Aerosoft Advise: What Hardware To Buy

[FSXaddict 18]

I ban James for 4 days for excessive Emoticons...

[jespergb 1]

Hello Mathijs

I have a E6850@3.0 ghz and how would that compare to your rig with the i7? I still have serious problems in my fsx with fps - and i dont even have high settings. I have low autogen and only low 2.0 water. But still in heavy areas i have low fps with add-on aircrafts.

In EGLL i have 11-17 fps with wilco's airbus + Aerosoft Heathrow X. (with REX-clouds)

But then if i take a native aircraft and set it in LOWI i can get over 80 fps - so high fps is possible - but in heavy (and good looking) areas it's way too low.

I'm not ready to upgrade my rig yet - because i want atleast a double up in fps in for example egll with heavy add-on aircrafts. Could you try to test the above example on runway 27R in aerosoft heathrow x and give me an fps-report?

[Er!k 572]

I am considering an upgrade of my CPU from an E6600 (Core Duo @ 2.4 GHz) to a E7500 (Core Duo @ 2.93 GHz). This is the max. my motherboard can handle. Can I generally say I will have 1 GHz extra (.53 * 2 GHz)? Would this be a noticable change in frame rates for FSX?

[darem 106]

I think this "cheapo card + 32bit OS is best for FSX" is misleading. For which setup is it best? Certainly not for all. For example, let me describe my setup: I run FSX at 3360x1050 on two monitors with a Dualhead2Go. Going with a cheap card would be nonsense - as I like to max out ll autogen and scenery, run a 5m mesh for germany and have HD clouds installed, my framerates would be in the one digit range with anything below 1GB of VRAM.

Furthermore, 32bit OS have limits with memory. What makes it worse is that with some graphic cards, the limit is even smaller. So my opinion is: To run FSX in its full glory (or close to it), 64bit and a good card WILL help, if you have high screen resolutions. It might be a different story when you run it at 1024x768 and if you don't have programs like FSMap or FSFK or TrackIR running alongside, but I think it's irresponsible to generalize in the way it is done here.

[trisager 16]

I haven't seen the test results yet, but I'm very interested. There is plenty of opinions and desktop-theorizing to be found, actual tests take a bit more effort.

"Irresponsible" is a bit hard when you consider that the recommendation is to buy a cheap graphics card - the risk here is minimal

Tom

[ManuelL 71]

Hello,

I am thinking about upgrading to a core I7 CPU. My question is, would you advise to get a new GPU as well?

Currently I am running an overclocked 8800GT with 1 GB ram. I am wondering If I would gain much by changning to an ATI 4850 or 4870?

Thanks

Manuel

[darem 106]

Hello,

I am thinking about upgrading to a core I7 CPU. My question is, would you advise to get a new GPU as well?

Currently I am running an overclocked 8800GT with 1 GB ram. I am wondering If I would gain much by changning to an ATI 4850 or 4870?

Thanks

Manuel

DON'T BUY ATI. I have one, and while in general it is fabulous, it is crap when more clouds come into your view. Do yourself a favor and stay with NVidia.

[Christiaan 3]

Mathijs, is there another update for what hardware to buy for FSX

I am buying the HP m9560.nl computer as my other computer cannot cope with the specifications needed for FSX.

And I cannot seem to list of hardware needed in case a go for the last option and have one built.

As regards to the present financial crisis I am afraid that the shop will go bust and not live up to their guarantees.

I am not an expert I have no experience in tweaks , over clocking etc.

I have bought a lot of scenery (airports,aircraft, ground textures etc.) to install in my FSX. Including many from Aerosoft.

The video card is the the nVidia GT 130 with 768MB reserved memory which I will be using.

According to one shop here in the Netherlands it is not possible to change later my Video card to 250/260 as there is no room to install as HP has reserved space in the computer for a Personal Media player.

There is an upgrade driver 182.50, will this increase the performance?

Both the FSX & FS2000 will be on the second HD which comes with the computer.

