Cheap, affordable PC for Dolphin Netplay

[Qwerty2084]

Hello,
So I've been trying to get into netplay, but I need a decent computer. My old laptop just won’t do. I want a computer that has nice specs but doesn’t break the bank. Keep in mind that I’m going to use this PC for more than just netplay. My budget right now is $300. I might raise it if there’s something better for a little higher. I prefer desktop but It’s ok if it’s a laptop. I don’t mind if it’s Custom or Prebuilt, New or refurbished, as long as it works well for netplay. By the way, I’m a bit inexperienced in PCs but I know a thing or two. Please help me find a computer that suits me and in my budget.

Thanks.

 

[Pauer]

Take a look at this thread, where I posted in.

I quickly looked on ebay and something like those two are probably some of the most cost effective netplay computers:
"Dell Optiplex 790 DT, Core i5, SSD, 8GB, Windows 7/10 pro" The "i5-2400, 8gb RAM, 128gb SSD" configuration is what you want.
"Dell Optiplex Desktop Windows 10 Computer 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 8GB RAM WIFI SSD" Pick the 128gb SSD config. It doesnt say the processor model here but it is almost certainly the i5 2400.

Both of those computers, or comparable ones will be great for netplay and make really good personal computers for everyday use. Especially with an SSD.
Also, you can easily upgrade this PC to a budget gaming rig by installing a GTX 1050, 1050 TI or RX 460 later on. It's very easy, you just have to stick them in a slot on the motherboard.
Most older graphics cards or more powerful modern graphics cards will require a better power supply though.

 

[PaoDeBatata24]

Is that you? I'm that annoying guy, LiTTs, do you remember me?

 

[Pauer]

Is that you? I'm that annoying guy, LiTTs, do you remember me?

Are you talking to me? I remember seeing you post a while back about netplay issues but it seemed your issue was simply your location.

 

[Qwerty2084]

Oh yeah, from the discord?
I remember you, LiTTs
——————————————
Anyway, I heard about the i5-2400, and how it still preforms good today. But I got some questions,

• I know SSDs are great but, 128GB sounds small. What do I do if I run out of space? Get another SSD and install it?
• How will a decent graphics card fit in those desktops? They’re SFF/DT desktops and seem too small to fit a graphics card.

Besides that, I’m interested in these computers.

 

[Pauer]

Anyway, I heard about the i5-2400, and how it still preforms good today. But I got some questions,

• I know SSDs are great but, 128GB sounds small. What do I do if I run out of space? Get another SSD and install it?
• How will a decent graphics card fit in those desktops? They’re SFF/DT desktops and seem too small to fit a graphics card.

Besides that, I’m interested in these computers.

If you need more storage space, you can buy an HDD (like this one) and install it very easily. The quality in this tutorial (relevant part from 0:00 to 1:50) is poor but it's the only one I found where they use an old case.
You might have to buy a SATA cable if the HDD you buy doesn't come with one. Apart from that, all you need to install one is a screwdriver.

If you want to buy a graphics card, wait until you receive your computer and then take measurements. I can recommend these two models, they will fit in most cases:
EVGA GeForce GTX 1050
EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 TI
Here is a benchmark test using the i5 2400 and a gtx 1050 TI:

 

[Qwerty2084]

Seems cool, although I can’t afford such graphics card yet.

One final question though, If I wanted to add more ram, does it have to be the same type (DDR3, 1333mhz), or does it have to be specifically identical? (Same brand, same amount of gb)

 

[Pauer]

If you want to add more RAM, they simply need to be the same standard (DDR3 / DDR4). The frequency (1333mhz, 1600mhz) doesn't have to be the same because you can turn the frequency down to the lowest common frequency in the BIOS for all of them to work. But if you want to play it safe or don't want to mess with that, just buy the same frequency RAM. You can mix different RAM sizes(gb) without any problems.
I've read that it's not recommended to mix different RAM brands but most of the people I know who have built computers, have mixed RAM brands without any issues for years so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Shaspoder]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Pavil...GB-Memory-1TB-Hard-Drive-Windows-10/803136621
This. I was about to build myself a pc to play netplay as well and found this. I think it has really good value in it. It may come from Walmart, but so far, it's worked well.

 

[Pauer]

Oh that's a good deal. Unfortunately it's missing an SSD but you could install one.

