By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Based on tech specs and not opinion, is the 3ds stronger than the Wii?

 

Is the 3ds stronger than the Wii (based on tech specs)?

Yes 148 47.74%
 
No 105 33.87%
 
What a stupid question, dumbass. 54 17.42%
 
Total:307
Chark on 12 March 2012
zero129 said:
Chark said:
If we are talking about graphical powers, I really think both are dated to the extent that it doesn't matter. I'd have to say the Wii has more power, but if the 3DS has more RAM as suggested the 3DS might win out on capability in the long run.

Compared to what??, a €250 PSV??, a €500 Iphone4s???, What other handheld do you know that has the power of the 3DS??..

And remember the 3DS has to use even more of its power to process the 3D image, so imagine if it didn't have to do that imagine what its games would look like, id say very close to PSV imo.


Whoa, sorry Zero but I don't think it works that way.  Even if Nintendo wasn't seriously underclocking and eliminated 3D altogether, it can't do what the Vita can, maybe some fancy graphics but not along with gameplay and the battery would drain out in less than an hour.  

Here is what 3DS is using "Two 266MHz ARM11 CPUs, with a 133MHz GPU, 4MBs of dedicated VRAM, 64MBs of RAM, and 1.5GBs of flash storage."

The Vita in comparison has four 800MHz-2000MHz ARM9 CPUs, with a 200MHz-400MHz, 128MBs of dedicated VRAM, 512MBs of RAM.

The 3DS might have ARM11's but its not utilizing them for power and it only has 2, a much better battery is needed to handle the power consumption, in fact the whole device might need new hardware to do that.

*EDIT* Those 3DS figures aren't accurate, ignore them.  Also the Vita has ARM Cortex A9's not ARM9



Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(

Around the Network
ebw on 12 March 2012

Whoa, sorry Zero but I don't think it works that way.  Even if Nintendo wasn't seriously underclocking and eliminated 3D altogether, it can't do what the Vita can, maybe some fancy graphics but not along with gameplay and the battery would drain out in less than an hour.  

Here is what 3DS is using "Two 266MHz ARM11 CPUs, with a 133MHz GPU, 4MBs of dedicated VRAM, 64MBs of RAM, and 1.5GBs of flash storage."

The Vita in comparison has four 800MHz-2000MHz ARM9 CPUs, with a 200MHz-400MHz, 128MBs of dedicated VRAM, 512MBs of RAM.

The 3DS might have ARM11's but its not utilizing them for power and it only has 2, a much better battery is needed to handle the power consumption, in fact the whole device might need new hardware to do that.

To reinforce the point, ARM11 is actually a couple generations behind the ARM Cortex-A9 (not ARM9) in the Vita.  There isn't a single hardware advantage for 3DS on this list (it does come with more storage, but that doesn't influence performance).



Viper1 on 12 March 2012

Chark, I think your 3DS tech specs are a bit off. It looks like you quoted it from somewhere (font is different) and they are incorrect. They remind me of the tech specs leaked way before the console launched.



The rEVOLution is not being televised

NintendoPie on 12 March 2012
IIIIITHE1IIIII said:
NintendoPie said:
IIIIITHE1IIIII said:
NintendoPie said:
It LOOKS a ton better than the Wii. I'm not sure spec wise though. What does it matter? The 3DS produces quality looking games even if it isn't "HD." I also heard that the 3DS can and will be (at least a little) more powerful as the Wii. In an article I read it said something about how later on Nintendo might allow developers to drop support for multi tasking in turn providing more space for graphics on a game. Also when components are cheaper they can make larger data cards.


If you mean dropping the Home button, then I'm pretty sure it will only give a slight performance boost.

 

Not to burst your bubble, but how the hell does the 3DS look a ton better than the Wii? Are you blinded by its glorious 3D and lightning effects?

 

(That was not a mocking smiley ;)

-.-

How doesn't it look better? The 3D does add texture (or something) to a game and the lighting affects are a lot better. When I was talking about multi tasking I meant how you could put a game in the background and then open up other things while it's till running.


