I would like to ask some advise. Im on a budget and have a new computer in the works but havent settled on which CPU to get. I have narrowed it down to to two CPUs both similaar in price, but diferent in number of cores. Both are around $190. I have a new ASUS P5Q SE PLUS mohterboard which is compatbile with both. Which CPU would be better for running FSX?One is Intel Core2 Quad-core Q6600 Kentsfield at 2.4ghz at $189.99 price. The other is Intel Core2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale at 3.16ghz at $187.99.Should I get the dual core E8500 which runs at 3.16ghz, or should I get the 4 core Q6600 which runs at 2.4ghz? They both cost the same and within my budget, but im not sure which one would give me higher frames, the one with more ghz or the one withmore cores?

In this case the better option will be the dual core - if you can afford to step up just a little bit and get the E8600 with its 10x multiplier you can pretty easily overclock it near the 4GHz mark - which is where you want a dual core to be for FSX. If not, the E8500 will still generally overclock better than a Q6600 quad core and overall is the better choice in this case.More MHz = higher FPS in FSX. Pretty much as simple as that. On the other hand quad cores can and do help a lot with things like texture and autogen loading and ai etc so if you are a very heavy add-on user quad cores (like the Q9550 or Q9650 for example) begin to make a lot of sense.A final note to bear in mind: FSX (and just about all other games older than a couple of months) will still benefit significantly from a faster dual core over a slower quad core but this situation is less and less true with just about every new game release. So, if you play a lot of new release games or if you are a heavy Windows multitasker or do any type of creative work on your rig then quad cores are the way to go.Hope this helps.Konrad

You answered my question, thats what i wanted to know. much thanks. I did looked at the e8600 but it goes over my budget unfortnately. I will get the e8500 with the higher mhz so i can get a higher fps on fsx. When you say this "this situation is less and less true with just about every new game release" does that mean this is the case too for the next Fs11? Will quad be better for Fs11?

When you say this "this situation is less and less true with just about every new game release" does that mean this is the case too for the next Fs11? Will quad be better for Fs11?

I have no real idea what Aces is planning for FS11 but I am pretty sure that multi-core optimisation is very, very high on their (rather long) to do list.