Need system build advice!

[electricd]

Hello,

I am building 2 idenitcal computers to use for MAME only.  I have 2 new AVGA video cards and will be using D9200 32" monitors.  Other than that, it is a blank canvas.  Can anyone please send me thier recommendations for a rock solid machine that will play 90% of the games?  I would truly appriciate it.  I will be building from scratch, so model numbers for parts would be handy!  Thanks!

ED7

[Samstag]

You'll want two Area-51 ALX systems from Alienware.  They should run close to 90% of the Mame library and are also good for email and websurfing.

They're pretty quiet, too. 

[electricd]

Id like to spend "a little" less than that!  I guess I should have said that.  I am of course on a shoestring budget!  Thanks for the input though!

[Pik4chu]

Id like to spend "a little" less than that!

[electricd]

Well let me show you what i am looking at, and you tell me what you think (perhaps I should have started that way to begin with!)

Mobo/Processor/Ram:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1524424&Tab=0&NoMapp=0

Then adding an 80GB IDE, and DVD drive...what do you think?

[grueinthebox]

That should be fine...  I'd add a bigger HDD so you can add PSX ISOs to the mix without worry of running out of space.  You should be able to get a 200 or so gig for not much more than the 80gb.

If you're going to have an optical drive, get a cheap DVD burner...  Then you can ghost the drive to DVDs after you get everything configured the way you want it, and after any later upgrades.

[Ninja Supremacist]

You can probably get a good motherboard for about $50 less.  Check newegg or gameve (they changed their name.)  Newegg is Caesar's wife--they haven't screwed up yet with me.  Gameve is more of a tricky situation.  I don't know if their stuff is stolen or what.  Outstanding prices, horrible service.  Caveat empor.

For a little perspective, my Athlon64 motherboard from Chaintech (znf-150) was $70.  It's a rocket and runs anything.  Full setting KOTOR is the best test.  If you stay out of 64 bit, you can do much better than tiger.

[Pik4chu]

That should be fine...

[electricd]

Yea, Im doing Mame only, so thats all I am concerned with.  Thanks for all your input!

[electricd]

Any reason to add 512MB of memory as opposed to just 256?  Remember I am ONLY doing MAME.  Thanks!

[traknfieldSUPAstar]

Any reason to add 512MB of memory as opposed to just 256?

[Daniel270]

Any reason to add 512MB of memory as opposed to just 256?

[CheffoJeffo]

I am building 2 idenitcal computers to use for MAME only.  I have 2 new AVGA video cards and will be using D9200 32" monitors. 

I am of course on a shoestring budget!

Two 32" D9200's ?

That's quite a shoestring!

Cheers.

[electricd]

Thats why im on the shoestring!  Can't afford much when you drop $1800 on the monitors alone!

[Scott84]

Take your computer budget.... and buy the best computers you can buy. Thats all you can really do if your on a budget.

[Lilwolf]

goto www.pricewatch.com and look around. 

for 90% of the games will run on a 2ghz machine and slower... probably in the 1.4 or so...

to get 95-97% your looking at a 3.4ghz machine.... and 97-98 if you use Zinc for those games...  And don't forget... 1- 2% of the games will not run on any computer at all.

But its amazing how many games play great without a super computer...

I would personally look at the fastest AMD XP processor.  But if you went with a AmD64 you will have an extra coolness factor

[Pik4chu]

goto www.pricewatch.com and look around.

[RayB]

You know, 64 megs was plenty to run even early 90's capcom and neo geo games...

The only thing that sucks up ram is running a recent OS like XP.

[Pik4chu]

You know, 64 megs was plenty to run even early 90's capcom and neo geo games...

The only thing that sucks up ram is running a recent OS like XP.

True, but did you know it costs more to buy (retail/new) a 128MB stick of PC100 SDRAM than it costs to buy 256-512MB of PC3200 DDR? by like 2x.. soo you can only go so far back before its costing more   But if you got a cheapo computer sitting around then your good to go.  The only thing that rules out really old ones is the lack of an AGP slot for the ArcadeVGA cards