Hello all,been doin a lot of searhin in the internet for the last few weeks. I think this community understands a lot better how the FSX runs compatibly with certain setups than any other non fsx related hardware sites.I'm planning to get i5 2500K and install 8GB RAM DDR3 in my setup to run FSX. But I will keep my 9800GT 1GB. Will my 9800GT bottleneck the outcome? I don't long for too much eye candy, I just need to get proper FPS. I'll splash for GPU later on. Toms Hardware suggests that FSX needs good CPU whilst GPU has little effect on the FPS although it will give us the best graphic looks.And what motherboard that supports i5 efficiently? something that less than $130? Im not planning to OC either.Thank you

Yes this graphics card will definately bottleneck your CPU. It's complete nonsense that a good GPU would not increase performance. I went from a GT 320 (which is comparable to the 9800GT) to a GTX 560Ti and noticed 50% performance increase, the improvement was massive! I also got around 50% increase by overclocking. If you're building a Sandy Bridge system, you just must overclock if you want good performance. A non overclocked Sandy Bridge will sometimes still give you bad FPS. I sold my GTX 560Ti however after a few weeks, because it had some problems (just a faulty chip I guess) but the shop didn't want to take it back. So I'm now lending a GTX 580 from a friend. And guess what the performance difference was? Zero, nada, nothing, not even 1 FPS. GTX 560Ti = GTX 570 = GTX 580. However, I don't know how well the 600 series will perform though...If you're not overclocking, a very good motherboard is not important. I would get MSI, because they don't have the double boot problem that Asus and Gigabyte have. MSI Z68A-GD55, or GD43 are great. My friend has one and he's very happy about it, no double boots a 4.7 GHz. However, I HIGHLY recommend that you overclock. Why don't you want to overclock by the way? If you have proper cooling, and if you don't exceed 1.4V, it IMPOSSIBLE to damage your system. CPU speed does not damage your CPU, it's the voltage and heat, that can damage it. If you WILL be overclocking, I'd invest in a good motherboard. Something like MSI Z68A-GD65 or -GD80. If you don't want MSI, Asus is also very good, but they have an annoying double boot problem when you're overclocking much.My best suggestion is, wait 1 month for Ivy Bridge. They are just around the corner. You'll have PCI 3.0, Z77 chipset, and an LGA 1155 i7 3770K, that will be VERY easy to overclock at low voltages.For RAM, 8GB is perfect. But make sure it's not too slow. No need to invest 150$ in RAM, but if you buy something like 1333 CL9 or 1600 CL9 you'll get a little bit more microstuttering and hitching. I had 1600 CL9, now upgraded to 2133 CL9, saw no improvement in FPS, but there was an improvement in overall smoothness. The lower the CL number, the faster the RAM. I'm trying to convince people here on the forum what the point is of buying faster RAM for FSX. In other games it won't make a difference, but in FSX it WILL. However, the difference is not like day and night, but it's just a little smoother with faster RAM.

I also got around 50% increase by overclocking

OC'ing the GPU or CPU?

OC'ing the GPU or CPU?

CPU. I got around 2-5 FPS improvement by overclocking my 580.

Yes this graphics card will definately bottleneck your CPU. It's complete nonsense that a good GPU would not increase performance. I went from a GT 320 (which is comparable to the 9800GT) to a GTX 560Ti and noticed 50% performance increase, the improvement was massive! I also got around 50% increase by overclocking. If you're building a Sandy Bridge system, you just must overclock if you want good performance. A non overclocked Sandy Bridge will sometimes still give you bad FPS. I sold my GTX 560Ti however after a few weeks, because it had some problems (just a faulty chip I guess) but the shop didn't want to take it back. So I'm now lending a GTX 580 from a friend. And guess what the performance difference was? Zero, nada, nothing, not even 1 FPS. GTX 560Ti = GTX 570 = GTX 580. However, I don't know how well the 600 series will perform though...If you're not overclocking, a very good motherboard is not important. I would get MSI, because they don't have the double boot problem that Asus and Gigabyte have. MSI Z68A-GD55, or GD43 are great. My friend has one and he's very happy about it, no double boots a 4.7 GHz. However, I HIGHLY recommend that you overclock. Why don't you want to overclock by the way? If you have proper cooling, and if you don't exceed 1.4V, it IMPOSSIBLE to damage your system. CPU speed does not damage your CPU, it's the voltage and heat, that can damage it. If you WILL be overclocking, I'd invest in a good motherboard. Something like MSI Z68A-GD65 or -GD80. If you don't want MSI, Asus is also very good, but they have an annoying double boot problem when you're overclocking much.My best suggestion is, wait 1 month for Ivy Bridge. They are just around the corner. You'll have PCI 3.0, Z77 chipset, and an LGA 1155 i7 3770K, that will be VERY easy to overclock at low voltages.For RAM, 8GB is perfect. But make sure it's not too slow. No need to invest 150$ in RAM, but if you buy something like 1333 CL9 or 1600 CL9 you'll get a little bit more microstuttering and hitching. I had 1600 CL9, now upgraded to 2133 CL9, saw no improvement in FPS, but there was an improvement in overall smoothness. The lower the CL number, the faster the RAM. I'm trying to convince people here on the forum what the point is of buying faster RAM for FSX. In other games it won't make a difference, but in FSX it WILL. However, the difference is not like day and night, but it's just a little smoother with faster RAM.

