5 replies to this topic

[Hipcat]

I'm a lifelong pinhead and just retired, so currently getting back into the scene and recently bought a used ALP HD to dabble in the virtual pinball world. I love it so far and am already looking at adding VPX, but my old laptop won't be good enough, so I want to buy an old gaming rig locally just to run it.

 

Since I have vision issues, 1080p is fine for my eyes, and I want to keep it simple as possible because I'm not tech savvy, but I am decent at following instructions, so I'm using the Nailbusters guide to setup.

 

My question before I start is what would be the minimum computer specs I would need to run the tables with just 2 screens (playfield & backglass) at 1080p 60hz without being unplayably laggy? I'd be hooking it up to my ALP HD cab playfield with an external 15" monitor for the backglass.

 

Also, any suggestions or tips for that particular setup I'd need to know before starting? Don't say to gut it...not happening. I intend to get a full size custom vpin built locally down the road, but for now I just want to get started on my virtual pinball journey with what I have already.

 

Thanks everyone!

[Tesla]

Welcome to the forum.

 

My ALP is gutted and much upgraded now-days, but in the beginning, I managed to get this old computer working pretty good with ALP's OTG-Mode.

But if you don't want to gut-it and are looking to get a custom vpin-cabinet anyway ... I suggest you put your time and effort into that instead (and just run the ALP native with supplied games and tables.). You can sell or gift it away to a young-person.

 

The Nvidia-card and bootable SSD are what make this old (circa 2011) computer barely still relevant again.

This is with old Windows-10 and VPX v10.7.x

An advanced Table like StarTrek-TNG (during Multi-Ball) had the little Intel CPU running up around 90% utilization at 1440p (seemed better at 1080p).

 

Dell Vostro 460 (XPS-8300 clone)

Intel i5-2400 @3.1ghz (4c/4t) SandyBridge

Intel H67-Express Cougar-Point Chipset

- SATA-3/600 for lower SATA Ports 0,1

8gb Dual-Channel DDR3-1333Mhz SDRAM (4x 2gb)

650w Power-Supply = Corsair TX650w (upgraded, but non-modular)

Zotac Nvidia GTX-1660 Super 6gb (HDMI, DP, DP)

Kingston V300 240gb SSD (2.5inch, SATA-3/600, MLC) as C:

Gigabit Ethernet on-board

USB 2.0 on-board Ports

USB 3.0 StarTech PEXUSB3S24 with Renesas chip-set µPD720202 (PCIe Addin card)

-

Windows-10 Pro 64bit (using Dell-OEM Windows-7 key-sticker on machine for legit)

 

========================

 

We don't gut these ALPs for the fun of it ... there are definite reasons.

 

For a Windows-11 system (like circa 2017 that I use now-days on my gutted ALP), it is something more like this:

I run VPX v10.8.0 64bit-DirectX with upgraded 32in 75Hz 1440p screen, 8in 3rd-screen LCD, Pinscaped KL25z for buttons and analog-nudge, SSF-7.1 for audio.

 

Intel i7-7700K 4.2ghz (Kaby Lake - 7th gen)

Asetek Liquid Cooling

16gb DDR4 Kingston Hyper-X Fury 2667mhz Ram (2x8gb DIMMs in Dual-Channel)

Nvidia GTX-1070 (8gb) PCIe back-blower (MSI)

Samsung C: PM-961 512gb NVMe-SSD (M.2/PCIe-Gen3x4) 

Samsung D: 970-EVO-Plus 2tb NVMe-SSD (M.2/PCIe-Gen3x4)

- Installed in a StarTech (PEX4M2E1) x4-PCIe-3.0 NVMe-SSD Addin card 

HL-DT-ST DVD Burner (thin-laptop style)

Killer Networks e2400 Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 (built-into MB)

RealTek 7.1 Audio (built-into MB)

Intel 3165 802.11ac Wi-Fi & Bluetooth v4.2 (mini-PCIe card on MB)

850w Power Supply (modular cables)

Sabrent 7-Port USB-3.0 Powered-Hub

APC Back-UPS 1350

 

These computers are left-overs from past desktop-roles and Kodi-HTPC roles. You don't spend good money on old computers like these. You just find them in closets and garages.

