Reviews of the WiiU abound from every major game-reviewer out there, and they are based on the subjective feelings of each reviewer. For a bit of black and white, here’s a breakdown of the hardware inside the Wii U and the Wii U controller.

Please note: I didn’t personally take it apart, as much as I’d have liked to. (Big Daddy Phil wouldn’t let me anyway.) I’m simply compiling all the research I’ve done over the weekend, chewing it up, and regurgitating it for your second-hand digesting pleasure.

Wii U

The whole thing is powered by an IBM 45nm multi-core CPU and an AMD Radeon GPU with eDRAM cache. It’s the same amount of memory on a Nexus 10 or New iPad, but both those devices have higher res than the Wii U so hopefully that will make for higher speeds. Both CPU and GPU run on the same multi-chip module, supposedly giving the WiiU better speed and making it more energy efficient.

Standby consumes .22 watts and running a game consumes .33 watts. Components of the device are manufactured by tons of 3rd parties, Panasonic for HDMI controller, Samsung for NAND flash, and Micron for RAM.

You can get an 8GB version or a 32GB version, both flash memory, and while external storage can be connected, you can’t run games from external storage, so keep that in mind. Ports on this baby are as follows: SD card slot, 4 USB 2.0s, HDMI, AV Multi Out, and a Sensor Bar connector. There is a larger/heavier than usual optical drive that accounts for ⅓ of the overall weight of the console, weighing in around 3.3lbs.

The optical drive is much like a Blue-ray, allowing 25GB of memory per disc, but it will not play Blue-rays. Overall the footprint of the console is smaller than its competitors, but it should be given the extra 6 years to figure it out!

Gamepad

The Gamepad itself is a pretty cool standalone device almost like a small tablet, with a 6.2” 854×480 158 PPI resistive touchscreen, microphone, stereo speakers, front-facing camera, NFC and bluetooth, IR sensor, rumble, and a motion sensor. It’s got a fixed 3.7 V, 1500 mAh battery which will last about 3.5 hours (sad tuba), although there’s room in the Gamepad for an upgraded pack. Overheating shouldn’t be an issue here, because there is ample space within the unit for all the parts then some.

The Gamepad is made mostly of plastic parts, so it only weighs about 1.1lbs (lighter than an iPad) and is fairly drop-proof. There’s a stylus as well that can be used to draw on the Gamepad screen, but it doesn’t have any extra functions that your finger wouldn’t be able to do.

For those that want a more classical feel, the Wii U Pro controller is also available. It’s sold separately for around $50 and takes away the touchscreen to look and feel kind of like an Xbox controller.

Bad News?

Well, of course, the supply shortages, which is why I’m writing this blog and not playing with the Wii U right now, and that there is a large firmware update required as soon as you turn it on (like 1 hour plus). If you turn off your Wii U during this update, you could brick your device, so don’t let your dog or idiot friend or anyone else NEAR the device or power cable during this update.

Well, that’s the dilly-yo on the innards of the Wii U. I personally wish that the specs were better, given the technological advances made in the last 6 years, but that’s the tech-nerd in me talking.

If the game play is 6 years cooler, that’s all that matters. I’m doubtful. I feel like it’s a good competitor with what is out there already, but as soon as the next gen Xbox and Playstation launch, I have a feeling the Wii U will be left behind, at least spec-wise.