Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Before buying P3D, could I have advice on the suitability of of my PC spec' to run P3D ?

The G/Card recommended spec' for P3D is typically GTX 1080Ti 8GB.  I have GTX 770 2GB .

The Ram recommended spec' for P3D is typically 16GB DDR4 2666 MHz .  I have 16GB DDR3 1866 MHz .

Would my G/Card spec' and Ram spec' give a poor performance when when trying to run P3D ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In my opinion your GTX 770 2GB would work, it meets LM system requirements, but as a bare minimum.  Your memory is not the bottleneck that your CPU probably is...you didn't provide that.


Dan Downs KCRP

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
16 minutes ago, downscc said:

In my opinion your GTX 770 2GB would work, it meets LM system requirements, but as a bare minimum.  Your memory is not the bottleneck that your CPU probably is...you didn't provide that.

I would agree with Dan's assessment. Your CPU is the biggest factor. That said, your GPU probably represents the barest of minimums, and I would consider upgrading. While I do hear of people happy with the performance their GTX980 may give them, the 2GB of VRAM your card has is probably too little. It would mean setting your sliders very low, essentially disabling all the niceties that make P3Dv4 worthwhile over previous versions.

If your wallet and PSU can handle it, consider upgrading to a RTX2060, which will give you hugely improved performance over your current card and probably won't break your bank.


Benjamin van Soldt

Windows 10 64bit - i5-8600k @ 4.7GHz - ASRock Fatality K6 Z370 - EVGA GTX1070 SC 8GB VRAM - 16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX @ 3200MHz - Samsung 960 Evo SSD M.2 NVMe 500GB - 2x Samsung 860 Evo SSD 1TB (P3Dv4/5 drive) - Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200RPM - Seasonic FocusPlus Gold 750W - Noctua DH-15S - Fractal Design Focus G (White) Case

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
34 minutes ago, twister1853 said:

Thanks for that.

My CPU:  i5-4670K 3.40GHz (Haswell) Socket LGA1150 Processor - OEM

 

I think with a moderate GPU upgrade you should get acceptable performance.  


Matt Wilson

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I now see I would need a RAM update to 16 MB at about £140.  The RTX2060 is pricey at around £350 . So it looks like I'm priced out of this one at ther present.

The last reply by mpw8679 suggests a moderate GPU upgrade might give me acceptable performance.  Can I have a suggestiopn for a typical moderate GPU ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
55 minutes ago, twister1853 said:

I now see I would need a RAM update to 16 MB at about £140.  The RTX2060 is pricey at around £350 . So it looks like I'm priced out of this one at ther present.

The last reply by mpw8679 suggests a moderate GPU upgrade might give me acceptable performance.  Can I have a suggestiopn for a typical moderate GPU ?

What's your upper limit?

You could also consider a GTX 1060, but I'm not sure you should go with anything less... Personally I use a GTX 1070 and find that in most circumstances it's not maxing out, so the GTX1070 should work well for you. If you're having to choose between investing more in a CPU or GPU, though, I'd recommend focusing on the CPU, as that's likely to be the bigger bottle neck.


Benjamin van Soldt

Windows 10 64bit - i5-8600k @ 4.7GHz - ASRock Fatality K6 Z370 - EVGA GTX1070 SC 8GB VRAM - 16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX @ 3200MHz - Samsung 960 Evo SSD M.2 NVMe 500GB - 2x Samsung 860 Evo SSD 1TB (P3Dv4/5 drive) - Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200RPM - Seasonic FocusPlus Gold 750W - Noctua DH-15S - Fractal Design Focus G (White) Case

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think your cheapest route to good P3D performance is to:

  • get a big cooler (e.g. Hyper 212 X) on your i5k and overclock it to 4+ GHz
  • grab a used GTX1070 or GTX1080 graphics card with at least 3GB+ graphics memory
    • You can reuse this in a new build later; when you decided to replace the CPU you may as well build a whole new system because you'll need a new motherboard and new RAM anyway.
  • Existing 16GB RAM is more than enough, don't worry about the speed of it.

The above assumes your existing motherboard supports overclocking and the power supply has sufficient capacity for both the uprated graphics card and processor. It's based on running a single monitor at 1080p, if you start going up to 4K or multiple screen then that's a whole different game.

My advise is from personal experience of my GTX980 with P3D. Your existing GTX770 is a bare minimum and will require significant compromise on the visuals to get a playable framerate. P3D is still quite single core clockspeed dependent, I'm running an older processor than you but I have a 4.5 GHz overclock that's kept it in the game.

