For real fun would be to have the explanation be how the heck those specs are supposed to make a sufficiently large difference it would drive someone to go out and buy a new console.  Heck, if it only means 1080p over 720p over the less expensive WiiU, I have to wonder what the point is.

I've never said I have any info, I just said you are not a reliable source of anything due to your track record of getting owned.

Ah, see, this is the sort of thing I'm willing to trust. PS3's architecture is well-known, and likely to have been well-tested and confirmed. Since it's not easy to find this sort of information on the net through a google search, I went with the number I could find, even though it seemed a bit high. I only have a problem with your Wii U claims because you're making absolute statements based on speculation, rather than solid facts.

And it seems reasonable to me - the PS3 would have a very slightly more powerful GPU than 360, but held back by lack of eDRAM. The Wii U GPU is running somewhere in the vicinity of 2x the speed of the PS3 GPU, and has eDRAM to help it. Then, the PS4 will come in somewhere around 3-4.5x the power of the Wii U in terms of GPU (but possibly still lacking in terms of eDRAM), with a comparable CPU, with the next Xbox being somewhere between the two (2-3x the power of the Wii U), assuming that the leaks are accurate.

This basically sets it up much like the 6th generation in terms of power, with the Wii U playing the role of the PS2, the next Xbox playing the role of the Gamecube, and the PS4 playing the role of the original Xbox.

For the sake of the comparison itself, here's the numbers for that generation, based on what I can find (if there's an error, I'm sure someone will spot it):

Gamecube - 1.6 GFLOPS CPU, 9.4 GFLOPS GPU
Xbox - ~3 GFLOPS CPU, ~18.6 GFLOPS GPU
PS2 -  6.2 GFLOPS CPU, GPU isn't really a GPU

My understanding is that the PS2, because of how it was made, had to use the CPU to do a lot of the sorts of calculations now done on a GPU, and its graphics chip was mostly just a display system (that is, it tooks the results of the calculations done on the CPU, and drew the resulting shapes into the screen buffer). If I'm in error, let me know.

Anyway, the net seems to be fairly solid about these numbers, on the whole. And if we treat CPU and GPU together (since it's hard to do anything else in this case), the Gamecube comes out about 2x the power of the PS2, and the Xbox around 3.5x the power of the PS2. Pretty much exactly where the three systems are according to the leaks and our Wii U approximations, if combining CPU and GPU.

So I will go with the biggest possible difference 5x (it is better to wait for the worst and be surprised than beign optimistic and be dissapointed). Will this detter the 3rd party developers from porting? If they choose to go 1080p and 60fps, can they go 720p and 30fps with the Wii U? Or do you think the developers will continue to use 720p and improve the models, textures, and all other things instead?

I find it better to expect the best and be disappointed than to be pessimistic and right.

I would have to disagree. Even Developers themselves are saying that the next gen specs are a bit disappointing. Normally I am totally for having a new generation a soon as possible, but this generation i kinda wanted to wait. With every new generation in consoles, new possibilities are opened up for devlopers. Next gen games often provide experiences not possible on the previous platfroms. Bioshock is a great example of a game that could not have been any good during the ps2 generation.  However, the current generation has reached a level that can be adquate for most games graphically. Other than looking prettier, a console that is 6x more powerful will not really change the game much. And even graphically, its not gonna be a leap that is a noticeable as previous generations.

Thanks for the most reasonable statement on the thread.. I was lost between so GFLOPS wars here... ^^ and You are rigth... thumbs up for You!

Orbis is made out of the Future. These specs are wrong. My PS4 will be a flying car.

and That guys is the way a Vita Culter think! ALL HAIL OUR GODDES KAT!.. Come to our sides guys! We have Cookies!