Need Opinions on PC Specs..

[chevelle505 11]

Hey guys. Been trying to work out the kinks in my system..ill start by saying its all very old...lol. I gave it a minor facelift about a year ago with the processor and gpu being updated but im wanting you guys to just graze over these specs and tell me where you think the biggest bottleneck is as she sits. Eventually i plan on building a new Intel system but for now, this will have to do. 

Windows 7 64 bit

P3DV4.4 (most settings a little under mid range with very little auto gen and at a complex 3rd party airport in a pmdg 744 for example..im maybe getting 10-12fps on the ground and 16-18fps in the air to give you an idea where im sitting.)

Now on to maybe identify the worst thing holding me back...

Motherboard: MSI 990FXA-GD65V2

Processor: AMD FX-8350 Black edition ( right now cool and stable at 4.5ghz with decent voltage...maybe i could squeez a little more out?)

GPU:MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB 

RAM: currently 8gb GSKILL sniper ddr3 1866 however, in a desperate attempt to gain a few FPS i just ordered two more 4 gig sticks (Kingston HyperX FURY 8GB Kit (2x4GB) 1866MHz) to get me up to 16GB ram. Hopefully ill see a bump?

I spent $30 on memory trying to get a little bump in fps but honestly, yeah i know its a lost cause..old system not worth updating anymore..but what are your thoughts..could i be seeing more out of this setup through some tweaking or am i pretty much getting all ill ever get out of this old thing?

Edited September 18, 2019 by chevelle505

[AnkH 2,267]

First question: do you have issues with getting reasonable results in Prepar3d v4.5? If yes, you might first try to elucidate where and why, especially after including those additional 8GB RAM.

Personally, however, I would not invest any additional cent into this old system. If you are short on budget, you could still get yourself a novel rig without graphics card and use the one you already have. It might be already sufficient, as your main bottleneck currently is the AMD FX processor, almost sure. Every current CPU both from Intel or AMD will outperform this FX-8350 by huge margins.

Then, I would seriously consider switching to Windows 10 and Prepar3d v4.5.

[willy647 193]

12 minutes ago, AnkH said:

as your main bottleneck currently is the AMD FX processor,

Why would an 8 core processor @ 4.5 GHz be a bottleneck ?

[AnkH 2,267]

Because neither number of cores or clockrates alone defines how fast a CPU really is? Especially not in regard of a software that is still not really optimized for multicore usage and generally runs better on Intel CPUs...

Then, the FX-8350 is outdated, it arrived on market in October 2012, means this CPU is almost seven years old. At that time, the Intel counterpart would have been a i7-3770K. Although processors did not gain that much performance, 7 years is a lot in computer hardware terms...

The age of the FX-8350 is also the main reason why you do not find a lot of comparisons with current CPUs anymore. But as soon as you do, you instantly realize how weak the FX-8350 is nowadays:

https://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/amd_ryzen_5_3600_review,9.html

The faster variant of the FX-8350, the FX-8370, is always last on almost any test... Only if a software with really good multicore support is tested, it might still be somehow ok. But single core? Check the numbers, the "smallest" current AMD processor Ryzen 3600 is more than 85% faster (86 vs 161 points in CineBenchR15 single core test).

Edited September 18, 2019 by AnkH

[CaptainNick 575]

6 minutes ago, willy647 said:

Why would an 8 core processor @ 4.5 GHz be a bottleneck ?

Because not every 8 core processor @ 4.5 ghz performs the same. 

The 8350 is very, very long in the tooth by today’s standards. 7yr old architecture. He would see probably close to a 50%or more improvement on cpu bench results by swapping to even a zen+ stock clocked 2600 from his overclocked FX. Less physical cores and a slower clock but better architecture, better power draw and a better IPC, not to mention DDR4 etc etc 

if cores and clock speeds were all that mattered then no one would have upgraded past the almighty 2700k....but while overclock speeds haven’t gotten much higher....cpu architecture has gone leaps and bounds better.

 

 

 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

@chevelle505, you could get several more years service out of that PC. Buy a new Windows10, Intel, Nvidia machine and WideFS. Use the old PC to run Moving Map software. I've kept PCs for over 10 years using that method.

[Mace 1,927]

Agree.  My clocked 2700K machine, great as it was, has been surpassed by time...but I use it as moving map, or FSX flying the PMDG MD-11 etc.   It has to be 8+ years old now, and I have no plans to retire it, at least right now.

[chevelle505 11]

Is it a fact that if I go from AMD to intel Ill have to reinstall EVERYTHING right down to windows? Or can i just swap out mobo and cpu?

[ryanbatc 12,857]

I'd redo your OS drive at least...and you'll need to do your sim drives too...

Don't want to have old drivers etc

[Ray Proudfoot 8,960]

1 hour ago, chevelle505 said:

Is it a fact that if I go from AMD to intel Ill have to reinstall EVERYTHING right down to windows? Or can i just swap out mobo and cpu?

Support for Windows 7 ends in January. No more security updates. You could carry on using it providing you’re careful when web browsing. Otherwise update that to 10 too providing it meets the minimum spec.

[chevelle505 11]

Ok thanks guys, pretty much confirmed what I was already thinking..time to just build a whole new platform. Been looking at the I7 9700k and a motherboard (cpu/mobo set) and some new ram for it...will probably stick with the same gpu for now ( assuming that would get me by for a little while longer until my wallet recovers). Any thoughts on that I7 or is there a better option sticking close to the same price point? Im wanting to run with sliders about mid way with orbx scenery ect(including traffic around 50%) and still get 20-25fps on the ground..would the 9700k even come close to pulling those numbers with addons?

Edited September 19, 2019 by chevelle505

[Mace 1,927]

1 hour ago, chevelle505 said:

Ok thanks guys, pretty much confirmed what I was already thinking..time to just build a whole new platform. Been looking at the I7 9700k and a motherboard (cpu/mobo set) and some new ram for it...will probably stick with the same gpu for now ( assuming that would get me by for a little while longer until my wallet recovers). Any thoughts on that I7 or is there a better option sticking close to the same price point? Im wanting to run with sliders about mid way with orbx scenery ect(including traffic around 50%) and still get 20-25fps on the ground..would the 9700k even come close to pulling those numbers with addons?

During the "temporary" time you stick with the 1050 graphics card, I'm thinking you will have some problems with hi mem scenes.  The card mem will fill up and you'll start getting choppiness.  You'll probably have to run with lower texture resolution to make due.

Once you get a better gfx card, then yes, your 9700K -- when clocked to the high 4's -- will give you the performance you desire, except maybe in the most demanding of places (add-on Heathrow, LAX, lots of AI, etc.).

I hear you on the gfx card prices.  We need more competition there.

[AnkH 2,267]

If price is an relevant issue and you know that you are going to use the same rig for other things than P3D, I would nevertheless take a serious look on those novel Ryzen CPUs...

[chevelle505 11]

Looked at ryzen and to be honest..my current board being AM3+ Id have to upgrade the board too...i have my doubts that a ryzen chip will give the same performance as the 9700k..and for the money id be saving..simply not worth the investment in the first place..if im going to drop $500 the i just assume drop $800 and have what im really after. Thanks though for all the help guys!!! Saving my Penney's for that intel setup....maybe something like this....

https://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails?ItemList=Combo.3885055

Or this...

https://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails?ItemList=Combo.3883911