Does SLI WORK?!

[steveyb]

Currently run a single EVGA 8800GTX card.... does adding another card in SLI mode actually make a difference when running FSX...never mind all the "gumf" on the internet....have had so many disappointments reference trying to acheive better performance spending money.
One can take it by reading all these threads and millions more all over the web generally,that there will not be a FS11 due to the massive amount of public money having to be forked out to actually get average performance with FSX. I can understand having to have a sim with a reasonable long life and customers having to spend money to see the sim "blossom" over time, (I"ve spent close to £3000) up grading trying to get rid of jutters(fps) and blurries and still have unsatisfactory performance.

Can you imagine if there would be an FS11 release this year...... with another huge jump ref. performance requirements... I thinks really FSX should be brought right up to spec and it also gives the add-on community a chance aswell

[JSkorna]

Hi,

Welcome!

1. SLI will have little impact on FSX.

2. There will be a FS11, but not in 2008.

Thanks,

[steveyb]

Hi Jim,
thanks for the response...... did not want to sound negative...is there one single thing that I can do to my system to dramatically improve visuals, I"ve already gone from single core to quad Q6600...is one able to have crisp scenery with sliders to the right, and have fps still good...currently run wilcos airbus 340-600 add-on with most sliders fully to the right apart from scenery, only on "normal" and "dense", when I slide these fully to the right, scenery distorts slightly and jutters begin.... my system:
EVGA 680SLI BOARD
INTEL Q6600
EVGA 8800GTX
4 GIG RAM

Would purchasing the top current processor improve things or is it the fsx application being the bottle neck....
hope you can help

P.S.- will soon be purchasing the SSTSIM FSX version Concorde, when it comes out ..so want things to be right:)

[clayrb]

I have a SLI system with dual 8800 GTX and I see maybe 10% increase. In my opnion at the present time it has very little impact on FSX. Also keep in mine that I believe that SLI can be used only on a single monitor unless you have Matrox hardware.

[Paxx]

If you want 30+ FPS (lets face it, yes you can fly at 10FPS, but 30+ is the goal) with sliders ALL at 100% over major cities then you're going to have to wait.

The processor bottlenecks FSX, SLI'ed video cards provide no FPS advantage. FSX hardly stresses one 8800 at all, let alone two. Yes purchasing the latest Intel processor (say the QX9770) would provide some FPS gain over your stock Q6600, but I reckon you would still be disappointed over major cities with ALL sliders to the right. I gained 5-7 FPS over major cities with my CPU overclock, nothing with the GPU overclock. (Still not ALL sliders to the right.)

I'm guessing here but I would wager that a 6 core processor, with similar increased cache and some magic pixie dust thrown in, running around 3.5GHz would begin to provide 30+ FPS over major cities with ALL sliders to the right. When these processors are coming out is anybody's guess. My previous experience with FS (since 1994 w/FS5.0) has shown that the 'tech' catches up a couple of years+/- after release (at least thats when I can afford the 'tech' uprgrades).

Until then ease off on those sliders a little and enjoy the product for what it is, an excellent Commercial/General aviation sim with a great community and contributors.

[BMG50]

If you want 30+ FPS (lets face it, yes you can fly at 10FPS, but 30+ is the goal) with sliders ALL at 100% over major cities then you're going to have to wait.

The processor bottlenecks FSX, SLI'ed video cards provide no FPS advantage. FSX hardly stresses 8800's at all, compared to other recent 3D titles. Yes purchasing the latest Intel processor (say the QX9770) would provide some FPS gain over your stock Q6600, but I reckon you would still be disappointed over major cities with ALL sliders to the right. I gained 5-7 FPS over major cities with my CPU overclock, nothing with the GPU overclock. (Still not ALL sliders to the right.)

I'm guessing here but I would wager that a 6 core processor, with similar increased cache and some magic pixie dust thrown in, running around 3.5GHz would begin to provide 30+ FPS over major cities with ALL sliders to the right. When these processors are coming out is anybody's guess. My previous experience with FS (since 1994 w/FS5.0) has shown that the 'tech' catches up a couple of years+/- after release (at least thats when I can afford the 'tech' uprgrades).

Until then ease off on those sliders a little and enjoy the product for what it is, an excellent commercial aviation sim with a great community and contributors.

Extremely well said,Paxx........

[steveyb]

Many thanks Paxx..... wouldn"t mind some of that pixie dust;)