Let's be honest about two things. The Vita is far more powerful than the 3DS, perhaps the same power gap as the PSOne and Wii U (though it's hard to get a direct comparison). The second thing is that the 3DS has obliterated the Vita, over 6 to 1 in sales. It could probably cease production today and still beat it in lifetime sales. And it's not just casuals that it beats the Vita with in sales, it's all types of gamers based on this massive sales gap. So, isnt' it fair to say that specs don't matter with handhelds, only games and branding, etc.?
On the flip side, the Wii U is getting spanked by the PSOne and will soon be overtaken in sales. Sure, Nintendo's marketing failure is a huge factor, especially for casuals, but what are the two complaints we hear from gamers on sites like this one about the Wii U? 1) Lack of games. That problem hasn't been fully solved, but it's certainly gotten better in recent months and most agree that 2014 is looking great, at least for exclusives. 2) Specs - it's 8 year old technology/not next gen/not powerful enough, etc. You've heard it all. And this is a problem that Nintendo can't solve unless they take drastic measures and release the Wii U 2 in a few years. But why is it a problem in the first place, when it's not a problem for handhelds? Are we overstating the importance of specs as cause of the Wii U's troubles, or do specs simply matter a lot more for home consoles?
