Read first: Will PCSX2 run fast on my computer?

[Rezard]

@ Mufaa:

With your i7 reaching 2.4Ghz when Turbo Boosting on 2 cores, you should have no problem playing FFX. You may find the others relatively playable, but speedhacks would be necessary IMO. That graphics card is sure to do well.

I do totally understand where Saiki is coming from. I wouldn't count on Speed Boost kickin' in on it's own with PCSX2. If the "trick" ilovejedd suggested worked for him, you should definitely look into it.

If you can speed up your CPU otherwise, another 200-400Mhz should do you justice. I'd recommend seeing how the games work with some speedhacks first, though.

[dchae85]

I just bought a new computer and I'm hoping that I won't have any problems with this.

CPU: Core i5 760 2.8 ghz
GPU: Gigabyte GTX 460
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 4GB (2x2)
OS: Windows 7 64-bit

[iakoboss7]

well everything is fine (and even more) but you will have to OC that cpu to 3.4 to be able to play "almost" any game (you can still play many with the stock clocks)

[mastermx]

Your GPU is great. CPU isn't too bad, just a little slow. You'll most likely need speedhacks for most games. I'm sure you could get fullspeed with some games.

I think you'll get fullspeed, or at least close to it with Godhand. Can't say for sure about ICO, but I'd bet you need some speedhacks.


I should say, I'm considering how your system would do under Windows Vista/7 with DX10 support. Under Windows XP, one could assume the potential for lesser results.

Thank you for the help and advice. I'm currently on a 4CoreDual-SATA2 motherboard. But I'm thinking of upgrading my cpu as well as motherboard. With my current set up im being bottlenecked by my cpu, however it did manage to run ico fullspeed with speedhacks, this is not to say im happy with its performance, many games dont run smoothly and there is chance for improvement.

Using my current cpu... odin sphere has plenty of slowdowns even on zeroGS. Please tell me what you would recommend, I'm thinking of the i5, but that would set me buck a few hundred. Especially since i have to change my motherboard which i really dont want to... and my PC case is small, if i were to upgrade I would need a motherboard of the same size.

P.S. I have a copy of windows 7 but i have stuck with windows xp and directx9, this is because i was always told that XP and dx9 were fastest. is this true?

[Rezard]

Basically, I'd recommend any Core i or Core 2 Duo/Quad with the highest clock. Just keep in mind that a newer/better processor can have the same performance than an older one at at a lower clock rate. Here you can see nearly a full Gigaherz difference between a Core 2 Duo and a Core i7 with virtually the same performance. There are other examples there that may help you gauge the differences between others when at the same clock.

As far as I've known/experienced, GSdx10 is usually the best way to go. It shouldn't be very often, if ever, that DX9 would be faster than DX10. You should install Windows 7, especially for DX10 (you do know you can still use DX9 with PCSX2, right?).

[mastermx]

Basically, I'd recommend any Core i or Core 2 Duo/Quad with the highest clock. Just keep in mind that a newer/better processor can have the same performance than an older one at at a lower clock rate. Here you can see nearly a full Gigaherz difference between a Core 2 Duo and a Core i7 with virtually the same performance. There are other examples there that may help you gauge the differences between others when at the same clock.

So clock speed is the most important? I thought that buying a processor that can use SSE4.1 will have the best performance. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but isnt it:

(from best to worst)
1.SSE4.1
2.SSSE3
3.SSE2

[JTD]

So clock speed is the most important? I thought that buying a processor that can use SSE4.1 will have the best performance. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but isnt it:

(from best to worst)
1.SSE4.1
2.SSSE3
3.SSE2

Yup, Your Chart is accurate.

The most important aspects to consider when aiming for fullspeed* emulation are:
1. CPU Speed.
2. CPU Architecture. i5 & i7 are better than Core2. Both are better than Phenom II. No current** AMD CPU supports SSE 4.1 properly.
3. Number of Cores. (only 2 are used for GSdx Hardware Acceleration).
4. Graphics Card. While ya don't need the latest and greatest to get 60fps @ native, a nice mid to high card will allow you to upscale.

*Some games require more work to be done on PCSX2 and the Plugins before they can manage fullspeed all of the time.

**Future AMD CPUs are rumored to fully support SSE 4.1 properly; the Bulldozer line. They will require am AM3 (or newer, yet to be released) motherboard.
Unfortunately, they won't support DDR II, so that's why there's a minimum AM3 socket requirement.

