Is this a good motherboard for fsx.

Is this a good motherboard for FSX with a core i7 4790k CPU?

 

Gigabyte z97x sli

 

I need to stay within this price range for motherboard, my video card Geforce GTX 750 1gb

 

Thanks

Between Newegg and Pcpartpicker, it looks like a good motherboard. I've always bought Gigabyte and never had any issues. Albeit, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't get a dud. It happens.

 

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/7jPfrH/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz97xsli

For specs of mainboards always go to the manufacturer's own site.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z97X-SLI-rev-12#ov

 

 

Do find out which revision of the board is being sold in the shop you are looking at, then look the specs up for that revision. (1.0 / 1.1 / 1.2)

(the link I gave links to the page for revision 1.2 of this board. To find the info for the other revisions, click on 1.0 or 1.1 at the top of that page.)

 

You should know, SLI is not something that is useful with FSX.

FSX works best if you use just one graphics card. People that buy two graphics cards and try to set up SLI for FSX usually end up being sad they ever bought the second card, as they end up never using it.

It's not a bad motherboard by any means but I believe we can find something better if you give me a few more pieces of information and some time for research. What's your PC case size and your preferred budget?

thank your answers!

I’d be interested in your current thoughts on this. I’m also a gigabyte (P55 owner, with an i7-860 & Radeon GPU; Win7) and not been disappointed. But as good and reliable as it’s been, it’s time for a new build. So am looking at an i7 8700k or 7700k & GTX 1670ti but just starting my mb exploration. Not too concerned with FS2020 atm; just FSX (box - but could go SE if there were a good reason). The foregoing should give you some idea of my price range: ‘kind of just looking for the sweet spot rather than bleeding edge. Would be interested in specific DRAM recommendations, too.

I'd seriously look at the AMD RYZEN 7 3800X or the AMD RYZEN 7 3700X CPUs along with an ASUS TUF Gaming motherboard. The reason why is because you'll get more bang for your buck with a Ryzen CPU vs that of an Intel.

 

There's no GTX 1670TI, but there is a GTX 1660TI. A GPU like that will have very little performance benefit for FSX seen as how FSX is a CPU orientated game. Meaning most of its processing and rendering graphics wise is mostly done in the CPU. But a GPU like that and the Ryzen CPUs I listed are good for future proofing especially if you decide to go with the new Flight Simulator that's coming out.

 

Memory wise (as you call it DRAM), the general sweet spot right now is at least 16 GB. I can't remember off hand what the new Flight Simulator minimum requirement was, but I'm sure it's at least 8-16 GB. For FSX 4 GB would be plenty, really. I actually only had that much when I first built my computer as I couldn't afford to buy the amount of RAM I wanted right away and had to wait. So with that, 16 GB would be more than enough plus allow you to play other modern games out today. The one thing about RAM is that you should look at the motherboard's QVL (Quality Vendor List) on what RAM is compatible with the motherboard you'll buy. That way you won't have any possible issues down the line. The QVL list can be found at the motherboard's manufacture website for that motherboard where they have the drivers, BIOS and manual downloads.

 

When you chose a PSU make sure it's a good reputable manufacture like Antec, EVGA, Thermaltake, etc. Just read the reviews and do your research. I've always bought Antec and never had an issue.... yet. Right now I'm rolling with an Antec 750 watt gold and so far so good for the last two years. Prior to that I had an Antec 520 watt I think it was. The PSU is very important because if it goes out it could take the whole system with it.

 

In addition to a good, reputable PSU, you should look into a good, reputable UPS. These are battery backup units that if the power goes out your computer will remain on for a short while allowing you enough time to safely power down the computer. I can't tell you how many help threads I've read over the years where someone had a power outage and it took their PC with it. I own a Cyberpower UPS and it's been pretty decent and I put it to the test where I killed the power going to it and in milliseconds it switched to the battery and it was if my computer never knew the difference between power sources. Connected to my UPS are two monitors, the PC and a 5.1 surround sound system. If I'm gaming I believe my run time on the battery is 19 minutes. The watt draw for my PC and all the rest while gaming is around 190 watts which is a little over an amp. I suppose that's thanks to a high efficient PSU. And that's another thing. If you buy a UPS it has to be compatible with the PSU. If the PSU is an active PSU, then you need a UPS that supports active PSUs. Not doing that and only bad things can happen. Also note that if the UPS is not pure sine wave and you use a surge protector on the UPS for added power outlets you run the risk of fire. The particular UPS I have is pure sine wave output and can be used with an active PSU. I'm thinking of an upgrade and this one here looks promising, but I emailed Cyberpower asking them if it was active PSU compatible and I got no answer like the last time I emailed them about the current UPS I have now. I'll try again and/or do some research or find the manual.

