I was thinking about upgrading my system to try to get even better performance from FSX, but my ATI 5850 does a good job teamed up with my Intel i7 875K OC'd to 4.0GHz, so I am holding off on any upgrades for at least 1-2 years. My thinking is that FSX is STILL not comfortable with today's hardware, and a 5.5 - 6GHz quad core backed with a 880 GTX (or equivalent future card) will REALLY make FSX dance.

 

I guess I am saying I have achieved "good enough" performance out of my current PC, and spending money at this stage would still not make me happy as far as FSX performance is concerned. So...I have been spending a little extra on FSX add-ons, in anticipation of the upgrade I will do 1-2 years from now.

 

BTW, I think FSX runs pretty good with my system. I run FSX with:

 

Intel i7 875K OC'd to 4.0GHz

ASUS ATI 5850 1GB

8GB RAM

Windows 7 x64

ASUS 24" 1920x1200 LCD

 

 

Active Sky 2012

Ultimate Traffic 2 (50%)

Ultimate Terrain X USA

FSGenesis

Orbx PNW

REX

GEX

 

With the F1 Mustang I get 30FPS solid and smooth (no jaggies) flying in heavy clouds over the PNW (Orbx), and it looks great. Just about everything maxed out. Things drop off a bit over big airports, but still very decent.

 

So I just think the "next level" for FSX will require at least 1.5 to 2 GHz more, and a graphics card much more capable than my 5850. BTW, that graphics card is the best I have ever bought. It runs everything great, so I can only conclude I have a very good balance in my system. A 4GHz CPU seems to be the sweet spot with this card.

 

In any case, I am going to skip this hardware upgrade cycle and focus on FSX add-ons instead. Not buying anything at the moment (but thinking about a bizjet!), but I think in 1-2 years these add-ons will be really appreciated in a new rig.

 

What do you guys think?

I think I'm jealous. Yeah, from what you listed and stated, you should be plenty happy with that frame rate. I'm often in the <10fps range.

 

I'm so close to dropping $500 on a new MB/CPU/RAM but hardly any Z77 chipset board supports PATA hard drives. I've got several larger perfectly fine PATA drives and don't wish to spend another $150(so $650) to replace them.

There's always more performance to be had and there's always something better right around the corner. Many a first-gen i7 user on these forums has raved about upgrading to a 2xxx or 3xxx chip, especially when you push to the limits at around 5GHz. Also, Nvidia GPUs tend to hold up better in rough weather scenarios in FSX than Radeons do. But as you said, it's not like you have a bad system so the question is: how much more performance do you want? 20%? 50%? 100%? If one of the first two, you can get there now. If the latter, you will have to wait.

I think I'm jealous. Yeah, from what you listed and stated, you should be plenty happy with that frame rate. I'm often in the <10fps range.

 

Yeah, sometimes I think my system is very unusual. Other FSX users seem to get less with a lot more hardware, and evidently ATI cards are not that good. But yet mine performs. I have read some articles about the 5850 being a legendary card, and even today it has held up very well. I don't even overclock it. I am going to milk this thing for all its got!

 

I have my frames locked at 30, for smoothness. But I think unlocked I can get 60 fairly often. How? No idea.

 

There's always more performance to be had and there's always something better right around the corner. Many a first-gen i7 user on these forums has raved about upgrading to a 2xxx or 3xxx chip, especially when you push to the limits at around 5GHz. Also, Nvidia GPUs tend to hold up better in rough weather scenarios in FSX than Radeons do. But as you said, it's not like you have a bad system so the question is: how much more performance do you want? 20%? 50%? 100%? If one of the first two, you can get there now. If the latter, you will have to wait.

 

Agree. I guess my logic is to take what my system gives me today, and then use the saved money on FSX add-ons. Basically wait a little longer for the new system, and avoid doing it twice. I really don't think FSX will TRULY shine for another year or two, when hardware takes one or two more leaps.

 

In the meantime, I hear FlightBeam is about to release KPHX. lol

Tell me about it, I've purchased more add-ons in the last few weeks with all the sales I keep seeing, airports, cities, and GA planes galore! I'm not even simming right now either, still perfecting my build. One of these days I'm going to stop and just use the dang thing.

Tell me about it, I've purchased more add-ons in the last few weeks with all the sales I keep seeing, airports, cities, and GA planes galore! I'm not even simming right now either, still perfecting my build. One of these days I'm going to stop and just use the dang thing.

 

This is an addiction, not a hobby. That is what I have figured out while downloading UTX Europe and GEX Europe at the moment. lol

 

Maybe this is how I rationalize spending this money? I will just skip the next hardware upgrade. Yeah, that's it!

I find that flight simming makes me desire to be back in the air.... it's only money right?!

I find that flight simming makes me desire to be back in the air.... it's only money right?!

 

And you can't take it with you. So we might as well go buy KPHX. Lol