[Granville]

I've been unhappy with the PC i had to settle for last year (specs in sig), and i finally can cut loose (to an extent) and go for a rather solid PC. I intend to build my own this time and i'll post the components i intend to get-

CPU- Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz (WILL overclock this as high as possible)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6819115215
Motherboard- MSI P55-GD65 LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6813130239
Memory- G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820231253
GPU- XFX Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814150447
PSU- CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6817139005
Heatsink/CPU Cooler- COOLER MASTER V6
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6835103089

Misc parts include (not related to performance-
Case- Rosewill CHALLENGER Black ATX mid tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6811147153
Optical Drive- OEM Lite-On DVD burner combo drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6827106289
Hard Drive- SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6822152185

My goal was to spend below $1000 and i've managed this so far. I invested in a better CPU cooler because i intend to overclock the CPU as high as possible while being stable. I've heard some people can get up to 4ghz on air, hopefully i can make it that far as well. Advice welcome in CPU coolers, but i'm about at my limit on what i want to spend. Unless you can recommend a better on for cheaper or the same price, i'll stick with this one. I'm probably only considering air cooling.

Decided to go with an i5 instead of an i7 due to price. Performance is apparently not TOO different between the two. It should be sufficient at a good overclocked rate, maybe even good at stock speed. I intend to play some stressful games at high resolutions like SOTC. As for going for quad, i realize PCSX2 uses only two cores. I'm intending to do some things that WILL require the extra cores. The i5/i7 series is apparently a very good performer in comparison to the core 2 duo series too (although i know the i series has dual cores). I had considered a six core AMD Thuban, but have almost certainly ruled it out. They're still a lot slower clock for clock than Intels and the extra cores don't even seem to give it an edge. Plus, PCSX2 supports extra SSE instruction sets which may help me. But know that i am choosing a quad for a good reason, i have other uses for it besides gaming.

Also hoping my GPU will be sufficient. My current 4350 is apparently barely better than integrated. I can't play any games above native res. I'm hoping the 5770 will be enough to play at 720p or higher. 720 is my goal though. Will it work? I don't mind overclocking it either if necessary. I considered the 4890 as well, but it's considerably more expensive. Again, advice welcome, though i'm about at my limit of price...

My PC build is a bit over $900 (i added some Arctic Silver thermal grease and a DVI to VGA adapter for my old monitor too). I do not wish to go any higher unless my build is unacceptable to run most games in PCSX2 fullspeed. I'll only consider spending about $30 more, and only if absolutely necessary. I'd prefer to spend only what i have compiled.

Thoughts and advice welcome. My goal with PCSX2 (already did research on normal PC games and other emulators) is to play games at HD resolutions of 720p or higher. And to get the majority of the working games running fullspeed most of the time. Can i do it with the parts i've chosen? Thanks in advance!

[Saiki]

if PCSX2 is your only concern for this PC then just go with the highest C2D you can find. elsewise you can probably go with even the 2.6 at stock speeds if you set it with affinity to cores 2 and 3. my brother's PC is as follows, and I've tested MANY heavy games on it:

i5 at 3.2 STOCK (don't have the numbers handy)
Nvidia GTX 240 1gb
6gb DDR3 ram
Win 7 64bit (which works for him *shrugs*)

I ordered a 2nd power supply for his PC for the 240 (the stock one was too weak to handle the card) but it runs beautifully. When all was said and done he spent $1300usd on it, but it's a dream of a pc at stock. (and he doesn't even game on it. all he plays is Starcraft 2. WASTE...)

[Granville]

Well as i said (though i edited it in for clarification), i intend to take full use of the extra cores a quad offers. I'd just stick with a dual if i was only using PCSX2, but i'm not. I intend to do video editing and rendering, as well as other things that can use a quad. I'll of course be doing some heavy gaming, games that can take advantage of more than 2 cores. I've done research and all, so i have decided which CPU i'm going to get, not going to really change that.

If PCSX2 or Dolphin were the only two things i intended to do on the system, i'd just save myself a buttload of cash and invest in a better GPU or something. It's not though, i fully intend to take advantage of the extra cores. Power is something i know not to squander for sure. I'm not getting it to show off or pretend like i have an epic PC and don't do anything to take advantage of it. I fully intend to push the components i'm getting. I did choose i5 though because apparently the only huge difference between it and the i7 is hyperthreading and a few other minor details. Performance between them seems pretty close though, and i liked than an i5 costs only $200. I figure an i7 might not be worth downgrading other parts on my build to be able to afford...