Rumor: Nintendo 3DS is More Powerful Than the Wii

[John Funk]

Rumor: Nintendo 3DS is More Powerful Than the Wii

According to some developer buzz, the 3DS could be Nintendo's most powerful system to date.

Since the launch of the original Game Boy in 1989, there's been a fairly simple rule of thumb for the power of Nintendo's handhelds: They're almost always as beefy under the hood as the last generation of hardware.

Makes sense, right? As tech advances, similar power can fit into a smaller space - so the Game Boy and its Color variant were the equivalent of the NES, the GBA was a portable SNES, and the DS is essentially on the level of the Nintendo 64. With that metric in mind, we could probably guesstimate that the Big N's upcoming 3DS would be equal to the last-generation GameCube, right?

Maybe not. According to IGN [http://uk.ds.ign.com/articles/109/1094930p1.html], several unnamed developers have reported that from what they've seen of the 3DS, its processing power "far exceeds" the Wii. In fact, the sources report that the handheld's capabilities are close to that of the HD-capable PS3 and Xbox 360.

This is an unconfirmed rumor, so standard grain-of-salt protocols should be in effect. It does seem a bit hard to believe, though: Can you really fit something as powerful as the Xbox 360 or PS3 into a handheld format? It has been half a decade since we started seeing the current generation hardware, so perhaps it isn't impossible to imagine that it's been successfully miniaturized by this point.

We'll find out if the claims regarding the 3DS' power are genuine when the device gets a full reveal at E3 next week.

(Via Videogamer [http://www.videogamer.com/news/3ds_is_more_powerful_than_wii.html])

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[TheGhostOfSin]

My shoes are more powerful than the Wii, it isn't all that impressive.

 

[Gabanuka]

Its not a really big thing to brag about, I have a fish more powerful then the wii.

 

[SirDerick]

the sources report that the handheld's capabilities are close to that of the HD-capable PS3 and Xbox 360.

That is when, for me, they have lost all credibility.

 

[Random Argument Man]

This is certainly interesting. Is Nintendo making its move to conquer the handeld market?

Although, if they do have similar capabilities to a 360 and PS3, would it crash like the two consoles? I wonder...


IMPORTANT EDIT: Alright Alright, I'm tired of the "LOL are you sarcastic or dumn OHIHOHIHOIHOH"

So there!

What's the point? It's not like the screen's big enough to display that power...

This is certainly interesting. Is Nintendo making its move to conquer the handeld market?

That would be the handheld market which has been in their possession for about 15 years?

As I've said before, Apple is knocking on handheld's door. Making this move would dominate the market before Apple can put their hands in the money pot.

 

[Jared]

It's a bit hard to swallow. But still intrested to see how this will develop...if it does become true makes me wonder what the going price will be

 

[masher]

-Now- their handheld's gonna be... oh wait a minute. Their handheld already -IS- more popular than their system. XP

 

[Abedeus]

My hair is more powerful than the Wii. I think Playstation 2 is more powerful than Wii... Hell, my cellphone! Okay, bad example, but close.

 

[LeonLethality]

No doubt it will be more powerful than their DS but I doubt it can be on par with the PS3 or 360. I don't think something that powerful can be handheld or have a long battery life at the moment. I think something as strong as a PS3 or 360 would have to be laptop sized at least. But it would be cool to be proven wrong. I'll sit here as a skeptic until E3

 

[feather240]

Its not a really big thing to brag about, I have a fish more powerful then the wii.

My shoes are more powerful than the Wii, it isn't all that impressive.

Did you guys even read the whole thing?

 

[Delusibeta]

Assuming this is true (and that's a big assumption, I personally can't see it being any more powerful than the GameCube. Which would mean it would be on a par with the Wii), it means that the PC fanboys bemoaning the 360 and PS3 holding back graphics may have a point.

PS The PlayStation 2 was by far the weakest of the last generation in terms of power.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

IF this is true, then this is going to cost approximately the same as a PS3 now.

Calumon: So they can make a handheld that's super powerful, has two screens and touch screen and probably Wifi. But when you get a little thin, One screen, touch screen device with wifi, we have to pay £400 for it on launch?

 

[Ralphfromdk]

on par with the Wii... well that seems do-able...

but a match for the 360 and PS3..? a smell bullcr*p...

 

[Delusibeta]

Calumon: So they can make a handheld that's super powerful, has two screens and touch screen and probably Wifi. But when you get a little thin, One screen, touch screen device with wifi, we have to pay £400 for it on launch?

Point. Since the iPad has been really quite popular, there's a possibility that the "glass ceiling" on handheld prices have been removed. Although this is Nintendo we're talking about. This is the company that launched the GameCube for £130. I doubt the 3DS will be above £200, probably less than £150.

 

[Warrior Irme]

I think that it is definitely plausible that the 3DS could be as powerful as a Wii since the wii is running basically the same hardware as the Gamecube with minor upgrades. Certainly following the trend I could see a handheld version of the GC/Wii in terms of graphical capabilities. I doubt we will see anything that would be HD other than in name. Some "HD" versions of old movies are the same movie with very little visual difference. I will assume that games will be labeled the same way with some "HD" games looking very much not HD.

 

[JeanLuc761]

Jeez, a lot of Wii bashing in here. I guess people forget that Nintendo IS capable of a powerhouse system (the Gamecube was stronger than the PS2 and equivalent to the Xbox, remember). That said, the idea that a handheld is equivalent to a 360 or PS3 sounds ludicrous at best, but Nintendo is capable of fitting some impressive hardware in a very small space.

We shall see how this pans out.

 

[Psychemaster]

Its not a really big thing to brag about, I have a fish more powerful then the wii.

This man speaks the truth.

 

[QuadrAlien]

I'm trying to imagine how long the battery life of any handheld that powerful would be, to be honest.