Hi,

 

Basically I am in the market for a new computer when the PMDG 777 is released.. I am using a Q6600 @3.6Ghz with 4GB Ram and a Nvidia 9800 GFX card at the moment.  It runs Windows 8 at the moment and to be honest does most things I need it to, but for games and FSX it does really struggle.

 

I don't just play FSX, I'm often playing things like Civilization V which my machine struggles with later on in the game and other strategy games that are similar.  Other than that it's word processing, e-mail, web browsing.

 

My plan is to retire the Q6600 and turn it into a NAS.. I'll probably under clock it to about 1.5GHz and literally have it sit on my LAN as NAS providing file storage for other machines on my network.  At the moment that's a big job it does with 9TB of storage available for my movies, TV programmes, programs, music, photos etc..

 

After watching some of the latest Apple Mac Pro, it seems like it's going to be an extremely powerful bit of kit.  I am torn as to whether or not I buy one of those and run a specific windows 7 install for FSX only on it.  As I understand it you can boot into a windows 7 setup on the Mac Pro and programs run natively on it without the overhead of OSX in the background, is that right?

 

I guess I am wondering what you guys think of that idea?  Civ etc.. already runs on Mac.. and MS Office again.. is already on Mac so very little other software would be needed...

 

The other option is go out and spend probably less on a PC.. I am thinking Haswell 4770K overclocked on air.. 780 nvidia... 8GB RAM (perhaps 16GB)... SSDs for OS and FSX.. and again use the Q6600 as storage..

 

What do people think of the Mac Pros.. has it got the Ghz grunt for a program like FSX?

 

Cheers

Craig

Hi,

 

First of all, sorry for my bad english.

 

Bootcamp is your solution.

 

I run Win 7 64 bit prof on an iMac 27″ late 2011.

 

2.7 Ghz Intel Core i5

16GB 1333 MHz DDR3 Ram

AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB Video Card (I think the worst part of my hardware)

 

On my system I can fly with the PMDG NGX for about 5 hours without OOM's (flightbeam KPHX to FSDT KJFK V2 or flightbeam KSFO to KJFK) also KJFK - flytampa TNCM. Last week I flew from FSDT KJFK to FSDT LSZH and had to CTD (with the PMDG 747X), the first after one hour in flight and the second on final at LSZH. Also 1 hour CTD, 7 hours CTD.

 

Five years ago I used an old white iMac and it ran FSX better than my previous PC.

 

I'm using the PMDG NGX 600/700/800/900 and the 747X/747FX with several Airport-Sceneries.

 

Flytampa:

- KBOS V3

- LOWW V2

- TNCM complete package with SABA

 

FSDT:

- LSZH

- LSGG

- KJFK V2

 

Flightbeam:

- KSFO V2

- KPHX HD

 

and Mega Airport

- ESSA

- EFHK

- LFPO

 

Again, sorry for my bad english

 

Regards

 

Gian Andrin

 

I wouldn't particularly recommend a Mac Pro, or any Mac for that matter for programs such as FSX. Regardless if you're using Bootcamp or not. Mac Pro's aren't really built for the "gamer type of consumer" but; more professional consumers such as - graphics designers, architects, programmers and so on...

 

For the price of the Mac Pro, and even-though I absolutely adore Apple...I would recommend you put your money towards a high end gaming PC in which you can customize to your hearts content.

I wouldn't particularly recommend a Mac Pro, or any Mac for that matter for programs such as FSX. Regardless if you're using Bootcamp or not. Mac Pro's aren't really built for the "gamer type of consumer" but; more professional consumers such as - graphics designers, architects, programmers and so on...

 

For the price of the Mac Pro, and even-though I absolutely adore Apple...I would recommend you put your money towards a high end gaming PC in which you can customize to your hearts content.

Actually, I'd have to disagree with you on that one (sorry, LOL). I run FSX (Orbx scenery and AS2012 installed) with my mac at maximum settings and it's nothing but superb.

 

The mac is also whisper quiet; has one plug, looks nice and has an incredible screen. They also hold their value very well; so should you choose to upgrade, you'll still get a good price for your old model. I changed to mac seven years ago after using PC's for sixteen years and I'd never go back.

 

True; for the same amount of money you could get a nice PC; probably faster than the mac, but it's just a PC. When you purchase a mac, you get a complete package which just oozes quality. The keyboard, the mouse, the screen; you name it.....it just looks and feels gorgeous; oh and it works.

 

Happy flying!!

 

Dom

When you purchase a mac, you get a complete package which just oozes quality. The keyboard, the mouse, the screen; you name it.....it just looks and feels gorgeous; oh and it works.

 

Everybody has their own preferences. I just wouldn't use my Mac for gaming!

 

I would have to agree with you, in that un-boxing any Apple product is a masterpiece in itself. Out of all the Apple products I have bought over the years I have kept every single bit of packaging that has come with them and stored them in a neat yet tidy area on my desk. I must say "The Apple Area" (what I call it) is getting pretty crowded :lol:

From my past experience,

 The Mac Pro (Tower) will do fine with bootcamp running windows natively on its own partition. That will be the only way it uses the drivers and such at full acceleration. Essentially, you will have a full blown out windows rig with all the bells and whistles. I ended up building a PC rig these days, only because I needed my Mac Pro strictly for video editing, and music composition and did not want to use the dual boot setup.... plus, I made the big mistake of using the iMac... NOT recommended for gaming as the graphics card is the same type of card used in a laptop, as are other parts as well. You be be extremely limited on that front.....especially overclocking and cooling options. If you are going to go the Mac Pro route, absolutely get the tower, then you can use a full size graphics card whether ATI or NVidia and have room for expansion down the road for whatever you are looking to do. The price for a custom built PC will in fact be lower. I prefer a separate rig for Flight Sim and video for my needs anyway. Just my two cents...hope that this helped.

 

Best, Jeff

i use the macbook pro and it can run flytampa scenery and rex and other addons perfectly i would recommend it for you B) 

Thanks for the replies from everyone.. 

 

The addons I will be using will all be PMDG and sceneries.. I don't really use anything else..

 

I have been looking at the new Mac Pro.. that should be coming out later in the year.. I just want to have an idea of how well FSX would perform on that platform.. I imagine it will be XEON i7 CPUs.. probably more than 1.. 16GB RAM.. and 2 ATI GFX Cards.. (I imagine high spec).. the only worry is the Xeons.. are they up to the job for FSX?  Would I be better with a single Haswell i7 overclocked to say 4.5?