P2s don't slow down as smoothly as others. There tends to be a huge jump when enabling cache.

K6-2/2+/III+ are the prototypical example of a time machine, offering a performance envelope that stretches from 386DX to P2. A K6-2 can play Unreal using a Voodoo, so JK should be perfect.

VIA C3 cpus are a newer alternative which users on this forum have had success with. I haven't tested this option yet.

The machine that would fit these wishes the best, are either K6-III or K6-III+.
Make sure to get that 400mhz model. Get a decent cooler if non-plus is chosen.
The ordinary K6-III does not let you set multiplier by software, it is running more
hot, yet it is just as capable as an plus model when running stuff.

For the memory, be aware that some SS7 boards do not cache mem higher than 128mb.
Other boards can cache 512 or even 1024. 1024 are way overkill for Win98SE.
Win-Me is not my thing, so I can not say if ME can run with one gig.

For the GFX card, you can choose from between TNT-2 Ultra 32mb, or Voodoo3-3000/3500.
TNT2's are cheaper than V3 cards, and you can go for Voodoo2-SLI (expensive) too.

For the soundcard, you need something like an SB-Pro/Yamaha-718/719/SB16.
Just make sure that it has either a real OPL-Chip or the OPL-Chip is integrated in the mainchip.
Get a Dreamblaster-S1 module too, as this is a good, decent and cheap replacement for
a real MIDI module such as SC55 or MT32.
You can also get something like an AWE32, models CT2760 or CT3900, as they have a
real OPL chip on them. Other AWE32's do not have that at all.

When i first was thinking about building this type of computer I was also looking into K6-2/3 too. But for some reason got fixed on a Pentium. I may go with a K6-III

Though I don't really mind if the P2 makes a huge jump down as long that jump will play a game play X-Com perfectly. Can a P2 450 cache be disabled? Either way now, a AMD K6 build sounds like a good idea.

Edit:
Seems like you both really love the K6. Also was going to ask about ram too. I figured anything around 64mb would be good enough. But if most SS7 boards handle 128 good thats even better.

I like all the platforms. In other words, my collection is not fixed on a single machine.
If you were to ask for advice on late 90's gaming-rig (no dos games), I would advice you on a P-III.

Right. I get ya. I love my P3 machine. Just never had a AMD computer other than one in my life. Guess i should open up more to AMD. Which it looks like im going to be doing.

Trank wrote:

Though I don't really mind if the P2 makes a huge jump down as long that jump will play a game play X-Com perfectly. Can a P2 450 cache be disabled? Either way now, a AMD K6 build sounds like a good idea.

If you disable cache on a Pentium II, it performs like a fast 286/slow 386, depending on what frequency it's running. See the link in my signature. I maintain a database of CPU performance with and without caches enabled.

Trank wrote:

Im hoping to get dos games like X-Com UFO: Enemy Unknown(A game that is very CPU speed sensitive) to Doom/Quake to run like they should and run fast. Also games like Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, Quake 2, X-Wing Alliance to run great too. Doesn't really need to be 60fps.

Seems to me like you'd be better off making a more powerful system and just finding a different solution for Enemy Unknown. Might I suggest OpenXCOM, which also squashes many of the original's prominent bugs?

Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, Quake 2, X-Wing Alliance

All those games run fine, even in 1024x768 on a P233 MMX with a Voodoo2/3.

Trank wrote:

Always wanted to build a system that is completely 90s. No hardware past 1999, including the keyboard, mouse, monitor, the old school white colored cases and such. Im hoping to get dos games like X-Com UFO: Enemy Unknown(A game that is very CPU speed sensitive) to Doom/Quake to run like they should and run fast. Also games like Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, Quake 2, X-Wing Alliance to run great too. Doesn't really need to be 60fps.

Jedi Knight is a 1997 game. Maybe it won't really be too comfortable with a P-90 as stated in the PC Gaming Wiki, but MMX should really be more than enough. I also remember playing Jedi Outcast on Pentium II-233 back as a child — not a very pleasant experince 😀

I also remember playing XCOM on MMX-233 a couple of months back, and it ran fine. It was, however, from a collector's edition (has all three games) and since it was released in 1998, I think the games were patched for newer systems (or maybe used MOSLO). I gutted the MMX system in favour of a P-166, so I can only check the game on that.

All in all, in my experience, most famous DOS series were rereleased for Windows 95 as anthologies and collector's editions: Monkey Island, Ultima, Wizardry, Wing Commander and many more. And in many cases these rereleases fix a lot of problems the original games had with newer hardware and sometimes even enhance the music and/or graphocs. I really like these things as they save you the trouble of building several systems.

If he's building a 450Mhz system, why wouldn't he use Win98SE? Why Windows 95? My original Windows 95 computer ran on a 100MHz Pentium processor with 16MB of RAM and wouldn't play non-DOS games for sh*t. My first big gaming PC was a 350MHz Pentium II (see below in my signature for the verified rebuild specs) with 128MB of 100MHz SDRAM. Had an Intel i740-based 8MB AGP card and would have LOVED to have a Voodoo2 in it at the time (I have it now...works great). Although the Voodoo2 is CPU limited. I play DOS games on it in Windows all the time - especially Carmen Sandiego games and SimCity. I remember it ran Star Wars X-Wing like a champ in DOS.

My original PC configuration in 1999 was this:

CPU: Intel 350MHz Pentium II
RAM: 128MB PC-100 SDRAM
HDD: 10GB IDE
OS: Windows 98 First Edition (I still have this and run it on my rebuild)
Video: Diamond Stealth II G460 (Intel i740 chip) 8MB AGP
Audio: Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold 8MB ISA

And a 56Kbps modem at the time, now a 10/100 Ethernet PCI card for my home network and internet access. I have since on the rebuild installed and ran Quake, Quake II, Unreal, Final Fantasy 7 and 8, SimCity 2000, SimTower, etc.

But if you want sheer power and flexibility, I'd second the AMD K6-III processor. There's a reason it was king of its time.

Jorpho wrote:

Trank wrote:

Im hoping to get dos games like X-Com UFO: Enemy Unknown(A game that is very CPU speed sensitive) to Doom/Quake to run like they should and run fast. Also games like Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, Quake 2, X-Wing Alliance to run great too. Doesn't really need to be 60fps.

Seems to me like you'd be better off making a more powerful system and just finding a different solution for Enemy Unknown. Might I suggest OpenXCOM, which also squashes many of the original's prominent bugs?

Unless you're looking at other DOS titles down the road as well.

Well, sure, but none have been mentioned so far.