Advice on new PC specs (HDD/RAM etc.) please...

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

The ideal partner for the 4790K is the GTX 970  (some might say, the GTX980..).

 

If you need to save money, you can reduce the config..

 

960, 1X8GB ram, i5... etc 

 

At each step, you lose some performance.

 

As for FS9... my guess is that you would still be fine, but FSX, with high resolution textures, and aggressive settings in NI, really thrives on raw performance.

 

So, your choice..

[martinlest2 58]

Hard to decide! I really don't want to spend all that extra (to be realistic!) as I know that I fly FS9, not FSX, 99% of the time.

 

i5-4690K + 8GBs RAM + GTX960

 

rather than

 

i7-4790K + 8GBs RAM + GTX970

 

is already over £200 cheaper

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

That will even work for FSX, in a pinch..  ^_^

 

I would still go for two sticks of RAM.. that is what dual channel memory is all about.

[martinlest2 58]

The GTX960 with 2 monitors??

 

Yes, I'll get 2x4GBs RAM if I can..

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

One monitor, two monitors is not the issue here.. it is HD textures, monitor resolution + AA + SGSS etc

[Djang0 1]

i5-4690K + 8GBs RAM + GTX960

 

That makes more sense given your requirements.

 

1) For FSX the minimum I'd consider is a 2GB GTX960 which should be fine if you're using a second monitor for just 2D applications. If you want to span the 3D view across multiple displays then consider the 4GB version. Of course there's no harm getting a GTX970 if you have the £££s but it's certain overkill for FS9!

2) If you only wanted to use the system for FS9 and are not concerned with future proofing then I'd recommend a 2GB GTX750Ti for around £100 - make sure you get one with GDDR5 memory chips rather than slower DDR3. (Some people have reported maxed FS9 settings with a GTX740 but for the price I think the GTX750Ti is the much better deal.)

[martinlest2 58]

Thanks. Still inclined to go with i5-4690K + 8GBs RAM + GTX960 (the 2nd. monitor is for 2D applications)

[Djang0 1]

 

 

Still inclined to go with i5-4690K + 8GBs RAM + GTX960

 

In FSX just choose sensible graphics settings and I think you'll enjoy the results with that system.

Q) What resolution do you run FSX at?

[martinlest2 58]

Not sure to be honest, but I guess it will be 1900x1080 minimum (I was on 1900x1200).

 

 I wouldn't be surprised if., when  push comes to shove, I go for the higher spec, i7-4790K + 8 or 16GB RAM + GTX 970 4GB as in the end I am not going to notice the difference (about GBP200?) in my bank balance - after a few months at least! - whereas the PC will do me, hopefully, for another 5 years minimum!

 

I am happy to pay more, or quite a lot more, if then sim will run better because of it. I just don't want to waste money on high-end hardware that will make little or no difference in practice (of course - we all want that!). I am not interested in a 'trophy PC'! (Some folks on AVSIM boasting their 32GBs of 2133 GHz RAM to run FS)..

[martinlest2 58]

I have looked at a different PC builder - one who will off er 2x4GB RAM. I have some slightly different choices.

 

Assuming I'll be running FSX at least sometimes, I can opt for an unclocked 4GHz i7-4790, or (a lot cheaper) an i5-4690 overclocked to 4.3 GHz. (They call that 'extreme overclock' - surely it isn't THAT extreme?).

 

I guess the 2GB GTX960 is still good rather than the 4GB 970 with this?

 

Any reason at all to go with the dearer i7?

[Djang0 1]

It the build is now a main flightsim PC for FSX and you want to future proof then the minimum spec I'd consider is:

 

i7-4790K + GTX970 + 8MB DDR3 1866MHz

 

I don't like i7-4790K + GTX960 2GB! The minimum VRAM these days, even for a lower end card, is 2GB. Surely you'll be using more than only FSX in 5yrs time? the i7-4790K gives you 8 possible cores, I'm sure future flightsims, addons and OS will find ways of using all those cores and increasingly the GPU for non-graphics tasks. It would be a waste to get a locked i7-4790.

[martinlest2 58]

No, this PC will never have anything other than FS9 & FSX on it... I have never, nor am I likely to (by this stage) develop an interest in any other PC 'games'.. By the time future FS addons or O/Ss can use the 8 cores, it'll be time for another PC anyway.

 

What I realise is that no PC is even remotely 'future proof'! My desktop was a top-of-the-range gaming rig when I bought it - 5 years on, even though it runs FS9 just great (and FSX pretty OK), it's lame in comparison to the systems I am considering and I want to replace it anyway.

 

I thought the o/c i5-4690K + the GTX460 2GB + 8GBs RAM might cut the proverbial mustard. But perhaps an unclocked i7-4790 might be worth the extra? (I am never happy with the longevity prospects of overclocked hardware, especially in tropical climates like here in Sri Lanka!). If I get the i7-4790K, then I suppose I need the GTX470 too - price going up asnd up. But as I say, the money isn't the top consideration: I just don't want to spend a lot of extra money on hardware that isn't going to result in any performance gains in FS9 and (moreover) FSX.

 

Thanks for your continued interest in my lack of decision!!

[Guest JustanotherPilot]

Intel Core i7-4790K a must! My FSX, FSX:SE and Prepar3D 2.5 run flawlessly.

[Djang0 1]

 

 

But perhaps an unclocked i7-4790 might be worth the extra?

 

FSX does not use hyperhreading so I can't see a practical advantage of getting an i7-4790K for FSX. However I just find it hard to believe that in 5yrs you'll still using software that's over 10yrs old when there will be other alternatives. That's why people are recommending the i7-4790K.

 

 

 

I thought the o/c i5-4690K + the GTX460 2GB + 8GBs RAM might cut the proverbial mustard.

 

Yes it will for a single display system.

[martinlest2 58]

Need to bite the bullet and order really. Pretty much decided on an i7-4790K (PC for use in Sri Lanka = hot! So I don't want any overclocking) + GTX970 4GBs + 2x4GBs RAM + 2xCorsair 256GB LX SSDs..

 

You only live (to fly FS) once...,