Specs:

 

Intel Core i5-3570K 3.40GHz (Ivybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor (77W) - OEM

 

MSI HD 6870 OC 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card

 

Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM 1TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache - OEM (ST1000DM003) HDD

 

Samsung Green (MV-3V4G3D/US) 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C11 1600MHz 30nm Dual Channel Kit

 

Cooler Master Silent Pro Modular 500W '80 Plus Bronze' Power Supply

 

Xigmatek Asgard Pro Gaming Case

 

OcUK 22x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) - OEM
 

 

Will be used on FSX;

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-156-MS

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-299-AS

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-170-MS

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...701&catid=1914
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...701&catid=1914
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...701&catid=1914

 

 

 

Without making a specific recommendation (I am very happy with a used GTX 580 on my 3770K running @ 4.6GHz), I would check your PSU: 500 watts may be your gating factor for a high-end video card. I have crashed my system with a 750W PSU and am thinking of upgrading to a minimum of 850W.

"I would check your PSU: 500"

 

+1

600w is what is recommended for the NVIDIA GTX Titan, the biggest baddest PSU currently out there. Anything over 750w for a single graphics card setup is overkill. What is more relevant is how many amps the PSU can hold on its 12v rail. Not all PSU's are created equal. A known quality brand with an 80+ gold certification should be used, not the default PSU that comes with the case as they're often sub par. A 1200 watt PSU will cause issues with system stability if it doesn't have a stable power output. That being said, the 770 and 680 you're considering require at least 575w and 550w respectively so 500w is on the low side. There's nothing wrong with future proofing a little and opt for a larger PSU. But that doesn't mean you have to get a 1000+ Watt one either. With your hardware choices I'd consider a 660ti , some decent aftermarket cooling and then OC your 3570K to somewhere north of 4 ghz..That will net you more FSX performance (FPS) for less $$$. Regards

I forgot to mention that my CPU is already overclocked to 4.3GhZ. Definitely take into account the PSU recommendations though.