E3 2011: Wii U hardware details

With Nintendo's announcement of it's new console and trying to wrap your head around it, some details of the Wii U's hardware capabilities have been released. Nintendo has finall gone HD.

The console'sAV Multi-Out can output 480i, 480p. 720o, 1080i, or 1080p via composite video, S-video, component video, or HDMI. For audio we have six-channel linear PCM audio over HDMI.

The optical drive slot will play Wii U games that will be on "12cm proprietary high-density optical discs". From what I can tell it's not Blu-ray and it's not DVD. Maybe something inbetween? These discs can hold up to 25GB of data, the same as a single-layer Blu-ray disc. The Wii U will also be able to play Wii games. As for Gamecube support, Nintendo came out with a "no". We can most likely expect an annoucement of GameCube virtual console releases soon. Or perhaps a series of HD Collections.

The controller will have an AC adapter port so that means a rechargable batter and a "sensor strip". Same IR technology as the Wii perhaps? It's probably that dark strip by the camera on the controller.

The Wii U will contain an internal flash memory, no info yet on the size. Storage will be expandable with an SD card or an external hard drive as the console features 4 USB 2.0 ports.

Its CPU is an IBM Power-based multi-core processor as well as a "custom AMD Radeon HD GPU" graphics chip with a "modenr and rich graphics processing core" that will deliver "high-definition graphics support, rich multimedia acceleration and playbackl and multiple display support," that's all the info Nintendo let out for now.

The Wii U might not support the GameCube but it will support all Wii games and accessories, including the Wiimote and Classic Controller.