The Nintendo Wii U specs have finally been revealed! Here’s the full rundown of all the technical hardware specifications for the upcoming Wii U console.
Wii U Specs:
- Size:
Approximately 1.8 inches high, 10.5 inches deep and 6.8 inches long.
- Weight:
Approximately 3.41 pounds (1.5 kg).
- Wii U GamePad:
The Wii U GamePad controller removes the traditional barriers between games, players and the TV by creating a second window into the video game world. It incorporates a 6.2-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio LCD (resistive) touch screen (weight includes battery & stylus), as well as traditional button controls and two analog sticks. Inputs include a +Control Pad, L/R sticks, L/R stick buttons, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons, ZL/ZR buttons, Power button, HOME button, -/SELECT button, +/START button, and TV CONTROL button. The GamePad also includes motion control (powered by an accelerometer, gyroscope and geomagnetic sensor), a front-facing camera, a microphone, stereo speakers, rumble features, a sensor bar, an included stylus and support for Near Field Communication (NFC) functionality, allowing for electronic reading of data without contact.
GamePad Sizes: Approximately 5.25 inches high, 1.6 inches deep (not including buttons and other projections) and 10 inches long.
GamePad Weight: It is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and weighs approximately 1.1 pounds (500 g). So the controller is really light! 🙂
Best Distance: The optimal distance from the Wii U console for wireless GamePad usage is up to 8 meters / 24 feet for optimal performance. (But the range can be more.)
Battery Life: Approximately 3 to 5 hours. Battery duration differs depending on the brightness setting of the screen. The information regarding battery life is a rough guide. It can be shorter depending on what functions of the Wii U GamePad are used. The Wii U GamePad can be charged while in use by connecting it to the Wii U GamePad AC Adapter.
Recharge Time: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. - Other Controllers:
The Wii U console is capable of supporting two Wii U GamePad controllers, up to four Wii Remote (or Wii Remote Plus) controllers or Wii U Pro Controllers, and Wii accessories such as the Nunchuk, Classic Controller and Wii Balance Board.
- Appearance:
The new console features a compact design that will make it a natural addition to any home entertainment setup. White color available at launch, with black color promised in the future.
- Video Output:
Supports 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i. Compatible cables include HDMI (specifically HDMI 1.4 out with support for stereoscopic 3D images), Wii D-Terminal, Wii Component Video, Wii RGB, Wii S-Video Stereo AV and Wii AV.
- Audio Output:
Uses six-channel PCM linear output via HDMI connector, or analog output via the AV Multi Out connector.
- CPU:
IBM Power-based multi-core processor. (It’s a 45nm custom chip, said to be the same processor technology found in IBM’s Watson, so similar to IBM’s POWER7 processor).
- GPU:
AMD Radeon-based High Definition GPU. (Rumored to support Shader Model 4.0 (DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.3 equivalent).
- Storage:
Wii U uses an internal flash memory (said to be 8GB). It also supports SD memory cards (said to be up to a 2GB SD Card or up to a 32GB SDHC Card) and external USB storage Hard Drives.
- Media:
Wii U (proprietary optical discs with 25GB per layer) and Wii optical discs.
- System Memory:
2GB of Memory in the Wii U, 20 times that of the Wii! Memory 1 = 1GB for System (applications usage); Memory 2 = 1GB for Game.
- Networking:
Wii U can access the Internet via wireless (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi) connection. The console features four USB 2.0 connectors – two in the front and two in the rear – that support Wii LAN Adapters.
- Wii Compatibility:
Nearly all Wii software and accessories can be used with Wii U.
This video interview explains the software features the Wii U hardware specs enable:
To see the Wii U’s graphics prowess, watch this 1080p Legend of Zelda HD demonstration: