 and 360's true potential in the first weeks of launch, i can remember them days well, wow what great machines they were

[n4f]

i dont play specs, i play games

[mydyingparadiselost]

Honestly the slightly lower specs are probably a pretty good decision business wise. Sales are going down, the next round off systems is guaranteed to cost more than the Wii U and development costs are going to become ridiculous. Struggling or smaller companies will wind up developing for Nintendo when the costs for the others becomes too much. The Wii U also seems set to take the indie industry by storm with developer friendly prices for development and a system designed to be easy to work on by said developers.
I feel something of a gaming crash coming on in the industry if things continue as they are, and Nintendo seem set to weather a heavy storm if need be. And if not, they're still going to have a successful generation with this system.

[Trytobee1]

Was really hope to sell my deluxe WiiU for a profit.

Looks like I'll be returning it, cause there are zero games that interested me any time soon.

[SephirothX21]

I think it is something to be happily disappointed about. Does that even make sense? It doesn't and it shouldn't because I'm high.

[metroidfusion2]

Why are people so stupid on the internet lol now I'm not a spec person but wait for a full spec sheet and the ps4 and 720 will not be a lot stronger like people imagine them to be lol they will be doing native 720 and native 1080p and 60fps just like the wii u and the wii u has as of now and that I know 9 native 1080p and 60fps games possibly more I will do my RESEARCH a little later and like someone said the wii u is doing games that are out now for the ps3 and 360 at LAUNCH so after devs spend more time with the system the graphics will look better just like with the ps3 and 360 and possibly every other gaming console it takes time and the ports will obviously look better too and the wii u will get ports from the omni and 720 and the wii u has several surprises coming which will surprise a lot of people and all of you dumbasses need to stop going off of rumors or what hackers say or what analysts say as facts damn and that's all I will say

[wiiulee]

great thing to be happy about...the graphic chips is better then ps3 and xbox360 and we'll see that in the next year...but just glad nintendo continue to focus more on innovation and gameplay with the wonderful gamepad rather then follow sony and microsoft...third parties seem to be on board...haters can hate and wait for a 600 dollar system from microsoft and sony with only graphics slightly better then the wiiu...what haters dont understand is that if all three does 1080p there will not be much of a difference and rumor has it that microsoft new system will only be slightly better then wiiu as they will focus more on kinect.......so haters continue to hate but in my view wiiu will win next generation...nintendo just need to get more games out quicker and better advertisement

[millzy102]

the advertisement in europe is alot better than america i havn't seen a family playing nintendo land but a man in the dark on his own playing zombiu seems to be aimed at more hardcore players in europe.

[HalfNerdHalfAmazing]

I already know the new Zelda or Metroid will have PS4 type of graphics

[SugarSoSweet]

Do you fools even know what GPGPU is? you're all behaving like it's some brand new revolutionary thing thats going to change the face of the gaming industry forever well it's NOT

[millzy102]

thats why the new xbox and ps4 are having a gpgpu, its where gaming is going, and i do know what a gpgpu is, its essencaily a normal gpu but with a lot more cores, ranging from 200 to 1500 so it can take certain cpu computations and aparantly it is more efficient at it especaily when its on the same die as the cpu and sharing is the same cache whichs reduces latency and both chips work in unison thus can handle alot more code going through the machine at once. you could program that way on a normal gpu but it doesn't have enough cores and will effect graphical proccesses, ati has recently done a presentation on this and how it will improve games both in development and gameplay. so it is where the industry is heading or are you saying eveyone in the industry is wrong, this gen was cpu intensive because of weak graphics cards ( pc not included) next gen is gpu intensive, its just a swap in programing techniques.