It would have to work in a handheld. I mean it's easy to say "well they can get PS4 level performance in a console now" ... but, lol, I don't really see that taking Nintendo anywhere in and of itself. The handheld can't just be an after thought here, business wise it is actually the lead hardware variant if they do unify without a doubt. 

If they can use all HBM, great, but I don't think they can put that much HBM into a handheld. But I'm wondering if they could use a small pool of it integrated onto the GPU. By the way, the 3DS even uses embedded RAM, so Nintendo is obsessed with fast RAM caches. 

I think Mullins/Beema tech might be more likely the basis of Nintendo's processor tech than Carrizo if you have to account for the portable. It can't just be a thing of "lets just slap something together for the handheld and call it a day". 

Truth be told I don't think the NX console will do very well. The PS4 is going to dominate the general console market (as it exists now) likely well into 2019, and just making a system equal to or slightly better than the PS4 by fall 2016 isn't going to impress anyone but Nintendo fans. In other words, the handheld has to carry the mail here, that's why it's vital to the NX concept that it be at least decent hardware wise IMO. 

Tegra X1 is weak in the CPU department, ok, but is there a reason why AMD couldn't give them a portable GPU as powerful as that but with a better CPU? 

I just don't think you can have a console have PS4 quality graphics and then the portable is some thing that barely runs PS3/360 engines at 640x480, that's not really any different from where Nintendo is at today and would not help change their current business situation. 

I dont Nintendo see doing something 2x-3x better than Vita because there is no need for such a greater power for handheld. Like I said, even just Vita specs would be biggest jump till now from previous to new handheld for Nintendo handheld, so I cant see them doing somethig much stronger than Vita.

Actualy we already have one intesting example, Monster Hunter Ultimate 4 that works on New 3DS but also on 3DS too, difference are better textures (and probably better FPS) on New 3DS.

We already have games that are developed for 5 different platforms, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One and PC, and we have some games that are developed for 8 totally different platforms (like Lego Jurassic World), all above mentioned plus Wii U, 3DS and Vita.

Very important thing about NX (and probably all future Nintendo hardware) is that it will have same architecture, so that means same development kits, same assets, same way of developing and programing, litarly devolpers will devolp in same time game for NX handheld and home console very easy and fast, incomparably easier than when they devolped games for PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One and PC.

You want a reason? Here's a reason ... lets forget the PS/XBox crowd even that Nintendo cannot crack right now. Even within Nintendo's own user base, 80% of them will never play Super Mario 3D World this gen. Or Splatoon. Or Legend of Zelda U. Or Mario Kart 8. That's what happens when 53 million of your users are on the 3DS, and only 10 million are on the Wii U. 

If that doesn't strike you as a huge problem, especially when these HD games are likely the most expensive games in their respective franchises to develop ... well maybe that needs to be focused on moreso. Even a many Nintendo fans don't want or need a Nintendo console. That's the cold, bitter truth of it. 

The handheld cannot just be the  after thought or the little brother of the hardware line anymore. The handhelds are where 80% of Nintendo's software buying base is at, and unless Nintendo pulls a casual miracle to bring back Wii owners, that likely is not changing any time in the future. I know the attitude here is bascailly like "well Nintendo can just fart out any handheld, but lets focus on the console with awesome graphics!", but that's a really short sighted view of where Nintendo is actually at in the marketplace. 

That's why I believe Nintendo is moving towards unification and more specifically that means that Nintendo portable going forward is going to need to be able to play the MAIN Nintendo franchises, not just little hand-me-down spin-offs, but the main ones. 

 Beyond that I don't think they can support a PS4 level console and even a Vita level handheld at the same time without massive droughts. Even Sony this is like the third straight holiday season where they themselves don't even have a big title, lol, Nintendo can't get away with that. They are barely managing as is with the Wii U/3DS (and by barely, I really mean "not really"). You're just going to have unhappy customers for both devices if they don't unify in a real meaningful way because the software support is going to be frustratingly slow when you ask Nintendo's designers to have to take another generation step up in both console and handheld development. 

I totally agree and thats what exactly Nintendo is planning to do, I just dont think they need 2x-3x stronger hardwer than Vita for their next handhed in order to play main Nintendo franchaise.

