Good for FSX

[cm19]

Would this rig be good for FSX?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway+FX6840-03e+Desktop+%26+20%22+LCD+Monitor+Package/9999133000050024.p?id=pcmprd133000050024&skuId=9999133000050024&childSku=9974337&count=1

[CXA001]

That should run FSX quite nicely.

Only comments I would make is that you may want to consider getting a 2 or 3 year warranty.

Also, if you are going to overclock it to 3.4Ghz, liquid cooling may be something you want to look into.

[cm19]

Thanks for your help. I may be getting it this weekend, just not sure if I really want to take the plunge. Decisions decisions.

[Jugador]

Looks like a pretty good price for what you get. The only thing I might add to it is a separate sound card. It most likely has onboard sound, and I believe that can eat up some of your precious cpu.

In other words, you'll probably get better frame rates running FSX if you had a dedicated sound card.

Here's a site you can have some fun with customizing a PC. Start with one of the $700 or $800 rigs, and click the "Customize" button. Then see what all you can get within your budget.

CyberPowerPc (http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/)

[duckbilled]

Although it looks like a good deal, please do YOURSELF a favor and build one from scratch.

1. If you open the case, upgrade or overclock, you will probably nullify your warranty.

2. They will not give you a stand alone disk for Windows 7. They will give you a recover disk. You want a full license with the actual disk for your OS.

3. The include Best Buy software - you don't want that. You want a clean bare-bones install of W7. They will refuse to remove the Geek Squad software.

4. A sound card is nice but you may have success with onboard sound. Most mobos have onboard sound that is decent quality these days. You can try out the onboard sound and buy a card later if you don't like it.

In short, pick your own components from Newegg or a place like Microcenter and build you system from scratch. It won't cost more and you will get much better results. Have a reputable computer store build the system for you - Microcenter can do it. Stay away from Best Buy (Geek Squad). If you have a Microcenter close by, go there. Either way. don't buy a pre-built system - it will have less of what you want and more of what you don't want.

I wish someone gave me this advice when I bought a Gateway in 1999 and realized I would nullify my warranty by upgrading the video card.

Look at my specs and start there. Every component was hand selected, built buy a good tech, OC'd by me with the help of Nick N and tweaked with the help of Jesus A. FSX is as smooth as silk these days.

[ScatterbrainKid]

Yes a third alternative (if we don't have the knowhow to scratchbuild a system, and we're uncomfortable with the idea of buying an off-the-shelf store-bought system) is to find a shop or a PC expert who'll custom-build one for us.
I'm lucky to have a good shop here in Plymouth UK who've built all my PCs to my specifications over the past 8 years, plus of course they give advice and reccomendations every step of the way.
The last system they built for me was 4 months ago for 600 GBP (915 USD) and it plays FSX and everything else fine.
One more thing- I get the impression that many simmers/gamers are often hesitant about splashing out cash on a recreational 'toy' like a high-end PC, especially if wifey and mother-in-law are watching the family bank balance like hawks.
My advice is to get over the guilt complex and GO FOR IT, as a few hundred smackeroos is peanuts in the grand scheme of things, and your super-duper new PC will last for years to come and will handle every game/sim you throw at it without a murmur..:)
(PS-I'm a single man, ha ha)

[Flying Officer Jevans]

Looks like a pretty good price for what you get. The only thing I might add to it is a separate sound card. It most likely has onboard sound, and I believe that can eat up some of your precious cpu.

I don't believe anyone would notice. Audio takes virtually no processing power at all when compared to graphics, and with today's powerful processors I think you'd struggle to measure a difference.

I work as an sound engineer on occasion and I've been running onboard sound for games for years now - the quality is as good as you need nowadays.

[Jugador]

I don't believe anyone would notice. Audio takes virtually no processing power at all when compared to graphics, and with today's powerful processors I think you'd struggle to measure a difference.

I work as an sound engineer on occasion and I've been running onboard sound for games for years now - the quality is as good as you need nowadays.


Yeah, I think it was more of an issue 10 years or so ago. Like you say, today's
dual and quad core cpus can probably handle both jobs fine.

I'm just a creature of old habits! :D

[cm19]

I know this post is a little old but I just wnted to let you all know that I took the plunge and am very satisfied with my purchase. With default installation FSX set it self with all sliders to the right and it runs very smooth with a locked 25 fps. I'm sure I could get more out of it but have not tried because of my current satisfaction. (fpln.KADW-KJFK.AF1)Also I experimented with the PMDG 747 (which is an fps hog itself) with a flight to New York City (which is also a fps hog) at FSX's default installation settings and got 20-25 fps in the air and 15-20fps on the ground. The only problem I had was some graphical issues after arrival into JFK and taxing off the runway towards the terminal I cycle through views from the vc to spot,tower,plane,back to vc and the spot again the plane was no longer a plane but looked like it had been through a crusher at a scrap yard. I know I need to bring my sliders back it was just an experiment. All in all this pc seems very fit to do the job at a price that can't be beat. I also want to add that I saw a pc with similar hardware going for about $400 USD more and you only get the tower at that price.