System Requirement Help

[ppens87 0]

Hello, 

I have seen videos for Prepar3D v4 and I am very interested in purchasing the product.  Below are my computer specs,  can someone help and let me know if my computer can handle it.  If not what is the best one based on my computer specs.

Dell Computer - INSP 15 - 7559 i7-6700hq 1TB SSHD 8GB 4k GTX 960 Touchscreen i7559-5012GRY Win10

Thank you in advance.

[Captain Kevin 586]

It tells you on their website what the requirements are. I don't see enough information from you to be able to make any sort of determination as to whether your computer could handle it.

https://www.prepar3d.com/system-requirements/

[Mikelab6 89]

Hi and welcome to the forum !

Your CPU (i7-6700) is OK but the video card is a bit weak for P3Dv4.

Mike

[John_Cillis 2,406]

My specs are attached, as said your vid card might be weak but I am getting by with just 3GB of VRAM in both Xplane and P3D

John

[Penzoil3 480]

The operative word there of course is "getting by." How far are your settings dialed back to "get by'?

[John_Cillis 2,406]

40 minutes ago, Penzoil3 said:

The operative word there of course is "getting by." How far are your settings dialed back to "get by'?

My settings are maxed in both sims except for AI in P3D which tends to hit my system so I leave it at 33pct.  I can max AI in Xplane11 for some reason and max all features there.  I average about 35 fps in both sims at airports and closer to 60 fps at cruise altitude.  Most of my scenery is photoreal, MSE for P3D and scenery I made with Ortho4XP in Xplane11.  In the file library here I have Colorado photoreal scenery for download that works in FSX and P3DV4.2.  I never tried earlier versions of P3D.  In the videos forum I have some videos I recorded with both sims so you can eyeball my performance.  I made the videos with the GEForce free video capture utility after a member here suggested it.  I tried other payware video capture programs but they had poor fps and no sound.

John

[W2DR 1,859]

If the "8GB" refers to your system RAM that's going to be a problem. You'll probably see significant performance hit as P3D is going to make a bit of use of the page file......Doug 

[John_Cillis 2,406]

On 4/16/2018 at 12:54 PM, W2DR said:

If the "8GB" refers to your system RAM that's going to be a problem. You'll probably see significant performance hit as P3D is going to make a bit of use of the paGB ge file......Doug 

I have no issues with 8GB of system RAM, and 3GB of video RAM.  If P3D was making use of the page file I would know, I would observe stutters which I do not get.  Even when recording a video, with that overhead, using the GEForce Experience free video recording utility, I do not see choppiness or see any artifacts whatsoever in P3D (I did with FRAPS so I quit using it when a kind forum member told me about GEForce Experience - I posted another video of my Aerobask Eclipse just today).

Both P3D and Xplane11 have never whined about my system RAM.  I kill all services I do not need when I am in a simming mood, further reducing overhead.  But I qualify what I have said.  P3D and FSX have always challenged my systems with their default AI (FS9 did not).  I used AI add-ons for FS9 which cleared the issue and I understand there is one in the works for P3D.  As I noted earlier Xplane11's ground and static AI cause nary a twitch on my system.

Xplane11 just does it better IMHO and I have grown to use that sim more than P3D, about a 60/40 ratio, 60pct Xplane11 simming and 40pct P3D.  My cpu only clocks in at 3.6GHZ and I have not overclocked it nor tweaked Nvidia or P3D in any way.  P3D is arguably a bit smoother for me than Xplane11 possibly because I have AI set to just 33pct.  But the new Xplane11 11.20 beta seems faster and smoother in some way than 11.10 which preceded it.

I did not have to tweak my Nvidia settings to get P3D the way I wanted it.  I launched it, increased some sliders, and let it run and it has run well thru every update.  My bottom line, if someone is close to my specs, both P3D and Xplane11 should satisfy immensely.  I was on the fence about buying my system but the salesman at FRY's said if I wanted to flight sim, I did not need anything more expensive.  The MSI vortex is a good gaming machine, bottom line and soon I will celebrate a year with a no hassle system.

John 

[W2DR 1,859]

On 4/17/2018 at 1:32 PM, Cactus521 said:

I have no issues with 8GB of system RAM,

Lucky man.........

[John_Cillis 2,406]

11 minutes ago, W2DR said:

Lucky man.........

What it comes down to is what your machine is dedicated to.  I don't think my system was a fate of luck, I paid 1K for it. I strolled down the aisle at Fry's and I looked at the most expensive systems and their prices, I already had a great and reliable Samsung 22 inch monitor from my old system, so I just needed the box.  The itty bitty MSI Vortex was perfect for my small apartment, it is not one of those huge, threatening transformer towers that might jump up and enslave u, LOL.  

My entire sim footprint is about 30x30 inches including the monitor and computer, and it sits on the corner of my apartment's breakfast bar, my control unit is the wonderful Logitech 3D Pro which I just rave about because of it' ergonomics.  As a systems engineer by profession now retired due to illness, I apply and stamp the KISS principle in my simming path, keep it simple.  My computer serves just five purposes:  Taxes/Business, Simulation,Web Crawling, Art, and programing those little applets I might like.  And remember Eliza?:  http://psych.fullerton.edu/mbirnbaum/psych101/Eliza.htm

[W2DR 1,859]

Good Lord.....I haven't thought about Eliza for almost 50 years. Sitting at a 28 KSR chatting with Eliza was a real treat back in "the day".  A bunch of us used to sit around at lunchtime trying to get her to admit she loved us (without success however).  Thanks for helping me remember an old friend. I just tried again and she still won't admit that she loves me...foolish girl..............Doug

[John_Cillis 2,406]

52 minutes ago, W2DR said:

Good Lord.....I haven't thought about Eliza for almost 50 years. Sitting at a 28 KSR chatting with Eliza was a real treat back in "the day".  A bunch of us used to sit around at lunchtime trying to get her to admit she loved us (without success however).  Thanks for helping me remember an old friend. I just tried again and she still won't admit that she loves me...foolish girl..............Doug

LOL, I played with it yesterday after I posted, it was hilarious, I wonder if anyone out there reads whats gets churned into it.  I made a similar program for myself, and had fun with it.  The way we we are truly supposed to query is: How may I help you not yes or no questions that lead to nowhere.  People need to feed each other with data, discuss it, and come to an understanding vs. getting stuck in yes/no, on/off games.  That is the difference between being human and a machine, and I feel automation, except for simulations where we control the flyable universes we create, I feel automation will never be able to create a entity with emotion and a multi dimensional awareness of our universe.

[n4gix 4,947]

Well, apparently Eliza does not know how to react with polite people. Note that she stopped responding very quickly in this dialog:

[W2DR 1,859]

I'm on a cruise ship many miles from home. I even offered to fly her to Bora Bora just so I could buy her a drink. She didn't like the idea and then told me I shouldn't talk that way.....sheeeeeez..........Doug