HT Games
Home  >> Internet Games >> Nintendo Wii

What Hardware Does the Nintendo Wii Run On? (Broadway CPU, Hollywood GPU)

The Wii (2006) uses a custom IBM PowerPC "Broadway" CPU and ATI "Hollywood" GPU.

Specifications

ComponentDetails
CPUBroadway (PowerPC 750CL derivative), 729 MHz, 32 KB L1 I/D, 256 KB L2 (ECC)
GPUHollywood (ATI/Radeon-derived), 243 MHz, 3 MB embedded 1T-SRAM (framebuffer/tex), 24 MB 1T-SRAM (main), fixed-function T&L, TEV pipeline
Memory88 MB total: 24 MB 1T-SRAM (GPU), 64 MB GDDR3 (Samsung/K4D553238F) @ 400 MHz
Storage512 MB NAND (system, saves, channels), SD slot (up to 32 GB SDHC)
OpticalSlot-loading DVD drive (4.7 GB SL / 8.5 GB DL), 6× CAV, no DVD-Video playback (licensing)
I/O4× Wiimote (Bluetooth 2.0), 2× USB 2.0, 2× GC Controller, 2× GC Memory Card, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Ethernet (via USB adapter)
Video OutComponent (480p), Composite, S-Video, RGB SCART (PAL), VGA (via component cable)
AudioDSP (64 ch), 16-bit 48 kHz, Dolby Pro Logic II
Process90 nm (launch) → 65 nm (2008) → 45 nm (2009, "Wii Mini" lacks Wi-Fi/GC ports)

Architecture Notes

  • Broadway is in-order, single-issue — weak by modern standards but efficient for Wii's fixed pipeline.
  • Hollywood's TEV (Texture Environment) unit allows 8 texture stages × 16 combiners — clever devs achieved "shader-like" effects (water, fur, bloom).
  • No programmable vertex/pixel shaders — fixed function only.
  • Backward compatibility: Native GC mode (clocks down to 486 MHz / 162 MHz, locks 1T-SRAM mapping).

Homebrew: This hardware is fully documented (wiibrew.org). LibOGC, devkitPPC, and modern toolchains (WUT for Wii U) target it directly.

Nintendo Wii
Nintendo Wii

https://www.htfbw.com © HT Games