The topic is based on tech specs and not opinion though, and technically (as you clearly can see) the Wii is more powerful.

 

Looks like I was right about the Home button.

You're partially right about the Home Button.

That is why I put "LOOKS" because it was my opinion.



Play4Fun on 12 March 2012
Viper1 said:
Navane said:
Viper1 said:
The answer is no.

What the 3DS does have in advantage are more modern shaders that can enable some better looking texture effects. But geometry, lighting, particle effects, texture resolution and some more factors all go to the Wii. And that's to say nothing of things like A.I and physics which easily side with Wii.


Name one game that has better lighting than Resident Evil: Revelations. I don't believe the 3DS has much in the way of showcasing partical effects, but I also don't think you can name any Wii game that have any noticable textures that are of higher resolution. Wii specs taken from Wikipedia:

 

Memory:

The 3DS has 128 MB FCRAM, and from what I've read, is really fast RAM. By all accounts, the 3DS should be able to produce higher resolution textures than anything seen on the Wii.

More and faster RAM is not a direct correleation to texture resolution.   That's a fixed hardware function (though you can scale lower if need be).  Play Metroid Prime: Corruption and get close to a rock texture.  Keep in mind that's also running at 60 fps unlike RE running at half that rate.

And for the record, the 3DS allocated 32 MB of that 128 MB for OS.   So you have 96 3DS MBs against 93 Wii MBs.   But again, RAM alone doesn't dictate texture resolution.

And you have to factor screen sizes and screen resolutions.   You play Wii at 480 resolution on a TV screen of say 42".    This creates a pixel density of 21 PPI.  Very low.   The 3DS has a pixel density of 133 PPI in 3D and 266 PPI with 3D off.  That's very high.  So textures will look sharper even though they aren't.   Even 1080p display monitors at 42" only have a pixel density of 61 PPI.  And don't forget the 3DS has to push a whole second screen at 133 PPI.

And as for lighting, play Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

Play4Fun said:
It has better shaders and more RAM, so it can do better looking games than Wii can.

Please see above.

 

*Reads above*

I still stand by my statement.

3DS is better than Wii in some areas and we will see games that look better than the best of Wii games through-out its' lifetime.



Around the Network
Chark on 12 March 2012

Sorry about that, you're right I just grabbed the first article I found that actually listed everything. I was frustrated trying to find actual specs. And that's why I was confused when I saw the 3DS had an ARM11, I forget the Vita uses cortex A9. Unfortunately this means I was a little too generous to the 3DS in my comparison... Next time I promise to do better research and double checks before I post.

Zero, I know you just bought a 3DS and I'm not trying to knock on the system. The two handhelds are in different worlds when it comes to power, but the 3DS still has great OS functionality and apps ability and the 3D is unique. It's very much a modern this gen system, it's just a bit underpowered for gaming. But hey, people don't buy nintendo for bleeding edge, they buy it for specific games and as a social system.



Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(

VGKing on 12 March 2012
zero129 said:
Chark said:
If we are talking about graphical powers, I really think both are dated to the extent that it doesn't matter. I'd have to say the Wii has more power, but if the 3DS has more RAM as suggested the 3DS might win out on capability in the long run.

Compared to what??, a €250 PSV??, a €500 Iphone4s???, What other handheld do you know that has the power of the 3DS??..

And remember the 3DS has to use even more of its power to process the 3D image, so imagine if it didn't have to do that imagine what its games would look like, id say very close to PSV imo.


No lol. Turn 3D off and it's still nowhere near the PSV.



Sal.Paradise on 12 March 2012
Play4Fun said:
Sal.Paradise said:
Navane said:
Play4Fun said:
It has better shaders and more RAM, so it can do better looking games than Wii can.


There you go. This the answer to the entire thread.

The 3DS may not have as much processing power (though I don't know if that's true), but what Play4Fun just said is exactly right.

Oh man, so I guess if I buy some $400 pc and just buy 16GB RAM for it I'll be good to go?

Because that kind of RAM is totally the same thing.

And yet my analogy that a machine's most powerful component does not determine the power of the machine still stands. 