Will the nHANCER download be an advantage, and does it also alter the nVidia setting for the first HD also?

Once again I am just a beginner as regards FSX & tweaks etc.

I just want to enjoy my FSX and try and avoid problems with stutters and other issues.

Am not like many of you guys who can really fly on the FS, I use the Flight planner to get from A to B and land somewhere near a runway as I have never mastered to programme an aircraft or flightplan for automatic flying.

Specifications are

Windows Vista® Home Premium 64-bits

Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q9300

Intel® G33 express chipset

Standard memory 4 GB

DDR2-SDRAM

Internal drives 1,28 TB (2 x 640 GB)

SATA 3-G vaste schijf

Speed (7200 rpm)

NVIDIA® GeForce™ GT130

Video RAM

768 MB reserved memory, to 2559 MB total available videomemory as allocated by Windows Vista®

Video-adapter, bus 1 PCI-Express 16x

Am also considering the HP 9680

But this has only one HD and an ATI Radeon Video card, and a slower rpm.

Windows Vista® Home Premium 64-bits

Intel® Core™ i7 Processor 920

Intel® X58 Express chipset

Standard memory 4 GB

DDR3-SDRAM

Internal drive 1 TB

SATA 3-G

5400-rpm

ATI Radeon® HD 4650, with Avivo technology

[Sharrow 107]

Hi again Chistiaan

You have asked this same question now twice in this forum and I also noticed you asking it on avsim. In all cases you get pretty much the same answer so what is it gonna take to get you to understand that FSX with all the addons you have MUST have a decent machine to run properly?

1. The Q9300 is NOT good enough. Go with the i7 option for sure.

2. A 5400 RPM HDD is NOT good enough. A 7200 rpm HDD is what you need. Samsung Spinpoint F1 Desktop drives are excellent. 500 to 750GB is what you want.

3. The GTX130 is NOT good enough. This is the 3rd time I am saying this to you. Get a GTX260 minimum.

4. Do not get an ATI card for FSX. Again, this is the 3rd time I am saying this.

If HP cannot supply the machine you need for FSX + lots of addons then just look elsewhere. If you cannot afford the right equipment then stick with FS9 for the time being and save some more cash.

[limp 29]

HP machines are not meant to be used for serious games....

I agree with what Sharrow said...

[JorisVdB 0]

Now I'm thinking of getting a new CPU, an extra GB of RAM, a new GPU (or even two, if they happen to be rather good value for money) and perhaps a new HDD. I'm pretty sure about the i7 920, but I don't know how to overclock a CPU...and of these new nVidia 100-200 and 9 series, what is the best value for money of them (the current equivalent of the excellent 8800GT)?

I'm rather looking for a configuration that isn't immediately outdated. By the way it's a while ago since you updated this topic, Mathijs .

[Andy B. 40]

Dont bother buying 2 graphics cards to use in SLI mode with FSX, it will make ZERO difference to performance unless you run it at crazy high resolutions.

[JorisVdB 0]

Well, at the moment I'm running it at 1024*768 (on a 19" LCD) with anisotropic AA. I'd like to see at least quite a bit of higher performance when running at say, 1280*1024. And perhaps a bit higher when making screenshots...

[Andy B. 40]

Those are not even remotely crazy resolutions I'm talking about higher than 2560+

[Christiaan 3]

Thanks guys for your suggestions, I have decided not to buy the ready made HP but to have one built.

I have two estimates, which do you think is the better of the two.

From the first shop I have

Vista Home Premium. SP1 64.

Intel Core i7-920 4x2.66GHz 8m

Motherboard MSI X58 Pro DDR3-1333 PCI-E ATX

Internal memory 6 GB A-Data DDR3 Triple channel (3x2GB),

HD x 2 x 750 GB Samsung SATAII 32MB 7200rpm

Videocard

Palit Ge-Force GTX 275 DDR3 PI-3

From another shop I can get

Vista Home Premium. SP1 64.

