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Nintendo Wii Console Specifications

Previously known as the Revolution, the Wii is the successor to the Nintendo GameCube. It's not a successor to its handheld DS Lite console. Unique selling points include:

  • a wireless controller, the Wii Remote, a handheld pointing device that can detect motion and rotation through infrared communication with a 'Sensor bar' unit placed in front of the TV display. Data comms with the Wii are also wireless, through Bluetooth
  • an always-on Internet client, WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet
  • a 'Nunchuk' add-on controller to the Wii Remote, which also contains motion detection technology
  • accepts both 12cm and 8cm (GameCube) discs, in addition to extra ports for GameCube controllers and memory cartridges
  • up to 4 Wii Remotes can be wirelessly connected at once
  • an SD card slot

Notable omissions include:

  • No DVD playback facility (initially)

Dimensions are 44 by 157 by 215 mm, not including the bundled vertical stand. The Wii is based on a PowerPC chip running at 730MHz, and has a total of 91MB of RAM (including graphics memory). It has built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.

DS compatibility?

The Wii was originally supposed to be connectable to the DS and DS Lite through Wi-Fi, to allow the use of the DS as an extra Wii controller, but the software side of this functionality isn't in place yet.