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A great new platform for emulation gaming
amadama:
Nvidia and VIA are planning a sub $45 system that may end up being a great all in one solution for using as a system for emulation gaming:
Shrink those links!
With an inexpensive DIMM (say 1gb for $50) and a USB thumb drive (say 2gb for $25) it may be a great Mame platform.
What do you guys think?
Alex
patrickl:
Cool. That would allow for an affordable portable emulation solution.
Is it powerful enough though?
amadama:
The power of the system (from the claims made at least) appear to be in line with a Pentium-M of the same clockspeed. The graphics would appear to be six times more powerful than an onboard Intel GMA950.
Not a speed demon, but powerful enough to run the majority of classic emulation games, and some DX-10 Windows games (probably at lower res like 800x600).
I'll gladly buy some if/when they come out. With Advancemame for Linux or Windows XP with Soft15Khz this should run like a champ and power a CGA monitor nicely!
patrickmaher:
It would be great, but I think we have to wait and see before we get our hopes up.
Nowhere does it guarantee the clockspeed that will be included for <$45. HD video takes a good deal of processing power but it looks like that will be handled by the Nvidia IGP, which I don't think MAME will make much use of.
It really looks most useful for doing what they are planing for it, playing video. It should handle classics fine but I think most people have found similarly priced solutions that already do that.
WareWolF:
Why limit yourself to a propritary cheapo system when you can just buy a cheap motherboard and a (core 2 based) conroe celeron. Will run most mame games just fine. and you can just drop in a conroe Pentium Dual Core, Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad at anytime if you want more speed.
single core conroe celeron http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116040
or
dual core conroe celeron http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116064
cheap motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813185107
or
better cheap motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128078
1GB dual channel memory kit http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313010
or
2gb dual channel memory kit http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313015
2gb usb drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211226
total = 100.96 - 157.96 after rebate + shipping