Looking to hear from some other tech's on this site.I've been into Flight Simulator since the fs98 days, and have had them all.. I know what it took to get FS9 running smoothly with my current system which is outdated now..I can't run FSX at all so I am ready to retire my current rig and start building a new one. My dilemma comes that I will be buying piece by piece untill I get what I want as I cannot afford to buy it all at once. I have read numourous posts here and most seem to say stay away from AMD and go with the Intel i7 920 processor. My local computer store here in Nova Scotia stocks the 2.66Ghz 920. How do I know if this is "Stepping D0" which most people recommend? Here is the link;http://www.robotnik.com/product.php?produc...=206&page=1Now the motherboard, I have 3 options here and this seems to be an OKAY set up, so what do you think of this?http://www.robotnik.com/product.php?produc...=207&page=1Now for the RAM, I have a couple options but I'm not sure.. This one looks decent.. not sure if I need somthing this fancy or not.http://www.robotnik.com/product.php?produc...=208&page=1For the video card... Here is the GTX280 they have listed.. The GTX295 is 2x the price..http://www.robotnik.com/product.php?produc...=180&page=1I already have a 500GB Sata HD.... and I can pick up a 750watt power supply and a new case at another store for around $175.. This should get me a decent system that I can overclock with good air cooling?Thanks for any input.. try to keep it simple as I've just recent gotten back into looking at computer hardware, things are alot different from 3 years ago so it is a whole new re-learning process.Cheers,Shane

My local computer store here in Nova Scotia stocks the 2.66Ghz 920. How do I know if this is "Stepping D0" which most people recommend? Here is the link;http://www.robotnik.com/product.php?produc...=206&page=1

The D0 processors specify a SPEC code of SLBEJ on the box. SLBCH is the older C0/C1 CPU...there shouldn't be many of those left in retail channels, but there could be. You'll need to ask specifically about this.

Now the motherboard, I have 3 options here and this seems to be an OKAY set up, so what do you think of this?http://www.robotnik.com/product.php?produc...=207&page=1

Most of the guys I know using Gigabyte boards to overclock the 920 use the UD5P instead.

Now for the RAM, I have a couple options but I'm not sure.. This one looks decent.. not sure if I need somthing this fancy or not.http://www.robotnik.com/product.php?produc...=208&page=1

Sorry, this is nasty skunky RAM. It's CAS 9 at 1333 MHz, that's really low-end slow stuff. I recommend no slower than CAS 7 at 1600 MHz if you're going to overclock the 920, which you'll want to do to get decent FSX performance. 4 GHz is a good target.

For the video card... Here is the GTX280 they have listed.. The GTX295 is 2x the price..http://www.robotnik.com/product.php?produc...=180&page=1

The 295 is a waste of money for FSX...it has two GPUs on one card, and FSX can only use one. I don't like that 280 so much either. You might look at the 285GTX on Newegg.

I already have a 500GB Sata HD.... and I can pick up a 750watt power supply and a new case at another store for around $175.. This should get me a decent system that I can overclock with good air cooling?

You didn't mention what "good air cooling" options you're considering. Air cooled heatsinks are not all the same...there are good ones, and there are not-so-good ones. And most of the good ones are big...best to have one picked out so you can buy a case that it'll fit within.RegardsBob ScottColonel, USAF (ret)ATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-VColorado Springs, CO

Bob's right on the money as usual. For cooling I'd recommend Noctua's brand-new NH-D14 behemoth. With the two included fans it is the best performing air cooler on the market. At $85 (newegg price) it also offers a great price:performance ratio, unlike some of its fanless contemporaries (Thermalright, I'm looking in your direction). As for the case, if money is no object I'd say go for the Corsair Obsidian 800D or a full tower case from Silverstone like the Temjin 7 or 10. If price matters you should look at Coolermaster's HAF 932, or Silverstone's Raven RV02.

Money is definately an issue. this crap ram?http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...&CatId=4527I can't find a canadian retailer for the Gigabyte UD5P Motherboard..But heres a 285, any good?http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...&CatId=3669

Both those parts look fine but man that stuff is way over-priced. I know Canadian prices are never as good as U.S. prices but that's at least a 30% price increase over what I'd expect to pay on Newegg. Have you checked Newegg prices? There is a newegg.ca you know... Usually TigerDirect's pricing is horrible compared to pretty much every other etailer.

Money is definately an issue. this crap ram?http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...&CatId=4527I can't find a canadian retailer for the Gigabyte UD5P Motherboard..But heres a 285, any good?http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...&CatId=3669

You don't want a 4GB kit with an i7, which uses a triple-channel RAM config. $207 for 4GB is pretty pricey, too.Here's 6GB of CAS 7 1600 MHz RAM from Newegg.ca:http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?...N82E16820145286Here's a much better and cheaper choice for the video card from Newgg.ca:http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?...N82E16814130526And here's the Gigabyte UD5 mobo at Newegg.cahttp://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?...N82E16813128422CheersBob ScottColonel, USAF (ret)ATP IMEL Gulfstream II-III-IV-VColorado Springs, CO

Thanks for the help guys, that looks alot better Bob!