Topic: Wii U & GamePad Specs Detailed

[Traveller]

A slightly more detailed list of specs reveal the GamePad's expected battery life and that it can be charged while in use.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/30542

Nintendo has released some slightly more detailed specifications for both the Wii U and its GamePad controller.

Wii U

Height: About 1.8 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Length: About 6.8 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Depth: About 10.5 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Weight: about 1.5kg

CPU: IBM Multi-core Processor
GPU: Made by AMD, High Definition GPU based on AMD Radeon

Disk Drive: Slot loading. Runs Wii U and Wii game disks.
Controller Support: Wii U GamePad + Wii controllers. [Editors Note: Nintendo announced at their Press Conference that up to two Wii U GamePads can be used at once]

Storage: Built-in Flash Memory, SD Cards and USB storage (USB Storage unspecified).

Visual Output: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i.
Audio Output: PCM Linear 6 Channel output from HDMI, along with analog output.

Internet Connectivity: Wireless Lan (IEEE802.11b/g/n), or LAN adapter option.
USB: USB 2.0 x 4 (Two front & two rear)

Wii Compatibility: Wii Software and Peripherals with some exceptions.

Wii U GamePad

Vertical: About 5.3 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Horizontal: About 10.2 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Width: About 1.6 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Weight: Roughly 500g
Screen: 6.2 Inches (16x9 aspect ratio), Touch screen.

Control Input: Touch screen, L&R Sticks, L&R Stick Buttons, D-Pad,A,B,X,Y,L,R,ZL,ZR, Plus & Minus, Accelerometer, Gyro Sensor, Geo Magnetic Sensor.

Other Inputs: Power Button, Home Button, Synchro Button, Audio Volume, TV Control Button.

Other Functions: Vibration, Inward-Facing Camera, Microphone, Sensor Bar. NFC functionality.

Sound: Stereo
Wii U GamePad Stylus

Battery: Lasts 3-5 hours depending on brightness and other situations. Recharge time is 2.5 hours, can recharge while being used.

[Enner]

The battery life is a tiny disappointment that I should have anticipated. I guess they didn't put in a massive and expensive battery in the game pad. Still, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle to remember to dock the game pad on the charging cradle after each session.

[Chozo Ghost]

From the specs we now know of the Wii U what can we infer from its power and how well it stacks up to the PS360? We know absolutely nothing about what the PS420 will be, but it would be nice to at least be able to put to rest once and for all that rumor that the Wii U was merely equal to or even weaker than the PS360.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The graphics are atleast as good as PS360 and based on some of the games, slightly better, but the only graphical games are all 3rd party, so nothing is really pushing the system yet as they wouldn't have had time with the new kits to do so and/or it was a port using the same assets.

[brian577]

Wii Compatibility: Wii Software and Peripherals with some exceptions.

Exceptions?

[DaMoose]

I read somewhere that Wii U is natively powerful enough to render in 1080p, which would be more powerful than the PS360, which render in 720p, then up-scale for some games.

[famicomplicated]

No clear talk of storage solutions at all this E3 - frightening concept at this stage!! 

[Ceric]

Wii Compatibility: Wii Software and Peripherals with some exceptions.

Exceptions?

Anything using the Gamecube Ports.

[HeyItsMe]

Having a rechargeable battery is awesome. I hated that the Wii Fit board needed like 4 batteries. It was seriously like me back in the day running to the store to buy new batteries for my Gameboy Color

[Adrock]

The battery life on the GamePad is pretty awful. Doesn't the iPad last like 9-10 hours while doing more things?

[NintendoFanboy]

DUDE rechargable batteries. i have like 10 AA and 2 chargers. you always have batteries ready to go.
What i wanna know is , RAM, 1gig, 2, dare to dream, 4GIG?!
GPU radeon, umm yea.
Specs are not hieght and width, its GHZ and GB's.
But its all meaningless, unless Nintendo announces a game i want. STILL WAITING! 

[Snake-Arms]

So basically what this tells me is my worst fears came true:  they had to have gone out of their way to produce such a dated piece of hardware.  What a waste/shame.  I really thought the Wii U would redeem Nintendo in my eyes for home consoles.   There's no way I'll be suckered into buying another dated console just because of a unique controller.

[Ceric]

WiiU:
Height: About 1.8 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Length: About 6.8 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Depth: About 10.5 Inches (not including protruding parts)
Weight: about 1.5kg/~3.30lb

Wii:
Height: 1.73 inches
Length: 6.18 inches
Depth: 8.48 inches
Weight: 3.84 pounds/ ~1.74 Kilograms

So it looks to be slightly shorter but wider and longer.  It is also slightly lighter.  Yep, a longer Wii with Rounding.  I didn't really need the Wii to be longer.  *Shrug*

[Ian Sane]

These specs are still too vague.  So it's an IBM Multi-core Processor.  That's nice.  So is this a dual-core, quad-core?  That's a big difference.  What's the clock speed?  So is this like the Wii where Nintendo is intentionally vague with the specs to hide how incredibly shitty they are?  For all their bullshit talk about getting core gamers back, this is important information.  We need to know if this is just another one-gen-behind system or if it will be able to compete with the PS4 and X720.  So is Nintendo just so ignorant to not realize how important this piece of information is or are they hiding it on purpose?  If this blows away the current gen, that information would be reassuing to core gamers and would improve the image of the Wii U with that group.