Keep in mind that dolphin doesn't need a good GPU to work well, so any money invested in one would "only" benefit other games or enable you to use graphics enhancements in dolphin.

 

[Shaspoder]

Yeah, I want to install an SSD at some point to make it complete, but it's great for the money.

 

[Qwerty2084]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Pavil...GB-Memory-1TB-Hard-Drive-Windows-10/803136621
This. I was about to build myself a pc to play netplay as well and found this. I think it has really good value in it. It may come from Walmart, but so far, it's worked well.

I think that computer was on sale on Black Friday because I remember seeing it. But it looks like a great pc that I would buy if I had enough money.

Anyways, hopefully I can buy a computer soon to play netplay and maybe other games. And I hope the best for other people who are looking for a computer and come across this thread.

 

[Kaze Arashi]

I use dolphin on a microsoft surface in case that helps. Any microsoft supporting windows 7-10 should work fine.

 

[PaoDeBatata24]

Are you talking to me? I remember seeing you post a while back about netplay issues but it seemed your issue was simply your location.

Well, I was talking with Querty...

 

[Qwerty2084]

I use dolphin on a microsoft surface in case that helps. Any microsoft supporting windows 7-10 should work fine.

Dolphin only supports Windows 7 and up, but the thing is, to run Dolphin at 60fps (and maybe some enhancements), you need a decent cpu. My 5 year old laptop has a Intel i3-2350M, and 4GB of RAM, and it can run Dolphin most of the time at 60fps, but if you’re multitasking (have another window open), It slows down and goes at full capacity. What I want is a computer that can multitask and not slow down. Hopefully these computers will do that for me.

 

[Qwerty2084]

BTW I decided to look up computers on eBay to see if they suit me. What are some things I should look for (CPU, GPU, RAM, Storage, Model, etc.)?

 

[Pauer]

BTW I decided to look up computers on eBay to see if they suit me. What are some things I should look for (CPU, GPU, RAM, Storage, Model, etc.)?

cool! my recommendation would be to follow the following priorities in the following order

-check that the seller has mainly positive feedback history and has sold lots of items
-the PC should have an i5 or i7 processor.
-minimum of 8gb of RAM
-an SSD
-it should come with Windows 7 or 10 preinstalled.

-the processor should be as modern as possible (the first number indicates the generation, so the i5 750 is 1st gen, i5 2400 is 2nd gen, i5 3570 is 3rd gen, etc.)
this is because more modern processors are faster, use less power and come with better integrated graphics
OR
-the PC comes with a dedicated graphics card. (this is very unlikely in your price range)

I had looked on ebay.com for a bit and found this offer. It's less than 200$ and comes with everything you might want. Except maybe for a wifi adapter. Also, it only has displayport and VGA video outputs so you might have to buy a new cable for your monitor.
Maybe there's enough room in you budget to buy a graphics card too?

Edit: just saw, the listing had ended. can recommend this one now.

 

[Qwerty2084]

When I look at computers with 8GB of RAM and an ssd, most of them are over 300 and out of my budget. Which I’m guessing it’s because of the ssd. How will an ssd be better than a hdd? (I know ssds are fast, but what other advantages are there?)

 

[Pauer]

When I look at computers with 8GB of RAM and an ssd, most of them are over 300 and out of my budget

the last one I posted is 240$ with free shipping in the US if I saw that correctly. Wouldn't that work for you?

You definitely don't need an SSD for playing melee but it makes your PC boot really fast and programs open extremely quickly as well. In general, the PC will have a much more responsive feel.
If you just want a PC to play netplay on, you can get one for less than 150$ probably but if you want a nice computer for everyday tasks , I would say an SSD is a priority.

 

[Qwerty2084]

the last one I posted is 240$ with free shipping in the US if I saw that correctly. Wouldn't that work for you?

Well it would, but I was looking at other computers with 8GB of RAM, an SSD, and Windows 10, and those were almost out of budget but I’ve seen i5-2400 computers at $200 and less, so I wasn’t expecting the high prices.

So I guess an SSD will make the computer faster, but costs more. Anyway, I guess I’m getting a computer with one.