If you must buy one on eBay, I certainly would not pay much for it (something like Goodwill might be better). Anyway, I'm not real good with "just barely adequate" computers for advanced things, but I think you are looking for (at minimum, nothing older) than an XPS-8930, Aurora-R7, or the OptiPlex equivalent (with a dedicated video-card and good-sized power-supply of course). Those will handle Windows-11 and also just barely pass the latest SecureBoot/CA-2023 issue.

 

EDITED.

 

Edited by Tesla, 09 July 2026 - 07:10 PM.

[Hipcat]

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

My ALP is gutted and much upgraded now-days, but in the beginning, I managed to get this old computer working pretty good with ALP's OTG-Mode.

But if you don't want to gut-it and are looking to get a custom vpin-cabinet anyway ... I suggest you put your time and effort into that instead (and just run the ALP native with supplied games and tables.). You can sell or gift it away to a young-person.

 

The Nvidia-card and bootable SSD are what make this old (circa 2011) computer barely still relevant again.

This is with old Windows-10 and VPX v10.7.x

An advanced Table like StarTrek-TNG (during Multi-Ball) had the little Intel CPU running up around 90% utilization at 1440p (seemed better at 1080p).

 

Dell Vostro 460 (XPS-8300 clone)

Intel i5-2400 @3.1ghz (4c/4t) SandyBridge

Intel H67-Express Cougar-Point Chipset

- SATA-3/600 for lower SATA Ports 0,1

8gb Dual-Channel DDR3-1333Mhz SDRAM (4x 2gb)

650w Power-Supply = Corsair TX650w (upgraded, but non-modular)

Zotac Nvidia GTX-1660 Super 6gb (HDMI, DP, DP)

Kingston V300 240gb SSD (2.5inch, SATA-3/600, MLC) as C:

Gigabit Ethernet on-board

USB 2.0 on-board Ports

USB 3.0 StarTech PEXUSB3S24 with Renesas chip-set µPD720202 (PCIe Addin card)

-

Windows-10 Pro 64bit (using Dell-OEM Windows-7 key-sticker on machine for legit)

 

========================

 

We don't gut these ALPs for the fun of it ... there are definite reasons.

 

For a Windows-11 system (like circa 2017 that I use now-days on my gutted ALP), it is something more like this:

I run VPX v10.8.0 64bit-DirectX with upgraded 32in 75Hz 1440p screen, 8in 3rd-screen LCD, Pinscaped KL25z for buttons and analog-nudge, SSF-7.1 for audio.

 

Intel i7-7700K 4.2ghz (Kaby Lake - 7th gen)

Asetek Liquid Cooling

16gb DDR4 Kingston Hyper-X Fury 2667mhz Ram (2x8gb DIMMs in Dual-Channel)

Nvidia GTX-1070 (8gb) PCIe back-blower (MSI)

Samsung C: PM-961 512gb NVMe-SSD (M.2/PCIe-Gen3x4) 

Samsung D: 970-EVO-Plus 2tb NVMe-SSD (M.2/PCIe-Gen3x4)

- Installed in a StarTech (PEX4M2E1) x4-PCIe-3.0 NVMe-SSD Addin card 

HL-DT-ST DVD Burner (thin-laptop style)

Killer Networks e2400 Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 (built-into MB)

RealTek 7.1 Audio (built-into MB)

Intel 3165 802.11ac Wi-Fi & Bluetooth v4.2 (mini-PCIe card on MB)

850w Power Supply (modular cables)

Sabrent 7-Port USB-3.0 Powered-Hub

APC Back-UPS 1350

 

These computers are left-overs from past desktop-roles and Kodi-HTPC roles. You don't spend good money on old computers like these. You just find them in closets and garages.

If you must buy one on eBay, I certainly would not pay much for it (something like Goodwill might be better). Anyway, I'm not real good with "just barely adequate" computers for advanced things, but I think you are looking for (at minimum, nothing older) than an XPS-8930, Aurora-R7, or the OptiPlex equivalent (with a dedicated video-card and good-sized power-supply of course). Those will handle Windows-11 and also just barely pass the latest SecureBoot/CA-2023 issue.

