MAME Running Slow and Sound Stuttering

[Who_Dunnit_Roger]

Thank you for the help in advance. I am assuming my game ini file is not correct and have experimented but I cannot seem to get it to run correctly. I am a Samsung Odyssey Monitor and HP Mini EliteDesktop and advice or guidance is greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you

[NNEMO]

I highly recommend you make backups of your mame and store them safely somewhere for cases like this.

Integrated graphics sounds like your main issue, and because any config change could issues, you could try to reinstall mame entirely, or troubleshoot individual files.

I would recommend you usa Claude AI, and tell it your computer info and upload the file, tell it to choose the best settings for your computer. You would eventually find the issue.

I asked Claude AI about your setup, and it gave suggestions. Make a backup first though. 

I don't see the ini file or a description of what "not running correctly" looks like, so I can't pinpoint it yet. Your hardware does point to a few common culprits, though.

**HP EliteDesk Mini (integrated Intel graphics)**
- Heavy shaders, high internal resolution, and the BGFX/HLSL effects in MAME can overwhelm it. Try `video d3d` or `video bgfx` with `bgfx_screen_chains default`, and turn off any CRT shader as a test.
- Update the **Intel graphics driver** from Intel's site, not Windows Update. Old drivers cause black screens and crashes in emulators.
- Check that the PC is on the **High Performance** power plan, since Minis throttle hard otherwise.

**Samsung Odyssey (high refresh rate, often ultrawide)**
- At **144/165/240Hz**, games can run too fast, stutter, or have messed-up sound when the emulator syncs to the monitor. Test with the monitor set to **60Hz** in Windows Display Settings. If that fixes it, keep `syncrefresh 0` and `throttle 1` in MAME, or use VRR.
- On **ultrawide** screens, games can stretch. In MAME, set `keepaspect 1` and `unevenstretch 0`. In RetroArch, set Aspect Ratio to Core Provided.
- Odyssey monitors can also apply **Game Mode or FreeSync** settings that conflict with exclusive fullscreen. Try `window 0` versus `window 1` (borderless) in MAME.

**Ini file quick checks (if this is MAME)**
- Remember the order in which MAME loads ini files: `mame.ini` → system/source ini (e.g. `neogeo.ini`) → `game.ini`. A setting in a later file overrides the earlier ones, so something in a game ini can undo your global fixes.
- Make sure the file is named exactly the ROM's short name (e.g. `sf2.ini`), and that it's in the `ini` folder MAME actually reads. Running `mame -showconfig` shows the active paths.
- Test by temporarily renaming the game's ini. If the game runs normally with defaults, the problem is in that file.

To narrow it down, could you tell me:
1. Which game, and which emulator (MAME standalone, RetroArch, or something else)?
2. What actually happens: wrong speed, black screen, stretched image, crash, or bad sound?
3. Paste or attach the ini file contents.