 

[Qwerty2084]

So I was looking a my local Craiglist and found a possible deal. The computer is a Dell Optiplex 9010, and the price is $190. The description reads:
“MT Minitower
2rd Gen intel Quad core i5 2400 3.10GHz
Max Turbo Speed 3.4GHz
64 bit Processor
4GB memory
1TB hard drive new
16X DVD+/- RW
1GB NVIDIA GeForce w/HDMI, DVI, & VGA
Gigabit Ethernet
Lan speed 10/100/1000
USB's 10
4 USB 3.0 2 front and 2 rear
6 USB 2.0 2 front and 4 rear
1 Serial
1 VGA
2 HDMI (monitor)
2 Display Port
1 audio line in and 1 audio line out
1 micro phone mini front and 1 head phone front

Windows 7 Ultimate (new clean install)

Nice business computer and works great!”
———
Is this a good deal? I think so. It’s even in my town. What’s your opinion about it?

 

[Milky2Milk]

So I was looking a my local Craiglist and found a possible deal. The computer is a Dell Optiplex 9010, and the price is $190. The description reads:
“MT Minitower
2rd Gen intel Quad core i5 2400 3.10GHz
Max Turbo Speed 3.4GHz
64 bit Processor
4GB memory
1TB hard drive new
16X DVD+/- RW
1GB NVIDIA GeForce w/HDMI, DVI, & VGA
Gigabit Ethernet
Lan speed 10/100/1000
USB's 10
4 USB 3.0 2 front and 2 rear
6 USB 2.0 2 front and 4 rear
1 Serial
1 VGA
2 HDMI (monitor)
2 Display Port
1 audio line in and 1 audio line out
1 micro phone mini front and 1 head phone front

Windows 7 Ultimate (new clean install)

Nice business computer and works great!”
———
Is this a good deal? I think so. It’s even in my town. What’s you opinion about it?

Sounds great!
But make sure you can refund it, incase Melee doesn't work on it.

 

[Pauer]

You can definitely get better deals on eBay (almost identical PC 60$ less here) but it's local so that may be worth something to you. If the fact that you can just go pick it and maybe even test it out before you buy it makes your decision easier, then go for it.

The computer you posted has a dedicated graphics card but given that it's a business pc, it won't be a gaming graphics card, rather a business-type one. Like a gt 530 or gt 730, both of which are only slightly better than the integrated graphics.
I'd still recommend the one I linked earlier since it has better value and pretty much everything you might want (ssd+hdd, 8gb ram, i5 4570 processor and HD 4000 integrated graphics)

 

[Qwerty2084]

I found another computer on Craigslist. It’s a Dell Optiplex 890. It’s costs $350, but that’s because it includes monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers. He says he used it for gaming. In his screen, it says that the CPU is a i7-2600, 12GB of RAM, and Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. He also says it has a graphics card. I’m wondering if I should get this computer bundle as it seems like a better deal.

 

[Pauer]

Whether it's a good deal or not depends mostly on the graphics card and whether the monitor, keyboard, etc. will actually be useful to you. Do you not already have those accessories? Ask the guy about the model of the graphics card.
The 'isssue' with the deal is that, while it has a better CPU and more RAM than the ones I proposed, those are two things you are not going to notice because for gaming, the graphics card is the limiting factor or bottleneck. Until you get at least a ~150$ graphics card, you are not going to notice a difference between the i5 2400 and that i7 2600 or the extra 4gb of RAM.


If you're actually willing to spend 350$, I would go buy the last PC I linked and get a used GTX 750 TI (like this one). That combination will be able to play most games in 1080p at a decent level of detail. Some guy made over 200 videos testing different games with an almost identical PC :

 

[Qwerty2084]

Whether it's a good deal or not depends mostly on the graphics card and whether the monitor, keyboard, etc. will actually be useful to you. Do you not already have those accessories?

Well I could use the keyboard and mouse from my old computer, but I don’t have an LCD monitor. Speaking of which, a 1ms monitor will cost about $100 or more, but if I want a monitor with 144hz, it costs $200+. Should I pay extra money to get a 1ms, 144hz monitor?

EDIT: the only computer that is still available is the first one you linked:https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optip...hash=item33d31ab51d:m:mcvhWJ8S8eQLxA-sf36DEqA

 

[Pauer]

Well I could use the keyboard and mouse from my old computer, but I don’t have an LCD monitor. Speaking of which, a 1ms monitor will cost about $100 or more, but if I want a monitor with 144hz, it costs $200+. Should I pay extra money to get a 1ms, 144hz monitor?

