Hello. I just built a new PC with an i5 4670K. I've just been using the processor's integrated GPU and most gamecube games are running smooth at 1.5 to 2x resolution. Would a budget graphics card (under $100) be worth it, or would I need to go higher end? I'm mainly just wanting to get the resolution up to 3 or 4x.
And since this is my first post - a big thank you to everyone working on Dolphin. I'm new to gamecube emulation and I've been blown away by the quality of the emulator and the website.
Well, in newer builds of Dolphin, a graphics card can be very important to getting the best out of your computer. As you increase internal resolution, both GPU and CPU will be taxed more, so don't be surprised if even the biggest graphics card doesn't let you be able to run every game in 4x IR; eventually CPU to GPU communication becomes the bottleneck.
I use a GTX 760 without many issues, but games like Mario Galaxy 2 I cannot run in 3x IR at full speed, which I believe is just GPU limitations.
Ok, thanks for the tip. Are Wii games more demanding (than gamecube games) in that sense? Or would I have the same issues playing GC games you're talking about with Galaxy 2? Since you're using a 760 I guess you wouldn't recommend anything in the sub-$100 range.
The GC and Wii are very similar in architecture so the games of one console are not entirely more demanding than the other, there are GC games more demanding than some Wii games and vice versa.
A GTX 750 Ti will run you about $120-150, and play games at 3-4x IR with some AA/AF
(07-19-2014, 12:10 PM)JMC47 Wrote: [ -> ]eventually CPU to GPU communication becomes the bottleneck.
This is very true, especially with regards to Dolphin. In normal PC games, not so much.
One thing you can keep in mind for optimal speed is PCIe 3.0 compatibility on all of your hardware. If your motherboard, CPU, and graphics card support PCIe 3.0, then you will benefit from the increased data transfer rates that PCIe 3.0 offers. I'm not exactly sure how much of a speedup it will provide for Dolphin, since I have a i7-3970X which does not support the PCIe 3.0 revision.
But I would recommend a new graphics card around $150 if it fits your budget. It will still be significantly better than integrated graphics.
I appreciate all the tips. I had been looking into the 750 ti, I think I'll grab one soon. Thanks for the advice.