There is a ton of great advice here on new flightsim computers. This most recent post is great if one had a huge amount of free cash.

 

http://www.avsim.com/topic/486051-trying-to-order-a-rig-today/

 

However, I have a maximum limit of $2,000 Canadian.

I want to run my FSX after a reinstall and move into P3D v3+.

 

I started to try building a computer on several sites and I quickly ended up well over my budget.

 

Can you folks please give my some simple and best advice on key things I should look to.

 

I know the video card is very important, IE 4 gig memory but which GTX should I get?

 

I have a movie rendering business and I know that whatever I end up with it will be far better on that end without any worries. 

 

The only mandatory thing I do need is 800 watts power due to my massive movie database and backups that I constantly need access to.

 

Bryan

 I'd suggest to watch the weekly sales at NCIX, they are over in Vancouver but offer free shipping. Buy the parts as they are on sale and build it once you have got enough pieces.

Hey Dave.  That sounds good in practice but this might mean I wait and watch for a long period to get what I think I might need.  And it might save me money.

 

I know I have waited 6 years to do this upgrade anyway, but I'm ready to move into something better right now.  I am just finding the info and details very demanding mentally to figure out what to do.  Which mother board, which video card, which type of RAM, I'm reading and trying to learn but my head hurts.

 

I've just spent several hours reading, reviewing, comparing and the more I do the worse it gets for me.

Are you wanting to buy it pre-built, or build it yourself?

 

If building yourself, try this as a starting point http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/v9nc3C

 

You could probably squeeze the 6700k in instead of the 6600k on your budget

Spent a ton of time researching.  Called my buddy Bert, someone who I trust with computers, and taking his advice in a few areas of significance this is what I have compiled.  I will talk it over with the folks I'm ordering it from today.

 

INTEL® CORE™ I7-6700K Processor 8M Cache 4GHZ Base 4.2GHZ Turbo FC-LGA1151

Corsair Cooling Hydro Series H60 CPU Cooler System for NCIX PC

ASUS Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Z170 Skylake DDR4 3PCI-E16 3PCI-E1 1PCI CrossFireX/SLI USB3.1 Motherboard

MSI GeForce GTX 970 TwinFrozr V 1140/1279MHZ 4GB 7GHZ GDDR5 HDMI 2x DVI DisplayPort PCI-E Video Card

G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series F4-2133C15D-16GVR DDR4 2133MHZ 16GB(8GBX2) Memory Kit

Corsair CX Series CX750 750W ATX 12V 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply Active PFC Fan 120mm Fan

Phanteks Enthoo Luxe Full Tower EATX Black Case 3x 5.25EXT 6x 3.5INT 2x USB3.0 No PS

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Edition 64Bit DVD SP1 OEM *for NCIX PC Only

Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200RPM SATA3 64MB Cache 3.5in Internal Hard Drive

ASUS DRW-24F1ST 24X SATA DVD Writer Black

multi card reader

 

Comes in at about $2,200

 

cheers

Hi Bryan,

 

Like Dave, I have trusted and used NCIX to build my PC with very specific instructions from Nick N's detailed post's.  After a lot of research I ordered the following hardware below, the tried and tested hardware and it saved me money.  I know Bert's background and trust his judgement, looks like you'll get a great system.  Are you planning on overclocking the memory?  If not you will be spending money on 2133 MHz without any benefit.  As for the HD, have you considered SSD's?  Again, what Bert is proposing is a good HD but SSD's IMO run much better and there is never a need to defrag, the only thing I have read is they may degrade over the years.

 

I have a 1Tb SSD for the sim and installed P3D in its own directory outside the Program Files (x86) folder, ie. C:\Prepar3D

 

The install location will be entered into the registry and all installers will be pointed automatically into the folder you created.  PM me anytime if you need help.  Just remembering, wasn't it back in 2011 that you, Bert, JR Murray and I met with other AVSIM folks along with Tom at the Grand Pacific in Victoria?  That was a good night but I was disappointed that the Guinness was only sold in cans.  Geez, time flies.  

 

I have created a 9 page PDF with Nick's Instructions and have found that my PC run's flawlessly, good luck.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6rNATT-mrgBUmJiNUZidjd0TjA/view?usp=sharing

 

Rob

Corsair CX Series CX750 750W ATX 12V 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply Active PFC Fan 120mm Fan

 

Phanteks Enthoo Luxe Full Tower EATX Black Case 3x 5.25EXT 6x 3.5INT 2x USB3.0 No PS

I'd swap the Enthoo Luxe case for an Enthoo Pro (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cBhmn21ylkc) and save about $60 - an excellent case and very easy to work with. I got the non-windowed model which is even cheaper (but doesn't have the PSU cover).

 

I'd use the money saved to upgrade to an 80+ Gold certified PSU, EVGA or Corsair.

