"best monitor" for fsx

[Robert McDonald 167]

Believe it or not I have xp10 but just did not install it as I was setting up monitors and so on.

 

Thanks again

.

PM me if you have questions about X-Plane 10.  There is a little time needed for setup, but once you do - it rocks!

[Bert Pieke 7,586]

Bert,

I was looking at that monitor.  If I recall it has a round base.  Cannot find specs that provide the diameter of the base.  Would you please measure the distance from the back apex of the round base to the front of the display screen bezel for me?  I would like to see if that monitor would encroach toward me too much.  Because of the wall behind my desk I have only so much space to work with when my yoke is mounted.  Distance from my eyes to a display's viewing surface.  My current 21" monitor has a rectangular base that allows it to be scooted to the back edge of my desk.  My desk is an inch from the wall behind it.  My concern, especially given a 27" screen size, is that the screen might sit too close.  Even if I moved the desk further away from the wall the base would then hang over the back edge of the desk.  My only other option would be to mount a screen flush to the wall.  Not sure if that monitor could accommodate that.  Any wall mount bracket would defeat the purpose (viewing distance).

 

Mine actually has an oval base... the bottom extends about 3" behind the top of the screen.

[fppilot 4,391]

 

 

Mine actually has an oval base...

 

Thanks Bert.  That's the same footprint dimension of my current 21" monitor.  I will look again.  What I saw the other day looked fully circular, which as a matter of fact surprised me.

[Andy6969 0]

Hi Guys,

Sorry the setting out was good until I posted it and through it everywhere.

 

Some results of testing for past few days. I found them very bizzare.

 

My system:

 

Corsair 900D case

Corsair water cooling with 6 fans

Maximus Extreme VI

i4700K O/C 4.5Ghz

16 GB ram with low latency of 8

EVGA Titan Black Superclocked GPU

Running Windows Ultimate 64 bit

 

FSX is the deluxe version as my original one was out of licence's and playing up.

All updates installed.

 

So called Test bed settings on FSX:

 

Kingsford Smith Sydney 34L / day 9am approx / Global settings highest / very dense for the 2 settings / Aircraft highest setting / Waters and other settings were about 30 to 40%. Ai nearly none very low.

 

Aircraft: PMDG MD11 in VC cockpit.

 

I sat on the runway stationary and completed simple take off.

 

1 x Asus 2560 x 1440 at Native setting.                                         FPS: 57,62,67

 

3 x Asus 2560 x 1440 at Native setting Surround 7??? x1440            FPS:  49,55,64

 

1 x Asus 2560 x 1440 in 1920 x1080 HD                         

FPS:  57,65,72

 

3 x Asus 2560 x 1440 in 1920 x1080HD Surround 5???x 1080             FPS:  57,62,64

 

When changing to surround and resolutions it was changed in FSX / Nvidia  / Windows.

Sorry cannot remember surround figures but I am sure you know what I mean above.

 

The FPS is in 3 figures being lowest / approx average / and highest. FPS set at ultimate.

 

1 x 24 inch HP 1920 x 1200 at Native           

FPS:  54,65,71

 

1 x 24 inch Meridian 1920 x 1080 Native HD 1920x1080       FPS:  54,65,70

 

On take off roll the FPS rates stayed similar to or a little lower except the 3 x 2560 x 1440 in surround, the rates did drop to 27,29,36 just while scanning over the airport at 500ft which did not happen on other settings.

 

One big note is the clarity an graphics and better eye candy was certainly better by a lot on the higher res of 2550 x 1440. The lower res still good but in direct comparison it is really far better. So what do you do or sacrifice.

 

Another thing was I tried running CPU at normal speed 3.5 to 3.9Ghz to see FPS change and if any it was maybe 5 to 10 FPS but very up an down to really make anything from it. Really I guess most of the time there was minimal difference which I found surprising. I did get it to run once at 4.8Ghz with again maybe fraction for FPS rate of 1 or 2 but very unstable.   