 

And here's the UPS I have now which is pure sine wave. I now see the other one I was thinking about getting is simulated sine wave. So I guess that's not what you want for an active PSU or plugging in a surge protector power strip for more outlets. Just saw this now.

 

Note that if you do decide to go with a 8700k or 7700k those are Kaby and Coffee lake CPUs and there may be some driver and/or Windows update issues with Windows 7. It can be done, but you may have to slipstream USB drivers into the Windows 7 installation media. As to the updates issue you'll want to look at this: https://github.com/zeffy/wufuc

 

This is just a game Microsoft is playing all in an effort to get people to use BS Windows 10. And it's really a BS OS from all the documentation I've submitted to my forum about it and my observations with using it in VMware Workstation Player. It seems buggy and I've been monitoring the network adapter to the virtual machine and there's a multitude of telemetry going in and out. I have a giant list of IPs and ASNs that are used. With Windows 7 I've only recorded IPs from such things as Windows time and the IP used to let you know if you have an Internet connection or not. That's about it as it pertains to a virgin, no software installs OS monitoring the NIC (Network Interface Card). But as it stands now eventfully everyone will have to use Win 10 due to software/hardware incompatibility. I have been testing Priv10 and it seems promising, but I think it still has some bugs to iron out. In case you decide to go 10 with the new Flight Simulator, then check out this list of Win 10 privacy tools here: https://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/14/comparison-of-windows-10-privacy-tools/

 

Anyway, just some Info. in case you are, or someone else decides to go Win 10.

 

Oh, you can compare and contrast prices with multiple vendors and reviews and if you use Amazon as a source, you can use this site to get a rating on the quality of reviews. This is not a quality of the product review, just the rating of whether there is deception involved with the reviews. So say you are looking at a particular motherboard and looking at this motherboard on Amazon has it placed with a four star rating. Sounds good, right? Well, you hop on over to Fakespot and submit the Amazon product URL and find out the review grade is a D. This tells you that the so-called four star rating can't be trusted. It doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad product, just that most of the reviews are all bogus. The reason for this is because companies actually pay people to write bogus reviews and they pay people to do YouTube videos as well. It's all really part and parcel of the so-called AstroTurf crap out there with no grassroots at all in a sense. It's like how a pharmaceutical tries to use deception to sell a pill. They'll use Wikipedia, so-called "informative" websites and all kinds of crap. You the user goes on out there researching this pill and see website after website with rave reviews and all this crap, when in reality all of those websites you based your research on were in fact owned and operated by the pharmaceutical its self. So with computer hardware or other tech crap, take a giant NaCl pill with the YouTbue reviews, etc.

 

Anyway, you asked a simple straight forward question and here I am writing a two part series. LOL!

Nothing is simple anymore when it comes to hardware -vs- software (ie: Win 10). I agree with everything you said except the UPS. Come on. If I was answering 1-800 customers then yeah. Otherwise not necessary. All you say is good and very true. Well done. Me? I get 30 fps in FSX with my rig and don't plan on getting a new PC just for FS2020. Homey don't play that game. I got plenty to do in FS9 and FSX to keep me busy for the next 5 years! Send me a picture of your experience with FS2020 and I will frame it and say it shows MY experience with FS2020 (hehe).

Chuck B

Napamule

I agree with everything you said except the UPS. Come on. If I was answering 1-800 customers then yeah. (hehe).