Edited by ckyliu

ckyliu, proud supporter of ViaIntercity.com. i5 12400F, 32GB, GTX980, more in "About me" on my profile. 

support1.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you can find a 1080Ti (big if-  Microcenter hasn't had one in months that I've seen) then that would be fine. The raytracing of the 2xxx series is, frankly, underwhelming even in games that actually use it, and P3d doesn't use it. You'll only get marginally better non-raytracing performance out of a 2xxx over the 1080Ti, which I suspect is why nVidia is updating the 1xxx series drivers to do raytracing -- hoping that people will get mad at the bad performance under raytracing and upgrade because sales of the new series have been less than they hoped.

I ran p3d for a while on a system very similar to yours. It was fine, but you will have to make compromises. You'll have to lower the graphics sliders a lot. If you fly, for instance, the PMDG 747 you'll want to disable the copilot's screens to save system resources. And if you fly somewhere dense like Los Angeles or NYC, you will still stutter badly. But you'll be able to do it, and if you stick to low-density scenery areas you can have a smooth experience.

Were I in your shoes, I would not do piecemeal upgrades. To run p3d at its full potential you'll want a new graphics card and CPU, and that means you need a new motherboard, and that means you need new ram, and if your computer is prebuilt or you didn't go overboard on the power supply when you built it, you'll need a new one of those too.

I'd start saving and then do a major upgrade when I could afford it. You'll get more bang for your buck.

 

  • Upvote 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You need both CPU and GPU horsepower to run P3D.  Your CPU is enough if overclocked to at least 4 GHz.  Your 2GB GPU isn't.  You have enough RAM.

For the GPU, a used 6GB 980Ti or an 8GB 1070 would work. A 4GB 980 could work if you're budget is severely limited.  You need 4GB VRAM absolute minimum if you're running a single HD monitor, and 6GB or more for 1440p, 4K, or multiple monitors.

If you have an OEM system using a proprietary motherboard with a hobbled BIOS or crammed into a small case that won't allow installation of a good aftermarket CPU cooler, then it's probably not going to be worth it...you'd have to replace case, motherboard, RAM, probably the PSU, and also a new copy of Windows, since OEM versions can't be transferred to a new system.  Basically, you're looking at a new system at that point.

All that said, P3D does have a 60-day money-back return policy, so you can try it out and see just how it runs on your system.  Your idea of "acceptable" performance may be different than any of ours.

Regards

 


Bob Scott | President and CEO, AVSIM Inc
ATP Gulfstream II-III-IV-V

System1 (P3Dv5/v4): i9-13900KS @ 6.0GHz, water 2x360mm, ASUS Z790 Hero, 32GB GSkill 7800MHz CAS36, ASUS RTX4090
Samsung 55" JS8500 4K TV@30Hz,
3x 2TB WD SN850X 1x 4TB Crucial P3 M.2 NVME SSD, EVGA 1600T2 PSU, 1.2Gbps internet
Fiber link to Yamaha RX-V467 Home Theater Receiver, Polk/Klipsch 6" bookshelf speakers, Polk 12" subwoofer, 12.9" iPad Pro
PFC yoke/throttle quad/pedals with custom Hall sensor retrofit, Thermaltake View 71 case, Stream Deck XL button box

Sys2 (MSFS/XPlane): i9-10900K @ 5.1GHz, 32GB 3600/15, nVidia RTX4090FE, Alienware AW3821DW 38" 21:9 GSync, EVGA 1000P2
Thrustmaster TCA Boeing Yoke, TCA Airbus Sidestick, 2x TCA Airbus Throttle quads, PFC Cirrus Pedals, Coolermaster HAF932 case

Portable Sys3 (P3Dv4/FSX/DCS): i9-9900K @ 5.0 Ghz, Noctua NH-D15, 32GB 3200/16, EVGA RTX3090, Dell S2417DG 24" GSync
Corsair RM850x PSU, TM TCA Officer Pack, Saitek combat pedals, TM Warthog HOTAS, Coolermaster HAF XB case

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Before buying P3D, could I have advice on the suitability of of my PC spec' to run P3D ?

The G/Card recommended spec' for P3D is typically GTX 1080Ti 8GB.  I have GTX 770 2GB .The Ram recommended spec' for P3D is typically 16GB DDR4 2666 MHz .  I have 16GB DDR3 1866 MHz .

You do not say what screen resolution you want to run P3D at, whether you want to simulate complex weather, and if you want to enable dynamic lighting. For the record, my i5 4690k @ 4.3Ghz/16GB DDR3-1600 RAM/2GB GTX 770 powered PC runs P3D v4 pretty well.....but I run @ 1920x1080 resolution on a single 24" widescreen monitor, with calm and clear sky conditions, and with dynamic lighting disabled.

