playing games on pc v.s console

[dieferbiefer]

how come computers have to have a really fast cpu to play games but a game console can play the same game with much less processor power. For example, the nintendo 64 emulator requires a computer with at lest a 1.4 ghz processor and 256 MB ram but the n64 itself only has a 62.5 mgz processor with 4 MB of ram

 

[The_Other_One]

Besides having to emulate the architecture and all, most emulators also have to emulate things such as the sound processors, GPUs, and other things. Plus you must remember a computer is running Windows, which is enough of a memory hog in itself. A system such as a N64 doesn't have a real OS running in the background.