Upgrade my Phenom IIx4 @ 2.6Ghz for Core2 or Core-i?

[Bluescreendeath]

I’m building an HTPC, which will have a Phenom II x4 810 @ 2.6Ghz, 8gb ram, and a GTX750 or AMD 7850 (already bought most of the parts except GPU). However, I read that Phenoms are bad for Dolphin, and that even Core2s are better – is this true.

Should I upgrade my CPU + motherboard to run Dolphin for GC? Would I see significant performance increases if I upgrade to a Core2Quad Q9550 at 2.8Ghz or earlier Core-I cpus such as the i7 750s or i5 2400. Or should I upgrade to a newer cheaper dual core such as the Pentium G series?

I’m trying to run things like Super Smash for GC + Wii and Metroid Prime for GC.

I tried GC-Smash at 640x480 resolution on my i7 2600 + AMD 7970 and it lags at some points…which is weird because I can run GC-Mario Kart at 1080p just fine.

I’m afraid when I finish building my HTPC, my PII won’t be able to play even GC games.


Thanks


Edit:

I'm just trying to run Gamecube on this HTPC - I might try running Smash-Wii version, but I have no intention of running any intensive Wii games on it.

[KHg8m3r]

Some GC games are more intensive than any Wii games (for example the Rouge Squadron series of games from the GC are really intensive, but some WiiWare titles will run on a toaster), so its a misconception that Wii games are all inherently more intensive.

Phenoms are not great for emulation and they run really hot. It also won't handle Metroid Prime anywhere near fullspeed because it is also a CPU intensive game. Dolphin is a dual-core program, so the faster 2 cores are, the faster Dolphin will run.

If you want to go for a cheap but strong CPU, what I recommend is getting a Z97 board and the G3258. This will allow you to overclock to the same speeds as the i5-4690K/i7-4790K and have near similar performance.

If you can spend more money, get the i5-4790K with a Z97 board. That way you'll have the option to overclock in the future if Dolphin becomes more demanding. And you'll have a really good CU to play PC games with also.

[Bluescreendeath]

Some GC games are more intensive than any Wii games (for example the Rouge Squadron series of games from the GC are really intensive, but some WiiWare titles will run on a toaster), so its a misconception that Wii games are all inherently more intensive.

Phenoms are not great for emulation and they run really hot. It also won't handle Metroid Prime anywhere near fullspeed because it is also a CPU intensive game. Dolphin is a dual-core program, so the faster 2 cores are, the faster Dolphin will run.

If you want to go for a cheap but strong CPU, what I recommend is getting a Z97 board and the G3258. This will allow you to overclock to the same speeds as the i5-4690K/i7-4790K and have near similar performance.

If you can spend more money, get the i5-4790K with a Z97 board. That way you'll have the option to overclock in the future if Dolphin becomes more demanding. And you'll have a really good CU to play PC games with also.

Thanks for the info I guess I’ll sell my Phenom II and my AMD board and get a cheap dual core-I series.

This HTPC that I’m building is for movies and for having friends over to play GC/N64 and maybe a few non-intensive Wii games, and I am building this on a budget. My main rig has an i7 2600k, so I’ll use that for any hardcore traditional PC games. My HTPC will only run emulator games.
Are the i3s worth getting over the Haswell Pentiums, or is the price point not worth it?

Also, what are some non-hardware intensive Wii games that are less than GC requirements?

[KHg8m3r]

...

Thanks for the info I guess I’ll sell my Phenom II and my AMD board and get a cheap dual core-I series.

This HTPC that I’m building is for movies and for having friends over to play GC/N64 and maybe a few non-intensive Wii games, and I am building this on a budget. My main rig has an i7 2600k, so I’ll use that for any hardcore traditional PC games. My HTPC will only run emulator games.
Are the i3s worth getting over the Haswell Pentiums, or is the price point not worth it?

Only the Pentium Anniversary G3258 can be overclocked, not other Pentiums. Since you'll only be using emulators, the faster your CPU cores are, the better. Since the G3258 can be overclocked to way higher than any i3, it will be the better option. And make sure to get a Z97 board. There are some non-Z boards that claim overclocking, and they can, but its not official and you can overclock higher on a Z97 board in almost all cases.

Also, what are some non-hardware intensive Wii games that are less than GC requirements?

Just off the top of my head I can think of Pokemon Rumble and New Super Mario Bros.

[omega_rugal]

Core2 E8300 and up are good for dolphin, if you can get one dirt cheap... other wise get a Pentium...

Smash bros don`t run entirely smooth unless you have a damn good CPU, Mario Kart DD runs fine even with a modest one...

[leolam]

There's no real reason to get such an old CPU for Dolphin though; an overclocked G3258 should be as good as an i5 4670K in terms of CPU performance and can be bought for around $69.99 (or about €70 in Europe).

[Helios]

Core2 E8300 and up are good for dolphin, if you can get one dirt cheap... other wise get a Pentium...

Smash bros don`t run entirely smooth unless you have a damn good CPU, Mario Kart DD runs fine even with a modest one...

A core2 CPU as an upgrade is going to screw you when it comes to Dolphin, and pretty much anything else you want to do. Don't ever recommend a Core2 in 2015.


Also, you're wrong on both counts. Melee and Brawl are very easy for Dolphin to emulate. Melee runs remarkably well on even slow ULV CPUs or AMD CPUs.


A G3258 is an excellent choice for an HTPC.

[omega_rugal]

A core2 CPU as an upgrade is going to screw you when it comes to Dolphin, and pretty much anything else you want to do. Don't ever recommend a Core2 in 2015.


Also, you're wrong on both counts. Melee and Brawl are very easy for Dolphin to emulate. Melee runs remarkably well on even slow ULV CPUs or AMD CPUs.


A G3258 is an excellent choice for an HTPC.

yeah, he`s asking which one sucks less, otherwise why bother? go get an i5 or higher and that`s it

[sulblazer]

Just get a G3258 chip. It'll be able to run most GC games just fine...and even better if you overclock.