BUYING MY DREAM SYSTEM FOR FSX

[h.uslar 0]

Hi guysI've already searched the forum in search of dream spec's to run FSX. And I've also read from many of you that FSX won't run as a dream on any system.Having said that, i'm looking for a commercial, already built, system (dell, alienware, your recommendations) that will run FSX "AS REAL AS IT GETS"I'm thinking for a system in the range of 3,500 - 5,500 Us$,almost exclusively (but not limited)for FSX. I want to make an investment (doesn't matter that todays app cant't take all advantage of the system) that will still be a super system in 2-3 years. Well, I am all ears!Thank you guys for your helpHenrique Uslar

[ryanbatc 12,851]

XPS 720 by Dell....http://www.dell.com/content/products/produ...s=19&l=en&s=dhsI personally would also buy an OEM XP disc or Vista, whatever... so you could format the drive and reinstall from scratch

[h.uslar 0]

And what system would you recommend? Vista or XP? Should I go with Dual or single 768MB Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX??What about the RAM. 2 or 4 GB? I read another post about a guy that bought a 6.000 Us$ Dell sytem and was getting 12-13 FPS with settings to the mid. Have you tried this system.Thanks,Henrique

[Mace 1,926]

>Hi guys>>I've already searched the forum in search of dream spec's to>run FSX. And I've also read from many of you that FSX won't>run as a dream on any system.>>Having said that, i'm looking for a commercial, already built,>system (dell, alienware, your recommendations) that will run>FSX "AS REAL AS IT GETS">>I'm thinking for a system in the range of 3,500 - 5,500>Us$,almost exclusively (but not limited)for FSX. I want to>make an investment (doesn't matter that todays app cant't take>all advantage of the system) that will still be a super system>in 2-3 years. First off, you cannot build a system today that will still be a "super" system in 2-3 years. It's just an impossibility, even assuming hardware advances go slow in the next 2 years or so.But today, you can build a computer that will still be good/decent in 2 years.It would be of the highest spec today (quad, highly overclockable, 4 gb ram, Vista64). That will handle things 2-3 years from now, especially since I feel that software has some catching up to do with today's hardware. Particularly re: the FS franchise.I would not spend $4000 - $5000. To me that is a colossal waste of money given that the extra $1000-$2000 will only net you 1-2 fps in the sim.If Alienware costs that much for a quad with 8800GTX, then I'd say that's overpriced and I would build one for half that price that would outperform the boxed system. You can spec it out with all the hardware people here, to make sure things will work together properly. Sounds like you have a pretty good handle on what is needed anyway.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

[h.uslar 0]

Hi,I've just built a Dell system with the following specsPROCESSOR Intel

[Reset XPDR 1,271]

Drop the second 8800 GTX for sure - in FSX and FS9 it will only heat the room and empty your wallet ;-)The rest looks pretty good (although motherboard is not mentioned), but $4,668 :-eek - I spent less than half that putting together what I run now and I reckon we'd go toe for toe in FSX performance.Gary

[Guest jimcooper1]

>For how much, would I be able to build such a system (or better) by myself? Less than $2500 if you go for a single Graphics CardNot exact matches but close enough for comparison:SAMSUNG 18X DVD

[paulyg123 135]

I just bought the top of the line Dell XPS H2C with a quad core processor OC to 3.48 Ghtz, 2 MB 1066 ram, dual 8800GTX cards,blue-ray drive, 24" flat panel monitor. Initally I was getting 10 fps and I was dying. Dell worked with me and played around with stuff I can't describe and now I get a solid 30 fps with the LD767 in FSX.The setup was a nightmare, FSX took me 10 times attempts to install and somehow it just took. It cost me $6000 - was it worth it - NO. For me my 3.2 Dell 8250 with FS9 and LD767 was perfect. So I essentially bought some eye candy and now see the road traffic as I land.

[h.uslar 0]

>>For how much, would I be able to build>such a system (or better) by myself? >>Less than $2500 if you go for a single Graphics Card>>Not exact matches but close enough for comparison:Thanks Jim for the info! To that, I should add around 600-800 $ for the 24" LCD flat screen that was included with the Dell system, so it would be around 3k. Now, I have never built a system before. I consider myself good at building hardware stuff, but given the price of all these pieces, i would be a little afraid to mess it up. How difficult is it to build it by yourself?Now other questions: What difference will it make to have 4 GB of Ram instead of 2? Why wouldn't FSX take advantage of the dual video card? Or is just that the difference wouln't be worth the extra 600 bucks?Sorry guys for bothering you so much! I just want to spend my money as wisely as possible!Rgds,Henrique

[Guest Alkit]

Hello Henrique,I am not a computer professional. But I do have a comment, for a consumer desktop PC, "that will still be a super system in 2-3 years" simply not exist. 2-3 years means a very very long time in computer technology world. No matter how best or $$$ system you buy today. After 2-3 years, it will be a mid-low end anyway. You can get a quad cores today (or 2 quad cores on same motherboard). After 2-3 years may be 8 or more cores on one CPU.The only computer can still be a super computer in 2-3 years is the SUPER computers in lab. Or the computer (room) in real flight simulator.Good luck!!Alkit

[Guest exmixer]

