Topic: How powerfull is the wii u, really?

Leading up to the launch of the wii u there was alot of speculation about the actual power of the system. I'm not certain but pretty sure it is still unknown.
I hear alot of people saying " the wiiu is more powerfull than xbox ", "the xbox is more powerfull than the wii ", "ps3 is super powerfull and wii u sucks" sorta crap and i just wanna know if anyone knows the truth. Is the wii u actually under powered compared to this generation of consoles or what?

I don't know specifics, but its believed now that the Wii U is slightly more powerful than the 360 and PS3, but has a smaller CPU, which may or may not make it more difficult to develop for (depends on which dev you're listening to)

However, the PS4 and 720 (or whatever they are going to be called), will definitely be more powerful than the Wii U. We don't know by how much yet, but I'm speculating somewhere in the middle of the difference the Wii was to the PS3 and 360 were this gen. Not as much, but it will still be significant enough to deter some picky developers and publishers from it such as Crytek.

I'm probably not the best guy to explain this, but I would suggest checking out ReviewTechUSA on YouTube. Very unbiased and actually gives the Wii U a chance unlike other similar channels.

What bulby said sounds correct and logical, PS4 and the next Xbox will definetly be more powerful than the Wii U.

While nobody can give you real, hard facts about the components of the Wii U, there have been several studies by Eurogamer's Digital Foundry. Digital Foundry does various graphics/hardware tests between consoles, looking at the smallest of details and coming to conclusions from there. Below are a few Digital Foundry articles about the Wii U;

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-wii-hacker-r...

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-black-ops-2-...

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-trine-2-face...

From what I can tell, the verdict seems to be that the Wii U can be used to produce graphically superior games to the PS3 or Xbox 360 but only if developers use unconventional means when developing their games. Otherwise, the Wii U just isn't up to snuff to either of its competition.

Well yes, ps4 and xbox would be more powerful than wiiu....but maybe not so much, and maybe not so efficient.

thanks alot ninja that hacker article is very intresting indeed.

Uh current rumors are that the 720 is around 66% more efficent than the 360 with PS4 being similar.

Current specs rumored for Durango are

http://www.vgleaks.com/world-exclusive-durango-unveiled-2/
CPU:

• x64 Architecture
• 8 CPU cores running at 1.6 gigahertz (GHz)
• each CPU thread has its own 32 KB L1 instruction cache and 32 KB L1 data cache
• each module of four CPU cores has a 2 MB L2 cache resulting in a total of 4 MB of L2 cache
• each core has one fully independent hardware thread with no shared execution resources
• each hardware thread can issue two instructions per clock

GPU:

• custom D3D11.1 class 800-MHz graphics processor
• 12 shader cores providing a total of 768 threads
• each thread can perform one scalar multiplication and addition operation (MADD) per clock cycle
• at peak performance, the GPU can effectively issue 1.2 trillion floating-point operations per second

High-fidelity Natural User Interface (NUI) sensor is always present

Storage and Memory:

• 8 gigabyte (GB) of RAM DDR3 (68 GB/s)
• 32 MB of fast embedded SRAM (ESRAM) (102 GB/s)
• from the GPU’s perspective the bandwidths of system memory and ESRAM are parallel providing combined peak bandwidth of 170 GB/sec.
• Hard drive is always present
• 50 GB 6x Blu-ray Disc drive

Networking:

• Gigabit Ethernet
• Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct

Hardware Accelerators:

• Move engines
• Image, video, and audio codecs
• Kinect multichannel echo cancellation (MEC) hardware
• Cryptography engines for encryption and decryption, and hashing

While the Orbis specs are looking like

By Richard Leadbetter Published Friday, 18 January 2013

Both the next generation PlayStation - and its Xbox competitor - feature eight-core CPUs clocked at 1.6GHz according to sources trusted by Digital Foundry. The main processor architecture driving both consoles is said to be derived the new "Jaguar" technology currently in development by Intel's arch-rival, AMD. These are low-power processor cores designed for the entry-level laptop and tablet market, offering an excellent ratio between power consumption and performance. The PC Jaguar products are set to ship later this year in a quad-core configuration - next-gen consoles see the core count double with some customisations added to the overall design.

