I'm using the i7 930 not overclocked at this time.With no overclocking would the i7 980X be an improvement over the i7 930? I may upgrade to the i7 980X if it will improve FSX preformance. If anyone has made the upgrade and feels it is worth while please let me know.One comment on the GTX480. I love that GPU. I was using ATI in the past and I had major FPS problems with clouds and trees and also the "blurries". With the GTX 480 all of the problems are now gone. I have the FPS set to 40 and it is now solid around Hawaii. It's nice to be happy after a long battle trying to get FSX to "fly" properly. The above comments also apply to FS9. I want to thank everyone for all of the suggestions on tweaks and other FSX modifications. I would have been lost if on my own.Aloha from Maui,MOBO: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5CPU:Intel [email protected]:12GB SuperTalent Triple -Channel-Channel DDR-1800 6GB(3X2GB)Cooling: Cooler Master V8 CPU Cooler (RR-UV8-XBU1-GP)Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 Mid Tower ATXEVGA GTX-480PSU:ULTRA X4 Series 1050W ModularHDD1: Western Digital [email protected]: Western Digital [email protected]:W7 Ultimate 64 bit

My Gigabyte UD7 comes with CD. On there, is a software called Smart6.It offers the possibility to overclock Faster 3.08Ghz, Turbo 3.30Ghz and Twin Turbo 3.52Ghz.Since it comes from Gigabyte I think we can trust.I tried for 3 hours, all settings to the right and could fly at 30-50fps minimum.Jean Paul

Yes, the 980x would be an improvement because you are gaining an extra 2 cores. I think youshould save yourself the money, buy yourself a decent cooler for your 930 and OC it.

I'm using the i7 930 not overclocked at this time.With no overclocking would the i7 980X be an improvement over the i7 930? I may upgrade to the i7 980X if it will improve FSX preformance. If anyone has made the upgrade and feels it is worth while please let me know.One comment on the GTX480. I love that GPU. I was using ATI in the past and I had major FPS problems with clouds and trees and also the "blurries". With the GTX 480 all of the problems are now gone. I have the FPS set to 40 and it is now solid around Hawaii. It's nice to be happy after a long battle trying to get FSX to "fly" properly. The above comments also apply to FS9. I want to thank everyone for all of the suggestions on tweaks and other FSX modifications. I would have been lost if on my own.Aloha from Maui,MOBO: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5CPU:Intel [email protected]:12GB SuperTalent Triple -Channel-Channel DDR-1800 6GB(3X2GB)Cooling: Cooler Master V8 CPU Cooler (RR-UV8-XBU1-GP)Case: Cooler Master HAF 922 Mid Tower ATXEVGA GTX-480PSU:ULTRA X4 Series 1050W ModularHDD1: Western Digital [email protected]: Western Digital [email protected]:W7 Ultimate 64 bit

It would be like night and day. Faster, smoother, and more reliable. At a price. :( Plus, overclocking the 980x is so much easier. You get what you pay for.

I think I am going to have to disagree with my good friend DJJose here. A well clocked i930 will not perform much under an equally overclocked i980X FPS wise, or in smoothness in FSX. Default for default clocks? - who knows? No one I met on here would do such a thing, but hey, there is always a first time, right? The 980X's six cores are not as scalable in FSX as one might think, in fact, hardly at all, according to a friend of mine who owns one in combination with twin 480 GTXs. Sometimes you don't get what you (over)pay for. :( StephenOn the other hand, if someone was willing to trade me a new 980X fair and square for my i930 with nothing to boot... :( you needn't ask!

Stephen,To my credit, he did not say OC i930. LOL

Stephen,To my credit, he did not say OC i930. LOL

That I have to agree with! You are right, he did not. :( Stephen

But instead of paying $900 for a 980x, why not pay $150 for a really good cooler and OC his 930? Saving him a lot of money and in the end will have almost the same performance capabilities in FSX.

My Gigabyte UD7 comes with CD. On there, is a software called Smart6.It offers the possibility to overclock Faster 3.08Ghz, Turbo 3.30Ghz and Twin Turbo 3.52Ghz.Since it comes from Gigabyte I think we can trust.I tried for 3 hours, all settings to the right and could fly at 30-50fps minimum.Jean Paul

Thanks for the information about the Smart6 program. I've been so tied up with work that I did not see that program on the CD that came with the Gigabyte board. I will give it a try first. I'm a novice at overclocking and that is a good start. I have always been afraid of overclocking but Intel seems to expect their new processors to be overclocked and I see no major warnings from them as in the past. Yes, the i 930 and GTX 480 really work like a charm.Aloha,Chip

But instead of paying $900 for a 980x, why not pay $150 for a really good cooler and OC his 930? Saving him a lot of money and in the end will have almost the same performance capabilities in FSX.

You are right about the cooler and OC. I've just always been slightly afraid of frying my CPU. I can tell by the many people who do OC their systems that it now is quite safe if done properly with a good cooling system. A dangerous question. What cooler do you recommend? I may upgrade to the i7 980X anyway because I found a brand new one for much lower than the going price. If I wait it will soon be in another system.

Corsair H50 closed loop liquid cooling. It's fairly cheap and very good product. Thats what I use on both my systems.

How much is the 980X you found? With Sandy Bridge around the corner prices will be lowered, so if you finally choose to go for it you might want to wait a couple of months

You are right about the cooler and OC. I've just always been slightly afraid of frying my CPU. I can tell by the many people who do OC their systems that it now is quite safe if done properly with a good cooling system. A dangerous question. What cooler do you recommend? I may upgrade to the i7 980X anyway because I found a brand new one for much lower than the going price. If I wait it will soon be in another system.

How much is it expected to lower to?

600-700$ if memory serves. can't find the link now, I'll keep searching

How much is the 980X you found? With Sandy Bridge around the corner prices will be lowered, so if you finally choose to go for it you might want to wait a couple of months

OH No not another CPU. I can't keep up with Intel anymore! The i7 980X would cost me around $675. Not a bad price. I think I'll do as you say and wait a few months. My buddy will hold the processor for me as he bought it for a project that went away and he has no need for it anymore. I think it is time to go back to scenery design and use FSX for flying instead of the endless attempts to reach perfection. I was once happy with the 1980 Microsoft Flight Simulator running on the TRS-80!