Hey brotha, read my lips: ...thaank youu :)frankly, I have little knowledge about OC really, and I aint gonna buy a $190 cpu that will only last for a week due to my ignorance, so if i OC, will it be stable if i fly long haul, say 9-12 hours? yes I did OC with my old GPU years ago but that's a lot easier than OCing CPU I guess. yea im gonna give it a shot, so most simmers here do OC, I wonder where they get reliable source about OC's How To? (ok it's a noob question)regards

Hey brotha, read my lips: ...thaank youu :)frankly, I have little knowledge about OC really, and I aint gonna buy a $190 cpu that will only last for a week due to my ignorance, so if i OC, will it be stable if i fly long haul, say 9-12 hours? yes I did OC with my old GPU years ago but that's a lot easier than OCing CPU I guess. yea im gonna give it a shot, so most simmers here do OC, I wonder where they get reliable source about OC's How To? (ok it's a noob question)regards

Half a year ago I also had very little knowledge about OC'ing, and now I'm an advanced overclocker! If you get a Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge CPU, no matter which one (as long as it ends in "K", like i5 2500K), it will last for at least 3 years if you overclock it. I might be able to help you when you get your system, just PM me. Basically, you increase the multiplier, and then your CPU needs more power because of that. So you increase the VCore (CPU core voltage). If you overclock to around 4.5 GHz, you'll need around 1.30 - 1.35V. This differs between each CPU. Mine always needed 1.35V. What I recommend, is put your VCore on 1.4V in this way your CPU will last a long time, if you don't exceed it. Now see how far you can push the multiplier. On a Sandy Bridge you can make it to around 4.7 to 4.9 GHz. An Ivy Bridge CPU will mostly go much higher 1.4V, I think perhaps maybe 5.5 GHz! You should also always DISABLE Spread Spectrum, and all power savers like EPU, C1E, C3, C6, EIST. You should increase Load-Line Calibration to Ultra High, Phase and Duty Control to Extreme. There are some more things that you need to adjust for optimum stability. After this you run a 12 hour stress test in Prime95. If your PC passes this without errors, you definately got yourselves a rock solid overclock. So yes, 9-12 hour flights should be no problem at all.

You'll have PCI 3.0, Z77 chipset, and an LGA 1155 i7 3770K, that will be VERY easy to overclock at low voltages.

:Big Grin:

Half a year ago I also had very little knowledge about OC'ing, and now I'm an advanced overclocker! If you get a Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge CPU, no matter which one (as long as it ends in "K", like i5 2500K), it will last for at least 3 years if you overclock it. I might be able to help you when you get your system, just PM me. Basically, you increase the multiplier, and then your CPU needs more power because of that. So you increase the VCore (CPU core voltage). If you overclock to around 4.5 GHz, you'll need around 1.30 - 1.35V. This differs between each CPU. Mine always needed 1.35V. What I recommend, is put your VCore on 1.4V in this way your CPU will last a long time, if you don't exceed it. Now see how far you can push the multiplier. On a Sandy Bridge you can make it to around 4.7 to 4.9 GHz. An Ivy Bridge CPU will mostly go much higher 1.4V, I think perhaps maybe 5.5 GHz! You should also always DISABLE Spread Spectrum, and all power savers like EPU, C1E, C3, C6, EIST. You should increase Load-Line Calibration to Ultra High, Phase and Duty Control to Extreme. There are some more things that you need to adjust for optimum stability. After this you run a 12 hour stress test in Prime95. If your PC passes this without errors, you definately got yourselves a rock solid overclock. So yes, 9-12 hour flights should be no problem at all.

Affirm, I should read some to comprehend what you have said...i get your ideas and found them encouragingnice GPU, RAM and i5 2500K can't be wrong i guess, however.." If you get a Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge CPU, no matter which one (as long as it ends in "K", like i5 2500K), it will last for at least 3 years if you overclock it." Im expecting longer than that thou.. if it can be acheived by not OCing, well that's about it. I'll let you know and be around when my setup is on final.Thanks a lotRegards