How important is the GPU, for real?

[ryanbatc 12,812]

My performance just gets massacred in p3d when flying the same addons I use in FSX. I will admit I run the eye candy options like HDR and water but I was getting 7 fps last night in SoCal (default base scenery but with FSDT KLAX and LVFR KSAN)...Weather opus but like puffy clouds ... Nothing too dense single layer. Carenado PC 12, dual GTN 750's running

 

Is my gtx 570 really holding me back? Are there any stats on this? In FSX buying a new card wouldn't do a lot but allow me to crank the AA etc.

[spirit_66 2]

 

 

Is my gtx 570 really holding me back? Are there any stats on this?

There are tools available for free to monitor the CPU and GPU. I recommend to use them and find your own conclusion.

 

CPU-Z and GPU-Z are two tools among many others.

Spirit

[ryanbatc 12,812]

Actually I was looking for specific P3D opinions Ie - has anyone recently switched from an older card to a newer one and noticed large fps increases?

[pincopanco 5]

The GPU is, in my opinion, very important.
I have a GTX Titan and I found even big differences between the default settings and after overclocking.

[ryanbatc 12,812]

Define big differences? Fps jumped up ? You have multi monitors? I was under the impression cards like the Titan are only good for multi mon

[pincopanco 5]

Define big differences? Fps jumped up ? You have multi monitors? I was under the impression cards like the Titan are only good for multi mon

Now that I've understand how to divide the work between the CPU and GPU and I locked the FPS, with the overclock I have an absolute stability at 30 with all the options at the most.

Without overclock, no.

[tutmeister 695]

I had a radeon 7850 2GB and withsliders maxed and aa on 4x would get 20ish fps.

I'm using a2a aircraft with either orbx ftx England or generation X with added autogen and 1920x1200 screen.

 

I upgraded because my oculus rift arrived and now have a GTX970 4GB and get 70-80fps if I untick vsync. If I leave vsync on I get a solid 60fps all the time. This is also using dsr at 4x and aa at 4x, all other settings remain the same as before.

 

My cpu is the same i5 running at 4.8 that I had before so I'd say yes, the gpu makes a huge difference.

 

Chris

[Bernie5 11]

You need to understand that in P3D, much of the heavy number crunching that is done by the CPU in FSX has been handed off to the GPU.  Things like terrain mesh are now processed on the GPU, thereby freeing up the CPU for the flight model etc..

 

In short, although a better GPU will not make a lot of difference to performance in FSX, a good GPU is a must to get decent performance out of P3D.

 

The LM P3D website has this to say:

 

Prepar3D v2.0 brings many exciting updates to the Prepar3D simulation platform

• An all-new, modern DirectX 11 rendering engine that can take advantage of modern day graphics cards
  • The core rendering system in Prepar3D has been completely overhauled and updated from DirectX9 to DirectX 11.
  • Prepar3D is now able to better take advantage of modern graphics hardware. This has two main benefits to the user:
    • Increased performance and control over what is displayed
    • The further ability to have modern rendering features added to the rendering engine, including:
      • A fully dynamic shadow system, including internal virtual cockpit shadows and terrain shadows.
      • A new HDR lighting system featuring tone-mapping that brings increased immersion when training in all times of day.
      • Volumetric fog and increased fidelity of clouds and weather.

[greggerm 312]

I'm not in a "researching mood" this morning to go find the post, but I do recall someone upgrading from an older card to a 900-series nVidia card and doing some head-to-head comparisons with screenshots.There wasn't a big difference if at all with the "basics", but when anti-aliasing was cranked up, the new card just destroyed the old one - especially in cloudy situations.  Not to mention what has already been discussed above with the DX11 features and such.

 

I think it's fair to say that unlike FSX, Prepar3D will take advantage of a newer card. You might not need absolute top-of-the-line, but new cards will bring improvements.

 

-Greg

[jfmitch 33]

I have a GTX770 and would recommend it.  I get 40 to 50 FPS.  I am thinking of going for a 900 series though as soon as my cash flow improves.  I use dual monitors one a 32" Samsung TV the other a 17" Acer.

 

Jim

[SierraHotel 976]

I have updated to a GTX 780 from a GTX 650 I am also using the DSR tweak. The difference is exceptional. My PC (as far as FSX/P3D is concerned) is not that powerful, AMD Phenom Black 6 core 3.20. In the Aerosoft Airbus 318 at Gatwick with AI Traffic I'm now getting 18fps.

[vgbaron 3,496]

Ryan - each system is different, you know that. The amount of difference YOU see on YOUR system has no relationship to what anyone else sees.

 

LM has already stated, and referenced above, that offloading tasks to the GPU will provide a performance increase. There is NO way to quantify that as it relates to your system. You may see a FPS increase or you may see an increase in smoothness or both or neither (<-not likely).

 

Perhaps you can borrow a card from someone but the only way to get an answer for YOU is to give it a try.

 

The odds are that you will see an improvement and yes, this is completely contrary to what would happen in FSX.

 

Vic

[Lorby_SI 2,036]

I upgraded from 2 GTX 660 OC SLId to a single 780ti and the difference is exceptional. Massive. Now it is the sim that I can enjoy, wheras I failed to see any difference to my DX10 FSX performance wise with the 660s.

 

The GPU is the limiting factor of them all in P3D IMHexperience.

[AirborneZed 168]

A 570 in P3D is minimal, My friend. Get yourself a 780TI and you will understand how important it is in P3D.

[Appliance 51]

 

 

A 570 in P3D is minimal

 

Well I run a MSI GTX 560Ti Hawk 1Gb (probably the best performing 560Ti out there), frames locked at 30, FSGRW, ORBX Australia scenery, A2A 172 and no drop in frames unless I select the CS777, YBBN or YMML. 

 

Unsurprisingly GPU-Z shows the gpu at 100%. :rolleyes:  It's being pushed along by a 4770K (stock).  A mismatch ... sure ... I'm saving for a GTX 970.  But it works, is smooth and I don't feel underprivileged.  <_<

 

I am contributing solely for the benefit of those that have yet to commit to acquiring P3D and have doubts about their system coping.