 

Note default aircraft run at over 100 FPS and VC default large jets around 90 FPS for those asking. PMDG hits very hard on everything.

 

This I know will not interest most but I would have killed for this 2 weeks ago.

 

Thanks Andrew Small

 

I am taking the damaged monitors back but still do not know if to stay with my Asus PB278Qx 3 or go to 24 inch 1080's. The frames rates I don't think warrant it but what's your opinion anyone?

[Robert McDonald 167]

Well, you're getting grand frames on 1 monitor in FSX from what I can see.  Triple monitors appeal to me, but remember I have yet more monitors, 1 of which is a dedicated all-in-one to run the glass cockpit software ("Sim-Avionics" by FlightDeckSolutions of Canada) and another 1 to run the Sim-Avionics server, and also power the MCP panel and FMC units (hardware by FlightDeckSolutions).

 

Actually the frames you got on the Asus monitors (3 of them) were quite acceptable for FSX IMHO.  You're quite right, the PMDG NGX hits the frames quite hard.  The new 777 by PMDG is supposed to be less harsh on frames, but that's an open question I cannot help with as I have left FSX behind for XPlane 10 (and limited testing on P3D v 2.2),

 

In my opinion, flying with triple 27 inch monitors is a complete joy in XPLANE, no fish-eye effect to speak of in normal view, and I have 180-degree Field of View, which is obscenely grand when you are flying a pattern and turning base and final... you can look out your LEFT or RIGHT windows and yes (drumroll) you can SEE the airport/runway/traffic!!  Flying with just one monitor, most pilots get involved with with TrackIR which is a royal PITA compared with the look and feel of triple-monitors.

 

To each their own... you want to increase your immersion - and let's face it, you have a GRAND PC!  Very high end.  You have to realize that a LOT of work is going on to render everything particularly since FSX is NOT designed for Direct X 11 (P3D and X-Plane both use today's high end graphics cards).  Sadly, PMDG does not YET offer aircraft for XPlane nor P3D, although their have been public statements made about both XP and P3D in terms of PMDG's possible 'future plans'.  Of course, until they actually RELEASE something, it's all just vaporware.

 

The hard money says sooner or later, you'll find your 'balance' in XPlane.  You may toy with P3D as well.  To each their own.  I recommend FDS gear - it's pricey but its built to RW Scale, (their ProMax line) and their JetMaxx is a great way to dump the flying desk and have a mini-cockpit.

 

I started with a mediocre PC with a low-end graphics card and FSX.  Eventually I recognized that I loved eye candy (still do), and the hard limits of a 32-bit software world kill the benefits you intended when you built the monster system with a ton of RAM.  The Virtual Ram deck in 32-bit land is limited to just 4GB.  XPlane has already announced that upcoming versions will be using ALL of your system ram, 16GB and more!  That is simply astounding.

 

The advantage of the Sim-Avionics glass cockpit is that the complex "virtual cockpit" of the PMDG (which slays your frames) is gone, the Glass cockpit (on my system) is powered by a separate PC running the Sim-Avionics "server".  The exterior of the plane is the EADT x737 (free download from EADT site).  I removed the x737 plug-in (a single CPL file) and use the Sim-Avionics XPlane 737 flight model.  You can run the entire plane off the Sim-A virtual software until and unless you elect to get 'real' hardware (I started with the FMC, then later the EFIS/MCP).  The virtual controls are mouse-able (like the PMDG), and you can additionally assign keyboard commands to common functions like gear up/down, TOGA, fuel cutoff, APU start, Landing/Taxi lights, etc.  Like you, I wrestled with the expenses involved in multiple PCs and then buying the FDS stuff.  If you are serious about your hobby, you can justify the expense by averaging the costs over 3 or even 5 years.  Taken that way, the expenditures are less than some other common hobbies I could mention.

 

No reason to lock yourself in a dark room and bump your head on the 4GB hard-deck of FSX or P3D.  Throw XPlane on there and see if it's for you.  There are lots and lots of freebie software adds for XPlane - as well as some fine payware.

