With hard drive prices plummeting (a 4TB drive costs ~$80-100 as of 2025), the storage argument for Split sets weakens every year. Meanwhile, the convenience argument for Non-Merged strengthens.
The primary downside to this format is . Because code is duplicated across multiple ZIP files (e.g., the same BIOS code might exist in 50 different fighting games), the total size of a "Full Non-Merged Set" is significantly larger than a merged one. Merged Set : ~70-80 GB Non-Merged Set : ~150+ GB (varies by version) 🛠️ Managing Your Set non merged mame rom set
The Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME) project utilizes complex ROM management structures to handle thousands of arcade boards, clones, and revisions. Among the three primary ROM set formats—Split, Merged, and Non-Merged—the Non-Merged set offers a unique approach to file organization. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the Non-Merged MAME ROM set, detailing its file structure, storage efficiency, practical benefits, and drawbacks compared to other formats. The analysis concludes that while the Non-Merged set is the least space-efficient, it offers superior simplicity for end-users, especially those managing small collections or performing manual ROM audits. With hard drive prices plummeting (a 4TB drive