G'day Guys,Been looking at a few posts on here and have a choice of the following when going for a new system. Would like any suggestions, I believe most of you are running high spec systems with Windows7 x64 so would like guidance on which of the following to go for.CPUIntel Core i7 2600K 3.40GHz Sandybridge overclocked to 4.60GHzORIntel Core i5 2500K overclocked to 4.7GHz-----------------------------------------------------------------GPUNvidia GeForce GTX 580 1536MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics CardORNvidia GTX 560 TiDo both cards have dual ports?-------------------------------------------------------------------RAM4GB (2X2GB DDR3 - 1600OR8GB (2X4GB) DDR3 - 1600-------------------------------------------------------------------OS - Window 7 X64bit running FSX with FTX (ORBX) and Active Sky Evolution with no other applications apart from the internet connection.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Current system spec's:Windows XP (Home) with SP3 (32bit).CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E8500 @ 3.16GHz (2 CPU's).HD - Seagate 300GB with 120GB free space.RAM - 4GB.PSU - 620W Modular Power Supply.GPU (2) - EVGA Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 Memory 1024MB res 1280X1024 (32bit)(60Hz). EVGA Nvidia Geforce GT260 1GB DDR3Running two 19" and one 12" LCD monitor(s) behind the 737 cockpit build MIP. 12" only for EICAS central display.External views are projected on flat threatre (2.5 X 1.8m) screen situated in front of the MIP via Sanyo short throw projector.The projector is connected to the GTX 460 main port through amplified (powered) video splitter (4 port). All from one PC.What effect does running two GPU(s)(at the same time) have on the CPU?Would this be a drain resulting in frame rate issues?Should I consider Matrox TripleHead Digital running from the second port of the main GPU inlieu of a second stand alone graphics card? The sim runs fine with FS9 and PMDG 737 on Windows XP but my intentions are to build a new system with Intel i7 or i5 CPU, Intel GTX580 GPU and Win7 x64. The system would be for the flight sim with only the necessary progies like FSX, FTX, ASE and one aircraft model being the new to be released PMDG 737NGX.Ryan has pointed out my current system will not handle the newer complex aircraft model plus scenery and weather on Windows XP with my current system.This is what Ryan posted on here sometime back now,"Quote":Intel Core i5 2500K OCed @ 4.7+GHzCorsair H70 or A70 coolerAsus P67 or Z68 based motherboard (not the -M series though)8GB (2x4GB) of 1.5v DDR3-1600Nvidia GTX 560 Ti, 570, or 580Corsair 600T caseCorsair or Seasonic power supply, at least 750WStorage is up to you - I like Western Digital HDs and OCZ and Intel SSDsThat's the basics - you can build it for a little over $1000 ordering parts from Newegg.com. Ryan Maziarz."Unquote".Still doing a costing on the new system and I think the 737NGX release is a few weeks if not months away yet so I have time on my side to get this right.Cheers,Delf(Heron 1B)

Hi Delf,I have bought the GTX 560 Ti DirectCU2 half a week ago and I like it very much. It has 2 DVI slots and one mini HDMI slot. A DVI to VGA and a mini HDMI to HDMI adapter is included. I would also reccomend 2x4 GB of RAM. At my system FSX is using about 4 GB of 8 GB. So I still have 4 GB reserve :wink:With this hints here: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/324786-nvidia-configuration-guide-inspector-2xxxx-drivers-version-20-explanations-of-all-settings/ I get with the MD 11 at every default airport about 20 up to 30 fps.My current spec's are: Navida GTX 560 Ti DirectCU2Intel Core i5 760 (<-- I think I will buy a better one soon)2x500GB HDD'sCorsair 2x4 GB RAM 1600 MHzCorsair 750W power supplyIntel DP55KG Mainboard (<-- I don't like it at all. I won't buy it again)Best regards,Jonathan

I would go 2500K GTX 580, 8GB RAM route.For FSX you do not want two GPUs. That is unless you're running extreme resolutions. This is all over the forums. Have you tried the Hardware CPU/MOBO forum?

Now just to be sure, Delf.If I'm reading your post correctly, and I may very well not be.But are you interpreting Ryan's quoted post above as a basics for the NGX?If so, I really don't think that post was implying that that setup would be round about the minimum required for the NGX.If I remember correctly, the post was to outline that if one is looking for a new setup, those components would be the basics for a excellent FSX-machine.Now, I'm no expert on this, especially not related to FSX, but your current looks pretty decent.Of course the proposed new setup would be nicer, but I don't think you should be spending all that money on the assumption that it is 'required' to run the NGX nicely...

I absolutely did not mean you need an overclocked Sandy Bridge system to even run the NGX (we have testers running it on 3 and 4 year old Core 2 Duo and Quad CPUs) - I don't even have a Sandy Bridge system myself even. (I have a previous gen i7) The OCed Sandy Bridge is going to be the best possible system you can get within reason cost-wise to run it along with other high end addons for scenery, weather, traffic etc.

(we have testers running it on 3 and 4 year old Core 2 Duo and Quad CPUs)

Ryan-Have i ever told you that i love you guys??? (No homo!):(

I built a 3 screen 24" Eyefinity system by ATI.11.3 drivers work great! Never been happier. The system has never had a problem and looks great 5760X1080!! I know that the NGX will look great!! I am running all the heavy load add on with no issues. I have heard the downside issues with ATI, but I personally am doing great! Built it, tweaked it, and now flying it! Let know if you need more info. Spec's below in signature.

