First of all my specs 

I5 3570k OC to 4.4ghz

8gb ram

GeForce 970

 

Barely a midrange system. I have money to upgrade. Maybe an i8700? New GC card? Then I thought why? With all sliders at least 3/4 across to the right I get 30fps in the aerosoft Airbus or ifly 747 or Coolsky dc9 and its smooth.

Getting the last 1/4 of sliders I'm missing does not really seem worth it. Autogen at 3/4 is pretty full as it is.

The catch? I don't use payware airports. Apart from London and NY I can comfortably fly anywhere and get good fps. I have vector, global and Orbx LC with free mesh x to keep the terrain exciting. I would like payware airports but they tie you down to one area and I like flying all over the world. Seeing different vistas is part of the appeal and paying for an airport each time does not seem worth it to me and I will become bored flying to the same place over and over.

 

I have P3d v3 and v4 currently has nothing I am interested in. Seeing autogen a bit further out is not worth it when all you will see are tiny dots on the horizon. The advanced lighting is killing framerates even on the highest spec machines.

With the pace of change in P3d so slow and with constant performance improvements so we get more for less it sounds like I don't need to upgrade for years to come.

I don't see the clamour for higher spec machines to enjoy all the goodies anymore. A midrange gives you everything if you don't use payware airports.

Come over to my house, I guarantee you that the extra money in your pocket will be gone soon after you leave my house.

I was saying the same thing to my self as recently as a few days ago with my I5 4670K at 4.7 with the 1070 and 16Gb 2400 c10 memory. Then a couple days ago I put an 8600k into a true purpose built mobo ..... It didn't take me long to realize just how powerful Prepared V4.2 really is.

You're only seeing half the show.