New Computer Advice

[markronz]

So my basement recently flooded.  Very crappy experience, but it could have been a lot worse than it ended up.   On the upside, one of my old computers that I wasn't currently using was ruined, and the insurance company is paying to replace it.  It was an old P4 computer.  Because of it's age, the insurance agreed to pay me the cost of the cheapest available desktop at Best Buy.  So I looked and the cheapest desktop at the Buy is $280.    But, of course, I don't really want to get the cheapest one at Best Buy.    I'd much rather get something slightly better online.   I'd really like to upgrade my MAME pc.   I want something dual core, and overclockable.   Just overall something thats well suited for MAME and other emulators.

I guess I'd like to stay within maybe $50 of the 280 they're giving me.  So basically up to $330 is what I'm willing to spend.    I've been looking at some bundles available at NewEgg, and I was hoping I could get some feedback from you guys on them.   

Right now this is one I am leaning towards:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.660878

Looks like it's got a mobo thats overclockable, and the processor (based on the reviews) can be overclocked quite a bit.   I do understand that I'd have to purchase a separate cooling fan to properly cool the processor for the overclocking.   The fan is something that I can purchase separately, and doesn't need to be included in my $350 price budget.

So a few questions.
1.  Does the above computer bundle look ok?
2.  Are there other bundles out there that you feel might be better for my budget?
3.  Are there other things I would have to purchase besides a better cooling fan for the processor, and perhaps later a video card (for other emulators besides MAME)?   Just not sure if there's anything else that I'd be missing?

Thanks for the help!

[LeedsFan]

I built a project using that exact same processor. It will have no problem at all with Mame and other emulators. But bear in mind that not everything in Mame will run even on the fastest processor you can buy for the next few years. But about 98% of stuff will be fine.

The onboard graphics should be fine for most stuff except for maybe some 3D applications. In my project I added a Radeon HD5570 low profile card because I wanted the machine to be able to run modern PC games as well as emulators. I also managed to OC the processor quite easily to 4.0GHz on stock cooling without any trouble. But this step is overkill for emulation, I just did it for shits and giggles to see what I could get out of that chip.

Here's a link to my project thread if you are interested:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=108251.0

That motherboard will be fine also. I used a Gigabyte MB in my project but it's not the exact same model. The BIOS allows for very easy overclocking.

[mytymaus007]

I built a project using that exact same processor. It will have no problem at all with Mame and other emulators. But bear in mind that not everything in Mame will run even on the fastest processor you can buy for the next few years. But about 98% of stuff will be fine.

The onboard graphics should be fine for most stuff except for maybe some 3D applications. In my project I added a Radeon HD5570 low profile card because I wanted the machine to be able to run modern PC games as well as emulators. I also managed to OC the processor quite easily to 4.0GHz on stock cooling without any trouble. But this step is overkill for emulation, I just did it for shits and giggles to see what I could get out of that chip.

Here's a link to my project thread if you are interested:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=108251.0

That motherboard will be fine also. I used a Gigabyte MB in my project but it's not the exact same model. The BIOS allows for very easy overclocking.

Does your PC run all emulators without any problems DREAMcast SEGA SATURN   Atomiswave
PS! also what front end are you running

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Should be more than sufficient for anything you want to do. I'm running a 3.16Ghz Core2Duo with a HD4350 video card and everything that's properly emulated runs at 100%. NullDC runs perfect at 800x600 on my svga arcade monitor. A lot of the "is my computer fast enough to run <this game>" threads are asking about games that just arn't emulated properly yet. The biggest one is always Gauntlet Legends, of which the DC port is essentially perfect and runs on NullDC just fine.

[LeedsFan]

I built a project using that exact same processor. It will have no problem at all with Mame and other emulators. But bear in mind that not everything in Mame will run even on the fastest processor you can buy for the next few years. But about 98% of stuff will be fine.

The onboard graphics should be fine for most stuff except for maybe some 3D applications. In my project I added a Radeon HD5570 low profile card because I wanted the machine to be able to run modern PC games as well as emulators. I also managed to OC the processor quite easily to 4.0GHz on stock cooling without any trouble. But this step is overkill for emulation, I just did it for shits and giggles to see what I could get out of that chip.

Here's a link to my project thread if you are interested:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=108251.0

That motherboard will be fine also. I used a Gigabyte MB in my project but it's not the exact same model. The BIOS allows for very easy overclocking.

Does your PC run all emulators without any problems DREAMcast SEGA SATURN   Atomiswave
PS! also what front end are you running

I haven't played too much of the other emulaters to be fair as I'm on Mame 90% of the time. Dreamcast worked perfectly fine for the few games I got ROMs for. I even had Gauntlet Legends playing not too bad in Mame but as cotmm said you may as play the DC version.  I not got Atomiswave so I cannot comment on that. It's all run through Hyperspin.

[scofthe7seas]

Dependant on your knowhow, you can get every one of those parts cheaper. You can get a 20 dollar case because it's hidden anyways (or no case, mount it to wood with struts). I'm a big big fan of the newish "Dual Core" line of processors from Intel. They're like the slightly lower end version of the Core2Duo, but way cheaper. The one I got was 70 bucks.

[JODY]

Gigabyte MOBOs are nice.  Would run MAME fine.  I would also consider an AMD option.  You can get a 3.4 Ghz quad core AMD Black edition CPU on sale for about the same price as the Intel.  I bought one recently.  Or you could get a triple core AMD for under $100.  Thus could get more CPU power or save a little money to put toward another component.

[Blanka]

At this time in history, there is just 1 computer that is well suited for everything ordinairy people need, including running emulators (except hardcore 3D engineering or HD movie editing), with no hassle at all and the best TCO of everything that is available (due to the high remaining value, low energy bill and less  ) and that is a MacMini. Forget all other crap Apple makes, the Mini is the . Not paying for built in crap mirrors like with testosterone-overdosed iMacs or student-macbook-looks, the lowest energy bill computing can give, and faster than most i5 Windows machines in responsive feel. Just the best desktop computer ever made! OK, maybe wait one month as the best will be even better then with i3 or i5 processor inside.

[scofthe7seas]

I want to believe you're being sarcastic. But I don't think you are.
The best part about having a Mac is.. when you want to upgrade, you just throw it away and buy a new one!

[Blanka]

The best part about having a Mac is.. when you want to upgrade, you just throw it away and buy a new one!

You just sell it for 80% the money you paid for it, and use the migration assistant to keep everything similar on the new one.
And the best part in classic gaming: on the mac all emulators are made by the same guy, so it has the most unified emulator experience of any OS.