About to finalise PC build, checking for FSX

[FragrantHarbour]

Hi all, first post, been reading for a long time.

About to finalise the specs on my new PC, specifically going to be orientated to FSX, 3 screens, HD scenery and PMDG (MD11/744).

As follows:
i7 2600k - overclocking to 4.5ghz or however high I can get it (cooled using Antec 920)
ASRock P67 Extreme 4
8gb G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3-1600
2xHD6950's (crossfire)
Intel 120gb SSD
Storage HDD's (not fussed at the moment)
LiteOn DVD
Corsair 750AX Gold
Case.


I am specifically building it for overclocking the CPU to get the most out of FSX, I am sick of having to wind back features to have it run with decent frames.

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

[JSkorna]

If you are using a single screen, purchase a single video card.

[FragrantHarbour]

I will be using 3 23" screens and taking full advantage of ATI's EyeFinity. I will also be using it for other games but at this stage whatever I build to run FSX is going to suit me for anything else. Only problem flying as a job, spend more money on a PC trying to make the sim look just as good (haha).

[jetboy23]

Looks good. But I wouldn't do crossfire with a 4.0Ghz+ clock speed, 8GB of RAM, and a SSD!!! There's really no need for two super high quality graphics cards with that hardware. FSX relies more on CPU power than graphics cards. Your choice..

[JSkorna]

3 23" screens. Would you use 2 video cards then?

[jetboy23]

3 23" screens. Would you use 2 video cards then?

Nope

[fxsttcb]

3 23" screens. Would you use 2 video cards then?

3 any size screens, at 1920x1080/1200 each(5760x1080/1200 tot), are gonna need some serious graphics processing. Either a dual GPU card or X-Fire/SLI will smoke a single GPU solution at that resolution.
5760x1080 is the target for a my own new build and that is what my research has told me.
While those gamer's forums don't reference FSX very often, if at all, they know their graphics processing...Don

[JSkorna]

3 any size screens, at 1920x1080/1200 each(5760x1080/1200 tot), are gonna need some serious graphics processing. Either a dual GPU card or X-Fire/SLI will smoke a single GPU solution at that resolution.
5760x1080 is the target for a my own new build and that is what my research has told me.
While those gamer's forums don't reference FSX very often, if at all, they know their graphics processing...Don

Funny that is what I have researched also, and yet the answer is still nope.

[phxflyboy]

The answer is definitely "nope" with FSX, at least for now. Fingers are crossed that things will change with the new version. Gotta remember, the original code for Flight Simulator was started back in the mid-80's and probably just added on to. Who knows if they ever did a "ground-up" rewrite. And back then, no one even heard of add-on GPU's let alone using the crazy levels of RAM we do now.

phxflyboy

[jetboy23]

Funny that is what I have researched also, and yet the answer is still nope.

I have had previous personal experience with crossfire, and Yes, with FSX. I used one slightly better ATI card as a test instead of crossfire, and the frames went from 50-125. You tell me, which is better??

The answer is definitely "nope" with FSX, at least for now. Fingers are crossed that things will change with the new version. Gotta remember, the original code for Flight Simulator was started back in the mid-80's and probably just added on to. Who knows if they ever did a "ground-up" rewrite. And back then, no one even heard of add-on GPU's let alone using the crazy levels of RAM we do now.

phxflyboy

You've got it down pat!!!