Hello all, I decided to upgrade my "aged" i5 SB CPU, I need help which i5 IB best for FSX.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

The 3570k is the better value. If you want to overclock the heck out of your CPU, you *might* get a higher clock with the 3770k, though. Tiny bit more performance at stock out of the 3770k as well. Remember to get some fast RAM as well to get the most out of your new CPU, Ivy Bridge loves fast RAM.

Ivy Bridge loves fast RAM

 

Help me out with the RAM question - what constitutes fast? Have read that it's best to focus on low CAS number, or that it's best to focus on clock speed, or that high clock speed is fine but you have to find N1-rated memory if you can... so... 1600@CAS 7 or lower? Or 2133 or 2400 or higher with higher CAS? Your advice appreciated.

Help me out with the RAM question - what constitutes fast? Have read that it's best to focus on low CAS number, or that it's best to focus on clock speed, or that high clock speed is fine but you have to find N1-rated memory if you can... so... 1600@CAS 7 or lower? Or 2133 or 2400 or higher with higher CAS? Your advice appreciated.

 

The fastest ram your board can take with the lowest cas is always the best, so if you want to use the fastest rams on the market make sure you get a board who can take them.

 

N1 rated memory will do better compare to N2 and that is why you pay a premium for them.

Timings are important, but try to get the highest clockspeed you can first and foremost, then tighten timings in the BIOS or memory tweaker program. For Ivy Bridge, 2400 is the sweet spot, anything past that and you'll pay a huge premium for very little extra performance. I went with 2800 for mine but my i7's memory controller can only do about 2700 so it's a bit of a waste to have purchased such fast RAM.

Tiny bit more performance at stock out of the 3770k as well.

 

Core i7 3770K cost an extra $100, but I remember saw it some where in this forum saying the Core i7 will give zero extra performance for fsx over the Core i5.

 

Core i7 3770K cost an extra $100, but I remember saw it some where in this forum saying the Core i7 will give zero extra performance for fsx over the Core i5.

.

 

At stock there is a small performance difference but when you overclock them to the same speed there should be very little difference. Not worth the $100 to most people. I've built and helped build 4 Ivy Bridge systems since it came out with a 5th planned, all of them but my own use the 3570k and if I were more budget conscious I would've gone with a 3570k also.

Timings are important, but try to get the highest clockspeed you can first and foremost, then tighten timings in the BIOS or memory tweaker program. For Ivy Bridge, 2400 is the sweet spot, anything past that and you'll pay a huge premium for very little extra performance. I went with 2800 for mine but my i7's memory controller can only do about 2700 so it's a bit of a waste to have purchased such fast RAM.

 

Thanks, that helps a lot. I was having trouble interpreting the higher CAS on the higher-speed memory vs. low-CAS 1600 for FSX performance specifically. Sounds like 2400/low CAS is the place to be.

 

Apologies to the OP for the thread hijack.