A few questions regarding computer upgrade

[AndyHagen 1]

Hi folks,Would really appreciate if some of you have the time to comment.I have this setup atm, hitting typically 7-20 FPS with FSX AP with SP. Addons UT2, UTX, FSGX 2008, GEX NA/E, REX and PMDG 737:

MOBO: Asus P5E WS PRO, X38, Socket-775, DDR2, ATX, GbLAN, Firewire, 2xPCI-Ex(2.0)x16RAM: 8GB (2X Corsair TWIN2X 6400C4DHX DDR2, 4096MB Kit w/two CL4 2GB Dimm's, E.P.P and DHX)GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 512MB GDDR5, PCI-Express 2.0, 2xDVI/HDMI/HDCPPSU: Corsair Powersupply 750W Black, ATX/EPS,140mm Fan, 8xSATA, SLICPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16GHz, Socket LGA775, 6MB, 1333Mhz, BOXED w/fan No O/COS: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1,OEM,DVD,64Cabinet: Cooler Master Centurion 534OS HD: WD VelociRaptor 300GB SATA 3,5" 10000RPM, 16MBHD2: Samsung SpinPoint F1 1TB SATA2 32MB 7200RPM (mostly for my photodatabase)HD3: Samsung something 400 GB

So.Basically, I am looking for better FPS, but also a system that is newer and quicker in general, also for photo editing. Second part will follow automatically. :)I am looking at this system, mainly based on stuff I have been reading around here:

MOBO: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO, Socket-1155 ATX, Z68, DDR3, 3xPCIe(2.0)x16, CFX&SLI, SATA 6Gb/s,USB3.0,FW, VGA,DVI,HDMI, EFI. Using Intel, not Marvell controller for SSD.RAM: ALT 1: 3 X Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600MHz 4GB CL9 4GB XMS3 module, CL9-9-9-24, 1.5V, Vengeance Heatspreader, 240 pin ALT 2: Corsair Dominator DHX DDR3 1600MHz 12GB Kit w/3x 4GB XMS3 DHX, CL9-9-9-24, for Core i7, connector for Airflow Pro, 1.65v (Any point going for the double priced Dominator?)GPU: ALT 1: Gainward GeForce GTX 570 1280MB PhysX PCI-Express 2.0,"Phantom", GDDR5, 2xDVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, 750MHz ALT 2: Or cheaper: MSI GeForce GTX 560Ti 1GB PhysX PCI-Express 2.0,"Twin Frozr II", GDDR5, 2xDVI, native-miniHDMI, CUDA, 256bitPSU: Same as before(?): Corsair Powersupply 750W Black, ATX/EPS,140mm Fan, 8xSATA, SLI. Ill have to do the math here. Might have to get a better one.CPU: Intel® Core i5-2500K Processor Socket-LGA1155, Quad Core, 3.3Ghz, 6MB, 95W, Boxed w/fan No O/C at first. Maybe later if needed.OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium og Pro 64bitCabinet: Same as before: Cooler Master Centurion 534OS HD: Corsair SSD Force Series 3, 240GB SATA 6 Gb/s (SATA3.0), 550MB/520MB/s read/write, SandForce® SF-2281FSX-dedicated HD: Corsair SSD Force Series 3, 90GB SATA 6 Gb/s (SATA3.0), 550MB/500MB/s read/write, SandForce® SF-2200HD3: WD VelociRaptor 300GB SATA 3,5" 10000RPM, 16MB General useHD4: Samsung SpinPoint F1 1TB SATA2 32MB 7200RPM (mostly for my photodatabase)HD5: Samsung something 400 GB

Now, for those of you still reading: 1. Any point spending the $ on Dominator?2. Is the difference between 560 Ti and 570 worth it? I have read 560 Ti is quite ok.3. PSU. I am going to calculate it, but if you know for sure 750W is to little, please tell.4. SSD. Any point having a dedicated SSD for FSX? I have heard about the firmware problems before 1.3 (BSOD etc) for this SSD type. Any one with experience on the new firmware?5. Most important: Does this look ok for FSX, you think?Any comments most welcome!

[ZachLW 37]

Hi Andy,1) Nope, though I suggest a 1.5v 8GB kit.2) No, the 560 Ti's can be overclocked to just about 570 performance. Even if not overclocking, it's plenty for FSX and decent IQ settings. The Twin Frozr 560 is great.3) Current PSU is fine!4) This is going to vary amongst us forum members. I purchased an SSD and ended up selling it and buying two 1TB Caviar Blacks. I'm happier with them.5) Absolutely!What sort of cooling, Andy? That case looks like quite the hot box. I'd think about upgrading it, buying some quality case fans, and then worrying about the CPU cooler when you decide to overclock.For the record, the overclock will make quite the difference if you use more complex add on aircraft/scenery.

