Depends on cost. I suspect the CPU will be better than the Xenon and support asyncronous processing, but less raw power than the PS3. So in the end it will be a superior overall chip. Keep in mind that the Xenon based a rework on Cell which is major rework IBM other chip designs. So the Cell and Xenon will have already managed to break the tech costs so that Nintendo can come in and grab the cheap versions. Nintendo will likely use stripped ATI chip again(like the GC/Wii) that will have excellent through put but have tons of it's advanced features removed :( so we will still have to see the TEV in use.

The TEV while awesome is capability is the single reason why Nintendo games look crappy. Many developers just don't use it. The TEV has the ability to give special attention to each texture for each object super attention that can makes games look fantastic. But it's more complicated to use than OpenGL(Sony graphical base) or Direct X(MS). Which is capable, but in different areas. but those system get used. If Nintendo would just swallow there pride and use OpenGL Shader they would have a lot less bitching from developers.

The only way this would happen is if they dont launch it till 2012 or 2013. if they were to launch it this year or next year then its not going to happen for one reason. Nintendo doesnt sell their consoles at a loss!

The NES released for $200 in the 80s. Which is worth a bit more now.

A $200 system in the 80s was state of the art, a $200 system now is "budget". The Wii would have been $200 most likely if Wii Sports didn't come with it so I don't consider Wii breaking the trend. Nintendo can't keep their console price at $200 in the future due to inflation, a $300 price tag allows them to pack more into the box and make it more appealing, plus it will eventually reach the $200 point in 2-3 years (depending on success). The amount of people who bought 360s and PS3s at $400+ shows that even a price that high isn't too much (though $600 was). Ps2 sold incredibly well at $300, people are willing to pay $300 and by the time the next system releases, the recession will probably heading out the door and people will have morem oney to throw around.

Nintendo will price the system that they feel the market will be comfortable with, and they will design their system specifications around that prie point, I think $300 is the perfect price for next generation.

If the wii did support hd graphics the ps3 would die in japan lol

Tech from the past doesn't count, since ALL tech prices go down. It's about the specs for that cost at the moment, not the 80s.

And you can't use the HD consoles for this, when Nintendo was about NOT copying those models.

It's not about what you think is perfect. It's about what's reasonable for them. And one thing you aren't taking into account is the recession, which might end soon, but isn't likely to turn into a boom after that.

Inflation. Assuming it releases exactly 5 years after the Wii does, and say 5% inflation a year, $299 would actually be cheaper than the Wii's launch price. Though the Wii had a game I spose.

My prediction, it will launch in Nov 2011 (or later if Sony/MS haven't brought a new console out by then, but I suspect MS will have). It will be capable of running a game that has lots of effects in 1080p at a solid framerate (hopefully at least 40 fps, anything less looks ugly), provided the developers are moderately good. I don't know if that makes it more powerful than Directx11 level gaming or not. I predict either $299 with a game or $250 without

"Inflation. Assuming it releases exactly 5 years after the Wii does, and say 5% inflation a year, $299 would actually be cheaper than the Wii's launch price. Though the Wii had a game I spose."

Except that didn't apply for EVERY OTHER Nintendo home console. So it wouldn't suddenly apply now.

It has to apply at some point, surely.

Of course, but not the gradual inflation that's been causing tech prices to drop all around.

A more likely cause for the next N home console to cost that much would be a horrible dollar to yen ratio (but I don't know which is which since I'm not an economics student, so someone would have to answere which one).

Do you mean to say that tech prices are dropping faster than inflation is rising?