Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
machie

Memory issues

Recommended Posts

I am going to get a big upgrade, so that I can run FSX without all the various performance issues--but while I get ready to spend the big bucks, I have a question---is one gig of memory enough to run the the FSX version of the 747---I get an out of memory message whilst still on the runwayCheers

Share this post


Link to post

No, 2GB is just enough and even then it requires the 3GB patch and if you are using Vista then it also requires a separate hot patch for a memory allocation issue that is not available through automatic updates. FSX takes a lot of juice to run well with things turned up. I was using a Dual Core/2GB/NVidia 8800GTX and was getting acceptable results but am now running a Quad Core/4GB machine.John Veldthuishttp://www.virtualpilots.org/signatures/vpa475.png

Share this post


Link to post

Hi JohnThanks for the info.My computer builder suggests a new motherboard with a good front side bus, a 2.8 meg quad core and 4 gigs of memory--so that sounds good--but--what is the BEST, video card---- I mean does 512 or more video memory make a worthwhile difference?Thanks for any inputCheers

Share this post


Link to post

Hi Dorn,Hopefully I can help you a little here too - I had been running a 320MB NVidia 8800GTS card and it was perfectly acceptable running FSX with a 19inch monitor. However, my wife bought me a 22 inch LCD monitor (because I was good) and I suddenly had many problems with memory issues that were traced back to 320 Mb video memory not being sufficient. I have upgraded to a 768MB 8800GTX card and all those problems dissappeared immediately.So, consider you future plans with regards monitors when you buy the graphics card! The 8800GTX is about the best card money can buy for FSX but it is expensive. As an alternative look closely at the new 8800GT cards with 512MB memory. These are far cheaper, have very good performance and also use less power as they are based on a new chip technology. Both cards are Direct X 10 compatible - something SP2 adds to FSX. You must run Vista and not Windows XP to get this benefit though but dont buy based on DX10 as in FSX, it's nothing to write home about in my opinion.For the main system memory, invest in a min of 2GB, max of 4GB but dont buy cheap RAM. 2GB of quality RAM is better that 4GB of el-cheapo stuff.For the CPU, consider the Intel Q6600 or Q6700. The faster ones are still hellish expensive. If you want to get a bit more perfomance out of the CPU for free (and blow your warranty on the processor) you can overclock it. I run my 2.4 Q6600 at 2.8 Ghz. This is probably not the right forum to discuss this but know this - FSX is extremely dependent on the CPU's speed - it is AS critical as the graphics card. I both build PC's and fly the PMDG in FSX as a hobby. :)


GregH

Intel Core i7 14700K / Palit RTX4070Ti Super OC / Corsair 32GB DDR5 6000 MHz / MSI Z790 M/board / Corsair NVMe 9500 read, 8500 write / Corsair PSU1200W / CH Products Yoke, Pedals & Quad; Airbus Side Stick, Airbus Quadrant / TrackIR, 32” 4K 144hz 1ms Monitor

Share this post


Link to post

Hi FAJS,Thank you so much! This is really the core info that I have been looking for. I asked these technical questions in this forum because I fly my PMDG Products 90% of the time that I use the flight sim

Share this post


Link to post

Dorn,In my opinion the GTX is not worth the increased cost vs. the GT if FSX is your primary application. It might be if you were playing Crysis at high resolution or something to that effect.FSX is a CPU bound application and as such you're not going to see much of a difference in going between video cards like that. The GT is already an extremely powerful card. I've been totally happy with mine and I run almost all my games at 1920X1200 resolution.The extra money you'd spend on a GTX is better spent getting the most powerful CPU you can and 4GB of RAM.EDIT: I should add too that the 9 series is just starting to come out - the 9600GT was just reviewed this week and is largely as good as an 8800GT for less money. No word on when the high end 9 cards will be out, but it should be really soon.http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html...W50aHVzaWFzdA==


Ryan Maziarz
devteam.jpg

For fastest support, please submit a ticket at http://support.precisionmanuals.com