Intel quad Core i7-920 4x2.66GHz 8m

Corsair ATX,750W,24P 12CMFAN,V2.91

Intel Quad Core 17 920 s1366,2.66GHz,1333MHz,8MB,BOX

ASUS RAMPAGE II EXTREME,s1366 17,A TX,X58, DDR3,3xPCle, 1394

Corsair 6144MB XMS3-1333,DDR3 1333MHz,Lat 9-9-9 24,DHX,i7

Western Digital 2 x HD lTB, Caviar GreenPower SATAII,7200rpm,32MB

Point of View GeForce ENGTX275,896M GDDR3,2xDVI-I,HDMI,PCIe

Does it make any difference who is the manufacture of the Ge-Force video card?

As I have 2 HD I presume that it is better to install both of my FS9 & FSX on the same second HD

Also has anyone experience with ACER desktop computers.

As both systems cost about 1600 euro's I am always wary of the quick talking salesmen who seems to forget you the moment you have paid and left the shop.

Christiaan

[limp 29]

Hi Christian,

I like the second one better BUT don't take the green edition of the western, go for tle black... I know some series of green edition turn at 5400 RPM versus 7200 RPM on black versus 10 000 rpm on raptors...

Besides that nice rigs...

FORGET acer...

Terrible... except for screens

No big difference vor the manufacturer, but I like Evga or Asus for graphic cards...

Cheers

[Designer Paule 24]

Thanks guys for your suggestions, I have decided not to buy the ready made HP but to have one built.

I have two estimates, which do you think is the better of the two.

From the first shop I have

Vista Home Premium. SP1 64.

Intel Core i7-920 4x2.66GHz 8m

Motherboard MSI X58 Pro DDR3-1333 PCI-E ATX

Internal memory 6 GB A-Data DDR3 Triple channel (3x2GB),

HD x 2 x 750 GB Samsung SATAII 32MB 7200rpm

Videocard

Palit Ge-Force GTX 275 DDR3 PI-3

From another shop I can get

Vista Home Premium. SP1 64.

Intel quad Core i7-920 4x2.66GHz 8m

Corsair ATX,750W,24P 12CMFAN,V2.91

Intel Quad Core 17 920 s1366,2.66GHz,1333MHz,8MB,BOX

ASUS RAMPAGE II EXTREME,s1366 17,A TX,X58, DDR3,3xPCle, 1394

Corsair 6144MB XMS3-1333,DDR3 1333MHz,Lat 9-9-9 24,DHX,i7

Western Digital 2 x HD lTB, Caviar GreenPower SATAII,7200rpm,32MB

Point of View GeForce ENGTX275,896M GDDR3,2xDVI-I,HDMI,PCIe

Does it make any difference who is the manufacture of the Ge-Force video card?

As I have 2 HD I presume that it is better to install both of my FS9 & FSX on the same second HD

Also has anyone experience with ACER desktop computers.

As both systems cost about 1600 euro's I am always wary of the quick talking salesmen who seems to forget you the moment you have paid and left the shop.

Christiaan

I vote 2nd with blk drives also

[Christiaan 3]

Thanks guys for all your suggestions and patience to my repeated questions, it is much appreciated.

I may stick with my FS9 until next year when Windows 7 come out.

As I need a new computer to cope with the specifications of today's increasing complex sceneries like the many I have from Aerosoft. I am going for the HP 9560.

I presume the HP specifications meet the needs to get a stable FS9 with all my many paid & free ware Sceneries & Airports etc.

Specifications are

Windows Vista® Home Premium 64-bits

Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q9300

Intel® G33 express chipset

Standard memory 4 GB

DDR2-SDRAM

Internal drives 1,28 TB (2 x 640 GB) SATA 3-G Hard drive

Speed (7200 rpm)

NVIDIA® GeForce™ GT130

Video RAM

768 MB reserved memory, to 2559 MB total available video memory as allocated by Windows Vista®

Video-adapter, bus 1 PCI-Express 16x

[FS20 0]

Apologies if this has previously been covered: I was wondering how this system will handle Fs9 with many of aerosoft's featured addons;

CPU: E8500 (3.13ghz)

RAM: 4GB Corsair DDR2

GPU: Geforce 9600GT

Thanks,

FS20.