 

Visit Sim-Heaven and look at the OSM scenery.  It's mind-blowing.  Very ORBX like, and yes - the OSM stuff is donation ware. (Free).

 

Oh, I would stay with 27's.  If you elevate them on stands (available at office supply stores) or you could possibly purchase the articulating wall-mount or desk-mount VESA monitor stands if your space is limited- that's a great solution and you pull the monitor base off completely.  You mount the monitor via VESA holes on the back of the monitor to a vesa-compliant desk or wall mount stand.  

 

NOT ALL MONITORS have VESA HOLES!  You need to read the specs or look at the back of your monitors to 'see' if they have the 4 mounting holes for VESA compliant stands.

 

Given the better views, I think 3 main view monitors (27s) would be a good way to go.  You can then consider a tilt-up all-in-one like the HP ROVE to run your instruments.  The BIG HDTV monitors are simply "TOO BIG" if you're going to sit right in front of them.  You'll get a neckache from looking up - and remember, a 1080 image on a 55" tv is nowhere NEAR the sharpness of that exact same image on a 27" at 1080 (or even higher) lines.  Why?  The distance between the vertical pixel rows is much greater as the monitor gets larger and larger.  Remember how great 13" TVs used to look?  And that was at 480 horizontal lines (standard def TV)!  Same thing when you're building a cockpit.  If you were going to put your flight console many feet away from the monitors, you could consider the gigantic HDTV screens... but for your setup, I think you'll be happier with some flavor of a 27" to maybe a 30" x 3 monitors.

[Andy6969 0]

Thanks Rob,

 

Actually packed my computer up to take monitors back so I can test other monitors in the store with my own FSX and will use same benchmark and post. I plan to try what hey have on display even a 4k. Once I get home tomorrow I will load XP10 or might do it tonight on my old machine my son uses. It looks great and you keep bragging about it so I am no going try it, I was just waiting till my monitors were all good and the new Computer was stable. 30 inch I did consider but my personal preference Ido not like the stretched cockpit view of 21:?? what ever.

 

These monitors x 3 were not cheap but from what you said, I should be happy with the frame rates, maybe I expected more just because I had the titan black forgetting that FSX probably uses 40 or 50% of it. Just need a faster CPU for 1150 socket.

 

I do have some cheap new hardware from Saitek being rudders, yoke throttles, gear light panel and the autopilot panel. I did get annoyed at cheap joysticks and just went all out and bought the Warthog one with throttle. Very nice but again have not hooked all up yet. My brain is destroyed from the 6 weeks research into building a new PC with all my requirements. Then there's keyboards mouse and god knows what else.

 

I will load xp10 tomorrow my time here and let you know what I think, long time since I played with different sims.

Andrew

[Robert McDonald 167]

Hi Andy-

 

We must be related... I started with the basic Thrustmaster Joystick/Throttle and eventually upgraded to the Warthog Hotas Throttle/Joystick.   Now flying Saitek Combat Rudders and Radio Stack.  I applaud the fact that you are taking your PC to the store to 'see it all work' up close and personal - I can't imagine a BETTER way to do that!

 

Best of luck with your new setup!  And X-Plane 10.  Be patient- you'll enjoy it once you build it up a little.

[odourboy 1,290]

 

 

I plan to try what hey have on display even a 4k.

 

Please share your findings on the 4K. Particularly WRT frame rate hits and any impact on the visuals due to the low refresh rates these monitors are limited to with the current HDMI standard.

[Andy6969 0]

Well, yesterday was very unusual, I was expecting some kind of painful experience taking back the Asus278Q monitors. Anyway they took all 3 even though 2 were only damaged and they could not be more helpful. After some testing they told me the one with a dead pixel actually had 2, the smudge was that bad they could see through to the PCD board somehow, and here we go, the good one was the worst with various issues with the screen and must have not been able to see. So they said, I can get a refund change monitors or whatever.

