Do ultra-portables pack enough punch? (ULV Intels or E-series AMD)

01-23-2013, 10:18 AM #1

I am seriously considering getting a new ultraportable laptop as my current laptop is too big/heavy/power-hungry for my current lifestyle (I'm a student that gets out a lot, but also takes a lot of computer courses, so having a very portable laptop would be very beneficial to me.)

Now, since I'm sticking to the 11.6"-12.1" range, my choices of CPU power is VERY limited.

I'm basically limited to: Intel i3-3217u, i5-3317u, i7-3517u, E-450, E1-1200, E2-1800, some mobile Core 2 processors, and some mobile Pentium processors.

So clearly, I'm not looking at much power here. I'm simply wondering if any of these processors have any shot in the dark of playing games on Dolphin? GC or Wii? I'm not really a serious gamer (I'm actually trying to quit high-end gaming... Too expensive and addicting), but I really like emulating my old retro games. So being able to emulate GC, Wii, PS2, and Xbox games would be of great use to me.

So simply, I know I'm not referring to any particular game and I know that's kind of hard to judge; but would any of the super mobile processors listed above have any grunt when it comes to running Dolphin? Very sorry for the vagueness!

**NaturalViolence** · 01-23-2013, 10:41 AM #2

No, not even close: http://forums.dolphin-emu.org/Thread-dolphin-cpu-hierarchy

01-23-2013, 10:47 AM #3

(01-23-2013, 10:41 AM)NaturalViolence Wrote: No, not even close: http://forums.dolphin-emu.org/Thread-dolphin-cpu-hierarchy

Is this for both GC and Wii games? I know that GC games are much less demanding than Wii games.

Also, I did look at that link, yet also failed to see the direction inclusion of ULV CPUs (and putting them under i3,i5, and i7 would make them "fast" or "extremely fast"), and the E2 series is under "moderate". The E-series that is E1 or E-xx0 is completely excluded, as well as the entirety of any mention of mobile processors specifically.... I know this was to keep the thread much more simple; but wouldnt the new HD4000 IGP help out?

**LordVador** · 01-23-2013, 10:54 AM #4

(01-23-2013, 10:47 AM)elemein Wrote: I know that GC games are much less demanding than Wii games.

That is not true. A lot of GC games are much more demanding than some Wii games

01-23-2013, 11:00 AM #5

(01-23-2013, 10:54 AM)LordVador Wrote:
(01-23-2013, 10:47 AM)elemein Wrote: I know that GC games are much less demanding than Wii games.
That is not true. A lot of GC games are much more demanding than some Wii games

Really? I did not know that, that is surprising. Thanks for clarification. I don't mind not being able to play with all the fancy settings in place; my goal is simply to be able to run at full speed. I don't mind if the audio is crappy or the graphics aren't too purtyfull, I just care about the speed.

**LordVador** · 01-23-2013, 11:07 AM #6

(01-23-2013, 11:00 AM)elemein Wrote: my goal is simply to be able to run at full speed

With processors you listed it won't be possible

01-23-2013, 11:15 AM #7

(01-23-2013, 11:07 AM)LordVador Wrote:
(01-23-2013, 11:00 AM)elemein Wrote: my goal is simply to be able to run at full speed

With processors you listed it won't be possible

Even for low-demand games in low-settings? Even with the HD4000? Huh

That seems a bit harsh since my old Phenom II X3 @ 2.1 GHz could run some GC games at full speed (some Pokemon games... cant remember the exact titles...) Are these ULV CPUs REALLY even behind two-gen old mobile CPU with horrible IGP graphics? Confused

**admin89** · (This post was last modified: 01-23-2013, 11:17 AM by admin89.)

Quote:my goal is simply to be able to run at full speed

Depending on the game ...
You should list the games you want to play
Unlike i7 xxxxQM (QM = Quad Core mobile CPU) , all i5/i7 ULV are dual core
Some high-end ULV CPUs are fast . You should look at benchmark list . Recommend : Any ULV CPU which is faster than my CPU (as fast as possible since Intel HD 4000 is crap .That's why you need a very fast CPU to make up for it)

01-23-2013, 11:24 AM #9

(01-23-2013, 11:17 AM)admin89 Wrote:
Quote:my goal is simply to be able to run at full speed
Depending on the game ...
You should list the games you want to play
Unlike i7 xxxxQM (QM = Quad Core mobile CPU) , all i5/i7 ULV are dual core
Some high-end ULV CPUs are fast . You should look at benchmark list . Recommend : Any ULV CPU which is faster than my CPU (as fast as possible since Intel HD 4000 is crap .That's why you need a very fast CPU to make up for it)

Ah yes, the i7-3630M is my dream processor Big Grin

(clearly a laptop kind of guy)

I know that all ULV processors are dual-core, but I read somewhere that Dolphin only supports dual-core anyways; am I incorrect in this? Does it support more than two cores? Does it also support hyperthreading?

Also, I know the HD 4000 is not that great, but in comparison to the IGP of the ULV Pentium's and ULV Core 2 Duo's, it is certainly better, and definitely as good if not better than the E2-1800 IGP.

I will take a look at the benchmark list; thank you.

The titles I mainly want to play would include (but are not limited to in any way): Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, Super Mario Galaxy, Paper Mario (the GC one and possibly the Wii one), all Pokemon titles, the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (are they equally as demanding on both the GC and Wii ports?), The Sims: Castaway, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance & Radiant Dawn and some other games I'm probably forgetting; but those are the main ones..

I don't mind having low settings for both audio and video. Any help you guys can give me would be greeeatt!

Edit:

Looking at the benchmark list:
i7-3517u is #75
i5-3317u is #109
i3-3217u is #135
E-450 is #414
E2-1800 is #413
Pentium 987 is #288 (a processor I may be considering)

Now I know that obviously the number itself isnt a big deal and there are MANY variables (GPU vs CPU balance, HT, TurboCore, cache, etc.), but what mobile processor would be the standard "acceptable" processor that most laptop folk use to emulate their games with reliable success?

Also, is Dolphin more heavily reliant on the CPU, or the GPU?

**admin89** · (This post was last modified: 01-23-2013, 11:34 AM by admin89.)

Don't bother with any mobile AMD CPU . They're no good for Dolphin whatsoever

Quote:Super Mario Galaxy + LLE

i5 3570k @ 4.2GHz
The rest will run fine with i7 3687U , i7 3667U , i7 3617U , i5-3427U

Quote:I read somewhere that Dolphin only supports dual-core anyways; am I incorrect in this? Does it support more than two cores?

http://forums.dolphin-emu.org/Thread-green-notice-development-thread-important-query-about-lock-threads-to-cores-performance