Would I get decent frames with an i7-7700 and 980, with aircraft addons like PMDG and Aerosoft? Also, what’s this about the 980 and not supporting FSX’s game engine?

Any mid-range pc can run FSX well enough. The problem isn't fps, it's the VAS-limitation of a 32Bit platform. You could spend $500 or $5,000. Makes no difference.

Yes.

Agree with @Ricardo41 about your description. 

I ran FSX on hardware less than yours for several years...BUT...both the PMDG and Aerosoft products are VERY heavy on VAS memory. This will be your limiting factor (assuming you go easy on autogen and AI).

 

8 minutes ago, yurei said:

Agree with @Ricardo41 about your description. 

I ran FSX on hardware less than yours for several years...BUT...both the PMDG and Aerosoft products are VERY heavy on VAS memory. This will be your limiting factor (assuming you go easy on autogen and AI).

 

How would this be ‘limiting’?

9 minutes ago, OfficialLiovo said:

How would this be ‘limiting’?

In practical terms, the VAS limitation will mean you not be able to have a dozen Aerosoft airports activated in the sim at once, for example. In my case, I would only activate the scenery needed for my current flight. If flying in Morocco, no need for high VAS scenery in USA. 

Texture size directly affects VAS usage. So lots of scenery and planes that use 4k textures use way more VAS than scenery and planes that use 1k textures. 

What happens when you hit the VAS limit, is FSX crashes. 

15 minutes ago, OfficialLiovo said:

How would this be ‘limiting’?

Do some research on FSX and "OOM" crashes.  FSX is a 32-bit program, so it can only utilize 4GB of virtual address space, no matter how much RAM is installed on the system (4GB is the maximum addressable with 32 bits).  Advanced add-ons that need a lot of address space (mostly acft and scenery), when used together, can run the sim out of VAS, causing the OS to kick FSX to the curb with the dreaded "Your computer has run out of available memory" error.

The 7700 will run FSX, but frame rates will be limited by the 4.0 GHZ max turbo speed of the non-K version of that CPU.  The 980 supports DX9 and DX10 just fine...I ran FSX with a 980 some years back.

I run FSX successfully with the  I7-7700k and the 980ti without any problems. However, I don't run any PMDG aircraft or custom scenery.

 

See the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide for more information (link in my signature).  MegaSceneryEarth (photoscenery) sent me an e-mail this AM and told me to change my LOD (Level of Detail) to 15 (had it at 6.5).  I got about 30 miles from KDCA before getting an Out of Memory crash.  So settings matter.

I have a 7700K cpu and GTX 970 video card and this combo runs FSX:SE very well.  Smooth frames at 30fps 95% of the time.

The only time my frame rates struggle a bit is with dense city autogen combined with PMDG, Carenado, and Aerosoft aircraft. 

Those who point out the VAS limitation issue are also correct if using a 32-bit simulator like FSX, although your hardware doesn't matter where that is concerned.

Dave

8 hours ago, Jim Young said:

See the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide for more information (link in my signature).  MegaSceneryEarth (photoscenery) sent me an e-mail this AM and told me to change my LOD (Level of Detail) to 15 (had it at 6.5).  I got about 30 miles from KDCA before getting an Out of Memory crash.  So settings matter.

Interesting - I bought MegaSceneryEarth for the first time a few days ago and got the same e-mail.  I thought they sent that e-mail to people a few days after purchase automatically.  So it is new information for all MSE users after all.  Thanks Jim.

For the OP, I have a 4790K and GTX 970.  No problems at all, especially if you use the setup guide from this site.  I don't have a PMDG-type aircraft, though.