I5 6500 with the iGPU vs i5-2500 and a GT 1030?

RetroArch Windows devices
#1

I was in a thrift store today and saw a bunch of older SFF PCs. Taking a look at them i could get one with the Skylake for about 25 more Canuckbucks than the one with the Sandy Bridge AND buying a new GT 1030.

I’ve been using a tiny USFF PC with an i5-3570S and the iGPU (HD Graphics 2500). Its been pretty good but i have to be really careful with shaders and hard sync. IIRC have to turn hard sync off for N64/PS1 if i use even the most basic CRT shader. I can only play a few Gamecube/Wii games (at 1x) with it using the “real” Dolphin emulator. I’ve only really tried the NSMB games. Wouldn’t mind checking out PS2 emulation.

What do you think? The Skylake HD 530 seems like it would do what i want… the older CPU with the 1030 might be a lot better… but im still leaning towards the 6500. Heh.

#2

I’d go for the skylake. You can always add a vid card later.

#3

Maybe… im a cheap bastard tho. LOL. I might never buy a card! :slight_smile:

EDIT: Found an R7 250 in my pile of PC parts. Might just grab the skylake.

#4

From one cheap bastard to another, get the Skylake. Attaining a GPU is much cheaper than having to get a new motherboard to house a different socket type. Intel’s integrated graphics are much more powerful in the Skylake CPUs when compared to Sandy Bridge so it should hold you pretty good until you get a GPU. I have 3 computers and they’re all Sandy Bridge with my gaming computer having a i5-2500. It’s a great CPU but the 6500 would murder it especially running emulation. I wish I had a Skylake.

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#5

Definitely go Skylake. I have an i7-6700T I pulled out of a broken Alienware Alpha R2 and re-purposed it into another NUC running Lakka and it plays pretty much anything I throw at it full speed, including Beetle Saturn. It struggles a bit with GameCube, unfortunately, but I have a modded Wii for that. Happy retro gaming!

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#6

I bought a cheap (220CAD) Dell 3060 micro with a i3-8100T to set up for my brother. Price was so good i bought one for myself. The UHD 630 is a tiny bit better than the Skylake iGPU. Should do what i want well.

Heck i used a e8400 dual core as my main PC up until about 3/4 years ago! My current “gaming” PC is still a 6600k/1060. Both of my HTPCs are i5-3570S’ with no GPUs. The 3570S is quite a capable CPU that can handle any emulation up to n64/PS1 (with some light CRT shaders). I’ve even played light Wii (NSMB at 1x res) and a few PS2 (Metal Slug 6) games on them.

It only has a 128GB M2 SSD so i am probably going to add a $40CAD 2.5in SSD just for ROMs/ISOs.