New CPU or GPU for FSX:SE?

Hello there.

I am currently running FSX Steam Edition for flying on VATSIM. I use a number of addons like PMDG, Majestic and Aerosoft Aircraft, and many addon sceneries from Aerosoft, FlyTampa, T2G, etc.

Here are my current specs:

AMD FX 6300 3.5GHz

Gigabyte Motherboard (AM3+ Socket)

Stock CPU cooling

AMD Radeon R7 240 2GB

8GB DDR3 RAM

Windows 10 x64

I have to run FSX on very low settings which makes textures, sceneries and terrain look rather horrible. I can tweak it to the point of maybe getting 20fps in well optimized or less dense scenery, but once you start adding in more dense scenery and air traffic, frame rate can drop as low as 8fps (which I am kind of getting used to flying with...)

I would like to upgrade either my GPU or CPU, depending on which is more likely to be the bottleneck, so I can run FSX with textures that are actually readable! I'm on a budget of around £300, and would like to move away from AMD, but replacing the CPU with an Intel would obviously require a new motherboard too, which would mean I'd have to go for a lower-end CPU.

If you could point me in the right direction, even suggest a specific processor or card!

Thanks for the advice.

Calum

FSX is almost entirely CPU dependant. The GPU has an effect, yes, but it seems to work best with NVidea cards, vs AMD or whatever. Also, the effect is much less than a CPU upgrade.

SO: in answer to your question, get the best CPU you can for the money. An i5 or i7 seem to be the most up-to-date choices. Don't mess with overclocking unless you know what you're doing. Also, make sure the cooling is the best you can get, and that your comp's Power Supply is well up to the task of running your system. Without an decent PC, and good, I mean GOOD, cooling, a new CPU won't do you a lot of good.

Does that answer your question?

Pat☺

FSX is almost entirely CPU dependant. The GPU has an effect, yes, but it seems to work best with NVidea cards, vs AMD or whatever. Also, the effect is much less than a CPU upgrade.

SO: in answer to your question, get the best CPU you can for the money. An i5 or i7 seem to be the most up-to-date choices. Don't mess with overclocking unless you know what you're doing. Also, make sure the cooling is the best you can get, and that your comp's Power Supply is well up to the task of running your system. Without an decent PC, and good, I mean GOOD, cooling, a new CPU won't do you a lot of good.

Does that answer your question?

Pat☺

That sounds like a lot to buy with just £300. What brand of motherboard and cooling would I be looking at, then?

Hi Calum,

As you haven't given full details of the exact motherboard it is hard to determine if this could the cause of your problem but it may be worth looking into the following..........

It could simply be that FSX is defaulting to the Mobo GPU and not the Radeon GPU.

Some motherboards have an integrated video GPU, including some Gigabyte models. Generally, these GPUs will be less powerful, both in terms of capability and memory, and offer poorer viewing qualities, FPS rates, etc. The MoBo documentation should state if it has one.

In the case of multiple GPUs you can tell FSX to use a preferred GPU - on the FSX settings Display page, under Device Specific Options section, select the required GPU from the list.

I was a bit hasty there.

To get some improvement on the cheap:

Fast Intel CPU, can be overclocked too: i5-4690k = 235

Z97 mainboard = 120

Win10 = 120

and use your old ddr3 ram, videocard, harddisk, case, etc.

---

Or update the GPU as well, to at least a GTX750. Adds 100$ +

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R7-240-vs-GeForce-GTX-750

http://www.game-debate.com/gpu/index.php?gid=2404&gid2=2306&compare=radeon-r7-240-2gb-vs-geforce-gtx-750-ti-asus-strix-2gb-edition

Hi Calum,

 

As you haven't given full details of the exact motherboard it is hard to determine if this could the cause of your problem but it may be worth looking into the following..........

 

It could simply be that FSX is defaulting to the Mobo GPU and not the Radeon GPU.

 

Some motherboards have an integrated video GPU, including some Gigabyte models. Generally, these GPUs will be less powerful, both in terms of capability and memory, and offer poorer viewing qualities, FPS rates, etc. The MoBo documentation should state if it has one.

 

In the case of multiple GPUs you can tell FSX to use a preferred GPU - on the FSX settings Display page, under Device Specific Options section, select the required GPU from the list.

Thanks, my Mobo definitely has built-in graphics, so I'll take a look at that.

I was a bit hasty there.

To get some improvement on the cheap:

Fast Intel CPU, can be overclocked too: i5-4690k = 235

Z97 mainboard = 120

Win10 = 120

 

and use your old ddr3 ram, videocard, harddisk, case, etc.

 

---

Or update the GPU as well, to at least a GTX750. Adds 100$ +

 

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-R7-240-vs-GeForce-GTX-750

http://www.game-debate.com/gpu/index.php?gid=2404&gid2=2306&compare=radeon-r7-240-2gb-vs-geforce-gtx-750-ti-asus-strix-2gb-edition

You've quoted a price for Windows 10 there, but I thought since I'd keep my hard drive I wouldn't need to do that?

Other than that, sounds like a good plan. Thanks!