What is the suggested computer specs to Run Emulators

[Shieldwolf]

As emulators are always changing,Mame included. I'm  updating my cab and I wanted to know what would be a good base line to build off of as far as updating my pc.

[jban4us]

I'm using a couple of these:







oops, am I too much of a noob to be a jerk?

Depends on what you want to run of course. There is a good thread right now showing benchmarks of newer chd games that are playable by an overclocked core 2 duo (4ghz I believe, thread here: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=72776.240). Of course if you don't want to play newer 3D games then you can go lower than that. This is a pretty broad question. I see a lot of guys using P4 era computers; they are cheap and will run almost any mame game that isn't 3D.

[tafische]

Are you running early/classic games or later games?  I run only early games and just about everything but Gorf seems to run on a 500 Mhz / Dos / ArcadeOS.  Later games all seem to run fine on a 1 Ghz for me, but again - personal preference based on what you run.

[Mauzy]

oops, am I too much of a noob to be a jerk?

Nah. I was being a jerk within 5 posts. Just watch who you're a jerk to.


I run classics (pac man, Galaga, etc) fine on an old iMac G3 with a 450 mhz processor. I can run almost all working 2D games on an AMD Sempron 2.2 ghz processor with an outdated nvidia geforce 5500. also runs a few 3d like Killer Instinct

[Shieldwolf]

jban4us, You're not a jerk. It's just that picture is exactly what I was using 4 years ago!
 I'm running lot of later games and other console emulators. I did see the article about  dual core which was  helpful, but seemed to be more game specific than just general.

[nipsmg]

Ok.. seriously.

This thread comes up once a day practically.  We really need a sticky on the top of this forum:  REQUIRED COMPUTER SPECS FOR SPECIFIC GAMES:

Speed x/y amount of ram: Classics
MAME: Pac man, dig dug, galaga, etc etc..

Speed x/y amount of ram: More Recent/Consoles
MAME: Mortal Kombat, CPS2, Donkey Kong
Consoles: Atari/Coleco/NES

Speed x/y amount of ram: Recent
MAME: Tekken, etc etc etc
ZiNC
Consoles: SNES/N64/PSX

Seeed x/y amount of ram: Fastest
MAME: Crusin USA, Prop Cycle, Blitz, Gauntlet Legends
Model 2 Emulator

Anyone have the specs to fill this in properly and make it a sticky?!

[mattnb]

Not to hijack but what's the deal with NARC? It always runs slow on my pc which has an amd 2500+ O/C'd to 1.8ghz and 2 gigs of RAM. Is it just not emulated properly?

[thatitalian]

Ok.. seriously.

This thread comes up once a day practically.  We really need a sticky on the top of this forum:  REQUIRED COMPUTER SPECS FOR SPECIFIC GAMES:

Speed x/y amount of ram: Classics
MAME: Pac man, dig dug, galaga, etc etc..

Speed x/y amount of ram: More Recent/Consoles
MAME: Mortal Kombat, CPS2, Donkey Kong
Consoles: Atari/Coleco/NES

Speed x/y amount of ram: Recent
MAME: Tekken, etc etc etc
ZiNC
Consoles: SNES/N64/PSX

Seeed x/y amount of ram: Fastest
MAME: Crusin USA, Prop Cycle, Blitz, Gauntlet Legends
Model 2 Emulator

Anyone have the specs to fill this in properly and make it a sticky?!

I agree with nipsmg. This regularly comes up. A sticky with this information would be an awesome feature.

[nipsmg]

Not to hijack but what's the deal with NARC? It always runs slow on my pc which has an amd 2500+ O/C'd to 1.8ghz and 2 gigs of RAM. Is it just not emulated properly?

It's likely the other way around.  It's likely that instead of using hacks to get it to run full speed, the emulation is now properly done and your machine cannot run the emulation at full speed.  This recently happened with Donkey Kong.  DK used to use samples to generate the sound because the discrete sound chip was not understood fully and emulated properly.  Once the proper emulation of this chip was added, the game slowed down considerably in MAME and a faster computer was needed.

[CheffoJeffo]

Ok.. seriously.

This thread comes up once a day practically.  We really need a sticky on the top of this forum:  REQUIRED COMPUTER SPECS FOR SPECIFIC GAMES:

Speed x/y amount of ram: Classics
MAME: Pac man, dig dug, galaga, etc etc..

Speed x/y amount of ram: More Recent/Consoles
MAME: Mortal Kombat, CPS2, Donkey Kong
Consoles: Atari/Coleco/NES

Speed x/y amount of ram: Recent
MAME: Tekken, etc etc etc
ZiNC
Consoles: SNES/N64/PSX

Seeed x/y amount of ram: Fastest
MAME: Crusin USA, Prop Cycle, Blitz, Gauntlet Legends
Model 2 Emulator

Anyone have the specs to fill this in properly and make it a sticky?!

