Hello all,I just received an early Christmas gift, a Dell XPS 15Z laptop. I'll list the specs below. I had been having issues with fsx running on my 6 year old Dell Dimension 9150 desktop that had XP SP3, a Pentium D @3.00 and an Nvidia GeForce 6800 and 2GB RAM. I would get some crummy performance and freezes and crashes almost every flight. Now, I have received a brand new laptop with the following basic specs:Dell XPS 15ZWindows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (I think it's 64-Bit)Intel Core i5-2430M Dual-Core processor @2.40 GHz with TurboBoost up to 2.90NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M 1GB Graphics with Optimus500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive6GB, DDR3, 2 DIIM, 1333MHz RAMBefore anyone says so, I know FSX is heavily Processor reliant and typically does not run outstandingly on laptops. The main difference between this Laptop and my desktop is the graphics; the GeForce 6800 had 256mb which is quite embarrassing, also more RAM. The processor is more modern but runs at less GHz than my desktop, and I am concerned this may be an issue. Nonetheless, I am hoping that with the better graphics, ram, and operating system, I should be able to run FSX and the PMDG 737 NGX somewhat well on here. My main reason for wanting to upgrade is the NGX, which could not run on my desktop at all with its graphics card.So, what kind of performance do you think I'll get running the NGX on here? I certainly won't have sliders maxed, which is fine, as long as I achieve smooth consistent flight. What do you suggest in terms of setup and tweaking? Also, is it possible to overclock this processor to say...around 3.0 GHz?Any help is appreciated Regards,i_am_canadian737

I honestly have never used a laptop for FSX. Building my system for FSX to date (along with add-ons), is very close to $6,000 and I get smooth "fluid-like" flying...Of course to spend this kind of money is becuase you like aviation so much that you "just had to do it," "or you'll pass-out" And, even so, there are a few "hicpus" once in a while...trust me !I would honestly suggest a desktop where you can OC a good processor like an Intel i-7 2500,2600,2700.The most important piece to run FSX is your processor; not the graphics card! I am sure you could run FSX on a laptop; however, you WILL be very limited.-- I would strongly suggest adding more RAM and following Bojotes' tweaking tool. And, of course do not get anywhere close to maxing your FSX settings!

I honestly have never used a laptop for FSX. Building my system for FSX to date (along with add-ons), is very close to $6,000 and I get smooth "fluid-like" flying...Of course to spend this kind of money is becuase you like aviation so much that you "just had to do it," "or you'll pass-out" And, even so, there are a few "hicpus" once in a while...trust me !I would honestly suggest a desktop where you can OC a good processor like an Intel i-7 2500,2600,2700.The most important piece to run FSX is your processor; not the graphics card! I am sure you could run FSX on a laptop; however, you WILL be very limited.-- I would strongly suggest adding more RAM and following Bojotes' tweaking tool. And, of course do not get anywhere close to maxing your FSX settings!

Thanks John. I know, a laptop is not the best option for FSX, but it's the only option I have right now :(. I have been in the process of installing FSX today, and I tested it out on medium settings and was pleasantly surprised. I'm getting quite good stable FPS with no add-ons as of yet. The only thing I'm concerned with is in the settings menu under the graphics tab, only the Intel Integrated GPU is available to be selected, not the dedicated graphics card. Is there a way to fix this, anyone?Thanks for the feedback. I too have a strong passion for aviation and want the best experience possible; it's what I aspire to be for my career, a pilot . However, being a teenager, I don't have the money to get a high-end desktop. Nonetheless I'm happy with this setup so far. :)

That' s because your computer does not have a dedicated graphics card. It is a hybrid card using NVIDIA Optimus technology. It is like having two cards in one and the purpose is to conserve battery power. The Intel GPU uses less power than the NVIDIA GPU. The Optimus Technology automatically switches between GPUs and of course you can force applications to use the NVIDIA GPU. You can rest assured that FSX is using the NVIDIA GPU when running FSX else your performance would be abismal.You can read up on NVIDIA Optimus Technology here: http://www.nvidia.com/object/optimus_technology.htmlRegards,Bob

That' s because your computer does not have a dedicated graphics card. It is a hybrid card using NVIDIA Optimus technology. It is like having two cards in one and the purpose is to conserve battery power. The Intel GPU uses less power than the NVIDIA GPU. The Optimus Technology automatically switches between GPUs and of course you can force applications to use the NVIDIA GPU. You can rest assured that FSX is using the NVIDIA GPU when running FSX else your performance would be abismal.You can read up on NVIDIA Optimus Technology here: http://www.nvidia.co...technology.htmlRegards,Bob

Thanks bob, that's good to hear. All I had to do was force fsx to use it using the nvidia control panel. So far, FSX is running quite well on high settings, without much traffic so far and with some freeware add-ons. The only thing that will take some getting used to is the smaller screen and poor sound on a laptop. I am hoping to install the NGX tomorrow night, and I will truly see then how it runs ;)

I highly recommend you use bojote's automatic .cfg tool. See/get it here: http://www.venetubo.com/fsx.htmlI run an Asus G50, and while performance/graphics are obviously less than on a desktop, I AM enjoying FSX with scenery, airplane, and weather addons. Frames are grantedly low, but they are smooth. For sound, I carry either a small set and/or headphones.

I highly recommend you use bojote's automatic .cfg tool. See/get it here: http://www.venetubo.com/fsx.htmlI run an Asus G50, and while performance/graphics are obviously less than on a desktop, I AM enjoying FSX with scenery, airplane, and weather addons. Frames are grantedly low, but they are smooth. For sound, I carry either a small set and/or headphones.

Hi Tracy,Yup, there's no doubt that laptops generally can't run fsx as well as a desktop, but I must say I am enjoying it thus far. The NGX runs quite smoothly at about 15-25 fps. Very nice so far.

More RAM? Why? I've got only 4 and it's working perfect. 6 are more than enough. (null)