Fnkngrv Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 New here to the community. I performed a search however it didn't return anything. Could be because I am using Tapatalk. If so apologies up front.I am currently purchasing the components for an emulation PC that can play up to Wii U titles as well as 3DS. I know that the defacto choice is an Nvidia based card however having a little bit of difficulty figuring out what cards would be optimal that are low profile. I have a Silverstone ML05B case so choices are somewhat limited as there isn't a lot of room. I am seeking suggestions?Thanks in advance.Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 If you can find something with DDR5 vram that would be best once you start talking about upscaling and using shaders in emulators like Retroarch or Mame. If you aren't going to upscale or use shaders then anything with DDR3 vram will be fine and cheap. Keep in mind though I have no idea where the tipping point is in terms of the type of vram needed for the heavier shaders. I don't have anything with DDR3 to test on but I can tell you that 1 gig of DDR5 vram will handle even the heaviest of shaders. A quick look on pcpartspicker.com I found this card which looks really nice to me. It's a GeForce GT 730 with 1 gig of DDR5 and is only 40-50$ http://pcpartpicker.com/product/ZJ7CmG/msi-video-card-n730k1gd5lpoc Focus on a good fast CPU though, that is the most important thing in emulation, especially the more modern systems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOS76 Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 I have this MSI card but it was $40 less when I got it. They also have an Asus model which includes a $30 mail in rebate and this Gigabyte model @lordmonkus's suggestion would also work great and for a way better price but those 950's are a little newer. That being said I have two 750TI's and they both are working great so the older card will be fine comes down to how much you are willing to spend I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 Those cards you linked @DOS76aren't low profile which is what the OP was asking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOS76 Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 They aren't? What are they considered then I had to get one of them to fit in a horizontal case because my full size was to tall for the case I bought the 2nd one that is the same size for the same reason I know they are considerably smaller than me full size cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 The ones you linked are standard height. Compare the pics of the ones you linked to this one https://www.amazon.com/MSI-GeForce-OC-Profile-N730K-2GD5LP/dp/B00R2M10SU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOS76 Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 (edited) I see they are only half height but do they only take up one expansion slot also unlike most cards that eat up two slots. Edited September 29, 2016 by DOS76 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 Looks like it from the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fnkngrv Posted October 1, 2016 Author Share Posted October 1, 2016 So everyone is saying that for the most part the GPU only drives resolution even with the Wii and Wii U? I also had mainly heard that the emulators are single core or at most dual. Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 Yeah the GPU will drive the internal resolution scaling and other graphical effects like anti aliasing, anisotropic filtering and stuff like that. If you just leave things the normal internal game resolution and those other effects off the GPU won't be under much load. The GPU also comes into effect in things like Retroarch or Mame when you add on shader effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fnkngrv Posted October 3, 2016 Author Share Posted October 3, 2016 So this weekend there's a guy locally here that post about him selling a system that looks to be about five years old or so maybe 6 and a guy's ask you only a hundred and forty bucks for it. Is it just me or with this to okay with wanting to do the type of emulation that I'm looking at 4 dolphin and doing the GameCube and the Wii and the Wii U Down the Line?Got a great i7 desktop that I'm looking to sell. System works great and extremely fast, but don't need it any more. Specs are:- Intel Core i7 930- Asetek liquid cooling system- 12GB DDR3 RAM- EVGA Geforce GTS450 GDDR5- Xion 700W PSU- Asus P6T SE motherboard- Antec 300 Gaming case- 320GB HDD w/ space for 5 more- DVD-RW drive- Windows 7 Professional x64 (upgradeable to Windows 10 Pro for free)This is a great system and handles modern games very nicely. System has incedible overclocking potential if you want to go that route.Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 The clock speed of that CPU seems low for emulation purposes to me, going by this spec page on that cpu http://ark.intel.com/products/41447/Intel-Core-i7-930-Processor-8M-Cache-2_80-GHz-4_80-GTs-Intel-QPI Overall I would say the 140$ is a good price for it but the 2.8 - 3 GHz speed I worry about. Newer system emulation really likes faster. Now I also have zero experience with the newer generation Intel CPUs, been using AMD for a few years now. Going to switch over to Intel on my next full build however. I noticed the upgrade to Windows 10 for free line, that offer isn't available anymore as far as I am aware, unless MS extended it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOS76 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 I had a 920 and even with a good card in it it struggled with Dolphin that being said if it is well taken care of it is a solid PC for $140 but that is a 1st gen i7 and the 6th gen ones are probably about to be replaced before the end of the year (don't really know if this is true it just seems like they keep em coming). I don't know if I would sink any money into something that old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fnkngrv Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 So to keep my thread going I found a guy on eBay and scored an i3 6100 for $75 and a Fractal Design Node 202 with the 450w PSU for $80 NIB.Now I found a guy locally on CL selling a GTX 780 SC 3GB for $120. Would this be a solid purchase? I still need to verify cars fitment now that I think about it, but still curious on the price/performance for emulation.Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 If it's a low profile card and would fit it might be a good deal. But otherwise the new 1050s have been announced at 109$ and 159$ which would be better. From what I could find on the 780 it's not low profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fnkngrv Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 Yeah, with that node 2 case I can do a standard size card up to 310mm it looks like. I will check into the 1050.Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fnkngrv Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 Just did a quick search and found this saying that the 780 is still a superior card to the 1050:http://www.game-debate.com/gpu/index.php?gid=3541&gid2=1945&compare=geforce-gtx-1050-vs-geforce-gtx-780-ti-evga-superclocked-w-acx-editionI have no intention of running anything but emulation on this machine so I am not sure that the newer architecture would gain me anything except for power consumption?Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Yeah for a pure emulation system both cards are very much overkill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fnkngrv Posted October 21, 2016 Author Share Posted October 21, 2016 I will be emulating up to Wii, Wii U, and 3DSIf that is the case then as you said I might as well go with the entry level 1050 @ $109........Will be more cost effective not only at purchase, but also power efficiency wise eh?Sent from m-o-b-i-l-e Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordmonkus Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Yeah. As far as emulation goes the CPU is the driving factor behind the speed. The video card only comes in when you take shaders and resolution scaling into account and even then you don't need anything too amazing. I am using an older Radeon 7850 in an emulation computer which just has 1 gig of ddr5 and it is great for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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