Hi 

 

I bought my computer about two years ago to run FSX. I would now like to start upgrading my specs so that FSX:SE runs better and more smoothly. My system can handle add on aircraft like PMDG but I would like the FPS to improve from around 25FPS and I would also like to use the detailed clouds option on FSX as I am currently stuck with simple clouds. If I go anywhere near the detailed clouds button my FPS drop dramatically and make FSX completely unusable. My system specs are as follows:

 

Windows 10

Intel Core i7-4770 @ 3.50GHz

8GB Ram

64 bit operating System

Intel HD Graphics Card

 

My question is what would I be best updating in my system to improve FSX:SE performance?

 

Thanks for your help

FSX is mainly CPU bound so normally increasing clock speed helps with FPS, if you don't have the K version of the 4770 then not sure that you can do that. Is that internal graphics you are using?  if so I would look at getting a dedicated graphics card as that will help a bit

 

Daz

Intel graphics is well known to be really poor with flight simulators.

Any suggestions on which graphics card to buy?

Welcome to the forum(s). Look at the nVidia GTX 970 if the card is specifically for FSX. If it's to be used with P3D and/or other games look to the GTX 980. While there is no way to quantify the gain in performance, suffice it to say that it will be better than the Intel graphics. That said, don't look for a major change in FPS - that won't happen with just a change in the GPU. Smoother? Yes. Faster? Maybe.

 

Doug

Hi 

 

I bought my computer about two years ago to run FSX. I would now like to start upgrading my specs so that FSX:SE runs better and more smoothly. My system can handle add on aircraft like PMDG but I would like the FPS to improve from around 25FPS and I would also like to use the detailed clouds option on FSX as I am currently stuck with simple clouds. If I go anywhere near the detailed clouds button my FPS drop dramatically and make FSX completely unusable. My system specs are as follows:

 

Windows 10

Intel Core i7-4770 @ 3.50GHz

8GB Ram

64 bit operating System

Intel HD Graphics Card

 

My question is what would I be best updating in my system to improve FSX:SE performance?

 

Thanks for your help

Enable turbo mode in the bios and add a gtx 660ti 3gig card or a gtx 970.

What should I do to get better FPS as well?

Change the CPU to a 4790K and overclock it. The turbo boost on the 4790K is 4.4GHz so that will give you an extra 500Mhz. Then overclock it to 4.7GHz (it will do that on air) for 300MHz more. The total gain of 800MHz will give you somewhere in the neighborhood of a 20% increase in FPS. As far as hardware in concerned that's about the best you can do. The only way to get more FPS is to decrease the detail settings in FSX. Is it worth the hardware cost for a 20% gain? Only you can decide that.