Henrique,Like you I'm not interested in buying parts and building a box. I went for a Falcon Northwest rig (basic specs below) which I'm quite happy with. Excellent tech support, build-quality and warranty.They'll also OC it to a stable condition, though on mine at least that required an optional cooling system. That wasn't worth it to me, it's fast as-is, ymmv.As others have said, you can't future-proof *any* box. Mine is CPU upgradeable to a quad core, don't see the point in that for what I do, today. FS9 runs incredibly well, FSX, to me it's got a ways to go. It runs OK, has some nice features, but nothing out there CPU-wise will handle the add-ons I might like to use at acceptable frame rates. That's my personal taste, once again, ymmv. Two 8800 cards is pointless for now, you can always add one later if it makes sense.Alienware is owned by Dell. I have 3 Dells (laptop, 8300, XPS 600), they work, I wouldn't spend that much money with them when Falcon and other custom buliders will do a better job and have onshore (for me in the US) TS. Dell's home and business TS is lacking in every way I can imagine...and I've only called them maybe 3 times in 5 years.Good luck with your choice, just don't expect any miracles with FSX just yet.jbFalcon Northwest Mach VC2 X6800EVGA680i4GB Corsair 8500 C5BFG 8800GTXXP Pro SP2[a href=http://exmixer.com/]Windows utility links/FS 2004[/a]

[ryanbatc 12,851]

In a perfect world you could go dual boot, XP Pro and Vista Premium....But since DX10 will come for FSX someday... I'd go VistaPersonally, 2GB of RAM is good for XP, but I'd shoot for 4 with Vista....maybe a tad overkill at the moment, unless you do a lot of multi-tasking.... But Vista sucks more RAM than XP. You'll be fine with 2 for now thoughFor video card I'd go for the 8800GTS 640mb version, and a single card only.I'd get two 150GB raptor HDD's and RAID 0 them.

[h.uslar 0]

>Henrique,>>Like you I'm not interested in buying parts and building a>box. I went for a Falcon Northwest rig (basic specs below)>which I'm quite happy with. Excellent tech support,>build-quality and warranty.JB,I just built a system at FN website with this config:ICON - Brushed AluminumICON Standard SolidSilverstone 750Watt Strider - ModularEVGA nVidia nForce 680I - SLIIntel Core 2 Quad Extreme X6700 2.66GHzZalman CNPS7000B-ALCU LED4GB Corsair Dominator 6400C4nVidia GeForce 8800GTX 768MBCreative Labs X-FiD Link WUA-2340 Rangebooster G/USB adapt No Raid Western Digital Raptor 150GB 16MB Cache Western Digital 250GB 16MB Cache SATA 2 Sony DRU830A 18X Dual Layer DVD+-RW No Floppy Drive Windows Vista Home Premium - 32 Bit Microsoft Keyboard 500 Black Logitech G5 Laser Mouse Viewsonic 22" - 1680x1050 Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 U.S Robotics 56K V.92 USB External Faxmo Monster Power 800HP Falcon Northwest T-Shirt (LG)This for 5,905 Us$ !!!It seems to me a little overpriced! Anyway, If i went for the Dell, I don't think it wouldn't be such a bad choice. I already own a Dell system and it has been nice. I have to agree that their service is not the best. Anyway I live in Venezuela (And although I'm planning to buy the system in the US), I don't care that much about service since we almost get none over here!!True about the super system in 3 years. That is (as the post title suggest) just a dream!! But I want it at least to be running FSX with plenty of addons decently in 2 years (As my current PC is doing with FS9). Also, I still use FS9 so I imagine that such a system would definetly run FS9 like dream, won't it?Anyway. I'm still not 100% sure about going with single or dual Graphics Card or to go with or without 2 or 4 GB of Ram :-hmmm Rgds,Henrique

[Mace 1,926]

>>Thanks Jim for the info! The system Jim outlined above, would pretty much perform about the same in FS as the $4000-$5000 Dell system you quoted above. But for half the money.>Now, I have never built a system before. I consider myself>good at building hardware stuff, but given the price of all>these pieces, i would be a little afraid to mess it up. How>difficult is it to build it by yourself?>Not difficult at all. The people here can guide you on the hardware, so that everything works together well. And then when you get all of the parts, they can advise you on putting it together, if you run into any problems there.>Now other questions: What difference will it make to have 4 GB>of Ram instead of 2? A debateable point, but I say "some" but not a huge amount of difference. Probably as we go forward 4gb will be more desirable, so I might consider that.A further point to consider is ram speed. Do not get 3gb. Get either 2 gb or 4 gb in matched pairs. Oddball ram sizes = bad results for us in FS. Finally, another point: My understanding is, with 4 gb and a 32-bit OS, you must make some adjustments to allow the 3-4 gb to be recognized and used by the OS. If Vista 64 were fully mature (drivers, etc.) then I would have no problem going with 4gb ram. Soon we will be able to anyway.>Why wouldn't FSX take advantage of the>dual video card? It can use both cards, but not in ways you might expect.Little if any frame rate improvement, and some people report worse, with 2 cards.The only benefit would be running high levels of Anti-Aliasing, on very high resolutions, or if you have multiple monitors. Otherwise you are better off with one. I'd get 1 8800 card if I were you.>Or is just that the difference wouln't be>worth the extra 600 bucks?>That's right, it's not worth the extra 600 bucks, unless you are running as I stated above. At least in my opinion anyway.>Sorry guys for bothering you so much! I just want to spend my>money as wisely as possible!>Don't we allRhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

[ryanbatc 12,851]

2GB for RAM for now is fine, Go with 1 geforce 8800 GTS 640mb version