Main > Main Forum
Processor Upgrade?
<< < (7/7)
mike_bike_kite:

--- Quote from: ark_ader on September 16, 2013, 05:39:39 am ---I would increase the RAM to 8gb and install a RAMDISK.  Load your OS in the RAMDISK and you will see a huge improvement.

--- End quote ---
I thought RAMDISK's work by downloading all the data they need into the RAM and then accessing the RAM rather than the HDD if that data is needed again. This means the computer still need to read the OS, MAME and whatever game you're playing onto the RAMDISK before being able to make use of it. This means there would be no saving in time. If you later stop MAME and then restart then it should restart faster with the RAMDISK but this isn't how most of us run MAME. Getting an SSD and installing both the operating system and MAME onto it would provide a decent speed improvement when starting the PC and when opening MAME but it won't make any individual game play any faster (unless they pull a heck of a lot of data from the disk for each new level). I personally wouldn't bother improving a computer of that age as it's hardly worth the trouble. Instead I'd just pay a few dollars for a better one on ebay - just look for a PC with a dual core CPU and a pretty basic GPU. If you want even more speed then get a small SSD (60GB - 120GB) and install the OS and MAME onto that. Either way it will run like lightening compared to your current set up.
404:

--- Quote from: paigeoliver on September 17, 2013, 06:13:36 pm ---I am of a different opinion, if you have to skimp somewhere in your project then skimp on the PC. It is the one component that you WILL end up having to replace later down the road. Todays $500 computer is a $100 computer a year and a half from now and a $50 computer a year and a half later. Nothing else in your game is going to depreciate like that. You cannot future proof your cabinet with a more powerful computer.

In fact nothing in the holy trinity of COMPUTER, CONTROLS, DISPLAY gives you less bang for your buck than the computer does. Nothing will be less apparent to your guests who play it either.

You don't have to use an almost 10 year old computer like I am, only reason I do is because it still works. But if there is a single place to save, it is in the computer. In three years from now you know what the difference is between the guy who spent $500 on a new computer and the guy who initially spent $50 on a used PC and then replaced it 3 years later with another $50 used PC? The second guy has $400 in his bank account, that is the difference.

--- End quote ---

I actually agree with you to a certain degree. Hence why i mentioned second hand computers. They are a dime a dozen so to speak lately and its more than enough to get you by if you are on a budget.
Navigation
Message Index
Previous page

Go to full version