[DJJose 6]

Apologies if this has previously been covered: I was wondering how this system will handle Fs9 with many of aerosoft's featured addons;

CPU: E8500 (3.13ghz)

RAM: 4GB Corsair DDR2

GPU: Geforce 9600GT

Thanks,

FS20.

Not that good.

You will have to overclock to 4ghz and a better video card (gtx 285) will help.

[ArnoldVDH 0]

Hi Sharow (or anyone else in the know),

Please tell me how these specs look to you:

Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz CPU

Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R Motherboard

896MB nVidia GTX 260 PCI Express Graphics Card

3GB (3 x 1GB) Kingston PC10600 1333Mhz DDR3 Ram

750GB 7200rpm SATA II Hard Drive

22x Dual Layer SATA DVD +/- Rewriter

5.1 Surround Sound Speakers

22” GNR TB2200W Widescreen VGA/DVI 5000:1 5ms TFT

Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps LAN

2 Front & 4 Back USB Ports

Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit

NorthQ 850W SLi/XFire 4 PCI-E

Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

Internal 52-in-1 card reader

Thank you,

Arnold.

[Sharrow 107]

Hi Arnold

Intel Core i7 920 - good choice but make sure it is the new D0 (D zero) stepping revision. You should have no issues whatsoever running the 920 at 3.2GHz+ 24/7 on air cooling. Try it on the stock intel HSF first and if temps become a problem then invest in better cooling.

GTX260 - As long as it is the Core 216 version. The new GTX275 is also great bang for buck...

I would seriously consider 6GB RAM (2x3GB) together with a 64bit OS. Any specific reason you are sticking with a 32bit OS?

Hard Drives: If running FS9/FSX is a major part of what this rig will be doing then consider putting FS9/FSX on a separate HDD. This approach has many benefits.

Note: If you are into overclocking and want to push the 920 closer to 4GHz then 2 things become critical: 1) your choice of aftermarket HSF or watercooling and, 2) your choice of high speed low latency DDR3 RAM (rated CAS7 at 1600MHz minimum).

[Andy B. 40]

I would seriously consider 6GB RAM (2x3GB) together with a 64bit OS. Any specific reason you are sticking with a 32bit OS?

Konrad meant to say 3 X 2Gb sticks of memory, and it is highly recommended along with the 64bit version of the OS.

[Sharrow 107]

sorry, thanks andy

[ArnoldVDH 0]

Hi Arnold

Intel Core i7 920 - good choice but make sure it is the new D0 (D zero) stepping revision. You should have no issues whatsoever running the 920 at 3.2GHz+ 24/7 on air cooling. Try it on the stock intel HSF first and if temps become a problem then invest in better cooling.

GTX260 - As long as it is the Core 216 version. The new GTX275 is also great bang for buck...

I would seriously consider 6GB RAM (2x3GB) together with a 64bit OS. Any specific reason you are sticking with a 32bit OS?

Hard Drives: If running FS9/FSX is a major part of what this rig will be doing then consider putting FS9/FSX on a separate HDD. This approach has many benefits.

Note: If you are into overclocking and want to push the 920 closer to 4GHz then 2 things become critical: 1) your choice of aftermarket HSF or watercooling and, 2) your choice of high speed low latency DDR3 RAM (rated CAS7 at 1600MHz minimum).

Sharrow, how do I know if it is the D zero revision?

Also, according to the specs I have been given, the GTX 260 card says it is a "896MB nVidia GTX 260 PCI Express Graphics Card".

Does the word "express" indicate it is not the core version? Again how do I find out by looking at the options provided?