How about AMD slot A cpus, did the ones released in '99 out-perform a Pentium 3?
I'd also look into a DVD drive.
Windows ME? :DDDDD

Xray1281 wrote on 2021-01-13, 06:25:

Motherboard: Or840 (still looking for.)
It says it can hold up to 2gb of RDRAM. Did they have that much ram in 1999?

You could get a Compaq AP550 which is much the same, but has a none standard PSU connection.

My AP550 has 1GB (4x256MB), but should support 2GB, that said you will need to patch 98SE to handle that much memory

sounds good to me. I wouldn't worry about lots of RAM for a 1999-ish computer if you want to use Windows 98. Even if you can cajole the OS into accepting more RAM the limit will end up being the software (which wont care for it at all)

if I was trying to get a fairly optimal machine based on a typical board and P3-733 with Win98 I'd probably be fine with 512mb ram (even 256 to be honest!) but it would be fun to get a good graphics card and more storage, and use a USB driver to enable use of USB memory sticks etc

Your timeframe is a bit wide but think that's just the wording, I'm assuming your building a 1999 rig.
Things moved fast back then, best computer from 1990 would be a 486 (or realistically a 386) end of the decade people were dreaming of builds like yours.

I cant see any issues with the hardware either.

From memory our most demanding servers had maybe 1GB RAM in '99 but we only supported SMB's. I can imagine a large company with large SQL servers had 2GB, but it would have been this enterprise level and cost a fortune as RAM was not cheap in the late 90's. Most servers were around the 512MB mark PC's more like 256MB but get the desire to max out the motherboard, Tell yourself it doubled as a cad workstation for Pixar if you need justification for yourself 😉

Re Surround sound. Back in 99 that's how I achieved it, 2 pair's of standard 2.0 speakers plugged in the front and rear audio outs.
It's not perfect as you have set the volume balance manually on the speakers themselves but it will give you the desired front and rear sound.

I'm not a fan of WinME but it is probably a good match for what your building. That said if you want 98SE that's still period correct as plenty of people didn't like ME and stuck with 98 with newer builds (myself included)

It would be a Pentium II 400
Windows 98 does NOT support dual CPU’s
You would have to use WinNT351 or 4.0 or Win-2000 for dual CPU support.

So for best game play performance and compatibility a single Pentium II 400 with Win98se.

ah true, I forgot the dual CPU point!

Was going to say as it looks like your building a single CPU system you can look at motherboards based on the 820 chipset rather then trying to find a duel socket board
few examples here
https://www.anandtech.com/show/461

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2021-01-13, 11:44:

It would be a Pentium II 400
Windows 98 does NOT support dual CPU’s
You would have to use WinNT351 or 4.0 or Win-2000 for dual CPU support.

Probably Windows 2000 or XP, I guess. 😀
Windows NT 3/4 were not good for games.
The driver model also was medicore, I'm afraid.
Windows NT 5.x (2K, XP, Server 2003 etc) was much improved in this regard.
Stability wise, NT 3.x was much more responsible, I think.

It ran GDI/VGA driver in user space, which was dog slow, however. Seriously.
Some old Win16 graphics program (Easel) ran much faster on my 286-10 (Win 2.03)
than it did on a Pentium 133 running Win NT 3.1 (seconds vs. minutes).

Edit: Minor edit.