Even 3DS is so much weak plays some of Nintendo main franchises, Mario Kart 7, Mario 3D Land and best example is Smash Bros, so I think similar Vita power would be enough for main Nintendo franchises that are scalable for handheld.

It needs to be able to run this level of graphics IMO at minimum:

Now yes, maybe they can cheat a bit by doing things like lowering the resolution to 960x540, but I don't think Nintendo is going to accept even compromises on things like making a 60 fps game 30 fps on the handheld because that alters the game play of the title, and that's a no-no in Nintendo's book. 

So they're going to need some serious grunt under the hood to get to the above. If they can, then yes, they will be able to supply their audience base with the *main* versions of their key IP and that I think is vitally important to Nintendo's business interests. 

You can't make the most expensive Zelda game (which the above almost certainly is) and then sell it to your smallest console base period. 

The fact is the majority of Nintendo fans don't even want a Nintendo console right now. Maybe by miracle that can change, but Nintendo can't count on that, they need to start getting pretty much all their games to the handheld audience. The console is holding back the sales of these types of games big time. DKC: Tropical Freeze easily for example I think would've sold double or even triple the amount had it been on the 3DS. 

Vita is a weak chip, Nintendo can do much better than that for fall 2016. In general I think we need to lose this mentality that the handheld is just something Nintendo can kinda throw together at the last minute and it's some subservant to the home console. The reality is looking at Nintendo's actual hardware base, it needs to the other way around (handheld needs to have the most thought put into it and be the lead platform). 

The 3DS right now is the only thing preventing Nintendo from being forced into third-party-dom.

Point is that you dont need exactly same graphic on home console on big screen, and on handheld on 5" screen, it would be basically overkill for handheld.

We already assuming that handheld logicaly will have lower resolution than home console, but it not just about lower resolution, Nintendo will probably scale games for handheld in some other ways because you don't need on 5" screen same textures like you need on TV, or some other assets, effects and details. Those game want be look bad comparison with home console versions of games, but because there are on 5" you probably want see difference. Agree about same FPS, Nintendo will keep same FPS for both devices, Smash Bros. for instance is 60 FPS on 3DS and Wii U.

Resident Evil Revelation for 3DS and Wii U is very good example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4BXd-v095Y

That's why I saying that around Vita power would be enough, and we already know that Nintendo will aim for affordable price.

This all assuming that NX is home and handheld consoles, but if its some kind of hybrid of one device, they will need to go for much stronger hardware and form factor will be very different than usual handheld and maybe we will have samo dock or addon.

Even if 3DS is doing bad like Wii U their will not be forced to go third-party because they have billions in their war chests, they would simply just try with new generation, same like they doing now.

Nintendo can get much better than the Vita chip even for cheap by fall 2016. 

I don't know why some Nintendo fans have this idea that the Vita chip is something special, lol, I saw an Acer tablet last week that has the same GPU as the Vita, more RAM, a bigger battery, and bigger/higher resolution display for $109 retail. Mobile tech is improving massively these days. 

The portable NX should be able to run pretty much ALL the major games and certainly all/most of Nintendo's games I would think. That's where most likey 80% of the NX audience is going to be. So it has to be designed to have enough horsepower to be able to run the "big boy" games, the real Zelda, not just a watered down side story. That type of thing. 

Like I said, Nintendo will aim affordable and yet functional devices.

I don't think Vita is something special toady, but Vita have incomparably better graphics than 3DS and I think there is no really need for better graphics than those on Vita.

Even Vita hardware NX portable will able to run almost evry Nintendo game, but you cant expect that Nintendo will make handheld version of game that will have exatly same graphics like home console version, and its not thing just about resolution.

Like I wrote, great example of what Nintendo will probably do is Resident Evil Revelation for 3DS and WiiU   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4BXd-v095Y

They need to put more effort/thought into the handheld than that. It's time to really start looking at the portable as the MAIN part of the NX equation, not some little add-on accessorie that can get by with 5 year old technology in today's market. 

Even kids are not falling for that anymore as evident by Nintendo hardware sales reaching new lows in both of the last two years. 

Yes I agree with the scalable tech part of the equation, but not with the Vita tech part of it. That thing will be badly outdated by launch day and by year 2/3 will be laughably far behind even $99 tablets in technology of 2017/18. 

At minimum they should be using a chip comparable to the Apple A8X (preferably at 14nm), which will be two years old by fall 2016.