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Min build specs to run BigBox and up to N64/PS1 Games


64fanatic

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Hey guys, I was wondering what could be the minimum specs a computer could be to run BigBox without lagging up and full speed n64 and ps1 titles? My sister is moving out soon and I want to give her an all in one system with all her favorite games built in, but since I'm not planning on it running anything new I want to do it cheap as I can. I live by Memory Express, so I'll be using this website: http://www.memoryexpress.com/
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If you ran slim, 3GB of DDR3 1666 ram, 32bit Windows 7 or 10 (10 Performs better with BigBox), with a previous i5 from Intel (a generation or two ago? The motherboard socket will determine the CPU you get), and a GTX960 (they're $120 last I saw, but not from this site). If you're working with a smaller size, the GTX950 is a half size card. That might all be a bit.... much for just PS1 and N64, but it will provide a decent overhead if she wanted to use the PC for anything else. I would even say go up to 6 or 8GB (DDR3 RAM is cheap now, and this also depends on the motherboard and if it is dual or triple channel) and grab 64bit Windows 10. Even when I am trying to build light... I think I might have gone a bit overkill for just PS1 and N64. That system might even net you GameCube / PS2 for min. specs. So you could probably knock what I said down a few pegs if you can find the parts. Just get the equivalent but a bit older? If you're not working with size, a GTX cards ending in 60 are generally the budget cards, 50 is about the same but smaller.
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I would say that if you want to go cheap then you aren't worrying about getting a GPU cause onboard would handle anything that you are asking for a 3rd or 4th gen i5 would handle it no problem but I say get at least 4GB if not 8GB of RAM and 64bit Windows. If you can get a good deal on 7 or 8.1 buy that and upgrade for free to 10 as long as you do it before July 29th.
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I think that is massive overkill SentaiBrad, but thanks for responding regardless! Really I just need to know what I can get away with to run BigBox smoothly. No min requirements where I can see. This computer won't be doing anything other than directly launching into BigBox on boot up. I could run n64/ps1 on a potato as long as it has a mid range vid card, but BigBox I suspect will actually take more power unless I'm wrong. DOS76, I've always seen people having issues with integrated chips in the past. Intel HD especially did an awful job with N64 emulation. Have things improved in the last 6 years? I'd definitely go that route if it would work properly.
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I have a Core i5 3330 with Intel HD 2500 graphics and it handles BigBox nicely it also emulates GameCube and PS2 pretty well with the occasional performance issues with some games on those platforms but for what you want they should work great. I use RetroArch for N64 and it handles it great and it even handles some of the shaders (others cause massive slow downs though) If you want a card though anything Nvidia 600 700 series should be fine for you. This is just a gift for your sister so I could see not wanting to go all out with the build. To be honest a 4th gen i3 could probably handle it.
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