Upgraded my PC few days ago. Was on Q9505 @ 3.5ghz, now on i7 i3770k @4.5ghz. Clean Win7 install, clean FSX install. Installed Deluxe version, than Acceleration.

 

I've done the testing on vanilla FSX, no FTXG, no AI, no vector, no textures, just C172 sitting on runway 26L on EDDM.

 

With Q9505 I had  around 90fps in that test situation, in DX9. After the upgrade, and crews OS and FSX install FPS is around 190 (whoah!). Installed DX10 Fixer and libraries, loaded FSX, same test situation, and FPS is around 85! What the...? Tested without Vidia Inspector and any add-on. Maybe some option in The Fixer is affecting FPS? I disabled new transparency options in The Fixer that could be performance hog. Tried to over clock my GPU just for the test, fps was better maybe by 2 or 3 frames, pointless.

 

I'm not really sure why FPS in DX10 is over 50% lower than in DX9. I didn't tested it without the Fixer, but I think it will be the same.

 

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks!

I'm curious why you are even concerned about getting or testing at that high of  a frame rate.  You would have to be using unlimited which on my system gives me a very jerky sim.  When I lock my frames internally and set v-sync to 1/2 refresh rate in NV inspector everything is silky smooth and I never have blurries in both DX9 or in DX10.

 

I'm no expert on this, but I think DX10 works very differently than DX9 and puts more work onto the video card.  I believe what you are experiencing is because your your video card is the bottleneck when testing with untypically low settings for FSX and trying to pump all those frames out, however those aren't typical of the settings and FPS that most people actually run in FSX. Try testing with settings and scenery that you would normally use, but lock the framerate internally to 30FPS.  If you can't maintain a solid 30, start reducing some settings, especially car traffic, until you can maintain a steady 30fps.  Everything should then be nice and smooth.

 

With that CPU and overclock, a newer and faster video card - preferably a GTX780 would definitely help in many scenerios, but I don't think your MB supports PCI Express 3.0 so you might not realize the full benefit of upgrading.

 

Just remember that DX10 works very differently from DX9 and definitely has some benefits.  I get much sharper image quality in DX10 than I can in DX9 and of course the cockpit shadows.  As long as everything is smooth and fluid I am happy.

As Martin says - DX10 works differently: In DX9 - the graphics processing is split between the CPU and the GPU.

 

When you bumped up the processor - it became faster in DX9 because of that, but when you went to DX10 - the processor doesn't do any graphics - the GPU does it all...... ask yourself - what GPU do you have????  :lol:  How can it handle all of the data that's now being pushed at it??

 

You now really need to "balance" the system....... by spending some more money......

 

Read Nick's Hardware Selection guide in his "Bible"..

 

All the best,

 

pj

Thanks guys for explaining. Apparently my GPU is a bottleneck I'm afraid, but at least minimum fps is way higher than before, and it's smooth like butter.

 

But this is making to scratch my head - why the FPS is practically the same when I overclock my GPU? In every other game it would gain at least 10% (from 40 to 44fps), but in FSX I'm not sure I saw gain of one or two frames, maybe.  FPS fluctuates a lot so I can't tell for sure. The FPS is around 68-70, and it's same with overclock, but it will stay on 70 a bit more, not sure.

 

 

 

I'm curious why you are even concerned about getting or testing at that high of  a frame rate.  You would have to be using unlimited which on my system gives me a very jerky sim.  When I lock my frames internally and set v-sync to 1/2 refresh rate in NV inspector everything is silky smooth and I never have blurries in both DX9 or in DX10.

 

I'm no expert on this, but I think DX10 works very differently than DX9 and puts more work onto the video card.  I believe what you are experiencing is because your your video card is the bottleneck when testing with untypically low settings for FSX and trying to pump all those frames out, however those aren't typical of the settings and FPS that most people actually run in FSX. Try testing with settings and scenery that you would normally use, but lock the framerate internally to 30FPS.  If you can't maintain a solid 30, start reducing some settings, especially car traffic, until you can maintain a steady 30fps.  Everything should then be nice and smooth.

 

With that CPU and overclock, a newer and faster video card - preferably a GTX780 would definitely help in many scenerios, but I don't think your MB supports PCI Express 3.0 so you might not realize the full benefit of upgrading.

 

Just remember that DX10 works very differently from DX9 and definitely has some benefits.  I get much sharper image quality in DX10 than I can in DX9 and of course the cockpit shadows.  As long as everything is smooth and fluid I am happy.

 

My MB supports PCI Express 3.0, so it's ready for an upgrade. It's not a difference between PCI-E 2.0 and 3.0, it is a huge difference in architecture between my gtx 560 and for example gtx 7xx series. 780ti would eat 560 for breakfast.

I it helps, I've read Paul, and Nick both stating that overclocking a GPU is a waste of time.  I've never tried it so I can't tell you either way but I will say I have no interest in doing so.  

 

What I CAN tell you is that in DX10 you are far better off with a very nice GPU.  I have a GPU that is less than yours if you look at mine.  In fact my whole setup is now pretty much a low ender.

 

That said.  I too am having great results much the same as Turn and Burn stated above.  If you can, grab a nicer GPU.  Nick says it all in his hardware guide.  

 

If you take the time to go through the guides, you should do well.  

Your FPS should NEVER exceep your monitor refresh rate, Mine is 60hz, so anyhing between 40-60 is smooth by my standards.