 

I guess you didn't comprehend anything I said about why a UPS was important. Go back and read that paragraph again and then tell me "come on." I'm here to tell you that if you are on the computer and experience a sudden loss of power you run the risk of either A) software or OS corruption or B) hardware failure. And as I already said, I've seen a number of forum posts on all the tech forums I've been a member of since 2006 where people had a power failure and their computer was trashed.

 

For around $150 it's just good common sense and an investment to help protect your way bigger investment of a desktop that could be several thousand. For me this is the case with all the money I put into it. And to have to replace that would be a major PITA because as it was already I bought most of the parts on a month by month basis leaving the last bit of hardware to the purchase of the motherboard and RAM because I knew if anything didn't work right after I put it all together it would most likely be the motherboard or RAM and I'd still have a 30 day return window to work with. With the other parts those return windows expired and I'd have to try to deal with the company directly which is not what I want to mess around with. Most of my hardware was bought on Newegg so they give you 30 days to make a return. After that you're on your own to deal with a manufacturer.

 

Addendum:

 

I now remember some of the crap I bought had so-called "rebates." Well, I remember now sending in a rebate to Cooler Master for the case fans and never once got a check in the mail. There was also a rebate for my motherboard and I don't even remember if I got my rebate for that either. I always knew they were just a giant rip off and a marketing gimmick especially how I saw a news magazine show like 60 Minutes or 20/20 talk about that many years ago. But I tried it anyway and here I am living proof that's it's scam. Perhaps for others they got lucky. Not in my case.

 

Homey don't play that game.

 

In Living Color was a funny TV show. I believe this is where Jim Carrey got his start as Fire Marshall Bill.

 

 

Come to think of it, I know of a way point called HOMY. I can't remember where it's at now. Either Arizona which might be an NDB or in Vegas.

Edited June 14, 2020 by CRJ_simpilot

Catastrophic power supply failure alone won't trash your PC. What usually happens is you have a power surge due to lightning, etc. All you need is a surge protector power strip, which I have. Those people that fryed their PC more likely did NOT have a surge protector. The UPS is supposed to give you enough time to save VALUABLE files (ie: business forms, letters, etc). Your PC was probably OLD and that did not help because NEWER PCs circuits have SOME surge protection built in now a days. UPS is 'old school' IMHO.

Chuck B

Napamule

Catastrophic power supply failure alone won't trash your PC.

 

Unless you have been on all the tech forums I have been on and read that was in fact what happened, or experienced it yourself you don't know. While it seems that shouldn't do anything to a PSU, it seems to have based on what I have read. And in fact I can tell you when I had a power loss one day the power adapter to my netbook stopped working. Just like that. It's on 24/7 as a FTP server and a callerID interceptor and when the power went out the power supply went dead.

 

 

 

 

What usually happens is you have a power surge due to lightning, etc. All you need is a surge protector power strip, which I have.

 

Just so that you know. Even a surge protector may not save any of your electronics from a near by lightning strike. It all depends on many factors. Also, if you get a surge from a lightning strike it could come over the cable line, or telephone line and anything plugged into that like your modem, which is in turn plugged into a possible router, which in turn is plugged into a computer, all will be fried since it wasn't mains power that had the surge, it was the cable line or telephone line that carried the surge. Also, a surge protector will not save you from a direct lightning hit. Just so you know. The best thing to do if lightning is in the area is to unplug everything. And that's exactly what I do. If I'm seeing a lot of cloud to ground lightning or a there's a massive thunderstorm, I power off the PSU, then the UPS and unplug everything. I also unplug the ethernet cable from the computer. It's a major PITA to do that but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

 

Those people that fryed their PC more likely did NOT have a surge protector.

 

This isn't a case of a power surge but a sudden loss or power.

 

 

 

UPS is 'old school' IMHO.

 

Then I guess you need to talk with marketing with all the companies that sell UPS's and ask them what the profits are on a year by year basis. It's in fact your opinion, but not grounded in fact.

 

Interesting to note. Just a little while ago the power went on and off here twice and I heard the relay kick in inside my UPS. This time of the year is where everyone and their great uncle is using an air conditioner and fans so there's an uptick on power consumption and it puts a strain on the power grid.

Edited June 15, 2020 by CRJ_simpilot