It looks like Nintendo is finally starting to come to terms with the reality of video game technology.
According to information that fan site Wiiudaily.com claims to have received from an unnamed developer, the Wii U will be 50% more powerful than the Xbox 360 or PS3.
The publication reports that the new console will have a quad-core, 3 GHz processor and 768 MB of DRAM in addition to a 40nm ATI-based GPU.
The most interesting tidbit, though, is that Nintendo is also reportedly “testing” another version of the Wii U with a whopping 1 GB of RAM and is weighing developer feedback on whether or not the extra horsepower is necessary.
We took the Wii U for a test drive as soon as the doors opened at E3 earlier this year and our immediate reaction was how similar it felt to other Nintendo gimmicks. The idea of using a controller as a separate display device was tested in the Gamecube days via GBA connectivity and very few gamers liked the idea.
However, with a more powerful display built into the Wii U controller and guaranteed stronger support from Nintendo and third parties, this time around it could work much better.
But Nintendo certainly has an uphill battle. While the Wii U is rumored to be technologically sound and HD compatible, it is likely to still miss some key factors like strong online connectivity and third-party backing. The Wii U is make-or-break for Nintendo, and after the Wii’s roller coaster history, we’re not sure what to expect.
