It already came to light that the Wii U has an AMD graphics chip inside, but now we’ve got some more specific details for you to pour over. According to Engadget, the unit is a last-gen Radeon based upon the R770 chip that was found on cards such as the 4890. This seems to indicate that the GPU is a sort of super-powered dinosaur in the tech world.
The specialized unit is capable of running Direct X 10.1, and has the ability to simultaneously process video streams from up to four SD cards. Neat. Wii U can only support one local player at a time — as of right now, anyways — but it’s still nice to know that the potential for more players exists.
Despite being born of something that is somewhat outdated, the Wii U’s GPU will still make it more powerful than either the 360 or the PS3. Additionally, Crytek has verified that its incredibly-demanding CryEngine is “pretty much” up and running on the platform. But are those really the benchmarks that Nintendo should have aimed for? Being the most powerful console on the market is great, but what’s going to happen when Sony and MS inevitably produce far more powerful machines in a year or two (educated guess) after the Wii U’s release? Suddenly, the Wii U won’t be the graphical powerhouse anymore.
There’s been so much buzz about Nintendo’s next-gen console overpowering the competition’s last-gen consoles, that this point seems to have been completely lost on gamers and the press. Nintendo will, obviously, be the first out of the gate for the next wave of consoles. But don’t doubt for a second that Sony and Microsoft are working on their next home consoles right this very second. It is unlikely that “slightly better than the old plastic” is what they’re targeting, either.
I fear that Nintendo is going to have a Sega Dreamcast situation on its hands when their rivals launch souped-up technological wonders in the year(s) that follow Wii U’s launch. That possibility could really sink the U just when it would supposed to be hitting its stride. We’d love to hear what you guys think about this. Do you think — relying on what little information we currently have — Nintendo is going far enough with its next platform? Or does it appear that they’re playing things too safe? Keep in mind that more power always means more money; but, as the saying goes, you gotta pay to play.
[Source: Engadget]
[Image via Infendo.]
