I don't get it, isn't RAM a pretty important factor in a video game console. If so then why are they only maxing next gen at about 2 GB? they can probabbly get 4 GB for 5 bucks, why not put a lot in it?

Computer Ram != Console Ram

Consoles typically rely on a unified pool of high end VRam such as Gddr5 or XDR

These memory types need to be soldiered directly on to the unit, unlike the ram cards you are probably accustomed to, and have very very steep prices.

Need to bump PS4 and NextBox Durango display up to 4k as i believe that the AMD cards they are rumored to be using are able to at least output 4k resolution (though it is doubtful that any game will actually deliver that resolution, maybe just for blu ray movies).

Thansk for clearing that up, makes sense now.

What rumor told you that Wii U will have a similar or better CPU than Nextbox/Ps4??? Just because it is power PC based and delievers 4 cores doesnt really mean all that much. We have no indication of the per core performance do we? There are a host of old and weak intel cpus that can clock at 3.0 GHz with quad core and would still get destroyed by an intel i5 dual core running at a lower clock.

On the GPU side the most telling fact that Nintendo wont be able to compete is their choice to go for a RV770 based design....why in the world would they ever want something like that if they wanted to even come close to a 6670??? There is absolutely no reason why you would want to even consider spending all the R+D money on trying to boost a RV770 up to a upper end 6xxx based GPu, when you could, you know, just use a 6xxx based design. Sony and MS will also tweak and boost their own GPUs as well setting an even further gap.

As for the XDR2 ram, that is a good joke, a split pool would just anger devs, the new memory would be expensive, and finally that leak came from a rumor that pointed to the Wii U employing a power 6, not 7, CPU with custom blu ray disks up to 50 gigs....according to ninty it will only be up to 25 gigs and wont be able to have the licensing to play movies so i dont think you can really call it a 'blu ray' even if it is pretty much the same tech, so that also further disproves that rumor.

Looking to the rumors once again i fail to see anything that would remotely show the Wii U specs coming close to the Nextbox/PS4, all i see is vague adjectives thrown around like "great" and "much" no one mentions the Wii U as coming close to the competition or even being 'next gen' in terms of tech.

TVs won't have anything higher than 1080p for at least 5 or more years. There is no way anyone will even attempt to do better in gaming than 1080p any time soon. 

All three will focuson on 30 to 60FPS with 1080p as a standard output. All three have cards that should easily be able to do that.

Please tell me you didn't just make up that Wii U price and it was actually confirmed but I totally missed everything about it!!! Anyways... the Wii U seems adequate even to pump out some good graphics.

Have you not read my 2nd post in this thread? I have all the details and break down there between the CPUs.

IF PS4's chip is the AMD fusion based chip as some recent rumors state, then its highly probable the Power7 chip Wii U has is better. Granted there's a lot more to it as far as a while system goes, but I was only referring to the CPU itself.

As for the GPUs, yes Wii U's will be lower powered, however, they will all be heavily tweaked. Meaning Wii U's will have same GDDR5 VRAM and more than probably all the same basic features/software enhancers/shaders/etc. Meaning the difference will come down to speed and bandwidth.

So while MSony next boxes will handle stuff easier and have a slight edge on the graphics department, most won't notice or care and anything done on those two will easily be done on Wii U.

You have to keep in mind that anything MSony are trying to achieve, they are trying to achieve it with a price point under $400 and that is not too much higher than Nintendo's probably $300 price. What this means is you will not see a great difference in the hardware in any way.

RE: the bold/underlined... you'd consider using the RV770 due to FAR lower costs per unit, FAR better manufacturing yeilds, FAR lower heat production, and FAR lower energy consumption. If you can get a 90% similar output with a very small fraction of cost, waste, and heat... why wouldn't you?

NintendoPie said: Please tell me you didn't just make up that Wii U price and it was actually confirmed but I totally missed everything about it!!! Anyways... the Wii U seems adequate even to pump out some good graphics.

It was a rumor from like a month ago. Since its the only one we've gotten and it kinda makes sense, I used it. Of course NONE of this is really factual until E3.

There was at least one or two threads about it on VGC... maybe even the official Wii U thread.

Updated with more info.

Its stacking up to be a very much equal three way race in tech power. Personally, I think Wii U is making the smarter choices.

CPUs are looking to be neXtBox>Wii U>PS4.
GPUs are looking to be nextBox>=PS4>Wii U

GPU race is a little more complicated tho. It really is going to depend on the tweaks each manufacture has done to the base chip. Off the shelf, I'd argue Wii U's GPU is greater than PS4s, but I know Sony will be adjusting that greatly, so in the end they will be slightly better considering its going with a design a few years newer.

All in all... the three will easily beat down current gen and will be remarkably similar in capabilities to each other.