 

Back to square 1. I was just about to buy the dell u27HM's x 3 as a replacement but the 3 x 260 x 1440's still worried me with FPS's so after seeing a setup of 3 x native Ben q's with average quality in 1920 x 1080 I really could not see the point of worrying about the better resolution as evertime I added something to FSX  would probably be cringing waiting for my FPS to suffer.

 

So I was shown a new LG frameless 27inch 1920x1080 and it took my eye being an IPS panel 5MS. They were some what cheaper. While I was at the store they just delivered the new Samsung 28 inch 4K and I worked out that refunding my 3 x Asus and buying a much cheaper 1080 set up I only had to pay $50 for the Samsung 4K. So I walked out with 4 monitors. I will use the 4k for video editing and other uses and the Titan Black takes 4 x monitors so I can change between for what purposes I need.

 

Will let you know how I go!

Andrew

[Andy6969 0]

Well just completed monitor setup of lg frameless floating monitors. Completed above my FSX test bed and I must say the framless monitors make 100% difference to the point got motion sick. The VC cockpit is almost one (PICS coming). The 2560 x 1440 res certainly has the eye candy but even the difference, there is something about the 1080 that appears to be much much smoother so maybe frame rates are not everything.

 

So now as well I do not have to worry about add on textures as I think the with the 3 x higher res would eventually cave in. So I am hoping I did the right thing goind from 1440's to 1080's. Mid you I di also get the Samsung 28 inch 4k UHD monitor for single screen work. I do not like LG but I must admit they do seem quality with good IPS colours. Wait and see.

 

I will send some pics.

 

See ya, thanks to all those who helped.

Andrew

[fppilot 4,391]

 

 

The VC cockpit is almost one (PICS coming).

 

Pics?

[RaptyrOne 1,453]

I am using an Asus PBQ27 with a 2560x1440 resolution. Finding it brilliant as an FSX monitor and a general purpose monitor for those times I use the PC for other things. Priced well also. Gets good reviews online also. With the GTX780 and I7 4770K, never going to have issues with performance on a well set up system.

[Andy6969 0]

Yeah Ithink they would be a great monitor if I could get one not broken. 1 x monitor run like a dream but 3 was starting to cause issues. I have the best of both worlds for the same price with 3 x 1080 cheap very thin bezels at 27 inch. Then I have my new Samsung 4k UHD for other stuff or single monitor FSX.

 

Someone asked what the 4k single monitor was like with FSX. It is great, like looking out the window of a plane or sitting in he cockpit. The clarity is something I have never seen with frame rates around 60 to 80 depending but that was with PMDG aircraft. Any default settings and aircraft sees nearly over 100 FPS but I am running high end machine!.

 

Andrew

[Phillip Gallagher 101]

I want to upgrade my HP 25 inch 1920x1080 to the QNIX 27 inch 2560x1440.  Only thing is I'm confused as to whether or not I'm going to lose performance in FSX, get more OOM errors etc.  I have a so-so graphics card, a Radeon HD 6850 on an i7 3.4 ghz computer.  Any input would be appreciated.  

[Andy6969 0]

Couple of weeks ago I was in the same boat. I wanted 3 though so the extra res was going to triple. Have a look at the fps up in my posts and compare all the monitors in different configs. With my set up I did not loose much if anything going to the 1 x 2560x1440 but I run the titan black GPU to handle the triple set up. Difference in picture is a lot better, especially in the add on stuff. In my opinion your GPU may slow you down but I am not too good on those cards. I decided to get 3 x 1080's as I was just worried the 3 x high res would get me one day.

 

If I want to play FSX on high res now I use a Samsung 4k UHD and that kicks arse and the titan black handles it well. My biggest problem is getting a IPS monitor without dead pixels. Been through Asus and LG and from 5 monitors only one good one so far, not happy!.

 

I reckon take the punt as you can update GPU's that are cheap and other things t cope with the extra, you don't have to get top of the range. Flight sim does strange things when it comes to FPS.

 

Hope helped a bit

Andrew.