Get an Audigy 2 ZS, double the RAM, buy a 240/256GB SSD or upwards from 160GB HDD. 2001 games can eat up that 40GB fast, especially if you store the disc images as well.

A budget card from around 2004 should be enough. Something like a Geforce 2 Ti200, MX460, Ti4200, FX5600, 6600 or Radeon 9100, 9200 (128bit), 9550, 9600, X600, X700.

2000/2001 with XP is not particularly complicated or expensive.

RandomStranger wrote on 2024-01-26, 12:58:

games can eat up that 40GB fast, especially if you store the disc images as well.

More storage space never hurts... but I'd recommend thinking about a "companion machine" to serve all that data from, especially once you have multiple retro boxes. Basically a NAS configured in a way that old OSes can access it with a minimum of friction. For example a RetroNAS install.

elszgensa wrote on 2024-01-26, 13:14:

RandomStranger wrote on 2024-01-26, 12:58:

games can eat up that 40GB fast, especially if you store the disc images as well.

More storage space never hurts... but I'd recommend thinking about a "companion machine" to serve all that data from, especially once you have multiple retro boxes. Basically a NAS configured in a way that old OSes can access it with a minimum of friction. For example a RetroNAS install.

That's convenient and that's what I do too. Still, games of 2000/2001 can be up to 3-4 CDs with a lot of data to install so it's not a bad idea to upgrade that 40GB hard drive and save it for pre-y2k builds.

RandomStranger wrote on 2024-01-26, 12:58:

Get an Audigy 2 ZS, double the RAM, buy a 240/256GB SSD or upwards from 160GB HDD. 2001 games can eat up that 40GB fast, especially if you store the disc images as well.

A budget card from around 2004 should be enough. Something like a Geforce 2 Ti200, MX460, Ti4200, FX5600, 6600 or Radeon 9100, 9200 (128bit), 9550, 9600, X600, X700.

2000/2001 with XP is not particularly complicated or expensive.

Thanks a lot for the recommendation. Have to agree with elszgensa that there can never be too much saving space. Also thanks a lot for the sound recommendation and the GPU recommendations.

I was thinking of getting either Geforce 4 4200 or Geforce 2 ti 200. Was not thinking of getting something more modern like the gf fx500 or 6000 series. The ATI cards like the Radeon 9100 or maybe even the x600 or x 700 were not on my radar.

But it might not be the worst idea to also look a bit further in the "future" at cards that came after Gf 4.

predator_085 wrote on 2024-01-26, 10:15:

turn that rig into a decent 2000/2001 gaming system?

Northwood 2.66 and 845E chipset were both not available until mid-2002.
GeForce 4 series (not MX) is a nice 2002 card to pair with those. Performance bottleneck from AGP 8x to 4x (on refresh models like 4Ti4200-8X) is negligible.
Audigy 2 is a perfectly fine 2002 sound card.

Max Payne, AVP2, RTCW, all those titles should be perfectly playable.

Bruno128 wrote on 2024-01-29, 23:09:

Northwood 2.66 and 845E chipset were both not available until mid-2002. GeForce 4 series (not MX) is a nice 2002 card to pair wi […]
Show full quote

predator_085 wrote on 2024-01-26, 10:15:

turn that rig into a decent 2000/2001 gaming system?

Northwood 2.66 and 845E chipset were both not available until mid-2002.
GeForce 4 series (not MX) is a nice 2002 card to pair with those. Performance bottleneck from AGP 8x to 4x (on refresh models like 4Ti4200-8X) is negligible.
Audigy 2 is a perfectly fine 2002 sound card.

Max Payne, AVP2, RTCW, all those titles should be perfectly playable.

Thx for your recommendations.

I also think that the Audigy2 is neat soundcard. I am already in the process of hunting one down.

About the GF4. Like I said in the Geforce 2 vs Gf3 thread after spending lots of money for the Voodoo 3 in my 3dfx system I want to go on budget this time with my graphics card.

