Hardware Cheap dolphin box?

[FaTaL_ErRoR]

Buy a compute stick, strip down the OS and optimize it.
Then install dolphin. Itll run just fine.
http://m.newegg.com/Product/index?i...gclid=CND5pIvtnNACFZE6gQodQOwHow&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

You're never going to get good performance for $100, unless you're buying some stolen/broken junk.

Instead, just buy a Wii and a PS2. These days you could probably find both for under $100 easy, and still afford a HDD for both for ISO loading.

 

[naddel81]

Weird, using a Core i5 3570 with 2 GB GPU and 8 GB of RAM. Dolphin 5.0 runs amazing, are you sure you're not using an old version?

No, I am using the newest dolphin version and I can run everything at 4K on my 980Ti.
you just confirmed what I wrote: with an i5 and a dedicated GPU dolphin runs fine. and even pcsx2 would do except for a few very demanding games. but that is way above the 100 dollar budget here!

But on a 100 dollar machine with integrated graphics 720p in mario kart is the limit. anything above makes the memory bandwidth on an old ivy bridge i5 too narrow and therefore produces massive frame drops and audio issues. tested this very thoroughfully!

 

[TehCupcakes]

You're never going to get good performance for $100, unless you're buying some stolen/broken junk.

Instead, just buy a Wii and a PS2. These days you could probably find both for under $100 easy, and still afford a HDD for both for ISO loading.

This. If your main motivation is to play Gamecube/Wii games, get a Wii and hack it.

If you really want a < $100 PC, then you just have unrealistic expectations and will need to compromise somewhere.