>..... I have an EASY and STABLE OC>of 4.3 Ghz! FSX runs like a dream...with all the addons. >so...YES!Gino, if you don't mind, can you give me your settings for the overclock? Clockspeeds, multiplier...etc?This sounds like something I would like to do. I have the E8500 on the way. I just flashed my Intel "BadAxe2" MB bios to the latest version. My only bottleneck might be my Corsair DDR2 ram.Thanks, Pete S.

Hi Pete,Just to add my two cents worth:http://compare.intel.com/pcc/showchart.asp...1&culture=en-USThe above is a comparison of your CPU E6700 with the E8500 from Intel's website. Your MB supports DDR-2 memory but the E8500 is compatible with DDR-3 memory. So you will not be able to take advantage of the full memory bandwidth and speed potential of the E8500 with your motherboard. FS needs as much speed in the memory and CPU that you can give it, to run well, especially with third-party add-ons like you have.Hope this helps a bit...John

Guess I should have checked a little closer!!!! :-vuur I just found out that the E8500 is not compatible with my MoBo. The preocessor is on it's way, I should have it Mon or Tues....Looks like I'll either have to send it back or get a new mother board!http://processormatch.intel.com/COMPDB/Sea...rdName=d975xbx2If I decide to go with a new motherboard, anyone have any recommendations? I don't want a top of the line board that will cost me an arm and leg, just something that will run this 45nm CPU and is overclockable.I really wasn't planning on a new system, yet! :-mad Pete S.

Well, I just decide to investigate this myself as I've been itchin' to spend some more of my hard earned money. If I didn't the wife would, LOL... Parts ordered today include some low latency 1333 Reaper RAM that I'm really looking forward to overclocking as well as the E8500. My goal is 4.2GHz with my existing Zalman CNPS9700 HSF. Will advise later this week as to how it compares to my existing Q6600 setup.NewEgg:1 ASUS P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Intel Motherboard item #: N82E16813131218 Limited 30-Day Return Policy $299.99 1 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8500 Item #: N82E16819115036 Processors (CPUs) Return Policy $194.99$189.99 1 OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3RPR13334GK Item #: N82E16820227293

GIGABYTE GA-X48-DS4 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813128336Looks like this board has everything I need! I know Gigabyte offers a similar board GA-X48-DQ6 for about $70 more, But I really don't need the extras that it offers.I know that these are DDR2 boards, but I am thinking of getting the G.Skill PC2-8500 (1066) RAM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820231166which is a lot cheaper than the DDR3 ram and the performance is not that much better, at least not yet.So it looks like I am going to end up shelling out around alittle over $400 for this upgrade(E8500, Motherboard and RAM) , but I figure that it should run FSX quite nicely and it'll hold me until FS11 comes out and the latest and greatest hardware that will be available then!Pete S.

Well Guys, let us know how the rig is running....Cheers

Pete, does the bad axe 2 allow you to adjust vcore? I have the earlier version of that mobo and it doesn't permit vcore adjustment. limits the OC. Otherwise, I like the mobo...stable as any I've owned.

>Well, I just decide to investigate this myself as I've been>itchin' to spend some more of my hard earned money. If I>didn't the wife would, LOL... Parts ordered today include>some low latency 1333 Reaper RAM that I'm really looking>forward to overclocking as well as the E8500. My goal is>4.2GHz with my existing Zalman CNPS9700 HSF. Will advise>later this week as to how it compares to my existing Q6600>setup.>>Good luck with the 1333 Reaper mem.I am having a hard time with my DDR3 1600 Patriot sticks. They just are not doing too well. I'll have to post a new thread about that sometime, if I can't get it clocking better.RhettFS box: E8500 (@ 3.80 ghz), AC Freezer 7 Pro, ASUS P5E3 Premium, BFG 8800GTX 756 (nVidia 169 WHQL), 4gb DDR3 1600 Patriot Cas7 7-7-7-20 (2T), PC Power 750, WD 150gb 10000rpm Raptor, Seagate 500gb, Silverstone TJ09 case, Vista Ultimate 64ASX Client: AMD 3700+ (@ 2.6 ghz), 7800GT

You might also consider this board. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813128344I just bought it for $150 and it has dropped $15. I had a pretty good experience with it. It posted first try and only had one small problem with no audio that needed the audio drivers deleted and reloaded. Other than that it was real smooth for a noob builder(My first). There was not much memory officially supported, especially 2X2, but I went with these based on a newegg review where it worked for another buyer.GB EP45-DS3R 2X2GB Mushkin DDR2 800E8400 stockMSI Radeon 4850Seagate 7200.11 500GBAntec P180 caseCorsair VX550W PSUVista 32Samsung 203N DVDOlder 21" Sony E500 CRTJust loaded FS9 and FSX and man what a difference from my Dell 8250 with P4 2.4Ghz and Geforce MX400. Shouldn't have been a surprise going from a wagon to a Corvette, but pleasantly surprised anyway. I had a hard time flying VFR within 25 miles of my home airport because there was so little reliable detail, even on FS9, so I never even loaded FSX. I could barely identify the interstate. Now in FSX, I can easily identify county roads and see airports from 15-20 miles away at 3000'. As a low time student pilot, I need all the help I can get.I have most everything turned up and on except light bloom and I can't find anything to complain about yet although it will take me a while to really get a feel for fsx to properly evaluate my performance. I plan to do some OCng, hopefully to 3.6 if I can get away with only one step Vcore increase. Hopefully, That will give my performance another boost.I know it only has Crossfire at X8 but since it is PCIe 2.0, I figured it should be close to PCIe 1.1 @ X16. Otherwise, it is pretty comparable to the board you mentioned at $100 less.

>....Otherwise, it is pretty comparable to the board you mentioned at $100 less.Thanks John, Excellent suggestion. I was also considering getting the Asus PQ5 with the P45 chipset, but I've had a bad experience with an Asus board before and I'm a little leery, your board is comparable and costs less. I've had good luck with MSI, but their P45 Platinum has not had great reviews. I think I have settled on getting a P45 chipset board rather than X48. The price differential on the X48 is too great for the little advantage, just like on the DD3 RAM. I am also debating with myself on which RAM to get, OCZ, G.Skill, Patriot, Corsair and now Mushkin. I want a 1066 or better DDR2.I need to make up my mind in order to have everything here by this weekend, when I'll have some time to build and reinstall the OS, FSX etc....Pete S.

I've got a Dell XPS 410 that came with a E6700 but with the latest bios it could take a Q6600 so I was wondering if there would be enough of a FSX performance increase going from duo to quad to justify the $189?

Yes, it does. Have you flashed the Bios to the latest version?Pete S.

I went with your suggestion, John.Ordered the Gigabyte board and Mushkin DDR2 1066 ram. Excellent price from Newegg, like always.Thanks for your post!Pete S.

You'll get a slower CPU with more cores.I don't think the FSX performance will get much bump, whether or not it justifies the cost is debatable. I would wait till the Q6600 price comes down more, which is inevitable given all the new processors Intel is releasing.Pete S.

>You'll get a slower CPU with more cores.I don't think the FSX>performance will get much bump, whether or not it justifies>the cost is debatable. I would wait till the Q6600 price comes>down more, which is inevitable given all the new processors>Intel is releasing.>>Pete S.Thanks Pete, guess I'll keep what I have. I'm getting decent performance with the E6700 and by the time FS11 is released I'll be in the market for a new computer.