Wondering if my computer can handle the emulator

[sethdowney]

Hi all!

So I just recently purchased a new computer. I've had emulators before on my old computer (a macbook) but it would never run Dolphin. I'm wondering if someone could tell me if my new comp can handle it and what would be the best settings to use? I'm looking to mostly play RPG type games (Skies of Arcadia, Tales, Paper Mario) so hopefully this is doable!

Here are my specs:

• Intel Pentium G2020
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• 4GB DDR3-1600 SDRAM
• 1TB 7,200RPM Hard Drive
• 16x DVDRW Drive
• 8-in-1 Media Card Reader
• Intel HD
• Dell Wireless 1506 802.11b/g/n Wireless

Thanks in advance!

[garrlker]

Your cpu is fine for most games. Demanding ones like Tales, Skies of arcadia ,etc will have trouble. Paper Mario is fine though.
Your gpu on the other hand is not fine. It can barely handle most games at 1x internal resolution.
To fix that you should buy a low end gpu like this; or this if you want an nvidia equivalent.

[sethdowney]

That's what I was worried about....but thanks for the advice! Nice thing about this computer is that it's extremely easy to upgrade! haha

[garrlker]

Well in that case, if you really want to speed up performance in games and be able to use LLE audio in games that need it( I think Tales, and Skies need it but I have never played them so I don't know) and since your mobo probably doesn't support overclocking then get this cpu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115233
They won't be full speed all the time but they'll run well.
Edit: Just to make sure, what mobo do you have?

[Shonumi]

Dunno if I would call Skies of Arcadia demanding anymore. I played roughly ten hours of it with LLE on stock (3.3 GHz) without any drops. Later, delroth made the first new-ax-hle merge, so LLE audio was unnecessary. The game ran flawlessly on HLE audio, for the most part. Tales of Symphonia isn't really demanding either, thanks to the fact that you can play it without LLE audio. On the latest revisions, you still probably won't get fullspeed constantly with a G2020 in Symphonia; Skies of Arcadia should be fine.

[sethdowney]

So I upgraded my card to an NVIDIA NVS 300. The games seem to run fine now, but I'm still having issues with the audio part. I was playing Double Dash, for example, and graphically everything was fine. But after I reached the final lap in the first race, the music stopped, but the sound effects were still there...

[Starscream]

Search for your game in the "Gamecube game support" forum section by looking in the "game thread index" sticky thread there. There is an "audio" section in your game's first post that tells you all about it.

[admin89]

Quote:NVIDIA NVS 300

is so damn weak . God ! It has only 12.6GB/sec memory bandwidth which is less than a low-end laptop GPU - Nvidia GT 540M - 28.8GB/sec
It would be fine if you spent money on GT 640 / GDDR5 6670 like garrlker's suggestion

[garrlker]

I just looked that card up and please don't tell me you spent 87 bucks on a card when 90 bucks is what the gddr5 6670 costs?

[sethdowney]

Here's the thing - my tower isn't a normal sized tower, it's smaller. So I can't use regular video cards. I actually bought the GT 640 and it doesn't fit. I was able to get the NVS 300 which does fit and runs other emulators fine...so I guess I'm wondering what the deal with Dolphin is?