Recent reports of frametime performance based on the results from FSXMark07 Global High ratings are indicating another possible 2X (twice) ratio in comparison from a 975@4Ghz to a 2600K@5Ghz with special memory and uncore (L3 cache) tuning. This is on top of a 2X ratio from what I currently have at home - a q6600 @ 2.4 Ghz. Just as a side note - it seems that the FSMark07 Global High ratings are approximately twice that which would be achieved with a PMDG 747 on final to a complex airport like ORBX YMLL with severe weather and high traffic. Here are the results that I have seen and where they were reported:1. Q6600 @2.4Ghz 25.5 fps (FSXMark07 Example results - included with software)2. 975 @4.2Ghz 47.3 fps (Doug Horton - Computer Pilot pg 74 Oct/Nov Vol 14)3. 2600K @4.8GHz 86.0 fps (The AVSIM Forums> Hardware Discussions> MOBO, RAM, CPU's & Other Hardware -> Sandy Bridge Benchmark testing Results - HLJames - 2133Mhz-CL7+NV260 While I have not seen 2600K results as high as this reported elsewhere, I do feel that this might be what Nick Needham used to talk about concerning "pinnacle performance" with components( CPU,memory,GPU,disk) acting in "synergy". Nick used to talk about the sweet spot for memory timing (and the other components as well) and how to find it - I personally never took the time to try to tune that deeply. Also, these 2600K results are for a system that doesn't even include a NVidia 580 or an HD 5970 (0'clkd to 890 Mhz). I am certainly not saying that all of us will see these numbers on our own PC - we know very well that each system is very different. What I am saying is that I hope that this year, some of those who adopt the Sandy Bridge CPUs will be able to exchange this improved performance for satisfaction in the demanding areas of interest such as 3D stereo, complex aircraft and sceneries, multiple monitors for wide field of view, tileproxy, and others. There will always who say stop looking at FSX fps - just fly. But with this level of performance, many of us will see fluid, nearly stutter free performance if we can climb that mountain top via tuning. If you get up there, please share your experiences.

maybe you should wait until you get a statistically significant sample set before making conclusions. and there is no such thing as synergy... any airport/airplane will throw any optimization out the window. FSX can't be optimized despite what NickN and others think. You can't optimize outdoor sims.. this is like rule#1 of optimization since you have no control over what the user sees in a 60 mile radius.

To help us all understand the 2600K experience - at least in terms of a common benchmark which is at least a good indicator of trend ratios of performance - could some of you fortunate, early adopters of the Sandy Bridge, please run FSMark07 on your systems and provide the min/max/average report (at Global High) along with your specific important BIOS data (e.g. [email protected], 1800Mhz mem at CL7, Nvidia/ATI xxxx). This would greatly help us understand this new level of performance. This is not a competitive (mine's faster than yours) issue but simply an attempt to understand this new architecture and how FSX benefits from it. Thank you!Dave W.

To help us all understand the 2600K experience - at least in terms of a common benchmark which is at least a good indicator of trend ratios of performance - could some of you fortunate, early adopters of the Sandy Bridge, please run FSMark07 on your systems and provide the min/max/average report (at Global High) along with your specific important BIOS data (e.g. [email protected], 1800Mhz mem at CL7, Nvidia/ATI xxxx). This would greatly help us understand this new level of performance. This is not a competitive (mine's faster than yours) issue but simply an attempt to understand this new architecture and how FSX benefits from it. Thank you!Dave W.

I am not sure what this is going to tell you but 1920x1080 vsync on:Frames-- Time (ms)-- Min -- Max -- Avg17975 -- 300000-------- 52---- 62 --- 59.917

@GaryA, Thanks very much for the results! This is what I was hoping for. You have a 59.9 fps with a 2600K @4.5,NH-D14, 2x4GB DDR1333 (9 9 9 24 1T) which is more like what I would expect whereas HLJames has memory @2133Mhz (Corsair Dominator GT) and is running his 2600K CPU at 4.8Ghz - also he is doing some type of optimization for his L3 cache(uncore) that propels his results to 86 fps for the same test - FSMark07 Gobal High. According to HLJames, his memory speed affect took him from 79 fps or so at 1333 to 86 at 2133Mhz.From (Sandy Bridge Benchmark Testing Results - same forum topic area)---------------------------Core i7 2600 K @ 4.8 GHzFSXMark07, Global High Cfg:1333 MHz 79 fps avg1600 MHz 82 fps avg1866 MHz 83.7 fps avg2133 Mhz 86 fps avg----------------------- Gary's PC is at 1333Mhz @ 4.5Ghz, so an estimate for 4.8Ghz might be 62 fps or so. The disparity between 62 and 79 (25% or so) is interesting. Lets hear from some more folks please!

@GaryA, I just noticed that you left Vsync on for your FSMark07 results and you got a number like 60 fps. That would limit the results to your monitor frequency which is probably 60Hz. If it is possible and easy for you, could you rerun with Vsync off even though there might be visual tearing on your monitor during the test (return to Vsync enabled right after the test!). Thanks very much! I am trying to compare your PC to HLJames PC where he is getting slightly over 90 fps for his FSMArk07 run - he is at 5.2 Ghz and is using 2133Mhz memory though.

I am not sure what this is going to tell you but 1920x1080 vsync on:Frames-- Time (ms)-- Min -- Max -- Avg17975 -- 300000-------- 52---- 62 --- 59.917

Same test but vsync off:Frames-- Time (ms)-- Min-- Max-- Avg21888-- 300000-- 54-- 92-- 72.96

@GaryA, Thanks for the retest! Now, the FSMark07 numbers really seem to be making sense. Your results (72 fps) agree fairly well with HLJames who got 79 fps with 4.8 Ghz @ 1333Mhz memory. Obviously, there will always be some differences between systems even though they seem to have the same major characteristics. If you happen to have a complex aircraft (PMDG or equiv) and a complex airport (ORBX YMLL or equiv), please provide an fps average on short final just to see what the general fudge factor from FSMark07 to complex combos might be. I had estimated one-half but it might be more like one-third. Thanks again!

Same test but vsync off:Frames-- Time (ms)-- Min-- Max-- Avg21888-- 300000-- 54-- 92-- 72.96

Fresh install and new drives:Vsync off, full screen same as above:Frames--- Time (ms)--- Min--- Max--- Avg23254--- 300000--- 53--- 106--- 77.513