On the positive side, I run lots of detailed AI airliners @ 100% traffic density, and with Scenery Complexity and Autogen Density set to Extremely Dense.

Edited by Christopher Low
  • Like 1

Christopher Low

UK2000 Beta Tester

FSBetaTesters3.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
18 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

You do not say what screen resolution you want to run P3D at, whether you want to simulate complex weather, and if you want to enable dynamic lighting. For the record, my i5 4690k @ 4.3Ghz/16GB DDR3-1600 RAM/2GB GTX 770 powered PC runs P3D v4 pretty well.....but I run @ 1920x1080 resolution on a single 24" widescreen monitor, with calm and clear sky conditions, and with dynamic lighting disabled.

On the positive side, I run lots of detailed AI airliners @ 100% traffic density, and with Scenery Complexity and Autogen Density set to Extremely Dense.

Out of curiosity, what kind of flying do you typically do, and in what area?


Benjamin van Soldt

Windows 10 64bit - i5-8600k @ 4.7GHz - ASRock Fatality K6 Z370 - EVGA GTX1070 SC 8GB VRAM - 16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX @ 3200MHz - Samsung 960 Evo SSD M.2 NVMe 500GB - 2x Samsung 860 Evo SSD 1TB (P3Dv4/5 drive) - Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200RPM - Seasonic FocusPlus Gold 750W - Noctua DH-15S - Fractal Design Focus G (White) Case

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

PMDG 737/747/777 and QW 787 short, low level flights around the UK and across to FlyTampa Amsterdam and Copenhagen. I have photoscenery of the entire UK and Ireland (ORBx TrueEarth GB South plus PlayHorizon for the rest). That means detailed tree and building autogen for southern and central England and Wales, and detailed tree autogen only for the rest of the UK.

It's worth noting that I had to disable the "3DM" custom building files in ORBx TrueEarth GB South to get acceptable performance around London, but I have not tested it yet since the "performance and control panel" update.

Edited by Christopher Low

Christopher Low

UK2000 Beta Tester

FSBetaTesters3.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
24 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

PMDG 737/747/777 and QW 787 short, low level flights around the UK and across to FlyTampa Amsterdam and Copenhagen. I have photoscenery of the entire UK and Ireland (ORBx TrueEarth GB South plus PlayHorizon for the rest). That means detailed tree and building autogen for southern and central England and Wales, and detailed tree autogen only for the rest of the UK.

It's worth noting that I had to disable the "3DM" custom building files in ORBx TrueEarth GB South to get acceptable performance around London, but I have not tested it yet since the "performance and control panel" update.

Wow, that's incredible! I'm surprised you're able to do that type of flying with the rig you got, but good for you! I've been wanting to upgrade my CPU to an i7 9700k, because currently larger airports with details surroundings are bringing my computer to its knees. Meaning, I can land at LGA, EWR or even JFK well enough even in thunderstorms, but it means not looking at Manhattan at all. And let's be honest, what's the point of landing in NYC if you can't look at the skyline? Also FlyTampa's AMS (with OrbX TE NL) is not generating the kind of performance I've been wanting to see. It's... fine, but I'd like it to be more fluid.


Benjamin van Soldt

Windows 10 64bit - i5-8600k @ 4.7GHz - ASRock Fatality K6 Z370 - EVGA GTX1070 SC 8GB VRAM - 16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX @ 3200MHz - Samsung 960 Evo SSD M.2 NVMe 500GB - 2x Samsung 860 Evo SSD 1TB (P3Dv4/5 drive) - Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200RPM - Seasonic FocusPlus Gold 750W - Noctua DH-15S - Fractal Design Focus G (White) Case

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm not surprised. There is a tendency amongst many users to state P3D requires the latest and greatest hardware and to hell with the price, although this thread has been surprisingly restrained in that regard. You can actually do quite well on much lesser kit such as myself and Chris, it's not like I've got all my sliders turned down either (all my settings and kit are in my Avsim profile). If you ran FSX well, you will run P3D well enough, although the bottleneck may move from processor to CPU.

Edited by ckyliu

ckyliu, proud supporter of ViaIntercity.com. i5 12400F, 32GB, GTX980, more in "About me" on my profile. 

support1.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Tom Allensworth,
    Founder of AVSIM Online


  • Flight Simulation's Premier Resource!

    AVSIM is a free service to the flight simulation community. AVSIM is staffed completely by volunteers and all funds donated to AVSIM go directly back to supporting the community. Your donation here helps to pay our bandwidth costs, emergency funding, and other general costs that crop up from time to time. Thank you for your support!

    Click here for more information and to see all donations year to date.
×
×
  • Create New...