[AndyHagen 1]

That was quick! Thanks a lot!1. Yes, 8GB should do for now, and I have also heard 1.5V is the best for i5. Just tempting to have 12 and stay clear of upgrades for a while.2. Been really unlucky when it comes to GPUs. MSI and ASUS is good? Looks like the Twin Frozr will be it.4. I want a SSD for the OS. If nothing else, just to see the difference. If everything fails, I can fall back on my Raptor and use the SSD for FSX or something. I will do a bit more reading on this matter, maybe also wait for more comments.One bonus question I forgot to ask: I am currently stuck with the HD 4870 with a faulty BIOS (needing Rivatuner to keep it going). Would upgrading the GPU to 560 Ti right away with the current system be of much help for FPS? I guess the CPU would end up as the bottleneck quite fast.....?Cooling: I must admit I am not really too familiar with all varieties of cases. What puts this one in the hot-category? Upgrade is not out of the question.

[ZachLW 37]

One bonus question I forgot to ask: I am currently stuck with the HD 4870 with a faulty BIOS (needing Rivatuner to keep it going). Would upgrading the GPU to 560 Ti right away with the current system be of much help for FPS? I guess the CPU would end up as the bottleneck quite fast.....?Cooling: I must admit I am not really too familiar with all varieties of cases. What puts this one in the hot-category? Upgrade is not out of the question.

You'll see a slight difference in performance, especially when using higher AA/AF graphical settings. Ultimately, if you're going to put the 560 Ti in the new system anyway, you might as well pull the trigger on it.It's just not a well ventilated case and fan options are very limited. It's also relatively small. I really feel most people don't give enough attention to this part of the build. I know I didn't. Just food for thought!

[AndyHagen 1]

You'll see a slight difference in performance, especially when using higher AA/AF graphical settings. Ultimately, if you're going to put the 560 Ti in the new system anyway, you might as well pull the trigger on it.

Yup, I think I will. Worth it getting rid of RivaTuner anyway.As for case, I am looking at Corsair Obsidian 650D or Carbide 500R (slightly smaller, but very good cooling results). Should be better, eh?Once again, thanks a lot!Regards,Andy

[cmeeks 8]

I know I and several others on this forum would recommend the 650D. It's not perfect, nor is it cheap, but it's a phenomenal case overall!

[AndyHagen 1]

I know I and several others on this forum would recommend the 650D. It's not perfect, nor is it cheap, but it's a phenomenal case overall!

Ok, thanks. Good to know. What would you change with 650D, if you could?By the way, I see you have the i7-2600k on O/C. The "i5 is just as good if you want to go budget and dont need HT"-argument is still valid?I ended up aiming for i5 after reading a lot here. But thats a couple of months ago. :)

[cmeeks 8]

The big complaint with the 650D is the noise caused by the front fan grill. Corsair will try to tell you to order the free "fix-it kit", but they have pretty much ignored the fact that the noise is caused by the grill and not the fan or the fan controller. I solved the problem by cutting out the grill, which wasn't exactly easy. You can see pictures of my setup here:http://forum.avsim.n...ost__p__1998723There are some easier solutions than cutting out the grill, though. You can try another 200mm fan or put some space between the stock fan and the grill.And yes the argument is completely valid - get the i5-2500k. I picked up my 2600k the day Sandy Bridge processors were released. At that point, nobody knew if it would yield better performance for FSX - so I'm one of several guinea pigs who will tell you to save the $100.

[Christopher Low 5,359]

1. Any point spending the $ on Dominator? No2. Is the difference between 560 Ti and 570 worth it? I have read 560 Ti is quite ok. I have a 560Ti in my new i5 2500k PC, and it's great. The 570 is not worth the considerable extra cost.3. PSU. I am going to calculate it, but if you know for sure 750W is to little, please tell. 750W should be fine unless you start adding all sorts of crazy stuff (like SLi/CrossFire....another pointless waste of money IMO).4. SSD. Any point having a dedicated SSD for FSX? I have heard about the firmware problems before 1.3 (BSOD etc) for this SSD type. Any one with experience on the new firmware? I have never used an SSD, so I can't comment. My single 2TB SATA-III hard disk is perfectly fine.5. Most important: Does this look ok for FSX, you think? Overclock that CPU to beyond 4Ghz, and FSX will run like a dream. I know, because my new PC is a very similar specification to the one you have listed above.

[AndyHagen 1]

Thanks, Corey and Christopher!I will go for the i5-2500K, then.Not sure about the cabinet. Will look further into it. As long as it is room in the one I have, doesn´t hurt to try. But I reckon I will end up with a new one some day soon.Will have to look further into OC. I guess first same old cabinet and stock cooler. A bit of testing, and then maybe a new cabinet and a better cooler.Remember, I am used to 8-ish fpm. I don´t need 50+ right away to be happy. :)Andy

[AndyHagen 1]

Just FYI.I put in my new MSI 560Ti (as above) yesterday, same system as before. No significant increase in FPS. Actually, it seems slightly less. That said, I have not tweaked a lot. Just installed the card and the driver, and increased clock to 950 with the Afterburner software.Just thought it could be nice to know for others in the same situation.Andy