Let me explain a little further.

If Nintendo is using (licensing) DirectX from MS that mean developers could develop on the WiiU, PC and Xbox at the same time.  It will greatly booth 3rd party support for Nintendo.  I think MS will want to save something for their consol, thus the NextBox will be more powerful than the WiiU with say a grade higher DirectX.  (getting into Cameron’s Avatar quality.)  Plus all the voice/movement interaction with KinectNext will want raw power. 

As others have stated, the most powerful doesn't always win - and I think Sony will not try to compete on power, but be different.  Sure the PS4 will be plenty powerful, like a bit more than the WiiU if it comes out later, but not that much more.  I think Sony will put the money into 'Must Have' games to sell the system over 'buy this power for bragging rights.'

A reasonably priced PS4, and a few killer games, from Sony might help them saturate the market like they did with the PS2.

You just need a few ‘Must Have’ games that appeal to different people to sell a system. 

PS On another subject, who else is predicting an HD Zelda Twilight Princess re-tooled for the WiiU? (possibly with Motion+)

It seems rather unlikely that they would release last. It could happen but it seems more likely that they and Sony will release roughly near the same time most likely in 2013.

I would like for it to be the Wii U so I could see the heads of everyone claiming that it's going to be on par with the Wii explode.

It'll probably be either the MS or Sony machine though. Take your pick.

aha ha "slaps forehead" yeah my mistake, but you could see where i was going with it

Probably as you were. With the PS4 being the most powerful "on paper" but struggling to show it against the NextBox.

Try not to forget that for all their faults, MS own the developers favourite SDK in Direct X.

yeah it was did you like it?

The above statement possibly sums up this gen better than anything I have read in the last year !!!

After this gen, don't underestimate Sony's ability to do something totally retarded.

^This...

I cant Quote with Internet Explorer 9 for some reason..

Well, as most would agree it'll be between the next Xbox and PS4, but in any case I don't think either will dwarf the Wii U's performance even close to the degree that the HD twins did the Wii, unless, A) they release much later than we think they will, B) they are terribly expensive, or C) they lose a fortune on every system sold, none of which seem likely.

I believe that to the general public (i.e. not us enthusiasts), all three will perform largely the same, graphics-wise.