Nintendo Wii U

For repair and support for the GamePad portion of the Wii U, consult the GamePad device page.

To diagnose problems your Wii U might be having, check out the Wii U troubleshooting page.

The Wii U is a Nintendo video game console released on November 18, 2012 in North America as a successor to the Nintendo Wii. Users access the console's functions with both a television display and the gamepad controller, which features buttons and a touchscreen. On top of the gameplay and game mechanic differences from the Wii, it also has a refined CPU and GPU to allow more storage and better graphics. Just like its predecessor, the Wii U also has online play, internet access, entertainment services like Netflix and Hulu, and has the capability to use Wii controllers and run Wii games.

The Wii U comes in two models: The Basic Wii U model (white), and the Deluxe Wii U model (black). The basic model includes a console, Wii U GamePad controller, AC adapters for the console and controller, an HDMI cable, and 8GB of internal storage. The deluxe model comes with all that and also includes a console stand, a GamePad stand and charging station, a copy of the Nintendo Land game, and 32GB internal flash storage.

The Wii U console is only a few centimeters larger than the Wii but has a GamePad as its primary controller. The Wii U has an HDMI output unlike the Wii and does not have inputs for the old GameCube controllers.

The Wii U is black or white in color. The model number can be found on the bottom of the console:

• WUP-001(##) - Wii U (White, 8GB)
• WUP-101(##) - Wii U (Black, 32GB)

The bracketed numbers refer to the region it was released:
(01) - Japan
(02) - North America
(03) - Europe
(04) - Australia

The components of the Wii U are as follows:

• CPU: IBM power-based multi-core processor
• GPU: AMD Radeon based high definition GPU
• RAM: 2 GB
• Storage: Internal 8 GB (Basic in white) or 32 GB (Deluxe/Premium in black). Also has support for an SD memory card up to 32 GB, as well as a USB hard drive up to 2 TB.
• Video:
  • 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576i (PAL only), 480p, 480i, standard 4:3 and 16:9 anamorphic widescreen
  • "AV Multi Out" port supports composite video, S-Video (NTSC consoles only), RGB SCART (European consoles only), YP_BP_R component video, and D-Terminal
  • HDMI 1.4 supports stereoscopic 3D images
• Audio:
  • "AV Multi Out" port: RCA analog stereo
  • HDMI output: six-channel (5.1) linear PCM
• Ports and Peripherals:
  • SD memory card slot (supports SDHC cards)
  • USB 2.0 ports (two at front, two at rear of console)
  • Sensor Bar power port
  • "AV Multi Out" port
  • HDMI 1.4 out port

The components of the Wii U GamePad are as follows:

• 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis geomagnetic sensor
• Stereo speakers and microphone
• Volume control
• Front-facing camera
• IR sensor strip
• Infrared transceiver
• Headphone jack
• 6.2 inch 16:9 resistive touchscreen
• Stylus
• Two clickable analog sticks and one directional pad
• Select, Start, TV Control, Home, and Power buttons
• A/B/X/Y face buttons, L/R bumpers buttons, and Z_L/Z_R triggers buttons
• Rumble vibration
• Controller sync button
• NFC (Near Field Communication)
• Wireless communication with console via IEEE 802.11n
• Multi-purpose external extension connector
• Charging port

The Official Wii U Site

Wii U Wikipedia Page

Wii U Daily