I'd swap the Enthoo Luxe case for an Enthoo Pro (

) and save about $60 - an excellent case and very easy to work with. I got the non-windowed model which is even cheaper (but doesn't have the PSU cover).

 

I'd use the money saved to upgrade to an 80+ Gold certified PSU, EVGA or Corsair.

 

Great suggestion, I'll check this out....as I'm not stuck on the Luxe case by any means.

Hi Bryan,

 

Like Dave, I have trusted and used NCIX to build my PC with very specific instructions from Nick N's detailed post's.  After a lot of research I ordered the following hardware below, the tried and tested hardware and it saved me money.  I know Bert's background and trust his judgement, looks like you'll get a great system.  Are you planning on overclocking the memory?  If not you will be spending money on 2133 MHz without any benefit.  As for the HD, have you considered SSD's?  Again, what Bert is proposing is a good HD but SSD's IMO run much better and there is never a need to defrag, the only thing I have read is they may degrade over the years.

 

I have a 1Tb SSD for the sim and installed P3D in its own directory outside the Program Files (x86) folder, ie. C:\Prepar3D

 

The install location will be entered into the registry and all installers will be pointed automatically into the folder you created.  PM me anytime if you need help.  Just remembering, wasn't it back in 2011 that you, Bert, JR Murray and I met with other AVSIM folks along with Tom at the Grand Pacific in Victoria?  That was a good night but I was disappointed that the Guinness was only sold in cans.  Geez, time flies.  

 

I have created a 9 page PDF with Nick's Instructions and have found that my PC run's flawlessly, good luck.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6rNATT-mrgBUmJiNUZidjd0TjA/view?usp=sharing

 

Rob

 

Hi Rob, I remember the Grand Pacific and the beer very well, good times and yes it was now many years back.

I am very excited about this purchase.  It will be the best system I have ever owned.  I thought that I would install the P3D on a separate drive (which I have in hand) - is there a problem with doing that??

 

I plan on over clocking.

I will look to SSD's in the future but not at this time. I picked the HD but Bert would be the first to suggest SSD's as that is what he has. I understand that they are quieter, and most certainly faster on the loadup of the sim among other things.

 

I have since up graded the purchase and decided to keep the case above, its only money (as my lawyer once said to me).

 

My new power supply is:

1 x Corsair CS850M CS Modular 80 Plus Gold Certified 850WATT 12V Power Supply Unit

 

I would be changing that RAM for 3000mhz stuff at least

I would be changing that RAM for 3000mhz stuff at least

 

 

I would agree with that. Not saying it will make a huge difference, but when I went for the Ripjaw V's here in the UK, the cost for a tad higher frequency wasn't that high.

 

 

Corsair Cooling Hydro Series H60 CPU Cooler System for NCIX PC

 

 

 

£62.99 here in the UK. The NH-D15S is 13 degrees cooler and only £8 dearer! The H60 is also a lot nosier.

 

Not for me to tell you what to favour, whether you favour the aesthetics of a closed loop cooler,or are okay with big tower coolers, but if you are an AIO fan, then the H60 isn't the best choice. As I highlighted above, compared with a low cost H60, the equivalent big tower cooler is more efficient. If you want AIO, I say try and find enough money for at least an GTX H100i. 

 

 

Corsair CX Series CX750 750W

 

 

 

This is non modular, so you will have tons of unused cables in your case. Just so you know.

Agree - was just about to post that

Hi Bryan,

 

 very specific instructions from Nick N's detailed post's.  

 

 

Rob

 

 

Personally I wouldn't recommend his guide. It's way over the top. Keep it simple.

 

 

 Are you planning on overclocking the memory?  If not you will be spending money on 2133 MHz without any benefit.

 

 

 

2133 is the default JEDEC standard. At 15 -15 -15. All RAM will default to 2133 in the BIOS.

Wow, lots of great advice.  This community is packed with folks who know their way around a PC and obviously a lot more than I know.  Thanks for the comments.

 

I have upgraded the power supply.

 Corsair CS850M CS Modular 80 Plus Gold Certified 850WATT 12V Power Supply Unit

 

I can't afford any more than I am buying, I am way over the limit I set for myself.  Kinda like when you go to buy a car, the addon's and upgrades can blow your budget wide open.

 

I don't know a thing about the hydro cooler system. Its all new to me.  The tower case to me is just a tower case as long as my mother board has lots of USB 3 plugins, which it does and the tower has a bunch of internal slots for HD's.

 

I'll most likely find out that I will love some stuff and dislike others over time.  If the RAM turns out to be an issue for some reason, I'll pull it and replace it with something better over time.  I am planning to overclock this machine.

 

I have placed my order and am excited about upgrading from an i7-920 2.7 Ghz, GTX 260 1.8Mb, 12Gig DDR3 RAM ... I'm sure that this base platform will be fantastic.

Edited March 31, 201610 yr by 1st fltsimguy

That's a huge update hehe