4 hours ago, sizziano said:

I suggest you DON'T use task manager to check your CPU speeds as it's very unreliable. I suggest HWInfo instead.

Thanks for the suggestion which I have taken. I wasn't aware of this program, a really nifty app. It does show my cpu speeds fluctuate wildly with Firefox or Chrome. Solid with  MS Edge. Don't have any idea why, never seen this before.

I think the OP needs to spend some time tuning performance, because his system should be running X-Plane nicely (I have less powerful hardware but still have good performance in XP11). 

First of all, start with a stock install.  No plug-ins or add-ons or anything.  Then turn every visual setting to minimum and adjust one setting at a time while monitoring framerates.  If turning up a slider causes a drastic drop in performance then simply back it off.  Continue this process until you have an acceptable trade-off in performance versus visuals.  Ideally you want 30 frames per second. 

The X-Plane 11 manual explains this process in greater detail:

http://x-plane.com/manuals/desktop/11/index.html#configuringtherenderingoptions

11 hours ago, wb5okj said:

Thanks for the suggestion which I have taken. I wasn't aware of this program, a really nifty app. It does show my cpu speeds fluctuate wildly with Firefox or Chrome. Solid with  MS Edge. Don't have any idea why, never seen this before.

Nothing to worry about, perfectly normal. Seems like Edge for whatever reason is pushing your CPU harder.

20 hours ago, rototom said:

...but Skymax overcast looks pretty silly; almost like a bowl of popcorn but the lighting isn't right.

 

That is a superb description of the look...  

I really am not sure why people think it's so great, as it looks completely unrealistic and just odd to my eyes.

1 hour ago, irrics said:

That is a superb description of the look...  

I really am not sure why people think it's so great, as it looks completely unrealistic and just odd to my eyes.

I hate that popcorn cloud look as an overcast layer in SkyMAxx Pro too, but there is an alternative. In the plugin menu under Stratus/Overcast Representation, change it from the default "HD Cloud Puffs" to "Broken Stratiform," and you get this, a textured layer out to the horizon:

2 hours ago, Paraffin said:

and you get this

 

Apart from the over sharp, over bright horizon, this is a great representation of an overcast sky, as seen from above. I still think xE is the master of extended cloud layers and realistic atmospherics, but this has more detail in the stratus layers.

On 2/28/2017 at 4:45 PM, Novation said:

 

Apart from the over sharp, over bright horizon, this is a great representation of an overcast sky, as seen from above. I still think xE is the master of extended cloud layers and realistic atmospherics, but this has more detail in the stratus layers.

Nice representation until you fly out of the overcast area at which point the sim freezes for a cloud redraw and then the overcast is suddenly gone (I stopped upgrading at v3 but don't think this has changed).

28 minutes ago, Slai said:

Nice representation until you fly out of the overcast area at which point the sim freezes for a cloud redraw and then the overcast is suddenly gone (I stopped upgrading at v3 but don't think this has changed).

That will only happen if you have real weather updating, and I think the change should be smoother if you're using the Real Weather Connector add-on. It's supposed to smooth out the transitions when the METAR changes.

That's the idea anyway, but I haven't tried RWC in the XP11 betas (yet), so I don't know how well it's working.

A real photo of overcast clouds from above.  The "popcorn" look.  Skymaxx does a superb job of making clouds.
http://previews.123rf.com/images/bartekchiny/bartekchiny0901/bartekchiny090100087/4234883-Beautiful-skyscape-over-Indian-Ocean-Blue-sky-with-many-single-clouds-below-just-above-ocean-water--Stock-Photo.jpg
 

It's all a matter of opinion!  I have not upgraded to v4 and think XEnviro does a much better overall job of creating overcast clouds and more realistic sky colors.  XEnviro needs an offline mode and 3d clouds.

Can only hope REX soon makes their debut.....