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Help me build a MAME computer

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2gooddogs:
I am currently running a gigabyte ds3 with an e6400 processor.  To keep your cost down this might be a good combo.  The motherboard is $100 and the processor is $117.  Two good hardware related sites are www.tomshardware.com and www.anandtech.com.  Just be sure that the motherboard and memory match up. ie correct voltage.  Gskill memory is usually pretty good.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128042 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115013

XtraSmiley:

--- Quote from: 2gooddogs on June 12, 2007, 11:07:55 pm ---I am currently running a gigabyte ds3 with an e6400 processor.  To keep your cost down this might be a good combo.  The motherboard is $100 and the processor is $117.  Two good hardware related sites are www.tomshardware.com and www.anandtech.com.  Just be sure that the motherboard and memory match up. ie correct voltage.  Gskill memory is usually pretty good.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128042 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115013

--- End quote ---

Thanks man, that will be my CPU.  I was looking at the ABIT P965 mobo though, although your choice seems to be better.  Decisions, decisions...

I hear the price drop is coming July 22nd for the Intel line, but damn, I want to play with my new cab NOW!

patrickmaher:
Isn't this all a bit overboard for use in a MAME cab? I know we all get into the "I want the best" mind frame sometimes and if that is what you want, that's fine. I just don't think the specs you are looking at are needed for a MAME cab.

What high end PC and MAME games are you planing on playing on this cab?

The following are my thoughts of some of your choices, you may disagree but I will put my opinions out there for you to think about.
 :soapbox:
$100 for a PC case that is going to be inside a cab? Really any case with the proper form factor will do, you wont see it once it's inside the cab. Most times they are sold with PSU, but even if you have to buy them separately it should cost well under $50.

2GB of RAM? 1GB should be enough. Maybe I am wrong on this since I have not tried to play the CHD games that run to slow. Can someone give their input on this? Do any of the games that play to slow in MAME become playable when you move from 1GB to 2GB of RAM?

Generic RAM will probably work out ok, personally I only buy RAM from companies that have the "Limited Lifetime Warranty" because I have had to many sticks of generic RAM go bad.

Not really sure of the current price difference in Dual core vs Solo or older generation CPUs so this might not make much difference anymore.
Dual core does not mean faster. The program you are running has to be coded to use multiple CPUs in order to take advantage of Dual core.
Not sure if this is still the case but from what I have seen in the past is you can get a single core CPU for the same price or less than a dual core that has a slower speed on each core.
You can't say a dual core 1.8Ghz is 1.8 + 1.8 = 3.6Ghz and therefore faster than a single core 3.2Ghz. The program you are running needs multiple CPU support and there will be overhead so that dual 1.8Ghz does not perform at 3.6Ghz. When you are running a program that can't use multiple CPUs you will be stuck with the speed of one core.
I will add that I think I read that the MAME devs are working on multiple CPU support.

:blah: Sorry for the rant, but people need to understand this.


Your hard drive choice looks good.  :angel:


You can also try shopping at Geeks and ZipZoomFly.


If anyone is looking for a good computer magazine check out MaximumPC for $12/year. They also have weekly podcasts that are good.


Edit: While I was writing my post 2gooddogs posted, at the time I used 1.8Ghz as an example I had not yet read his post.

XtraSmiley:
Thanks for the input.  I agree on the RAM, I think I went with good stuff that is so cheap at $80 for 2 gig that it is hard to pass up and go with 1.

The case is important b/c I will be moving it out at times and can use it down the road if I pull the mobo out and put it in the cab.

As for the C2D, no reason other than that is where all new CPUs are heading.  It is a step back to buy a single core at this point even if MAME doesn't use it.  The CPU is only $100, so I could go with a solo core, but for what?  A $20 savings?

Don't know about the CHDs either, could someone please chime in?

Not sure if it matters, but I will be using this as a MP3 player and bittorrent hub as well.

Thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate it!

patrickmaher:

--- Quote from: XtraSmiley on June 13, 2007, 12:15:44 am ---Thanks for the input.  I agree on the RAM, I think I went with good stuff that is so cheap at $80 for 2 gig that it is hard to pass up and go with 1.

--- End quote ---

Yea, at that price even if it fails down the road it wont be much of a loss.


--- Quote from: XtraSmiley on June 13, 2007, 12:15:44 am ---The case is important b/c I will be moving it out at times and can use it down the road if I pull the mobo out and put it in the cab.

--- End quote ---

That's reasonable.


--- Quote from: XtraSmiley on June 13, 2007, 12:15:44 am ---As for the C2D, no reason other than that is where all new CPUs are heading.  It is a step back to buy a single core at this point even if MAME doesn't use it.  The CPU is only $100, so I could go with a solo core, but for what?  A $20 savings?

--- End quote ---

I see it more as a step back to use dual 1.8Ghz when the same money or less could buy you a single that is over 3Ghz.
Take a look at some of the LGA 775 Pentium 4 and D CPUs on new egg.
Admittedly I have not done much CPU research lately so I do not know what advantages Core 2 has over Pentium 4 or D.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116262


--- Quote from: XtraSmiley on June 13, 2007, 12:15:44 am ---Not sure if it matters, but I will be using this as a MP3 player and bittorrent hub as well.

--- End quote ---

I assume bittorrent will be off while you are gaming. If you plan to do both at the same time I would keep your games on a separate physical drive from the torrents.

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