P3D V2.5 or v3?

Recently, I was browsing Lockheed Martin's P3D website, and I realized that on their charts, it showed that I qualified for the academic version of P3D. So, I was looking at the two major options that they offer (2.5 & 3) and I can't decide which one I want. I have the following addons:

 

Carenado EMB Phenom 300

Alabeo DA42 & Corvalis

A2A Comanche

QW 757

Aerosoft A320/1

iFly 737ng

Coolsky Super 80 Pro.

MJC8 Q400 (pilot & pro)

REX 4 Essentials + Overdrive.

 

I understand some of these products are supported in V3, but not all of them. My question is... Should I go for v2.5 and have support for all aircraft, but no future updates? Or go for v3 and hope that all of my aircraft get updated eventually?

Also I want to add that I am currently running FSX:SE,and own neither of these products.

My system specs are...

Intel core i7 4790 (3.6GHz)

NVidia GTX 745 OEM

1TB WD Hard drive (7200rpm)

16GB RAM.

Well, if you go with 2.5 then you're at a dead end, meaning there'll be no significant upgrades coming down the pike. To go past that you'll need to repurchase the sim. With V3 you'll pay once for all the V3 variations, so there'll be more updates coming for you.

 

So you need to balance that, and the improvements in V3, against the greater availability of your add-ons at this point in time with 2.5.

 

I know I'm basically repeating the last part of your post, but it's a decision that only you can make. Were it me in your position, I'd go with V3 for the better future, but I can't decide that for you.

 

Oh, yes -- you'll still have your FSX, if you want to, so can still use your existing add-ons with that. I still have FSX installed, along with P3D V2.4, but it's rather rare that I fire it up.

FWIW I'd go with v3 for the same reason as Larry - P3D2.5 was the end of the line.

 

But you WILL inevitably need to upgrade that video card eventually, so perhaps funding that ought to be your first priority? It would significantly improve FSX and later on, your P3D experience.

My system:

Intel i7-4770 (3.9GHz)

ZOTAC GTX 750 Ti 2GB

1TB Seagate Hard drive (7200rpm)

8GB RAM

 

The above system was not suitable for running P3Dv3 even with the sliders set modestly and the air and ground traffic set to zero. The frame rate was only 30-50% of what I get in FSX and the anti-aliasing was not as good. Consequently, I uninstalled P3Dv3 yesterday to wait until such time as I have a much more capable computer.

My system:

Intel i7-4770 (3.9GHz)

ZOTAC GTX 750 Ti 2GB

1TB Seagate Hard drive (7200rpm)

8GB RAM

 

The above system was not suitable for running P3Dv3 even with the sliders set modestly and the air and ground traffic set to zero. The frame rate was only 30-50% of what I get in FSX and the anti-aliasing was not as good. Consequently, I uninstalled P3Dv3 yesterday to wait until such time as I have a much more capable computer.

 

Though I'm only on 2.4 rather than V3, I can't conceive of your described system not running P3D well, especially compared to FSX. You must have something wrong in your setup for P3D. With my 5 year old i7 960 (3.2 GHz) and GTX 570 I had a large performance increase going from FSX to P3D V2 (small fps increase, 2-4fps, but sliders way up). It increased even more when I swapped the GTX 570 for a GTX 970 (most sliders maxed, outside of LA/Seattle/etc.).

 

Were you trying to run the same tweaks in P3D as in FSX? If so, that might have been the problem.

I agree with Larry - you should be able to get decent performance with that system. AA is still a problem in P3D but not that big of a deal.

 

Something was not set up right. Compare how SMOOTH the performance is vs FSX not raw FPS. P3D is capable of getting better visual performance at lower FPS.

 

Vic

I used 4x SGSSAA and no Antialiasing in NI with 4x MSAA set in P3Dv3.

 

In FSX I use the same 4x SGSSAA but also Antialiasing in NI.

Looks like you the OP have already received great advice from good people here on this site.....I had v2.5 and was very happy with it and had lots of addons..including the PMDGS, QW 757...etc etc....but I couldn't listen to those who told me to wait....and then got the Version 3... Due to my making some mistakes....I lost everything in the v2.5 including Active Sky Next....but after some excellent help from the folks at ASN I got it back and most of my other stuff but not all....I like verson 3 and suggest if you want it...I say Do It as it has a future...and I like it a lot....good luck....al v and I am going to load a flight in it right now to Denver..from Tucson. with a PMDG 737...lol.....

Looks like you the OP have already received great advice from good people here on this site.....I had v2.5 and was very happy with it and had lots of addons..including the PMDGS, QW 757...etc etc....but I couldn't listen to those who told me to wait....and then got the Version 3... Due to my making some mistakes....I lost everything in the v2.5 including Active Sky Next....but after some excellent help from the folks at ASN I got it back and most of my other stuff but not all....I like verson 3 and suggest if you want it...I say Do It as it has a future...and I like it a lot....good luck....al v and I am going to load a flight in it right now to Denver..from Tucson. with a PMDG 737...lol.....

 

Not sure what advice Alverthein is proffering - P3Dv3 is a complete new install.

You cannot `lose` anything.

P3D3 can be run alongside P3dv2.5 quite happily - but that wasn't the question, was it? They are the same price so it's really a no-brainer - as long as you have the hardware to do it justice.

 

In the end I simply dumped 2.5 for 3 as it is superior to its predecessor in many ways.

 

FWIW 3.1 is due before the end of the year.

Hey Malcott, I will assist you in what I said,,,,,,I clearly said ..."MY MISTAKES"...in modern speak..it means Al verthein....F&*%%# UP....and yes I did lose all of my addons....again...due to Al verthein...which is YOURS TRULY...no one else is responsible...and Hey Man ,,,no problem I have P3D v3 and all my addons back...cuz others here on this site and the ASN professionals helped me....al v