G'day Guys,Apologise for delayed reply, many thanks for all the ideas and suggestion, great stuff.You start looking at GTX580 and the cost blow out when by all accounts the GTX570 is a similar card, not altogether similar but close and $190 less.From what I read the i7-2600K CPU is a bit over the top (unless you hyperthread is required, not applicable to FSX) when a lot of posts claim you only require i5-2500K to run FSX successfully. I Can see it is very easy to go way over budget. This is what I have been quoted in $AUD.COOLING: CORSAIR H70 CPU COOLING 159.00 CPU: INTEL CORE i7 2600K 3.4GHZ 8MB (intel socket 1155) 319.00 .............OR INTEL i5-2500K 3.3GHz $225.00 CASE: CORSAIR GRAPHITE 600T 225.00 GPU: EVGA Nvidia GTX560 Ti 1GB 279.00 .............OR EVGA GTX570 1280MB $399.00 OR GTX580 1536MB $589.00 PSU: CORSAIR 750W HX-750W 209.00 MOM: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO (intel socket 1155) 265.00 RAM: KINGSTON 8GB Kit DDR3-1600 (2 x 4GB) 119.00 OPT: ASUS DVD RW 24X BK 32.00 SND: CREATIVE XFI-Xtreme 65.00 HDD: WESTERN DIG CAVIAR BLACK 500GB 7200 (Operating System) 64.00 WESTERN DIG CAVIAR BLACK 1TB 7200 (Flight Sim FSX) 92.00 OS: WINDOWS 7 PROFESSIONAL 64BIT 155.00 Regards overclocking, "BAD WORD" with Computer retailers here, they (well the few I have spoken to) will not entertain the idea and immediately say the makers warranty becomes an issue, like it will cease to be covered. So does this mean YOU DO IT YOURSELF and hope "to god you don't cook it". My computer (technical) knowledge is nothing special, I rely on you guys for that.Thanks again for all the input, appreciate it.Cheers,Delf(Heron 1B)

Looks like a nice build, very similar to mine…and I am really happy with it!You certainly don’t overclock it and hope don’t cook the CPU. With the new SB CPU’s, overclocking became much easier than before. My advice would be to build the system, get it running stable first with everything at stock speeds. You then need to download 3 free programs, one will measure the temp and stress in the CPU, the next is the stress program itself, and the 3^rd to show your CPU voltages.You then increase the CPU speed, step by step. After every increase in speed, you stress the CPU; make sure the temps are stable and the CPU voltage is not too high. Keep stepping this up until your reach the CPU core voltage you are comfortable with (most people stop around 1.35v - 1.4v, my CPU will run 1.55v for benchmarking, at around 5.3Ghz!!) This will give you an overclock of around 4.5Ghz – 4.8Ghz). If you want, you can the spend a bit of time tweaking the BIOS to get every last Ghz out it but it’s not really worth it IMO.Temperature on the CPU should never be an issue, the SB CPU runs cool, the H70 you have will give you max temps around 80 Degrees under full load. and just to add...I have HT turned of in the BIOS, I have built 4 SB systems, and the 2500k seems to clock a tiny bit higher than the 2600k, go for the 2500k unless you are using some other app that needs HT.

G'day Iain,Many thanks for the detail on overclocking, will take your advice, build the system first and get it running stable at stock speeds.Can you advise what those three programs are and the download site.Thanks again for the reply.Cheers,Delf(Heron 1B)

HoiCPU-Z for CPU info, get the latest version to be sure it reads the new SB voltages correctlyPrime95 for stress testRealtemp or Coretemp to measure CPU temps. One of these programs shows CPU load on each core which is handly to see of a core fails during overclock.There are other progs that do a similar thing, these have always worked fine for me so I stick with them. Get familiar with running them altogether when the PC is at stock speeds though.

please check my system's details in my signature. screen size is 5212X1050 on 3 outputs.(fourth one is disabled as per nVIDIA control panel request).

I don't even have a Sandy Bridge system myself even.

Lol, the way that post was worded made me laugh a bit.

Thanks Iain for those details.Penta_a...is that panel view Matrox TripleHead?Cheers,Delf(Heron 1B)

Penta_a...is that panel view Matrox TripleHead?Cheers,Delf(Heron 1B)

actually I had TripleHead before with same monitors but did not allow me for some reason to go beyond 3840X1050 inside FSX display resolution setup (the promised 5040x1050 was Ok on desktop but was not one of the selectable options under FSX) I looked every where for a solution but with no luck (nothing worked with my Windows 7 x64), so I bought 2 nVIDIA GTX580 cards in SLI mode and hooked up all my 4 monitors to all available DVI plugs, 3 identical Philips 22' monitors on out put 1 to 3 and Samsung 26" monitor on output number 4, when I ask nVIDIA control panel to stretch desktop to all available monitors, it tells me to disconnect monitor #4 (because it support only 3 monitors on stretched full mode), then I got the full advantage of 5040X1050 on my 3 Philips monitors and FSX recognizes the high resolution and it show it among the available selectable resolutions under display setup, and I get 30-50FPS when flying PMDG MD11 which is very good to me.