 

EDITED.

 

 

Thank you for your detailed response!

 

My problem is I tend to overthink things and I don't know much about the hardware side of things, so I worry I'll get something and it won't work. I've always loved playing pinball, but only got into the virtual world when I got the ALP HD and am already amazed at how fun it is just with the native tables. While I do eventually want to buy a full Vpin (I'd never be able to build one myself), for now I'd love to see if I can just plug in a PC to it and try VPX with some fun tables.

 

I seen this one on Marketplace yesterday. Will this run VPX on the ALP 1080 playfield without giving me any grief?

 

Corsair Icue 4000x,

CPU - i5 9600k,

GPU - Nvidia GeForce gtx 1660 TI,

16 gb of ddr4 ram,

2tb HDD, 500 gb SSD,

Corsair vs550 power supply

Windows 10 OS

 

Anything else I should know? 

Edited by Hipcat, 14 July 2026 - 01:11 AM.

[Tesla]

Thank you for your detailed response!

 

My problem is I tend to overthink things and I don't know much about the hardware side of things, so I worry I'll get something and it won't work. I've always loved playing pinball, but only got into the virtual world when I got the ALP HD and am already amazed at how fun it is just with the native tables. While I do eventually want to buy a full Vpin (I'd never be able to build one myself), for now I'd love to see if I can just plug in a PC to it and try VPX with some fun tables.

 

I seen this one on Marketplace yesterday. Will this run VPX on the ALP 1080 playfield without giving me any grief?

 

Corsair Icue 4000x,

CPU - i5 9600k,

GPU - Nvidia GeForce gtx 1660 TI,

16 gb of ddr4 ram,

2tb HDD, 500 gb SSD,

Corsair vs550 power supply

Windows 10 OS

 

Anything else I should know? 

 

 

Should be fine.

 

Sounds like a custom-build. Hopefully it will upgrade to Windows-11 (when the time comes).

 

Intel-i5 9600k (Intel 9th Gen) should be same or better than i7-7700K (7th Gen)

Nvidia 1660-TI is about the same as a GTX-1070

Hopefully the 500gb SSD is a NVMe-SSD and configured as the bootable C-Drive

 

It could also run a (native-mode) VPX install ... 1080p or 1440p 2or3-screen cabinet easy.

[Hipcat]

 

Should be fine.

 

Sounds like a custom-build. Hopefully it will upgrade to Windows-11 (when the time comes).

 

Intel-i5 9600k (Intel 9th Gen) should be same or better than i7-7700K (7th Gen)

Nvidia 1660-TI is about the same as a GTX-1070

Hopefully the 500gb SSD is a NVMe-SSD and configured as the bootable C-Drive

 

It could also run a (native-mode) VPX install ... 1080p or 1440p 2or3-screen cabinet easy.

 

Is upgrading to Win 11 important though? I read where other people were still running XP and to actually disconnect from the internet after installing VPX so that Windows wouldn't update anymore. So, basically once it works to just leave it alone.

 

Again, I'm very new to this and still learning what is important before I start to tackle it on my own.

[Tesla]

1. Is upgrading to Win 11 important though?

 

2. I read where other people were still running XP and to actually disconnect from the internet after installing VPX so that Windows wouldn't update anymore.

 

3. So, basically once it works to just leave it alone.

 

4. Again, I'm very new to this and still learning what is important before I start to tackle it on my own.

 

 

1. Only if you want to be running a fairly current version of Windows. You can run whatever version of Windows or Linux that you want.

 

2. Yeah, people do many different things (like use old computers and therefore the old OS it came with). My current pinball-computer is 9-years old. Sneaker-Net huh? Whatever floats-your-boat I guess.

 

3. Yes, I do this also. But then again, after years, I'm just now adding Instruction Cards and (latest available, updated version of) the Fish Tales table.

 

4. I have a lot of time and effort invested in my cabinet, so I take it seriously.

 

https://www.vpforums...=57518&p=554137

 

I think others are more care-free about it because "it's all just a video game". Times are tough ... I get it.

Edited by Tesla, 14 July 2026 - 07:25 PM.