Share this post


Link to post

RyanThank you very much for the information--more and more the picture grows clearer--no pun intended. Now I am off to explore Crysis--just for the fun of it.I am getting excited about building a new faster machine--I have a good one now--but there is a real generation gap happening now--of course that has been the case since the days of my stick figure flight sim on my Mac Classic--soooo many years ago.cheers

Share this post


Link to post

Hi Dorn,Ryan is correct in so far as the 8800GT is a better buy from a cost point of view. It's performance is impressive and not far behind the GTX. However the current top of the hill card it the GTX (or GTX Ultra which is effectively an overclocked GTX). These cards have been around a while and have consistently beaten every competitor bar none. Also as Ryan stated (and I also mentioned), FSX is very dependant on the CPU. With my GTX for example, I can set all sliders to min or all sliders to max and not see an impact in frame rate - in other words the graphics car is not being maxed out at max settings - it's just cruising along. However with detailed payware scenery and the PMDG 747, I still come down to the 20-30FPS region as, simply put, the processor (CPU) is reaching the max of it's abilities. I would definitely not go the SLI route, rather spending that money on extra CPU power. As mentioned, even with one GTX the bottleneck is the CPU, even if it is a quad core Q6600 or Q6700. For lots of money, look at the QX6850 3.0 ghz Extreme edition quad core. As with anything, you pay a dear premium for the very latest hardware though. I can buy 3 Q6600's for 1 QX6850I'm not sure about how Crysis uses hardware as I only have FSX on my PC but many of these games are far more dependant on graphics cards and less depandant on CPU power.Personally, I thinkg there can be no better "real" test for a PC's performance than running FSX + PMDG744X in detailed scenery. Many people that are boasting all powerful machines with 15000 3D Mark scores will suddenly gulp when their pride and joy splutters and chokes, spitting out a stuttery 9FPS! :)Oh, and dont forget to invest in a decent power supply unit for that PC - 500watts is sufficient, anything less and you are tempting fate.GregH


GregH

Intel Core i7 14700K / Palit RTX4070Ti Super OC / Corsair 32GB DDR5 6000 MHz / MSI Z790 M/board / Corsair NVMe 9500 read, 8500 write / Corsair PSU1200W / CH Products Yoke, Pedals & Quad; Airbus Side Stick, Airbus Quadrant / TrackIR, 32” 4K 144hz 1ms Monitor

Share this post


Link to post

Hi GregThanks Greg--this is VERY definitive information--just the sort of stuff I am trying to ascertain. I AM RUNNING FSX, PMDG 747-400 AND TONS OF COMPLEX SCENERY--UP TO AND INCLUDING MEGA SCENERY. Thanks again for all the time and energy you and others have spent answering my questions--it will most certainly help ensure real quality with the final product.Cheers

Share this post


Link to post

Dorn,Make sure you go with a minimum of 4GB of RAM and Vista 64. This to prevent any form of "out of memory"-errors. You might not exactly need that much now even when using FSX / PMDG 747 / UTX / Airport Addon / High-Res Mesh / AI Traffic all together (it would be close to 3GB). But looking at the future and what scenery designers are up to this looks to get extremely memory intense as well. Huge areas with photo realism and full autogen including big cities with all custom buildings, that's the future with FSX. And for THAT you are going to need a lot of RAM. So take 4GB to be ready for everything. If you have money to burn take 8GB, but really that's only if you DO have it to burn...Regards,Markus


Markus Burkhard

 

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  
  • Tom Allensworth,
    Founder of AVSIM Online


  • Flight Simulation's Premier Resource!

    AVSIM is a free service to the flight simulation community. AVSIM is staffed completely by volunteers and all funds donated to AVSIM go directly back to supporting the community. Your donation here helps to pay our bandwidth costs, emergency funding, and other general costs that crop up from time to time. Thank you for your support!

    Click here for more information and to see all donations year to date.
×
×
  • Create New...