A new high end system for FSX

[757 Fanatic]

Hello,

 

I've saved up enough money from my job to buy the best PC I can get for $2000. I'm looking at an i7 4.4GHZ 32GB memory and 12GB NVIDEA X. Will that cut it? Will I be able to play fsx maxed out in a PMDG 737 flying over ORBX scenary and payware airports? And for making FSX videos with fraps with at least 30 FPS?

 

Do you have any specific advice for the kind of system I should get for this much dollar. I also play other games too. Like city builders and other high end games.

[pvarn]

You cannot buy a computer which will run FSX boxed at max settings. FSX was not designed for current computer technology and operating systems. There is one guy who claims he gets 30 frames at max settings, but eventually he admitted he flies with no clouds.

 

Just get the fastest CPU you can, learn how to make the best compromises in your settings for the style of flying you do, and just learn to enjoy what you end up with.

 

It's important for you to realize you cannot force FSX to do what it was not designed for, but to enjoy what it CAN do after you've given it your best effort. If you want max detailed aircraft, thousands of high rez AI, trucks, cars, and boats at max, high rez scenery, in thunderstorms... throw badly conceived CFG tweaks at it, and you'll get your 1 frame/second without trying very hard

 

-Pv-

[ScatterbrainKid]

The local shop built this PC for me last year for 1100 GB pounds/1600 US dollars and it plays FSX smooth as silk at very highish graphics settings, don't ask me what the specs mean, I'm a PC dummy, I simply waltzed in and said "Build me a PC capable of playing all high-end graphic-intensive games and sims", we unmarried guys are rolling in cash and can do things like that..;)

Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-4670 CPU @ 3.40Ghz (4 CPUs), ~2.4GHz

Memory: 16Gb RAM

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770

 

I've tried it at FSX maximum settings, and framerates predictably begin to hiccup slightly, but the bottom line is that Very High is magnificent and I don't feel the need to go Max just to get a few more leaves on trees etc.

In fact it's often hard to tell the difference between V High and Maximum.

 

Here are some screenshots I did to test framerates on the 'Unlimited' FPS setting, and Very High-ish graphics settings with a few fluffy cumulus around-

 

Over cities FPS fluctuates around the 45 mark, (the fluctuation is quite large in all the pics as different scenery and lighting effects etc come into view as you pan around)-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-fps45A_zpszhkuzmgk.jpg~original

 

 

Over countryside it fluctuates around 140 FPS-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-fps140B_zpsuqu9phkg.jpg~original

 

 

Over coasts it fluctuates around 90 FPS (I think the zillion moving waves drag on FPS a bit)-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-fps105C_zpsaaieuvvi.jpg~original

 

PS-Eye surgeons can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I heard somewhere that the human eye can't detect frame rates over about 40 FPS, so striving for FPS higher than that might not be worthwhile anyway!

[il88pp]

Parts so far sound great!

Make sure you also invest in a good mainboard. One that has cpu overclock options. (I assume the processor you have chosen is also one you can overclock. Would be nice.)

For fsx processor speed is key.

For fsx 8gb ram should be plenty I think. Fsx can only use a limited amount of ram. But I'm not 100% sure, more may help if you have many programs open I think. Plus it may be good for your other games.

What does definitly help fsx is Faster ram.

Many say a SSD harddisk also improves things like loading time slightly.

Lastly, but very important, get a large case with very good cooling. And concider getting liquid cooling for your CPU.

Fsx is something that you run for hours at a time, and it puts your pc parts under a lot of strain, heating things up. So a good case is important.

I can't advise on brands and specific parts though, it's been a while since I put my pc together.

Enjoy your build!:)

il88pp.