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i5 versus i7 and graphics card choice..


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  • Hello to all and thank you for taking the time to read,

  • I am currently running a Q6600 quad core overclocked to 3.0ghz with 8gb of RAM in 4 strips of 2gb (yes I know this is not ideal)
  • I am looking to upgrade to either an i5 or i7 chip/cooler/mobo/RAM bundle and I have narrowed it down to 2 choices as follows:

  • Intel® Core™ i5 3570K Quad Core 4x 3.4GHz (Overclocked to 4.6GHz) 6MB Cache (4 Threads)
  • Corsair H60 High Performance Liquid CPU Cooler - *OVERCLOCK PC*
  • Corsair XMS3 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600MHz

  • Intel® Core™ i7 3770K Quad Core 4x 3.5GHz (Overclocked to 4.6GHz) 8MB Cache (8 Threads)
  • Corsair H60 High Performance Liquid CPU Cooler - *OVERCLOCK PC*
  • Corsair XMS3 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600MHz

  • (Both combos come on an ASUS P8Z77-V PRO motherboard)

  • Firstly, I am hoping that either of these choices will provide an improvement in performance over my current set up which is ok to be fair, I appreciate the advice will be "the i7 is better", but will the i7 set up justify an additional 100 Euro cost over the i5 set up? (I am planning to buy as a bundle pre-clocked and assembled and don't intend to delve into the BIOS myself).

  • Secondly, I initially intend to stick with my 1GB GTX280 as my understanding is that FSX is mainly dependent on the CPU but a good GPU does help however is there any worthwhile benefit in upgrading to a 580 or 680 or will I be disappointed by the lack of noticeable difference by changing this?

  • Other than a couple of the more basic tweaks (bufferpool and highmemfix) I run my system with no other tweaks and am getting a minimum of 15fps in the AXE but usually in the mid to high 20s.

  • Thanks in advance for any advice and feel free to ask any questions if you would like any further info....

  • All the best!

  • Dave W

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i5 should be fine.

I have 3570K, with this motherboard in DELUXE version.

And runs well FSX.

EDIT: About graphics card, I've GTX670, and it's very good graphics card.

It's your choice.

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I recently invested in the i7, overclocked to 4.3, with GTX660ti, 8gb Corsair memory, and the H80 cooler. It cost more than I wanted but well worth it. My teenage son plays very high-end online games and he can't fault it. I have all my FSX sliders as far to the right as I want. I have the same mobo as your suggestion I think, and I bought the whole lot, mostly as a bundle, from Scan. Needless to say I'm very pleased as I can now run anything without a care in the world...

I fly the PMDG NGX, Aerosoft AXE and various GA, with UK2000 and Aerosoft sceneries, with frames from 15 to 60, and no stutters. It's a whole new world for me!

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Thank you for the replies chaps, it's much appreciated - my current view is to go for the i5 and use the savings to fund an upgrade to the graphics card but I am still unsure as to whether I would see a noticeable benefit in swapping the gtx280 for a 580 or 670/680

Regards

Dave W

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Thank you for the replies chaps, it's much appreciated - my current view is to go for the i5 and use the savings to fund an upgrade to the graphics card but I am still unsure as to whether I would see a noticeable benefit in swapping the gtx280 for a 580 or 670/680

Regards

Dave W

Good choice, i5 3570K, GTX670 should be fine.

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Thanks to all for the advice - now I am not very technically minded so a tale of caution, I just realised my OS is OEM which means it is tied to the current mobo so I will have to purchase another W7 licence and neglected to budget for this so the saving goes on!!

Kind regards

Dave W

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My PC spec: MS Win7 64 bit SP1 - Intel Core i7-3820 CPU OC to 4.60 GHz 16 GB ram - Geforce 670 GTX OC 2GB

and it runs FSX VERY well :-)

How many FPS you have?

I have same graphic, 8GB RAM, and i5 3570K 3.40 Ghz.

With AES, GEX, UTX, AS2012, REX, IVAP, AXE and Lisbon X, frames unlimited at FSX, and locked 35 fps at nvidia inspector, I've ~20 to 35 fps.

Sometimes drop to 15.

I've traffic (cars, ferries), all to the left, if I increase to 10%, I loss little bit FPS (5-10 fps).

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From reading various forums in researching my next upgrade in pursuit of that fickle mistress known to us as "FPS"

I understand that any more than 8gb of RAM is a waste, unless you need it for other applications......

Also, if both i5 and i7 can safely be OC'd to 4.5 surely the i5, being the cheaper option, would be advisable?

DW

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Also, I am interested in the difference a 670 or 680 2GB would make over my GTX280 1GB irrespective of the main processor, would it significantly improve my FSX experience or would I be throwing money away for a small gain?

DW

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It depends... on the addons. But in average it's around 25 to 35 and sometimes higher. I don't have any kind of lag.

As I said:

"With AES, GEX, UTX, AS2012, REX, IVAP, AXE and Lisbon X, frames unlimited at FSX, and locked 35 fps at nvidia inspector, I've ~20 to 35 fps.

Sometimes drop to 15.

I've traffic (cars, ferries), all to the left, if I increase to 10%, I loss little bit FPS (5-10 fps)."

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Also, I am interested in the difference a 670 or 680 2GB would make over my GTX280 1GB irrespective of the main processor, would it significantly improve my FSX experience or would I be throwing money away for a small gain?

DW

GTX670 should be fixe, I think in GTX680 you don't have much more benefits.

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Hi cgentil,

Those frame rates don't sound too bad, in my view anything over 15 FPS is usable if it is stable and stutter free. My Q6600 delivers around 8-10 at heavy airports with minimal tweaks but no AI road traffic. Normal is around 18 to 25 so I think an upgrade is a price worth paying.

DW

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It's great, but good the a good cooler like mine (H100 or H80) and OC it. Intel i5/i7 is build for OC.

Will look about overclock...

Your 35 fps, is with traffic (cars, etc.)?

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Hi cgentil,

Those frame rates don't sound too bad, in my view anything over 15 FPS is usable if it is stable and stutter free. My Q6600 delivers around 8-10 at heavy airports with minimal tweaks but no AI road traffic. Normal is around 18 to 25 so I think an upgrade is a price worth paying.

DW

Yes, without any add-on I have ~100 fps.

It's right, I've any add-ons, and drop FPS.

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Yes 670 is very good, but if you can find my type of graphic card. It's OC from the factory and it's very fast

I accept that the 670 may be fine but would it be significantly better than the GTX280 1GB that I already have such that it would be justified in paying out for the upgrade?

DW

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