Wii Size and controllers (Split from Call of Duty 3)

[Mr. Analog]

This thread is all about the Wii form factor, how it's tiny, where the ports are, and ostensibly, the best way to park it out of the way in your entertainment room.

I can't think of any reason why a smaller form factor and better heat distribution wouldn't be better choices for a game console.

[Shayne]

I'm not convinced that a vertical position provides a better heat dissipation as the surface area and volume at which heats needs to travel are the same.

As for it being small, heck ya thats a good thing, I waited to get the DS Lite more so on the size then any of the other features.  Do I wish my 360 was as small?  Heck ya again.  Am I willing to sacrifice what my 360 has for horsepower to get down to that size?  Not a chance in hell.

[Tom]

I'm not convinced it NEEDS better heat dispation. Course I've never even seen one irl, so take that with a grain of salt. Just don't place it on top of something as warm as the back of my 21" CRT monitor and you'll likely be fine

[Melbosa]

I can't think of any reason why a smaller form factor and better heat distribution wouldn't be better choices for a game console.

Good ideas for a console yes, but as long as the system works, doesn't break, and performs fine, I don't think small form factor and better heat distribution have any baring on what someone will purchase when it comes to consoles.  Sure they are a bonus, but if that is #1 on a person's consoles must have list, I think said people should give their head a shake.  If I was buying a console for my cousins, and I based the purchase on size because I know they have a small entertainment unit (or heat cause it is cramped one).... ouch look out, if it isn't the console they wanted because they want to play Final Fantasy games, or Halo/Gears of War.  And what could I possibly say to them, "Well you don't have the room or heat distribution for a PS3/XBox 360, so I got you a Wii".  RUN!!!

I think the size factor of a console should never be a high priority, but a nice bonus.  Its the content and features you should really look for.  Yeah I know there are examples to contradict this, but plan and simple:  If it doesn't entertain you first and be fun while doing it, what is the point on buying it?

[Lazybones]

I think the size factor of a console should never be a high priority, but a nice bonus.  Its the content and features you should really look for.  Yeah I know there are examples to contradict this, but plan and simple:  If it doesn't entertain you first and be fun while doing it, what is the point on buying it?

Exactly

[Darren Dirt]

Melbosa, do you really have such self-centered, ungrateful cousins?

[Shayne]

I have been the kid to get the "other console" not so fun

[Adams]

I am still the person to get the other console... or no console.

[Tom]

Heh. My siblings and I grew up with a Coleco (i think), a Atari 2600 (I think), an NES, SNES, Game Boy (Original, still have it \o/), n64, Tam has a GC, and We'll soon both have Wii's. Well, actually, I have one already, and tam has one by proxy *cough*

[TheDruid]

Hah! what a funny topic... guess I'll add my two cents

As stated in this post, the idea of deciding to purchase a console based on its size or shape is ridiculous. Of course it influences your placement or "Slickness" of your entertainment setup but hardly hinders their performance as a game console. If your rack is full, basically you will do some rearranging to make things fit, sometimes you'll have to make hard decisions, like retiring that old PS2 or XBOX to another room... or closet (backwards compatibility is accelerating these devices to the closet)

Wiring is important to me, I hate "rat?s nests" and everything has to reach. Which brings up another topic, with today?s wireless controllers, really you can place your console anywhere, and you don?t need line of sight, heck you don?t even need to be in the same room. I rarely swap discs out of my XBOX, it could sit under my couch for all I care as long as the wires reach the TV and heat is being managed (Stealth Install).

Stacking devices run into heat management problems, and most devices these days don?t have the same foot prints (wide but short DVD players, tall and bulky amps, miss shaped "gimmicky" consoles... er top loading turn tables? . Really, you have to almost have a space on a shelve for each device separately.

[Mr. Analog]

Hah! what a funny topic... guess I'll add my two cents

As stated in this post, the idea of deciding to purchase a console based on its size or shape is ridiculous. Of course it influences your placement or "Slickness" of your entertainment setup but hardly hinders their performance as a game console. If your rack is full, basically you will do some rearranging to make things fit, sometimes you'll have to make hard decisions, like retiring that old PS2 or XBOX to another room... or closet (backwards compatibility is accelerating these devices to the closet)

Wiring is important to me, I hate "rat?s nests" and everything has to reach. Which brings up another topic, with today?s wireless controllers, really you can place your console anywhere, and you don?t need line of sight, heck you don?t even need to be in the same room. I rarely swap discs out of my XBOX, it could sit under my couch for all I care as long as the wires reach the TV and heat is being managed (Stealth Install).

Stacking devices run into heat management problems, and most devices these days don?t have the same foot prints (wide but short DVD players, tall and bulky amps, miss shaped "gimmicky" consoles... er top loading turn tables? . Really, you have to almost have a space on a shelve for each device separately.

All I know is this; if you had the choice between a normal sized XBox 360 and a compact version that had the same hardware specs you'd probably pick the smaller one, wouldn't you?

I mean if the only argument for a bulky console is that it needs to be big so it gets MOAR balls (graphics, hard drive, etc) I could lug my PC into my living room and plug it into an HDTV. I could "make room" for that too...

[Shayne]

You could, but then we could compare costs to go with that, as well as title availability, feature set beyond gaming.  I bet nobody would say no to their favorite console being the size of a domino tile, but if size is so important get a PSOne.  Its got a massive library of great games, extremely small, lots of third party accessories.

[Tom]

we could compare costs to go with that, as well as title availability

A PC has about the same costs as the PS3,  more titles, and the availablility is STAGGERING compared to the ps3.

[Shayne]

Not with the same horsepower as the PS3 or the Blu-Ray drive.

[Tom]

Id like to see somewhere that says that the PS3 can run the same exact programs so much faster than a PC can. Its so called horse power is tied up in its SPUs, which do nothing but basic floating point work, sure thats a big part of games, and some applications, but you have to totally re engineer EVERYTHING to beable to use all 8 of the buggers.

edit: Oh, and theres already BD drives out for PCs. Writers even.