Hi all,So i've got what I hope is an easy question: I am ordering an iMac (not negotiable) and hesitating between the version with a 2.93Ghz quad-core i7 (Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading) or the one with a 3.6Ghz dual-core i5 (Turbo boost and hyper-threading). The difference in price between the two systems is about $150, so that won't really be a factor. All the rest is the same. FS will be run through bootcamp, so no question of OS compatibility here.I had heard that for FSX the processor speed was most important, which would push me towards the i5. But at the same time a lot of people here seem to swear by the i7... am I confused for nothing?Thanks a lot

Is the I5 a single core processor that is hyperthreaded into two "cores", or a dual core that is hyperthreaded into 4?FSX doesn't really take advantage of hyperthreading, so the actual number of physical cores is what's important.I would agree that single core clock speed is the most important deteminate of overall performance, but more cores will allow for faster environment loading.for example I have a core2duo at 4.1 Ghz that runs FSX just great, but sometimes i will see blurry ground tiles.

Could you please specify which version of the i5 or i7 you are getting? (such as the 17 930, i5 680, etc.) I might be able to help you once I know that. Thanks!

It has to be the I5 680 (a dual core)http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=43546the I7 can be the 870, http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=41315&processor=i7-870&spec-codes=SLBJGthe I7 875Khttp://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=48499&processor=i7-875K&spec-codes=SLBS2or the 940http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=37148&processor=i7-940&spec-codes=SLBCK

I would recommend the i7 870. this is a great deal for the price, and with a cheap cooler(I got one for like $25 USD) I have gotten my 860 up to 4.0 ghz, and the 4 cores make it faster than the i5. You could probably OC your to 4 ghz without problems. (with an air cooler) i7s work better in FSX too. I would recommend that, but it's your decision! ^_^

Thanks a lot for the replies, very helpful. OK, so here is some more detailed info:CPU, technically I have 4 choices:

• 3.2GHz Intel Core i3 processor with 4MB level 3 cache; supports Hyper-Threading (2 physical cores, acts like 4 with HT)
• 3.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor with 4MB level 3 cache; supports Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost (2 physical cores, acts like 4 with HT)
• 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor with 8MB level 3 cache; supports Turbo Boost (4 physical cores, i5-760)
• 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 processor with 8MB level 3 cache; supports Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost (4 physical cores, looks like it's an i7-870)

As I was mentioning, I was mostly hesitating between the 3.6GHz i5 or the 2.93GHz i7. I should also mention that one of the downsides of an iMac is that as far as I can tell, OCing is not really a possibility (can't add cooling)In addition, for the i7 it would come with (for the 3.6GHz i5 the GPU would instead be a ATI Radeon HD 5670 512MB GDDR3 SDRAM)Memory: 4GB (two 2GB SO-DIMMs) of 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; four SO-DIMM slots support up to 16GBGPU: ATI Radeon HD 5750 with 1GB of GDDR5 memoryHope this makes it easier.

I would base my decision based on flying style and budget:if you prefer virtual cockpits, complex aircrafts, lots of traffic and autogen, maxed IQ settings, and money is not a issue, pick a fast CPU. The I5-760 & rhe I7-870 are exactly the same except for hyperthreading (useless for FSX) and the little extra speed, but also the 750 has no turbo boost while the I7 870 has a max turbo boost of 3.6GHz. That would be if FSX run on a single core all the time. I'm not familiar with TB and I'm not sure if it would help much, but probably the best way to run FSX with TB is to set the affinity to 3 cores.The dual core I5 is very fast but has just two cores. I wouldn't expect it to be slower than the I5 750 quad given the big speed gap though, so I would choose between the I5 680 and the I7 870 based on how much of a factor TB isOn the other hand, if you fly default aircraft, 2D pannels, little or no traffic and autogen, the I3 will be more than enough. Even if not all those conditions are met, and if you are on a budget, an I3 is an ok option

I would base my decision based on flying style and budget:On the other hand, if you fly default aircraft, 2D pannels, little or no traffic and autogen, the I3 will be more than enough. Even if not all those conditions are met, and if you are on a budget, an I3 is an ok option

Many thanks dazz, really helpful.

Today, I just finished building a budget FSX computer for a co-worker based on an i5 655k (3.2Ghz stock). I have yet to overclock the chip but can say I am very impressed at the way it is handling FSX thus far. What a great bang for the buck this dual core is and they are very easy to OC in the 4.2 to 4.5 Ghz range on air.

Today, I just finished building a budget FSX computer for a co-worker based on an i5 655k (3.2Ghz stock). I have yet to overclock the chip but can say I am very impressed at the way it is handling FSX thus far. What a great bang for the buck this dual core is and they are very easy to OC in the 4.2 to 4.5 Ghz range on air.

why not an I3 instead, for half the price of a 655K? only difference is TB and you are OCing it anyway