In a new Iwata Asks interview with members of the Wii U’s hardware development team, Nintendo revealed what goes on beneath the shell of their latest system.
This is the multi chip module, which is where the multi-core CPU and GPU are built into a single component.
Combining the CPU and GPU chips onto a single module decreases the latency between the two, increasing speed, and allowing for a smaller casing for the console.
The Wii U’s fan is slightly larger than the Wii’s, the revolutions were increased, though careful consideration was taken to ensure the noise was kept at an acceptable level.
The Wii U generates three times more heat than the Wii, so a sophisticated air flow set up was required to keep the system cool.
Take a look at that fugly transparent Wii U. Nintendo said that the reason the red sync button was now located more prominently was because users of the original Wii had trouble knowing how to sync their Wii remotes.
Whereas the original Wii front flap opened outwards, the Wii U’s slides down and back into the console.
You can check out the full Iwata Asks feature here: http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/console/0/0
