Hi Fellow Simmers,I'm looking to build a computer for FSX with these components:CPU: i5 2500KMotherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V Pro Gen3 Motherboard Graphics: Sapphire Radeon HD7950 3GB Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 System Drive: Crucial M4 SSD 128GB Optical: LG GH24NS70 24x SATA DVD-RW Drive OEM Case: Aerocool VX-E Pro Limited Edition Case Power: Corsair AX750 Gold Power Supply CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 CPU Cooler I've heard of FSX being CPU bound and thus will be attempting to overclock the i5 to 4.5Ghz.If I needed to shave off $100-$200 from the build price (currently at $1685AUD) what components should I substitute?Thanks for you help,nvn

If I needed to shave off $100-$200 from the build price (currently at $1685AUD) what components should I substitute?

That's easy. The SSD! However, HD's are pretty expensive right now too because of the Japanese earthquake. They will get cheaper as the year progresses. I have an SSD and I get faster loading of FSX but performance running is the same (or not noticable). You will definitely need more space than just 128GB though. I would recommend a 1TB HD and forget the SSD.Best regards,Jim

Very good choice, my system is quite similar to yours. Processor, very good choice, will performn equally to the other Sandy Bridge series at the same clockspeed. Two things:Graphics card; I know that AMD has problems in FSX with their 6000 series and lower (Low fps among clouds etc.). I'm not sure about the new AMD graphics card. However, as far as I have seen, a GTX 580 would still outperform a 7950, not entirely sure about this. With the GTX 580 you will be sure that you're gonna be fine.RAM: G.Skill is a great brand. However, it's not the best choice of RAM. The size is perfect. However, I've read that the lower the CAS latency (CL) is, the less stuttering you'll experience in FSX (several people have tested this). It would not do much to framerate. But this is actually really important. Because with my good system, I'm still seeing stuttering above cities, even though fps is around 30-40. With you current system you're gonna be getting great fps. But not an entirely smoth experience. FSX will always stutter a little, that's just FSX. But with a good set of 1600MHz / CL7 memory, you would be getting a smoother experience then with your currently chosen CL9 set.

Thanks for the posts guys, definitely gave me something to think about.I guess I was really looking for load speed with the SSD, but seeing as all the FSX addons would blow at least 150GB (as I've read for other people) I really do need the space.How are peoples experiences with the Intel SRT technology? Perhaps I can purchase a small SSD for caching, and a larger mechanical HD for FSX storage?Thoughts?Cheers,nvn