Return to Flight PC

[DJ Rosko 33]

Hi all, after using FS from 3.0 up to FS9/X then switching to mac to further my DJ career-I've come back to lurking about here for quite a while and jealously watching friends from my old VA get into the air again-I've decided to come here asking for a ~budget-mid high range recommend build(my wife will kill me if I even go over-IF she lets me go for it!) to get back in the air with all my friends from the AVSIM/VATSIM community

My goals:

-Get a computer that will run FSX(or FSX se?) or even P3D ON Vatsim (is FSINN still around? I hated the SQBX Traffic models!)

 

-Run the sim with PMDG MD11/73/74/777, Aerosoft/Blackbox/FSLabs Airbuses(I'm a FBWFTW type of guy) tube liners mainly for VATSIM VA flights.

-With Aerosoft heathrow/Dubai etc etc-I want decent scenery

-I used to use ASadvanced-I believe it's now ASN for wx.

-I'd like to see some pretty pictures like on YouTube with the ORBX/REX/Ultimate Terrain type deals

 

-I'd like to Run these addons with REASONABLY MEDIUM HIGH settings-my last laptop choked on FSX(slide show extraordinaire) I switched to FS9, things ran fairly well then it died... But it looked like the Sahara desert... Barely any scenery etc etc.

 

-I'd also like to Find out what the hell a VC is and why they seem to be standard now?(Never used one before-guess I'll have to learn-apparently now they're all HD :-p )

-I'd like to not mortgage my kidneys or liver for this computer.

-I'd really be satisfied to get good A/C performance on point to point flights with JBU's VA/EIN/BAV etc etc

 

With that being said-do I NEED an i7 that's overclocked? Do I NEED a GTX Titan?

It seems all the "FSX build bibles" say intel/NVIDIA -I can deal with that but if I can go with ivy bridge that'll save me $100 or so...

I also haven't the foggiest regarding PSU/Case/fans:how to overclock without killing things

 

 

Thanks in advance for any and all help...

 

With tongue firmly in cheek

-Ross McD

[max2770 75]

 

 

I'd also like to Find out what the hell a VC is and why they seem to be standard now?(Never used one before-guess I'll have to learn-apparently now they're all HD :-p )

 

The VC is what replaced 2D panels - they're amazing, and if you get a TrackIR, it's very immersive!

 

 

 

I'd like to not mortgage my kidneys or liver for this computer.

 

Understood, but you also need to realize you set the bar pretty high - it's not crazy, but it's still a bit expensive if you want something great.

 

 

 

do I NEED an i7 that's overclocked?

 

FSX/P3D are VERY CPU-bound, which means an i7 will definitely help - and overclocking too.  Slap a water cooler on it and give it a bit more - they like it!

 

 

 

Do I NEED a GTX Titan?

 

Absolutely not.  I build computers and I only use a GTX970, and it works perfectly for me on P3D 2.5. Of course, a 980 will help, and eventually 2 of these in SLI will really rock, but the Titan will be overkill for 90% of simmers.

 

 

 

 

I also haven't the foggiest regarding PSU/Case/fans:how to overclock without killing things

 

There's a lot of info on the internet about that, it's not difficult with Intel "K" CPUs.  Keep me posted on what becomes your setup!

[DJ Rosko 33]

Thanks so much for the reply. I'm looking at ye olde PCPartPicker for the components and I'm just going bananas with all the options :facepalm: there's just too much there for me to make educated decisions-like a $35 mobo and a $50 PSU save me a bunch but what will it cost me!?!?! HEEEELLLLPPPPP I'M DROWNING IN PC PARTS

[max2770 75]

The PSU is clearly a part you can't go cheap on - if it screws up, so does the rest of your machine.  Same goes for the mobo, you don't want to put an expensive CPU on a cheap board, don't you?  That'd be like putting a Corvette engine in a Pinto.

[Glynn 405]

 

 

a $35 mobo and a $50 PSU save me a bunch

 

They really won't, Max is spot on with this advice

 

The Motherboard and PSU need to be quality parts or you are wasting your time.

[DJ Rosko 33]

Thanks so much guys-I'm gonna start putting specs together and hopefully everyone can help and toss in their two cents and I'll get a decent machine! This is exactly why I love being a part of this community-everyone helping each other out.

[Charlatan 68]

Whats youe budget?