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Upgrading CPU worth it?

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cmoses:

Thanks for all the info so far, please keep it coming if you have something to add.

LeedsFan - Yes the Core 2 Duo processor I am looking at will just replace my current P4 processor, no need for new MB or RAM or anything else so it would be just $125 or so for the new processor and pop it in.

VanillaGorilla - Did you get both a motherboard AND AMD Phenom II processor for $85 from Fry's?  I looked and each of those are more than $85 on there own. 

I do upgrade my MAME version pretty regularly, which means compiling so that is one of the reasons that I am looking to upgrade, I know that the compile time will be drastically reduced going to a Core 2 Duo.  It takes about an hour and twenty minuetes now. 

I also know that the Core 2 Duo will help in other emulators, which I don't currently have on there but want to add so that I can play a few games that MAME doesn't do well like Blitz.

FrizzleFried:

Blitz runs fine on a Core2Duo running 2.8ghz+ on a 64 bit OS running a 64 bit compile of MAME...

FWIW...





LeedsFan:


--- Quote from: FrizzleFried on October 30, 2010, 12:59:48 pm ---Blitz runs fine on a Core2Duo running 2.8ghz+ on a 64 bit OS running a 64 bit compile of MAME...

FWIW...





--- End quote ---

Yeah I've heard that using the 64 bit version of Mame (with a 64 bit OS ofc :p) gives a great boost to the performance of Mame. Not tried it yet myself but that's what I'm aiming for.

cmoses:


--- Quote from: FrizzleFried on October 30, 2010, 12:59:48 pm ---Blitz runs fine on a Core2Duo running 2.8ghz+ on a 64 bit OS running a 64 bit compile of MAME...

FWIW...

--- End quote ---

Blitz can really run well on that system?  That would be what I would be running if I upgraded the CPU, Core 2 Duo, 2.93 Ghz, 2 GB RAM, 1 GB Nvidia card, Windows Tiny XP 64 and 64 bit compile of MAME.  Have you tried running Gauntlet Legends? Wayne Gretzky Hockey?

danny_galaga:


--- Quote from: VanillaGorilla on October 28, 2010, 04:55:44 pm ---I am aware of the mame teams stance on GPU development. You would definitely see an improvement in rendering in many more modern games, where polygon generation and floating point tasks could be offloaded to the GPU. The only reason it doesn't exist YET is due to cross-platform compatibility, which is part of the mame charter if I remember correctly. But, I digress. My intention was not to open up the hardware acceleration can of worms. That can be read easily enough with a quick search on the forums. You're a nut (or have a lot of discretionary income) if you spend I7 dollars solely on a mame arcade setup (not that being a nut is a bad thing. Just, wow, what a nut!). Dollar for dollar, you get quite a PHENOMinal bargain out of the phenom II chipset.  :P

--- Quote ---In 5 years, I expect 5 GHz+ to be commonplace in PC hardare.  When that happens, all of our problems are resolved.

--- End quote ---

I remember saying that about 12 years ago about mame, except the number being bandied about then was the 1Ghz mark! Many problems were resolved, but somehow we always manage to find/create new ones that outstrip available resourses! Something about the human condition, I think.

If you can get a power-up for low investment, I say DO IT. New hardware is always fun!

--- End quote ---

Well, to be fair, MAME now emulates games that were't even around twelve years ago!

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