Flash memory storage at this point is pretty lame.  Not a good sign.

[BlackNMild2k1]

DUDE rechargable batteries. i have like 10 AA and 2 chargers. you always have batteries ready to go.
What i wanna know is , RAM, 1gig, 2, dare to dream, 4GIG?!
GPU radeon, umm yea.
Specs are not hieght and width, its GHZ and GB's.
But its all meaningless, unless Nintendo announces a game i want. STILL WAITING! 

Far from a confirmation, but check the rumor thread. Leaked specs from an older dev kit are in there.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Yep, a longer Wii with Rounding.  I didn't really need the Wii to be longer.  *Shrug*

Thats what she said

and just like her, you'll enjoy it anyway

[Kairon]

The battery life on the GamePad is pretty awful. Doesn't the iPad last like 9-10 hours while doing more things?

The iPad also costs $600.

[Kairon]

Flash memory storage at this point is pretty lame.  Not a good sign.

I don't understand what you mean by this.

[Adrock]

The battery life on the GamePad is pretty awful. Doesn't the iPad last like 9-10 hours while doing more things?

The iPad also costs $600.

So? Unless you think battery technology accounts for $500+, that's a moot point. The GamePad has a smaller screen, is doing far less and doesn't have a CPU.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The battery life on the GamePad is pretty awful. Doesn't the iPad last like 9-10 hours while doing more things?

The iPad also costs $600.

So? Unless you think battery technology accounts for $500+, that's a moot point. The GamePad has a smaller screen, is doing far less and doesn't have a CPU.

It will also cost about 1/6 as much as the iPad (likely under $100 retail), partially because it doesn't have an $80 battery in it.

[Kairon]

The battery life on the GamePad is pretty awful. Doesn't the iPad last like 9-10 hours while doing more things?

The iPad also costs $600.

So? Unless you think battery technology accounts for $500+, that's a moot point. The GamePad has a smaller screen, is doing far less and doesn't have a CPU.

Correct. It's just a difference in the scope of the product. The Wii U GamePad is not intended to be sold for $600 and be a go-anywhere type of device, and its price will reflect all the things it cannot do in comparison to an iPad.

I'm not saying I don't want better features on my stuff. I'll never say no to better features. But I will often say no to spending a lot more money to get them. There are other things I need to spend money on you know, like food... or a whole bunch of Wii U launch games.

[Adrock]

I don't think the GamePad needs an $80 battery. I think it needs a battery that can do better than 3-5 hours on a single charge. I only brought up the iPad because it's a product that does significantly more and still manages to double to triple the battery life of the GamePad. The battery life is the only thing that's not really awesome about the GamePad (besides maybe the lack of analog triggers and the digital click). I remember when Nintendo released the DS Lite and it was a beast when it came to battery life.

[Luigi Dude]

Well Iwata did say during the Pre E3 Nintendo direct video that the Wii U Pro controller would be the better fit for gamers who like to play for longer periods of time.  We now know why he said that.

[Ceric]

I don't think the GamePad needs an $80 battery. I think it needs a battery that can do better than 3-5 hours on a single charge. I only brought up the iPad because it's a product that does significantly more and still manages to double to triple the battery life of the GamePad. The battery life is the only thing that's not really awesome about the GamePad (besides maybe the lack of analog triggers and the digital click). I remember when Nintendo released the DS Lite and it was a beast when it came to battery life.

The GamePad could actually still be doing things that are more power hungry then the iPad.  It is wirelessly streaming 60fps video smoothly while return control input wirelessly.  That can't be cheap energy wise. Shoot when I stream Netflix to my phone unlesss I'm on my uber super fast charger it will still draw the battery down on a charger.  Why do you think its so noticeable to turn Bluetooth and WiFi off on you phones?  Even if your not activily using it.

[Ian Sane]

Well Iwata did say during the Pre E3 Nintendo direct video that the Wii U Pro controller would be the better fit for gamers who like to play for longer periods of time.  We now know why he said that.

Doesn't work for any game that requires the screen though, and I imagine most of Nintendo's games will.  3-5 hours is small enough that I would probably be charging my controller after EVERY playing session.  If I don't have at least a two hour block to play in, I don't bother.  When you're talking a potential 3 hour battery life, that's like one charge per gaming session.

It might be a necessity due to cost but this and the short 3DS battery life do seem better suited to casual use.  They had better battery life back when their focus was more on the sort of gamers that would conceivably spend an entire Saturday playing a videogame.