Hi, 

I am in the position that I need a new computer. I am a long time user of FSX, and with the new computer I am also planning to move to P3D v4+. I am restricted with my choice of computer and would like to get your inputs as to which area I should put most focus on with my new computer specs. 

The main restriction is that it has to be an Apple MacBook Pro due to various reasons. Since flight simming is a side hobby to my actual (real world) flying I am not getting a designated computer for that. I will be running P3D on a Windows "bootcamp"-partition on the MacBook (done so for years, works like charm).

Below are the base specs of the computer I am intending to purchase, however, I got a sweet deal allowing me to upgrade one of the components for free, and here I'd like to optimise it for P3D (and potentially MFS2020) to the extend possible.

Any suggestions in this area are highly appreciated 🙂
 

Ram: 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 memory - upgradeable to 32GB 2400MHz DDR4 memory
 

HDD: 512GB SSD storage - storage should be enough.
 

Processor: 2.3GHz 8‑core 9th‑generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz - upgradeable to 2.4GHz 8‑core 9th‑generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz
 

Graphics: Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory - upgradeable to Radeon Pro Vega 16 with 4GB of HBM2 memory

18 hours ago, Waterside said:

Hi, 

I am in the position that I need a new computer. I am a long time user of FSX, and with the new computer I am also planning to move to P3D v4+. I am restricted with my choice of computer and would like to get your inputs as to which area I should put most focus on with my new computer specs. 

The main restriction is that it has to be an Apple MacBook Pro due to various reasons. Since flight simming is a side hobby to my actual (real world) flying I am not getting a designated computer for that. I will be running P3D on a Windows "bootcamp"-partition on the MacBook (done so for years, works like charm).

Below are the base specs of the computer I am intending to purchase, however, I got a sweet deal allowing me to upgrade one of the components for free, and here I'd like to optimise it for P3D (and potentially MFS2020) to the extend possible.

Any suggestions in this area are highly appreciated 🙂
 

Ram: 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 memory - upgradeable to 32GB 2400MHz DDR4 memory
 

HDD: 512GB SSD storage - storage should be enough.
 

Processor: 2.3GHz 8‑core 9th‑generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz - upgradeable to 2.4GHz 8‑core 9th‑generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz
 

Graphics: Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory - upgradeable to Radeon Pro Vega 16 with 4GB of HBM2 memory

Is this a laptop or a desktop?

 

If you are thinking of moving upto P3D, I think you are going to be vastly underwhelmed.

Basically, ALL elements except the SSD are substandard.  The memory wants to be 3200mhz stuff at worst, a 2.3ghz CPU is just not going to cut it, and the Radeon 560x isn't much better than onboard graphics.

If the 2.3ghz is a typo, and is a 9900k, thats as good a CPU as you will get, but the system will be completely unbalanced with slow memory, and a poor graphics card.  Ideally you want an Nvidia card, and if indeed the cpu is a 9900k, I wouldn't be wanting to pair it with anything less than a 2070/1080.

I would recommend saving up some more money rather than buying what you have listed.

Can't justify a dedicated system, so you're going to spend $3000 or more on an Apple laptop to run flight sim poorly, instead of building a dedicated system for say $1500 to do it signficantly better?  

There are plenty of relatively inexpensive Apple laptops out there if you *need* one.  Why not spend $1000 on a Macbook Air and $2000 on a flight sim PC that's going to make a huge difference in terms of immersion?  

For the record, I am not anti-Apple, I own a Macbook Pro and my wife has a Macbook Air.  Throw in about 20 other Apple smart devices while we're at it.  I do believe in using the best tool for the job, however, and a Macbook Pro is not the best tool to run flight sim, plain and simple.