And the Gf2 and gf 3 cards I have found so far were cheaper than the Gf4.

But if I dig deaper I might find a Geforce 4 ti 4200 at a simliar price.

The GF 4 ti 4200 might not the best of the best in the GF 4 range but a Ti 4200 should be more than enough for 2000 and 2001 am I right?

predator_085 wrote on 2024-01-30, 08:27:

I also think that the Audigy2 is neat soundcard. I am already in the process of hunting one down. […]
Show full quote

I also think that the Audigy2 is neat soundcard. I am already in the process of hunting one down.

About the GF4. Like I said in the Geforce 2 vs Gf3 thread after spending lots of money for the Voodoo 3 in my 3dfx system I want to go on budget this time with my graphics card.

And the Gf2 and gf 3 cards I have found so far were cheaper than the Gf4.

But if I dig deaper I might find a Geforce 4 ti 4200 at a simliar price.

The GF 4 ti 4200 might not the best of the best in the GF 4 range but a Ti 4200 should be more than enough for 2000 and 2001 am I right?

Audigy 1 is also good. I also like Turtle Beach Santa Cruz as an alternative.
In my experience GF3 is more expensive of the three. It is also pretty power-hungry by the way. Compatibility-wise all 3 are about the same.
On 4Ti4200-8X paired with a P4 2.66Ghz I played C&C:Renegade and Neverwinter Nights (both released 2002) and while they were playable the card struggled in crowded scenes in 1280x1024 high settings, no FSAA.
For 2001 games it should be OK.
Which exact board do you have? (1, 2, 3, 4)

Bruno128 wrote on 2024-01-30, 09:18:

Audigy 1 is also good. I also like Turtle Beach Santa Cruz as an alternative. In my experience GF3 is more expensive of the thre […]
Show full quote

predator_085 wrote on 2024-01-30, 08:27:

I also think that the Audigy2 is neat soundcard. I am already in the process of hunting one down. […]
Show full quote

I also think that the Audigy2 is neat soundcard. I am already in the process of hunting one down.

About the GF4. Like I said in the Geforce 2 vs Gf3 thread after spending lots of money for the Voodoo 3 in my 3dfx system I want to go on budget this time with my graphics card.

And the Gf2 and gf 3 cards I have found so far were cheaper than the Gf4.

But if I dig deaper I might find a Geforce 4 ti 4200 at a simliar price.

The GF 4 ti 4200 might not the best of the best in the GF 4 range but a Ti 4200 should be more than enough for 2000 and 2001 am I right?

Audigy 1 is also good. I also like Turtle Beach Santa Cruz as an alternative.
In my experience GF3 is more expensive of the three. It is also pretty power-hungry by the way. Compatibility-wise all 3 are about the same.
On 4Ti4200-8X paired with a P4 2.66Ghz I played C&C:Renegade and Neverwinter Nights (both released 2002) and while they were playable the card struggled in crowded scenes in 1280x1024 high settings, no FSAA.
For 2001 games it should be OK.
Which exact board do you have? (1, 2, 3, 4)

Thanks again for your answer. I will also check out the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz Soundcard as an alternative to the Augidy.

I have the Billings2 mainboard

https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel- … ebg2-billings-2

Good to know that there might be some problems with some later 2002 games. That's not an issue for me at all. Like I said I just want to enjoy the 2000 and 2001 games. The most modern game I can think of that should run well on my rig is Aliens vs Predator 2 which was released at the end of 2001.

You have a point too in general the GF 4 cards are cheaper. However, I have looked at some specific places to avoid potential issues with customs. I already had some bad experiences with rather high custom fees so I prefer to look for cards that are very close to me.

I will keep looking and watch the market with argus eyes. It is not impossible to find a gf 4 at a good price.

Such offer if it should emerge again one day again for example

https://www.konsolenkost.de/hardware-zubehoer … 1085087_213113/

would be day one buy for me.