Which sort of FSX experience with this system?

[Guest Macclesfieldman]

Hello,Im looking to buy a new computer at around

[ryanbatc 12,836]

Not very good with complex addonsFSX is extremely CPU hungry and 2.5 Ghz is not gonna get you the performance you want....It will do decent in rural areas but you can forget about the PMDG MD11 in big cities

[Guest UlfB]

Im looking to buy a new computer at around

[Guest Macclesfieldman]

Thanks for the responses, guys! This is really helpful.

FSX is extremely CPU hungry and 2.5 Ghz is not gonna get you the performance you want....It will do decent in rural areas but you can forget about the PMDG MD11 in big cities

If I understood properly, the 4GB RAM and the graphics card are not the problem, it is mainly the CPU? Which CPU would do it better, but is not "high-end", e.g. Intel

[frankla 44]

Thanks for the responses, guys! This is really helpful. If I understood properly, the 4GB RAM and the graphics card are not the problem, it is mainly the CPU? Which CPU would do it better, but is not "high-end", e.g. Intel

[Guest Macclesfieldman]

If someone like me can do it, anyone should. Its fun, and you can overclock the system with lots of helpful hints on the net and over here. If you need help building a system I can help you thru here.

I see, i see... maybe I should actually try it a second time. The problem I had was that the memory was faulty and it took ages and a lot of help from an IT expert to figure that.... If all works, fine, but what if a component doesnt? If you dont know where to start... That was truly worrying...Should I, shouldnt I, should I,.... :( Do you have by any chance a recent link with the suggested components? :-) Cheers,Maccc

[frankla 44]

I see, i see... maybe I should actually try it a second time. The problem I had was that the memory was faulty and it took ages and a lot of help from an IT expert to figure that.... If all works, fine, but what if a component doesnt? If you dont know where to start... That was truly worrying...Should I, shouldnt I, should I,.... :( Do you have by any chance a recent link with the suggested components? :-) Cheers,Maccc

I just realized you are in UK. Let me look around for you. Meanwhile, Try this: http://www.microdirect.co.uk. The prices are quiet a bit higher there. wow.

[frankla 44]

I see, i see... maybe I should actually try it a second time. The problem I had was that the memory was faulty and it took ages and a lot of help from an IT expert to figure that.... If all works, fine, but what if a component doesnt? If you dont know where to start... That was truly worrying...Should I, shouldnt I, should I,.... :( Do you have by any chance a recent link with the suggested components? :-) Cheers,Maccc

Description Unit Price Savings Total Price Following is a typical decent system that allows for overclocking and upgrades. It costs about $1000 USD in US. Mind you that if you were to buy this system already built it would cost a lot more. I got the list from a vendor in US. YOu can go to address I gave you for a uk vendor. Some items such as zalman CPU and speakers here are optional ofcoarse. The cpu already comes with a heat sink but a third party heat sink is highly recommended for overclocking. There are other parts that you can get cheaper if you do not want to overclock. These include your , motherboard, power supply, case and memory. Keep in mind that even if you do not want to overclock the system you can go with less expensive components and still run FSX faster than the system you are considering . For FSX, Duo core at higher frequency is better than quad core of lower frequency ( mind you that you can get quad cores that can be overclocked high, but we are considering your budget here). I chose a very good case as u need it as a platform for good cooling and good upgrade path. Let me know what you come up with. DESPITE WHAT THEY SAY, DO NOT SKIMP ON THE VIDEO CARD. I am not saying to go and get the most expensive video card. 260 GTX is a good balance for the cpu you will be considering. Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400 - Retail $167.99 . . NZXT TEMPEST Crafted Series CS-NT-TEM-B Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $119.99 -$20.00 Instant $99.99 . .Antec EA650 650W Continuous Power ATX12V Ver.2.2 / EPS12V version 2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active ... - Retail 99.00. . ASUS P5Q SE PLUS LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $96.99 . . CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5 - Retail $54.99 -$2.00 Instant $52.99 . . LG 22X DVD

[Guest Macclesfieldman]

Hi Frankla,I think, where you are coming from... I checked the motherboard and I realised that this one woudl allow me to expand significantly (if necessary) on the chip and the memory. That seems to be a big difference compared to retail desktops.Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 140 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/30941NZXT case 80 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/39836Power supply 75 www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/32311/Antec-PSU-Truepower-Trio-650W-TP3-650-GBAsus motherboard P5Q SE Plus 86 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/...ard-P5Q-SE-PlusCorsair memory 46 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/27142Graphics 150 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/...-E-DVI-with-FarHard disk 45 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/...ive-Caviar-SE16Vista Home 70 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/...Basic-64Bit-OEM Makes

[Guest Macclesfieldman]

double post... Sorry :-)

[frankla 44]

Hi Frankla,I think, where you are coming from... I checked the motherboard and I realised that this one woudl allow me to expand significantly (if necessary) on the chip and the memory. That seems to be a big difference compared to retail desktops.Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 140 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/30941NZXT case 80 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/39836Power supply 75 www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/32311/Antec-PSU-Truepower-Trio-650W-TP3-650-GBAsus motherboard P5Q SE Plus 86 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/...ard-P5Q-SE-PlusCorsair memory 46 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/27142Graphics 150 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/...-E-DVI-with-FarHard disk 45 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/...ive-Caviar-SE16Vista Home 70 http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/...Basic-64Bit-OEM Makes