Married to the eight-core processor, Orbis also features Radeon HD graphics hardware. We've previously suggested that AMD's mobile "Pitcairn" design - the Radeon 7970M - could be a strong basis for a next-gen console graphics core in terms of power consumption and die-size. Running at 850MHz and featuring 20 of AMD's "Graphics Core Next" compute units, our information suggests that Orbis shaves off 10 per cent of that number, offering up 18 CUs in total, and sees a mild downclock to 800MHz. Incorporated into a design dedicated to cutting-edge visuals and gameplay, this hardware has some serious potential.

We also have hard data on Orbis's memory set-up. It features 4GB of GDDR5 - the ultra-fast RAM that typically ships with the latest PC graphics cards - with 512MB reserved for the operating system. This is in stark contrast to the much slower DDR3 that Durango will almost certainly ship with. Microsoft looks set to be using an offshoot of eDRAM technology connected to the graphics core to offset the bandwidth issues the use of DDR3 incurs. Volume of RAM is the key element in Durango's favour - there'll be 8GB in total, with a significant amount (two sources we've spoken to suggest 3GB in total) reserved for the OS.

There'll be a relatively high CPU overhead too, with potentially two cores reserved for the customisable apps Microsoft wants to run in parallel with gameplay. Orbis has no such ambitions and may power past the new Xbox simply because it focuses its resources on out-and-out games power. There's always the possibility that Microsoft has looked at the prior success of Nintendo and its own Kinect and come to the conclusion that chasing after the maximum in raw horsepower isn't the way to win the next console war.

Paired up with the eight AMD cores, we find a bespoke GPU-like "Compute" module, designed to ease the burden on certain operations - physics calculations are a good example of traditional CPU work that are often hived off to GPU cores. We're assured that this is bespoke hardware that is not a part of the main graphics pipeline but we remain rather mystified by its standalone inclusion, bearing in mind Compute functions could be run off the main graphics cores and that devs could have the option to utilise that power for additional graphical grunt, if they so chose.

Early dev kit
DVKT-KS000K (“Initial 1″)

Runs Orbis OS
CPU: Bulldozer 8-core, 1.6 Ghz
Graphics Card: R10 with special BIOS
RAM: 8 GB (system memory)
BD Drive
HDD: 2.5 ” 160 GB
Network Controller
Custom South Bridge allows access to controller prototypes

January 2013 dev kit
SoC Based Devkit

Available January 2013
CPU: 8-core Jaguar
GPU: Liverpool GPU
RAM: unified 8 GB for devkit (4 GB for the retail console)
Subsystem: HDD, Network Controller, BD Drive, Bluetooth Controller, WLAN and HDMI (up to 1980×1080@3D)
Analog Outputs: Audio, Composite Video
Connection to Host: USB 3.0 (targeting over 200 MB/s),
ORBIS Dualshock
Dual Camera

Now compare that to what is considered the definitive Wii U spec

MCM design: GPU+eDRAM die and CPU die on the same substrate.
2 GB of gDDR3 memory @800MHz (DDR3-1600), organized in 4x 4Gb (256Mx16) modules, sitting on a 64bit bus (@800MHz). That gives a net BW of 12800MB/s (12.5GB/s). We can conveniently refer to this pool as 'MEM2'. Currently 1GB of that pool is reserved for the OS.
32 MB of unknown organisation, unknown specs eDRAM, sitting with the GPU. We can conveniently refer to this pool as 'MEM1'
Tri-core CPU @1.243125GHz, codename 'Espresso', binary compatible with Gekko/Broadway, featuring 3MB of cache in asymmetric config: 2x 512KB, 1x 2048KB; CPU cache is implemented via eDRAM. Sans SMT. SIMD is same 'paired-singles' 2-way SIMD found in Gekko/Broadway.
AMD R700-originating GPU @550MHz (R700 is AMD architecture codename 'Wekiva'), evolved into its own architecture (AMD architecture codename 'Mario'), relying on MEM1 for framebuffer purposes, but also for local render targets and scratch-pad purposes.
Memory access specifics: both MEM1 and MEM2 are read/write accessible by the CPU, both subject to caching. GPU in its turn also has access to both pools, and is likely serving as the north bridge in the system (an educated guess, subject to calling out).
System is equipped with extra co-processors in the shape of a dual-core ARM (unknown architecture) and a DSP core (again of unknown architecture) primarily for sounds workloads.
BluRay-based optical drive, 22.5MB/s, 25GB media.

