The best PC and Windows

[luiz-lfg]

I started building an arcade now and from what I've seen the best way to play games in native resolution is with Groovy Mame. I was looking at a forum topic on how to use windows xp and windows 7 but I still have questions. Currently what is better windows and mame version to get the best graphics and performance in the games? And equipment. What is the best motherboard and processor and video card and memory for this? If you can help me, thank you very much.

[haynor666]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,148828.0.html
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,152167.0.html
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,151113.0.html
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,150397.0.html
Extra info:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,151500.0.html
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149052.0.html
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,151601.0.html

[luiz-lfg]

Thanks

[keropi]

Just get a cpu with good single-core performance: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html
The all-time-favorite atm is the G3258 - cheap and speedy/overclockable.
For GPU a Radeon HD5xxx/6xxx/7xxx is mandatory nowdays if you are going the win7/x64 and newer route. No need to overdo it - the 5450/6450 models are enough.
RAM-wise the more the better as always but I don't see the gain to go over 8GB (even that is too much but it's cheap)

For GroovyMAME and other 8/16/32bit console emulators I got a G3258, 8GB of RAM, a HD6670, some cheap mATX Asrock mobo, a used pci-e X-FI champion fatality something sound card and a 240gb Samsung SSD.
In reality the only things I payed attention was the cpu, sound card and the PSU - the rest are all cheap parts.
There was some talk about avoiding vgas that have the vga port on a ribbon and not on the pcb because of signal degradation, so just get one without ribbon ports if possible.

[haynor666]

I agree for G3258 as processor for best value/power ratio but it must be overclocked to 4.0 GHz so You have to find cheap mATX board with overclocking possibility not just any motherboard.

Topics I mentioned already describes old (ATI HD4xxx and older) and newer (AMD HD5xxx and newer) series. The most tested, cheap and reliable cards for groovymame will be HD4350 and HD5450. Starting from models HD6xxx (apart from HD6350 - modified 5450 actually) You will get only single analog output - only from DVI-I through converter DVI-VGA. For XP You will be forced to HD4xxx maximum, for 7x64 You can use almost any card up to HD7xxx (with some exceptions) though recommendations are cards from HD5xxx due easier setup process, faster modelines switching and proper speed with interlaced modes. The only downside is blurry picture (though less flickering) with interlaced resolutions.

As for RAM - 2 Gb for XP max (my PC worked in the past with 1 Gb perfectly) and 4 Gb for 7x64 max (again my PC works now with 2 Gb and everything is fine but I have only groovymame, nestopia, model2, vba-m, Taito Type X/X2 games, makaron and nullDC, I'm not sure about other emulators).

Due to the fact that XP support will be dropped by mame in some time is recommended to stick with 7x64 but for now under XP groovymame and other emulators works fine. Also speed of mame will be improved under windows 7x64.

PSU 400 W will be more than enough if You use HD4350 or HD5450 even You are going to overclock G3258 to 4,3 GHz. Tested on my configuration.

As for disks - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,152314.0.html
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,152131.0.html
NOTE: You will not get proper performance for SSD disk under XP. If You are going to use SSD than You are force to windows 7x64 at least. Choosing between SSD or standard HDD is a matter of luxury (windows boot speed for example) and money. My whole set with selected games (not just mame as I posted) is about 100 Gb but You are going to Hyperspin route with all extra stuff 500 Gb will be better choice. If You are going to whole Hyperspin stuff then 3 TB might be required.



Please read all the topics I wrote previously to get more opinions and info.

Sorry for not replying Your mails but I really don't like wrote all the same for just one single person. Forum is better place for this.

[keropi]

I have not overclocked my G3258 yet, this is needed to add frame_delay, right? Now that there is a d3d9ex version of GM do we still need it?

[haynor666]

Stock G3258 is ok for majority of games but for some like Muchi Muchi Pork, Ibara overclocking to 4,2 GHz is needed.

Yes, frame_delay needs more CPU power. D3D9ex shortens D3D queue from 3 to 1 frame but frame_delay removes completly queue and improves input response.

[keropi]

I have read that frame_delay can introduce micro-stuttering , is this true or was specific to the poster?

[Rockstead]

Would you guys still recommend a G2358 overclocked for a Windows 10 based cabinet for Hyperspin, Mame, and every other Arcade emulator?

Or would you go for I5 or I7 of a specific flavor?

[haynor666]

I have read that frame_delay can introduce micro-stuttering , is this true or was specific to the poster?

I never experience this but under windows 7x64 and HD5450 I noticed some vsync problems. Looks I have to regulate vsync_offset wcich I didn't have to under Windows XPx32 and HD4350.

Would you guys still recommend a G2358 overclocked for a Windows 10 based cabinet for Hyperspin, Mame, and every other Arcade emulator?

Or would you go for I5 or I7 of a specific flavor?

With G3258 clocked at 4,2 GHz I get score 2503 with passmark for single core performance. Other processors with similiar score are much more expensive than G3258.

[CanadianRyGuy]

If building a new mame computer, is there any reason not to get the Intel G4400 CPU over the G3258? I think the new one is even cheaper on Newegg.

[haynor666]

Comparing to overclocked G3258 it's slower.

[CanadianRyGuy]

Ah ok...is the G4400 not able to be overclocked?

[haynor666]

From all Pentium Dual Cores I know only G3258 had unlocked multiplier so this was the only one with overclocking.

[kujina]

I got round to taking some pictures and here is the PC ready to be mounted in the cabinet.
These are the following specs, I can go into more detail such as cost, overclocking etc if anyone is interested.

Intel G3258 @4.3GHz
Asus ASUS H81M-E - Micro ATX Motherboard
Corsair XMS3 4GB 2x2GB
Intel® SSD 525 Series (120GB
Asus Radeon HD5450 512MB
FSP FSP300-60GHS(85) 300W SFX PSU

Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme Heatsink & 120mm fan
Mini Pcie mSATA SSD Adapter Converter board

[R-Typer]

@kujina

Setup looks great! Looks like only the PSU will be making the most noise, if any.

[krick]

Bolting everything to a board looks "arcade-y" but it's not the best setup for cooling.  Your video card and the heatsinks on the motherboard aren't getting any air movement at all.  They're designed to be inside of a PC case where there's always at least *some* air movement due to the power supply exhaust fan creating negative pressure and there's often a chassis intake fan as well.  If you look at modern PC-based arcade machines from the 90s and up, the PC is still housed inside a case for this reason.

Check out this post for a picture of an Offroad Thunder PC...
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,121589.msg1291349.html#msg1291349

[kujina]

Bolting everything to a board looks "arcade-y" but it's not the best setup for cooling.

The main reason for assembling everything the way I did was to give me more mounting location options and making it easily mountable and also easy service access.  But I will check the temperatures of the GPU and the south bridge motherboard chip. The CPU temp is really good and is around 50c with prime stress testing.