I agree with nipsmg. This regularly comes up. A sticky with this information would be an awesome feature.

Why bother, since apparently nobody reads the stickies ... 

Before Asking For Help, Read This First! Link to FAQ and bookmarks of interest

contains a link to

The "What PC do I need to run MAME?" Official FAQ

which provides a link to

MAME Benchmarks

along with other links.

I am not averse to having a sticky as described, but finding someone to maintain it, who isn't already doing the same thing elsewhere, is where I see a problem.

EDIT: Actually, if someone here were to tackle this, I think it would be better placed in the wiki

[Hoopz]

EDIT: Actually, if someone here were to tackle this, I think it would be better placed in the wiki

If people don't read the stickies, will they read the wiki?   

[CheffoJeffo]

EDIT: Actually, if someone here were to tackle this, I think it would be better placed in the wiki

If people don't read the stickies, will they read the wiki?   

Maybe not, but, in the words of the member formerly known as Bubbabing (from whom I lifted this), there is nothing like throwing out a good wiki-bomb every now and again ...



RRR   EEEEE    A    DDDD       TTTTT  H   H  EEEEE    W         W IIIII  K   K  IIIII  !

R  R  E       A A   D   D        T    H   H  E        W         W   I    K  K     I    !
R  R  E       A A   D   D        T    H   H  E         W       W    I    K K      I    !
RRR   EEEEE   AAA   D   D        T    HHHHH  EEEE      W   W   W    I    KK       I    !
RR    E      A   A  D   D        T    H   H  E          W W W W     I    K K      I    !
R R   E      A   A  D   D        T    H   H  E          W W W W     I    K  K     I     
R  R  EeEEE  A   A  DDDD         T    H   H  EEEEE       W   W    IIIII  K   K  IIIII  !

[thatitalian]

uhhhh........   my bad......

[ark_ader]

I get by with the old classics on a P133 and DOS.

Depends on what you like to play. 

[RayB]

I get by running DOS MAME 0.78 on a 1ghz. It runs pretty much all pre 90's games plus neo geo at full frame rate except vectors which I must use 0.55 to get a good frame rate.

[miles2912]

The funny thing about that question (and feel free to sticky this response and or cut and paste it into the wiki) is most people posting are using an IBM'ish clone to post.  My humble suggestion is to  put a copy of MAME on said IBM'ish clone and actually TRY to run a few of the games that you are making a cab for.  At that point you will have an incredibly well informed answer to your most burning question.

If, however you are blesses with a MAC or LL (Love Linux) or unfortunately have a slow old pc, find a friend with a semi decent clone and somehow (get creative here now) get a copy of MAME on that PC and solve the oldest asked question here at BYOAC.



copyright 2008 Miles2912 all rights reserved - feel free to copy for personal use only

[pincky]

EDIT: Actually, if someone here were to tackle this, I think it would be better placed in the wiki

If people don't read the stickies, will they read the wiki?   

Maybe not, but, in the words of the member formerly known as Bubbabing (from whom I lifted this), there is nothing like throwing out a good wiki-bomb every now and again ...



RRR   EEEEE    A    DDDD       TTTTT  H   H  EEEEE    W         W IIIII  K   K  IIIII  !

R  R  E       A A   D   D        T    H   H  E        W         W   I    K  K     I    !
R  R  E       A A   D   D        T    H   H  E         W       W    I    K K      I    !
RRR   EEEEE   AAA   D   D        T    HHHHH  EEEE      W   W   W    I    KK       I    !
RR    E      A   A  D   D        T    H   H  E          W W W W     I    K K      I    !
R R   E      A   A  D   D        T    H   H  E          W W W W     I    K  K     I     
R  R  EeEEE  A   A  DDDD         T    H   H  EEEEE       W   W    IIIII  K   K  IIIII  !

Remember when Dot Matrix Printers printed like that?

[RayB]

"The funny thing about that question (and feel free to sticky this response and or cut and paste it into the wiki) is most people posting are using an IBM'ish clone to post.  My humble suggestion is to  put a copy of MAME on said IBM'ish clone and actually TRY to run a few of the games that you are making a cab for.  At that point you will have an incredibly well informed answer to your most burning question.

If, however you are blesses with a MAC or LL (Love Linux) or unfortunately have a slow old pc, find a friend with a semi decent clone and somehow (get creative here now) get a copy of MAME on that PC and solve the oldest asked question here at BYOAC."

copied for personal use.