What you should know:
The Wii U is available in two versions. The glossy white Basic set is a $299.99 (list) system that gives you everything you need to start playing the Wii U, but nothing else. It includes the game console with 8GB of memory, the Wii U gamepad, power cables for each, a sensor bar, and an HDMI cable. The glossy black Deluxe set ($349.99 list) throws in a handful of useful accessories and a pack-in game. It includes everything in the Basic set (with 32GB of memory instead of 8GB), plus a charging cradle and a stand for the gamepad, a stand for the console to let you set it up vertically like the current Wii system, and a copy of Nintendo Land.
While the Wii U looks as slender and compact as the original Wii, it's much heftier (but still more than a pound lighter than the recently slimmed-down Sony PlayStation 3). It weighs 3.4 pounds and measures 10.5 inches long while keeping a relatively slim 1.9-by-6.6-inch profile (HW). The front of the system houses a slot-loading optical drive, Power and Eject buttons, a syncing button for the game controller, and a plastic door that flips open to reveal an SD card slot and a USB port.
What it offers:
The Wii U, Nintendo's first step into high-definition gaming, is an ambitious console that's brimming with potential, even if some of the most interesting features aren't available at launch.
The advantage:
Ambitious design. Tons of potential. Solid gaming and media feature set.
The unfavorable:
TVii feature and support for multiple gamepads not implemented at launch. Wii U gamepad screen is resistive and resolution is low. Short gamepad battery life. Software transfer process is unnecessarily convoluted.
The price:
$299.99
Source
The Wii U is available in two versions. The glossy white Basic set is a $299.99 (list) system that gives you everything you need to start playing the Wii U, but nothing else. It includes the game console with 8GB of memory, the Wii U gamepad, power cables for each, a sensor bar, and an HDMI cable. The glossy black Deluxe set ($349.99 list) throws in a handful of useful accessories and a pack-in game. It includes everything in the Basic set (with 32GB of memory instead of 8GB), plus a charging cradle and a stand for the gamepad, a stand for the console to let you set it up vertically like the current Wii system, and a copy of Nintendo Land.
While the Wii U looks as slender and compact as the original Wii, it's much heftier (but still more than a pound lighter than the recently slimmed-down Sony PlayStation 3). It weighs 3.4 pounds and measures 10.5 inches long while keeping a relatively slim 1.9-by-6.6-inch profile (HW). The front of the system houses a slot-loading optical drive, Power and Eject buttons, a syncing button for the game controller, and a plastic door that flips open to reveal an SD card slot and a USB port.
On a single charge, the gamepad lasted between 3 to 5 hours.
The gamepad will communicate with the Wii U at distances up to 30 feet. However, walls, corners, and physial obstructions can interfere with the wireless signal, which is based on a proprietary system Nintendo created to minimize latency.
What it offers:
The Wii U, Nintendo's first step into high-definition gaming, is an ambitious console that's brimming with potential, even if some of the most interesting features aren't available at launch.
The advantage:
Ambitious design. Tons of potential. Solid gaming and media feature set.
The unfavorable:
TVii feature and support for multiple gamepads not implemented at launch. Wii U gamepad screen is resistive and resolution is low. Short gamepad battery life. Software transfer process is unnecessarily convoluted.
The price:
$299.99
Source
