Wii U Specifications
Nintendo has announced its newest gaming console at the 2011 E3 show, and they call it the Wii U. The Wii U replaces its predecessor, the Wii, which have over 86 million units sold since its debut in late 2006. According to Nintendo, the Wii U revolutionary design and features will redefine home entertainment. Many people also believe that the Wii U will become one of the hottest gaming consoles ever invented. So how good is the Wii U? To find out, let us look at its specs.
Size
The dimension of the Wii U console is much smaller than the original Wii console. It is approximately 10.5 inches long, 6.8 inches wide and 1.8 inches tall.
Controller
The 6.2 inch controller has a 16:9 touch screen and an internal rechargeable battery. The button schemes are similar to the Wii Classic Controller, which has dual analog Circle Pads, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons. In addition, the new Wii controller has stereo speakers, camera, microphone, rumble feature, sensor strip, and a stylus pen. The Wii U is backward compatible and supports all the original Wii controllers and input devices, including the Nunchuk Controller, Classic Controller, Classic Controller Pro, and the Wii Balance Board. In addition, up to four controllers can be connected to the Wii U console simultaneously.
Media
The single media bay of the Wii U system accepts both the new proprietary optical disc as well as the Wii’s original optical disc. The new optical disc is 12-centimeter in diameter.
Video Output
The Wii U console supports video resolutions up to 1080p using the HDMI cable. In addition, it also supports standard resolutions using component video, S-video, and composite video cables.
Audio Output
The Wii U uses the AV multi out connector for audio. It also has support for six-channel PCM linear audio output using HDMI cable.
Storage
The Wii U system has built-in flash memory. More memory can be added by using the SD memory card or external USB disk drive.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The Wii U console is equipped with a powerful IBM Power-based multi-core processor.
Graphic Processing Unit (GPU)
The new WII U comes with the AMD Radeon HD graphics card to support high definition, multimedia acceleration and playback, and multiple video inputs.
Other Inputs
The console includes four USB 2.0 inputs.
Compatibility
The Wii U system is backward compatible with all the original Wii games, controllers, and accessories.
Release Date
Nintendo has announced on its official website that the Wii U will be released for sale in 2012. The exact month and date has not been published. However, there are speculations that the Wii U consoles will be available for purchase at the end of 2012.