Finally Upgraded Computer

[Cat_Dad 17]

My old Win 7 Home system started going down hill and finally would not start up. I took it to the shop and while there, broke down and brought home a new replacement. While this new computer is not at the very top of the performance list, it sure runs rings around my old system. (Q8400 ATI 4600 and 4 Gb DDR2)

 

The new one is a i7 4790K 16Mb DDR3 and a GTX 980 on a Gigabyte MB and a 250 Gb Samsung SSD and a 2 Tb backup HD. The old case had 6 small cooling fans that were louder than a 747. The new case has 2 (120mm) that I cannot even hear. I have also been thinking about moving up to that P3D program from FSX but to my surprise, I am now seeing lots of scenery and effects in the old FSX that could not be generated with the old system. I locked the frame rate at 30 fps it never waivers, even at ORD,JFK, or SEA with all of the sliders for the scenery to the right. That and the clouds to detailed instead of the plain version. I am even running ground traffic at the airports, and roads along with fancy water with waves. Not real sure how much the i7 vs the Q8400 factors in the ability to run FSX the way it should have 10 years ago when it first came out and computers were far less capable. I would also think the GTX 980 4 Gb vs the ATI 4650 I Gb has something to do with the nicer looking detail/scenery. 

 

Finally, 16 Gb vs 4 Gb of ram and a SSD vs a conventional platter type HD just makes the new system input/output the data a lot more smoothly too. So for right now, FSX seems like a completely new sim, but will probably move up to the newer P3D latter on. Back in the late 70s and early 80's, I worked on "real" flight simulators in the Air Force, Singer-Link's (F-4E and F-111D) and if you would have said you would have a desktop computer running the type of flight simulation we have today back then, I would have said you were crazy. Computers took up a whole room/bay in order to put out a cartoon looking video to the cockpit. Oh to have the full size cockpits from the F-4 or F-111 hooked up to the desktop computer now.

 

Just think what we will be flying for fun at home 30 to 40 years from now.

 

Sim-u-lator,

 

Terry

 

[HUSSAR 262]

Awesome post Terry, almost want to reinstall FSX on my PC.  I ran FSX:SE on a i74770 while waiting for my new PC to be built and I could not believe the high frame rate I was seeing at about 170 FPS.  P3D v3.1 vanilla installation runs at 75 FPS on my new PC with high settings.

 

Enjoy your new PC.  

 

Robert 

[Guest]

Hi Terry,

 

P3D V3.x will make better use of that 980 GPU you have ... FSX doesn't do as much with the GPU.  

 

Cheers, Rob.

[Cat_Dad 17]

Thanks guys for the feedback. One question, is the P3D V3. only sold on line? Do not really like to have my credit card info out there if I can help it. Already getting monthly reports for credit hacks due to medical records and OPM's computer file hacks.

 

Terry

[ryanbatc 12,803]

And P3D has far better virtual address management- less likely to get ooms once you pump it full of scenery hehe

[MikeT707 1,181]

It is nice to see such an improvement in fsx from your old machine to your current. You will also see a very nice improvement if you decide to give P3D a try. I still fly around in fsx from time to time, but believe me and other P3D users, P3D performs better and looks way better doing it.

[Cat_Dad 17]

Nice to hear the improvements when switching to the P3D program. My question is still do I have only one choice in buying it on line? No retail outlets/stores?

 

Terry