CPU speed...

[crashdmj]

What speed would be good to run say a N64 game (I really like Mario Kart 64) plus all the other emus? Would it be overkill to get a P4 2.4 800tn so as to get "hyper threading" (I think thats what it is)?
Derek

[ZippySLC]

Why not look at the AMD Athlons? I got an Athlon XP 2000+ (1.6ghz) that runs damn near everything fine. Plus it's a lot cheaper than a P4.

[crashdmj]

I've have compatibility issues in the past with AMD and I want my cab to be perfect!  

[Hoe]

Compatibility issues? With software? Unless the author only made a pentium only build, you shouldn't be having problems. If you buy a motherboard that says it supports it, that wount be a problem either.

I'm running an Athlon 1.4GHz (With GeForce 3 ti 500). It runs n64 (pj64) fine. But, I normaly play n64 games on my n64. The games are cheap enough that I don't mind buying them by the dozen ;] (I do see the apeal of having an all-in-one box though)

I'm no athlon advocate, I've yet to buy one of each and run them side by side to have enough personal experience to say one is better then the other.

[stuzza]

I have a P3 1Ghz with 512MB ram in my arcade cab and it runs a lot of the N64 games fine - like Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing.  It does however lag a fair bit in games like Donkey Kong Country and Banjo Kazooie.

You should find that any P4 2Ghz or higher should run N64 games fine, be it Hyperthreading or not.

[Stormdemon]

I bought a P4 at 2400 and I've overclocked it to 2700mhz with no additional cooling. It works perfect. I think you can push it to 3ghz without troubles. I've also heard celerons at 2ghz can reach 3ghz easily. I've heard Athlons have more problems with heating.

[Spaced Invader]

I have a 2ghz Celeron and a 1700mhz Athlon XP both run everything--well almost no crusin. All the N64 stuff runs fine though. And both processors are pretty cheap. As long as you have a decent graphics card (GeForce or Radeon) and a 1500mhz+ processor you should be O.K.

PS. Never had ANY problems with AMD.  

[kspiff]

Most of the problems are probably related to older chipsets on the mobos from ViA.  Never had any probs with AMD, either, just some crappy mobos

[Lilwolf]

Celerons and Durons are about 10% slower then their big brothers.  I thought I noticed more of a difference in emulation itself.  

I also see more of an improvement in AMD's over Intels in emulation (less so in 3d games).

AMD is hands down the best for the money.  Not even close.  But Intel still has the fastest computers if you have the money.  

AND... cheap motherboards kinda stink... but just make sure that you get a bios upgrade right away and you should be fine...  I have a VERY good motherboard and it probably wasn't worth the money...  (I did get the AGP8x... why I got it... only good motherboards back then had it.

[isugoat]

What speed would be good to run say a N64 game (I really like Mario Kart 64) plus all the other emus? Would it be overkill to get a P4 2.4 800tn so as to get "hyper threading" (I think thats what it is)?
Derek

hyperthreading probably won't help you gain too much, so don't base a decision on that.  i think most reviews showed that gains from HT were not very substantial.

[crashdmj]

Ok then I'll prolly reconsider an AMD, maybe around 2. something...
Derek

[Dr. J]

I've got an amd athalon 2.2 on a msi mb and no problems here.

[crashdmj]

Do you run N64 games at all?
Derek

[Isometric Bacon]

I have a Pentium 4, 1.8 ghz and I have no problem running 64 games at all. I think you should be fine with any equivalent system. Just make sure you've got an ok graphics card. (mine's a Geforce 2 MX.)

[Spaced Invader]

Most of the problems are probably related to older chipsets on the mobos from ViA.  Never had any probs with AMD, either, just some crappy mobos

Yep, my brother had a VIA KT133 - that thing was crap - AGP port problems esp. with XP (BSOD and resetting the system -an XP recovery "feature"). VIA's new boards KT266+ aren't buggy though...