Navane on 12 March 2012
Play4Fun said:
Viper1 said:
Navane said:
Viper1 said:
The answer is no.

What the 3DS does have in advantage are more modern shaders that can enable some better looking texture effects. But geometry, lighting, particle effects, texture resolution and some more factors all go to the Wii. And that's to say nothing of things like A.I and physics which easily side with Wii.


Name one game that has better lighting than Resident Evil: Revelations. I don't believe the 3DS has much in the way of showcasing partical effects, but I also don't think you can name any Wii game that have any noticable textures that are of higher resolution. Wii specs taken from Wikipedia:

 

Memory:

The 3DS has 128 MB FCRAM, and from what I've read, is really fast RAM. By all accounts, the 3DS should be able to produce higher resolution textures than anything seen on the Wii.

More and faster RAM is not a direct correleation to texture resolution.   That's a fixed hardware function (though you can scale lower if need be).  Play Metroid Prime: Corruption and get close to a rock texture.  Keep in mind that's also running at 60 fps unlike RE running at half that rate.

And for the record, the 3DS allocated 32 MB of that 128 MB for OS.   So you have 96 3DS MBs against 93 Wii MBs.   But again, RAM alone doesn't dictate texture resolution.

And you have to factor screen sizes and screen resolutions.   You play Wii at 480 resolution on a TV screen of say 42".    This creates a pixel density of 21 PPI.  Very low.   The 3DS has a pixel density of 133 PPI in 3D and 266 PPI with 3D off.  That's very high.  So textures will look sharper even though they aren't.   Even 1080p display monitors at 42" only have a pixel density of 61 PPI.  And don't forget the 3DS has to push a whole second screen at 133 PPI.

And as for lighting, play Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

Play4Fun said:
It has better shaders and more RAM, so it can do better looking games than Wii can.

Please see above.

 

*Reads above*

I still stand by my statement.

3DS is better than Wii in some areas and we will see games that look better than the best of Wii games through-out its' lifetime.

 

 

http://www.3dsbuzz.com/nintendo-to-unlock-3dss-2nd-cpu/

"This second processor, previously dedicated to the 3DS’s operating system, would allow developers to utilize an additional 25% increase in power for their software. Along with this, Nintendo has supposedly found a more efficient way of processing the 3DS’s autostereoscopic 3D as well, resulting in a decreased strain upon the CPU. These two leaks, despite only being rumors, could present developers with that extra edge needed to create truly beautiful and immersing games. And for those developers who prefer downloadable titles to full-length games, it has also been rumored that Nintendo is increasing the maximum storage space for eShop titles from 16MB to 512MB—a rather welcomed move which could revive interest in the admittedly stagnant eShop.

So what do you think? Will developers take advantage of the rumored 2nd CPU? And will this increase in eShop storage space be utilized? Or will these new features be ignored like many of the 3DS’s other innovations?
 

By Chad Hayen on 11 November 2011"

 

If texture resolution, is in fact, a fixed hardware fuction then there is no way for use to tell just how high textures can scale on the 3DS. If the above rumor is true, then some of that 32MB of RAM should be free for use to developers. There is no way for use to tell either way, but regardless of that, I don't see why the 3DS can't produce on par and above what is seen on the Wii.

And yes, shadows are amazing in SH:SM. But again, I'm not seeing the lighting changes seen in RE:R when you enter two different rooms. There are more lighting sources in RE:R than what I seen in SH:SM.



I don't know why people tell me to get a life. I'm a gamer, I have lots of lives!

Play4Fun on 12 March 2012
Sal.Paradise said:
Play4Fun said:
Sal.Paradise said:
Navane said:
Play4Fun said:
It has better shaders and more RAM, so it can do better looking games than Wii can.


There you go. This the answer to the entire thread.

The 3DS may not have as much processing power (though I don't know if that's true), but what Play4Fun just said is exactly right.

Oh man, so I guess if I buy some $400 pc and just buy 16GB RAM for it I'll be good to go?

Because that kind of RAM is totally the same thing.

And yet my analogy that a machine's most powerful component does not determine the power of the machine still stands. 


Your analogy was a fail. Accept that.