[ryanbatc 12,836]

I did not say it was only CPU dependent - I wrote it is extremely CPU hungry, which is accurate. If you had a mediocre CPU and went from say a 8800GT to a GTX285 you aren't going to get the same sort of FPS increase if you went from a Q8200 to a Core i7 940, with the cpu upgrade you'd get more FPS, for the money in fact....Of course every system is about balance.But since we're talking about rigs for FSX, the first concern should always be the CPU. Period.RAM and Video card play an integral role in performance....and should be paired to match the CPU....And this system you list should balance pretty well together. One more thing, I'd highly recommend overclocking that E8400. When it comes to intense addons such as the PMDG in large cities with high settings, 4.0 Ghz is the target you want to shoot for....A good cooler would be:http://www.crazypc.com/products/ultra-120-775-50982.htmlGood luck with your build

[frankla 44]

I did not say it was only CPU dependent - I wrote it is extremely CPU hungry, which is accurate. If you had a mediocre CPU and went from say a 8800GT to a GTX285 you aren't going to get the same sort of FPS increase if you went from a Q8200 to a Core i7 940, with the cpu upgrade you'd get more FPS, for the money in fact....Of course every system is about balance.But since we're talking about rigs for FSX, the first concern should always be the CPU. Period.RAM and Video card play an integral role in performance....and should be paired to match the CPU....And this system you list should balance pretty well together. One more thing, I'd highly recommend overclocking that E8400. When it comes to intense addons such as the PMDG in large cities with high settings, 4.0 Ghz is the target you want to shoot for....A good cooler would be:http://www.crazypc.com/products/ultra-120-775-50982.htmlGood luck with your build

I agree. I was responding to OP's conclusion that video card and RAM did not matter. It was not directed at your response. I do also agree that he should over clock it. It would be a shame not to overclock it. In addition to the processor, he is getting a case with great airflow, stable mother board, good power supply and good RAM that can run at higher frequency and voltage. (Good power supply is a must for over clocking. One of the few things people don't see when buying a prebuilt system. Otherwise you can buy a case with included power supply for less than price of this powersupply alone) However, he would need to wait and get a decent heatsink/fan to overclock it much. But once he does, the system will perform (on FSX) like a system that would cost 3 times as much as the original one he was considering. Macc, just so you know, please also consider that you probably have to remove your motherboard, remove the stock heatsink/fan and clean the old ceremique with special cleanser when you want to change the stock CPU cooler at a later date. So if you can find the parts at better prices at a different vendors, consider getting the HSF at the same time. Keep in mind when you buy parts together the shipping costs are also a lot less. Which brings another point to mind. Some vendors charge rediculous prices on shipping. Make sure you can figure out the shipping cost before you order. Reputable vendors ship smaller parts in the same box and do not charge you the same amount as if they were shipping each item individually.

[Guest Macclesfieldman]

Hi guys,thanks all for posting. What I will do is to look a bit more around and will post in a couple of days here the final stuff Im going to order. I have been convinced indeed! Sorry, but I have one more question - which sort of measures do I have to take to not damage any parts, e.g. in terms of electric current. I suppose there must be a website on this? :-)Cheers,Marc

[frankla 44]

Hi guys,thanks all for posting. What I will do is to look a bit more around and will post in a couple of days here the final stuff Im going to order. I have been convinced indeed! Sorry, but I have one more question - which sort of measures do I have to take to not damage any parts, e.g. in terms of electric current. I suppose there must be a website on this? :-)Cheers,Marc

Measures you should take that are simple to do but need to be done nevertheless.1)Do not work on carpets2)Do not wear leather shoes, only cotton based clothing should be worn. (no wool, leather, etc)3)Keep humidity high if you can (building systems in winter times are more problematic)4)Hold all boards, DIMM chips, and the processor by their edges and avoid contacting any of their surface areas.5)Do not work on the motherboard while it is sitting on top of anti static wrap that it come in. I build mine on top of a card board.6)Install the powersupply first before you install anything else. You will plug the powersupply to an outlet but you'll keep it off by making sure the switch in the back is off. This grounds the case and powersupply without any current.7)Before you handle any of the electronics, you touch the metal casing of the powersupply. Do it often. Do it each time you leave and come back to your work area.8)It is not necessary, but if you get a anti static wrist band and attach one end of it to the case that is grounded (thru the attached powersupply), you will remain constantly grounded yourself.9)Make sure you do not drop and leave any screws or metal parts inside the system before you turn it on. 10)Wear disposable gloves to not leave resedues and help against cuts. The zalman HSF bled me multiple times despite that fact that I had read reviews that it can do it.11) Order in which you install items will help a lot in making easy installations into difficult ones. (For example, for my specific motherboard, I should have installed the main 8 pin power cord, before mounting the motherboard).12)Do not tighten the motherboards screws too tight as it would create pressure points and stress on the board.Some other things you should have as a builder is can of airduster, to clean the inside of the case and the fans regularly. This keeps temps cool.