Orbis and Durango having USB 3.0 makes the, way better in my eyes.

From what I've heard, the Orbis contains with a Faster-Than-Light drive and the Durango will include a built-in toaster. Clearly the person who chooses the Orbis over the Durango will be an idiot!

EDIT: If you need any more proof.

Power comes in different groups. For example the Wii actually had better shading than the Xbox. And flaunts it with games like Metroid Other M. But overall the Xbox/PS3 trumped the Wii.
My guess is that the Wii U is more powerful and the other 2 consoles overall, but only in miniscule numbers.

I'm honestly not expecting a a big leap in the next generation Sony/Microsoft consoles but we'll probably find out within the next twelve months.

not a big leap graphically but i assume it will be able to handle bigger areas and more people on screen at one time. stuff like that, so really i think very few games will even make use of all that power considering what is possible on current platforms.

I think it's funny how we all try to bluster our way around and somehow prove that the Wii U can outpower even the 360 and PS3. Let's face facts: the Wii U is not that powerful, even compared to previous gen consoles, and is going to be left in the proverbial dust when the 720 and PS4 come out. It was the same deal with the Wii. But power isn't why I bought one, and shouldn't be the reason why anybody buys a Nintendo console, at least since the Bit Wars in the 90s.

Let's just stop this whole power thing... it's ridiculous. You buy a Nintendo console for Nintendo games, and that's more than any other hardware maker can say (Halo no longer counts lol). Regardless of power, you know darn well that Nintendo is going to produce some awesome titles that are going to make ALL fanboys of every camp salivate- some will just never admit it.

A couple of months back, I read an article in which Sony said that they won't be going all out like they did with PS3. They lost too much money for too long. So while the PS4 will undoubtedly be more powerful than WiiU, there won't be as large a difference as there was in the Wii vs ps3 era.

@rallydefault
Amen.
There was a Sony Allstars game released a little while ago. After the first couple of recognizable characters, it was rather sad. It was full of people you could not recognize and were lame. When smash bros fires up, a real lineup is present and the differences are night and day!

http://mynintendonews.com/2012/06/06/sony-on-ps4-never-been-f... This article suggest that the PS4 will be ultra powerful, and this probably means that the console is going to cost a crazy ton of money. I think they will be going all out. And I also don't think they care how much it costs.

I'd immediately laugh at hypocritical fanboyism but I agree on account of the fact that no one does or should remember what FPS number 934054 Mr. KillzoneResistanceGears whatever is from. Though Nintendo doesn't help by having ANOTHER blue haired anime character from that Fire whatever series. I've heard some people play it and it exists.

So you mean that 5 people will actually buy it, right?

Fanboys man, they'll find a way to get it somehow. I'm waiting for them to announce it'll cost the low price of $1000 on launch day. Maybe more.

Well, at least those blue haired anime characters are from games that are unique and full of charm in their own right.

It is more powerful than the 360 and PS3, but until developers understand the hardware, it'll take some time for that power to be realized. Same was basically said about the 360, as it was coined Xbox 1.5 because 360 games didn't look too different from Xbox games early on. For all we know, Wii U games that get released around the time the Orbis and Durango get released may not look too much different from games on those because developers have had a good year head start. Orbis and Durango will win power-wise over the Wii U no doubt, but I think Wii U will give them a run for their money.