Complete Capable HS/MAME PC for under $350

[drshaw]

Would this do anything and everything in the HS/MAME realm? All animations enabled? I've read a Duo Core 2.0Ghz and 2GB of RAM should handle it. For me, budget isn't an issue but I also don't want to spend unnecessarily for a system with one role. If you think I need a core i5/i7 and 4GB to handle everything, then I won't hesitate. I also don't have any video card, just built-in because I understand it's all about the CPU in this world. I want to be able to do everything in HS/MAME/NES/SNES/N64/SEGA* without so much as a hiccup of lag. I like that this case still has ps/2 so I don't need to usb convert anything (iPAC, Spinner).

Foxconn R40-G4 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119021) $99
LG DVD Burner (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136167) $23.99
WD 500GB HD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136497) $54.99
2GB DDR2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820161182) 45.99
Intel E6600 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116347) $97.99

Total:$322.95

[Dred]

Well i have a 2.1ghz x2 amd athlon on my spare media center with 4GB of ram running windows 7 with ATI 4670. I have to say that some of the animations the transitions will chop on some of the themes like the gameboy advance one in paticular. Sometimes the nintendo brick wall will chop as well.

I hope to overclock it higher hopefully that will help. As far as emulation goes.. It runs everything fine. I mean i can even play god of war with the playstation 2 emulator using that ATI 4670.

Now i took my same hyperspin setup and copied it to my gaming rig. Which is an AMD 720 triple core overclocked to 3.7ghz 4gb of ram and 4870x2 and everything runs silky smooth. in everything, animations the works. you name it its smooth.

So basically my opinion is that to run hyperspin smooth in all its glory. You should get a 2.8ghz dual core processor or better. 2gb or 4gb ram probably doesn't matter too much. I think everything will run fine. Emulators such as playstation and playstation 2 you will need a good video card. bare minimum ATI 4670 class or better.

Everything else is up to you on price. I personally think the triple core processor are a great buy.. cheaper than Quad core but get the job done like a quad core. It's like you have room to breathe.

[drshaw]

That processor is 3.06ghz but only 2mb of L2 cache instead of options of 3mb and 6mb in the core2 Duo's.

The core i5's are clocked even slower but have other improvements that make them faster I'm sure.

Sounds like the system above might not quite be up to snuff, and a 4GB core i5 (+$300 or so) would be a safer bet??

p.s. I've ran all the default animations/menus on a Core2 Duo e8500 with 8GB of ram on Win7 w/o any issue... (my workstation). I figure the above system isn't too much of a downgrade. Can someone else confirm that 2gb vs 4gb doesn't really matter in this world?

[Takedown]

What city do you live in? Do you have a Fry's electronics? If so they run specials with i5-750's and ok motherboards for about $200, would be a good a buy and you could oc the 750 to 3.6ghz+ and have a super quick system.

[Dred]

That processor is 3.06ghz but only 2mb of L2 cache instead of options of 3mb and 6mb in the core2 Duo's.

The core i5's are clocked even slower but have other improvements that make them faster I'm sure.

Sounds like the system above might not quite be up to snuff, and a 4GB core i5 (+$300 or so) would be a safer bet??

p.s. I've ran all the default animations/menus on a Core2 Duo e8500 with 8GB of ram on Win7 w/o any issue... (my workstation). I figure the above system isn't too much of a downgrade. Can someone else confirm that 2gb vs 4gb doesn't really matter in this world?

I am quite confident it will not matter. I run Hyperspin and check taskmanager says its only using 140megabytes of ram. Not to mention a lot of people talk about shelling there windows and using it strictly for a cab. If your that worried just make sure you get a motherboard with 4 memory slots.. get 2gb now and you can always get 4gb later if you find a reason for it.

you had it right in the first post it matters most about the ghz of the processor and that its multi core. At this point the only tough decision is price. I am confident 2.8ghz amd or intel dual core or higher will be more than enough.

[galvitron]

I'd go with this for a dirt cheap new system:

Core i3-530 - $119

Biostar MB - $57
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138189

2 X 2GB DDR3 1333 - $95

Radeon HD 5670 - $109

Total = $380

[SophT]

don't worry about graphics- HS, MAME, NES, SNES, Genesis, etc... with the exception of PSX emulators, and Demul, and ZiNC use ONLY your cpu. Integrated graphics will perform just as well as anything else.

Also- do you even need a CD/DVD drive? You could always just install anything you need from a thumb drive.

[drshaw]

But add hard drive, case and psu, burner etc... That system pushes past $500. At that point I'd add $70 and go core i5-750. Lot more powerful too.

[drshaw]

don't worry about graphics- HS, MAME, NES, SNES, Genesis, etc... with the exception of PSX emulators, and Demul, and ZiNC use ONLY your cpu. Integrated graphics will perform just as well as anything else.

Also- do you even need a CD/DVD drive? You could always just install anything you need from a thumb drive.

At $23 and an available slot it might be handy to have a burner. Can you tell me anything about 2gb vs 4gb of ram? More cores or higher clock speed better on processor? Trying to decide on pentium duel core vs core2 duo vs core iSeries. Thanks SophT