I have a 144hz monitor and if you want to plan for the future, I can wholeheartedly recommend one. I have the Asus VG248QE, which was tested to have particularly low latency, even compared to some other 144hz monitors. Most of them will be fine in terms of input lag but that one's a safe bet.

I had a quick look online again and below are some decent deals deals on ebay. You will likely only find good deals locally on craigslist, but when buying from ebay, you have good buyer's protection and a warranty.
Decent choices:
1 (config 8gb ram, 128gb ssd, 1tb hdd)
2 good deal, despite lacking an hdd . Likely to be sold soon.
3 ssd+2tb hdd, "only" has i5 2400, the others have i5 3470 (~10% more powerful, but makes no difference in most games)

 

[Qwerty2084]

I had a quick look online again and below are some decent deals deals on ebay. You will likely only find good deals locally on craigslist, but when buying from ebay, you have good buyer's protection and a warranty.
Decent choices:
1 (config 8gb ram, 128gb ssd, 1tb hdd)
2 good deal, despite lacking an hdd . Likely to be sold soon.
3 ssd+2tb hdd, "only" has i5 2400, the others have i5 3470 (~10% more powerful, but makes no difference in most games)

Wow, unlike the previous computers, these are really good deals. I will definitely get one of these. Thanks Pauer.

 

[Sir_Slice]

Tax season is coming... these posts should be helpful to me

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optip...hash=item33d31ab51d:m:mcvhWJ8S8eQLxA-sf36DEqA

Pretty sexy deal at 235$ Pauer. Is this still a refurbished prebuilt you would recommend? Taxes come in in around a month. I'm losing it. I'm freaking out. Its been a year since I wasted my money last tax season on a trash cpu lol. Granted it was only like 140$ wasted but its a whole year of my precious melee getting good time.

 

[Qwerty2084]

Sorry for reviving this old thread, but something just came up.

So my friend is trying to get rid of a PC, he makes custom builds, anyway he doesn’t want it anymore. He’s selling it to me for $350, which sounds good, as the build originally cost like $500, and when he checked the pcpartpicker list, it was at $700! It sounds very good, and a great opportunity I don’t want to miss.

The specs are as follows:
CPU: Intel i3-6100
GPU: R9 270
Motherboard: B150M-A D3
RAM: 8GB DDR3-1866
Storage: OCZ 240GB SSD
OS: Windows 10 Home 64-Bit

This honestly sounds like it’s worth every penny, and I might possibly buy it soon.

 

[Pauer]

when he checked the pcpartpicker list, it was at $700!

that's because those older parts he used are out of stock and thus the price for the new hardware is very high since stock is low. That has nothing to do with quality though, just supply and demand. For example this Q6600 from 2006 costs 400€ for a new one. Sounds to me like he's trying to hype up the deal.

It's not a great deal but a fair price imo. I'm sure you could find something comparable at a similar price in your local craigslist though.
But you're also not likely to find something much better unless you're lucky or patient. So since you're helping out your friend, I say either go with it straight away or try to get the price down another 20-50$.

At this point I would like to note that Kadano has found certain AMD graphics cards to cause input delays of 10+ ms when using dolphin and that computer uses an AMD graphics card. These tests were done on slightly older AMD cards than the R9 270 so there is a good chance the issues have been fixed on these more modern models but in general only modern NVIDIA graphics cards are a safe bet in regards to input lag. (Test data found here)
Whether this changes your decision is up to you.

 

[Qwerty2084]

Again, sorry for my late reply, but I just got that PC this Saturday for $310. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was going to be great.

Dolphin works very well, both Melee and PM, and there’s no frame drops, I even added HD textures for both games and raised the internal resoution for the Full HD experience.

Games in general work very well, in high/ultra settings. I tried out Fortnite and it was fantastic, even better than in console. I definitely don’t regret getting this PC.

Anyway, I uploaded some videos to test how good it looks, I used Radeon ReLive as it runs of the graphics card, therefore not adding any delay. These videos look better than in my old PC, and I feel that I could make some content on YouTube with it.

Melee: https://youtu.be/7QUO_fNXTAg
Project M: https://youtu.be/eOi6o_dvp7U
Fortnite: https://youtu.be/RZrQrfdyXaA

Anyway, thanks for all your help Pauer, and for anyone wondering, you don’t need to spend much to have a PC that can game pretty good.