The Wii U, which is the upcoming next generation console of Nintendo could pack some serious power in it. How powerful? We don’t know this yet but at least we can guess and make speculations based on the currently available facts and figures.

Engadget released a rumor citing IBM that said “The CPU of Wii U will pack the same processor technology that is found in IBM’s own super computer named ‘Watson’ “.

IBM Watsom

Of course, having the same processor technology doesn’t mean it will be mini super computer. It is flattering to assume it. The official specs of IBM Watson are leaps beyond any current hardware. Watson packs a total of 2880 processor cores backed by 16 terabytes of RAM.

Digital Foundry analyzed this rumor and said that it is entirely not possible for Wii U. A custom designed processor which is based on current family of IBM CPU is entirely possible though, Nintendo will ensure that it can at least hold the backward compatibility with Wii. Gamecube will lose its support on Wii U as officially revealed by Nintendo. Since Wii U is releasing along with current generation of consoles which includes Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, a complicated hardware will only make development on Wii U more difficult. This will mean that Nintendo won’t introduce something new in their console and will most probably go with current technology to ensure cross-platform development is easier.

Wii U Console

There is also a rumor that Wii U will have a 45nm processor. Since the Wii U isn’t launching until next year, this is quite surprising as by the time we will finally get Wii U, new technology will be available as the chip size will decrease. If Nintendo will decide to go with old technology they will have to also cope with the cost of providing an efficient cooling solution.

The GPU is rumored to be manufactured by AMD and is officially confirmed. The details of its make and model are as of yet unknown so we cannot speculate on what to expect from it. The GPU is also Radeon based which according to the analysis of the technical demo of Wii U at E3 is most likely some lower end mobility Radeon card. It will most likely pack the same power as currently available 4650/4670 range of graphics cards.

AMD Radeon

The RAM could be based GDDR3 or DDR3 as it is more cost efficient then GDDR5.

Nintendo also posted the full specs on their official site which confirms that the processor will be IBM manufactured multi-core processor based on the POWER architecture.

According to IndustryGamers who talked with Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia, He said “Some of the developers we spoke to indicated to us that the console will have 50% more processing power compared to the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. This is yet to be confirmed by Nintendo.”

Will the Wii U really be able to compete with the next generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony. We will be able to finally see it once the official specifications are revealed.

Wii U Controller

Official Specifications

Launches:
2012
Size:
Approximately 1.8 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide and 10.5 inches long.
New Controller:
The new controller incorporates a 6.2-inch, 16:9 touch screen and traditional button controls, including two analog Circle Pads. This combination removes the traditional barriers between games, players and the TV by creating a second window into the video game world. The rechargeable controller includes a Power button, Home button, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons. It includes a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope, rumble feature, camera, a microphone, stereo speakers, a sensor strip and a stylus.
Other Controls:
Up to four Wii Remote™ (or Wii Remote Plus) controllers can be connected at once. The new console supports all Wii™ controllers and input devices, including the Nunchuk™ controller, Classic Controller™, Classic Controller Pro™ and Wii Balance Board™.
Media:
A single self-loading media bay will play 12-centimeter proprietary high-density optical discs for the new console, as well as 12-centimeter Wii optical discs.
Video Output:
Supports 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i. Compatible cables include HDMI, component, S-video and composite.
Audio Output:
Uses AV Multi Out connector. Six-channel PCM linear output through HDMI.
Storage:
The console will have internal flash memory, as well as the option to expand its memory using either an SD memory card or an external USB hard disk drive.
CPU:
IBM Power®-based multi-core microprocessor.
GPU:
AMD Radeon™-based High Definition GPU.
Other:
Four USB 2.0 connector slots are included. The new console is backward compatible with Wii games and Wii accessories.