Eurogamer says WiiU has a single Gigabyte of RAM.

[Fishyash]

I'm a bit of a layman when it comes to computers, but I thought consoles had a different kind of RAM compared to your average PC. One more suitable for playing video games. For example, the Xbox 360 and PS3 both use GDDR3 ram, which is designed to run with graphics cards (read: playing video games). What else do they need RAM for? You don't even run most of the PC applications on a console.

Although, if someone who knows more can correct, expand or clarify what I'm talking about, please do.

 

[Dendio]

The Xbox 360 only has 512mb of RAM. Just putting stuff into perspective. And really, who cares if the Wii U won't be able to run the most demanding games on ultra settings, it's trying something different and it's actually doing more than just a simple tech upgrade like the Nextbox and the PS4 will most likely do.

I hear xbox 512 of ram has held back developers for along time now.

 

[sethisjimmy]

Couple things here. I see a lot of people hastily defending Nintendo and the Wii by saying nintendo doesn't focus on graphics or specs. Let's not forget that Nintendo is promising 1080p graphics this time around. Nintendo decided not to go with graphics last time, but this time around, they look to be trying to aim higher in terms of graphical standards.
Another thing is, that only a part of RAM has to do with graphics. It also has to do with all system functions, including running the game, the gameplay itself, the OS, those types of things. Don't try to play more RAM off as a bad thing. RAM is fairly cheap, and lets you do a lot more with a system.
That being said, as others have mentioned, consoles use barely any ram, and while 1 gig seems like a tiny amount compared to your average PC, we've all got to remember that a PC uses much more ram supporting its OS and a multitude of background and foreground programs, whereas a console simply supports the OS and game you're playing at one time.

 

[Soxafloppin]

The rest will be DLC...jokes.

Meh, as long as theres good games for it I couldn't give a fuck about figures.

 

[SirPigglesworth]

Well as long as it isn't in the Wii's situation then I think it will be fine Nintendo is a big billion dollar company they must have realised that the Wii is in a bad position and they probably won't let that happen with the Wii U as long as it has power to have the AAA games of next gen until the end of the next gen they will be fine.

 

[madster11]

The Xbox 360 only has 512mb of RAM.

The Xbox 360 was also made in the year 2005 and i'm not sure if you remember the original dashboard like i do, but it was much smoother and less flashy back then, so the 512mb of RAM worked.

Then Microsoft, being cunts, have changed the entire xbox operating system and including animated ads and everything to the OS, now making the operating system lag because it's trying not to use all the memory for the games.

The next generation will only make things worse - expect the difference in terms of hardware usage to be like that of Windows XP and Windows 7. They're both theoretically the same thing and both will play exactly the same games, but try to game on Windows 7 with 1gb of RAM and you will fail horribly while XP will work fine.

Nintendo not having at least 2gb of ram these days (which, i should point out, goes for $10usd or less in DDR3 form) is a damn joke. For a console to not look like ass in 2 years, it's going to need 4gb of ram or more unless the operating system is insanely efficient and the blu-ray somehow magically becomes 16x.

Considering current blu-ray tech points to 6x and 1gb of ram, expect texture pop-ins up the ass and loading times long enough to make a coffee break between levels actually viable.
But that's ok, because that loading time will be taken up by pop-up flash ads telling you how your game is proudly sponsored by pepsi and how people who don't wear nikes are pussies.

 

[ohnoitsabear]

The Xbox 360 only has 512mb of RAM. Just putting stuff into perspective. And really, who cares if the Wii U won't be able to run the most demanding games on ultra settings, it's trying something different and it's actually doing more than just a simple tech upgrade like the Nextbox and the PS4 will most likely do.

The problem that Nintendo would run into if they don't make hardware a huge priority would be the same one they ran into with the Wii: Multiplatform titles being vastly inferior on the WiiU, meaning most people won't buy them and developers won't bother making them. Not an issue if all you care about are exclusives, but if Nintendo wants people to use it as their primary gaming platform, there needs to not be a huge difference (or if there is, have it be in the WiiU's favor) in regards to multiplatform titles.

Plus, having beefy hardware means Nintendo doesn't have to rely on their gimmick to get people to play on the WiiU. If people get tired of it, or if it ends up not being as successful as Nintendo hopes, then they can still have solid games not based around the WiiU's gimmick that aren't dramatically inferior to the competition.

Finally, we're talking about RAM here, aka the piece of hardware that has far more effect on gameplay than graphics, and the piece of hardware that's been holding the current consoles back the most. More RAM allows you to have bigger levels with less loading screens, more objects onscreen at once, better AI, and many other things that undeniably affect gameplay.

Personally, I think the bare minimum amount of RAM the WiiU should have should be 2GB. Also, I highly doubt the validity of this rumor, but that is partially wishful thinking.

EDIT:

But that's ok, because that loading time will be taken up by pop-up flash ads telling you how your game is proudly sponsored by pepsi and how people who don't wear nikes are pussies.

I think you're confusing Nintendo with Microsoft.

 

[him over there]

That fact that Consoles are extremely efficient and Nintendo has often had quite frankly minimalistic OSs makes me think this is almost overkill. I just want to know how it will all work factoring in the tablet controller.

 

[lacktheknack]

Cry some more. Nintendo have already shown with the Wii that they don't care about pixel-shaders, normal-mapping, mega-textures and terabytes of RAM. They just want the console to be affordable and popular.

...And for literally $20 more, they could have drastically improved its framerate and load times. That's what experts in the field call "totally worth it".

I'm taking this with a big grain of salt.

Also, you have a terabyte of RAM? Holy balls, give me some! I'm stuck with 6 GB!

 

[lacktheknack]

So Just Download Some More RAM

Is this a reference to something? Please tell me this is a reference to something.

EDIT: Defineitely a reference to something.

 

[Brendan Stepladder]

Nintendo is mainly concerned with keeping production costs down, as they don't intend to sell Wii U's to hardcore gamers, ie: most, if not all, of this site. This is not a bad thing. Nintendo makes games for its own casual niche nowadays. It will be just like the Wii, not taken seriously by critics outside of a social experience for when you have family over, and you and your cousins are bored.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

So Just Download Some More RAM

Is this a reference to something? Please tell me this is a reference to something.

EDIT: Defineitely a reference to something.

*checks website*
I...wait, what?

Oh lord I don't even want to know.

 

[lacktheknack]

So Just Download Some More RAM

Is this a reference to something? Please tell me this is a reference to something.

EDIT: Defineitely a reference to something.

*checks website*
I...wait, what?

Oh lord I don't even want to know.

I'm assuming that it's there to troll the technologically inept... PLEASE be there to troll the technically inept...

 

[Bvenged]

I don't buy Nintendo products, but I can safely say that if they know what they're doing, 1GB is more than enough RAM to make good looking, high-content, fully functional HD games. If its processor is fast enough, it doesn't need a lot of RAM. RAM is just a place to hold the backlog of data before it goes through the CPU.

For example: The Xbox 360 has only 512MB of RAM, yet it still runs gorgeous games filled with content. Not top-spec any more, but certainly a shit-tonne better than most hand held gaming devices and the Wii.

 

[CAPTCHA]

So Just Download Some More RAM

Is this a reference to something? Please tell me this is a reference to something.

EDIT: Defineitely a reference to something.

lol. Those testimonials.

 

[DarthSka]

As long as it has fun games like their last console then I have no qualms with this.