Best Sim for Microsoft Surface Pro 7?

[George Cooke 7]

Hi all - I hope this is the right place to post - if not apologies in advance! 

Since COVID hit I agreed with my wife that to stay sane during the lockdown I would choose a new hobby or go back to an old one. I chose Flight Sim which I was once really into but haven't looked at for 10+ years. My only computer is a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 specced below:

• Processor - 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 - 4 cores, 8 threads, 1.30 → 3.90 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 15W
• Graphics - Intel Iris Plus Graphics - 64 Execution Units, 300 → 1100 MHz
• Memory - 16GB - 3733 MHz LPDDR4X RAM
• Storage - 1 TB - BGA PCIe SSD

 

I already know that if you were buying a machine to use flight sim it would NOT be this one :-) but this is such a wonderful computer for everything else I need it for and I do not have the space or desire for a second machine. I also have the various Logitec Yoke, Throtlle and Rudders. So the set up is portable, I can put it away, and bring it out quickly.

 

So, to my selection dilmena.

 

I have tried X-Plane 11 (utter fail - deleted the demo bc the Surface is under powered), P3D v5 (utter fail - returned as I could not get past an error screen which suggested I didn't have the right type of graphics card), P3D v4.5 - not bad. Frame rates for P3D v4.5 around 10-15 with an ORBX region (EU Scotland) or the Base, Vector + OpenLC loaded and a plane from A2A (172) or MilViz (Beaver).

 

So I thought I wonder if FSX:SE would be better as surely the above machine would have been state of the art back in the day and I had bought a copy of FSX:SE for £3.99 in a sale a few years ago when I was thinking of restarting the hobby but had never used it.

 

The result, with the EXACT same Add Ons from ORBX loaded, an add-on plane, and nothing else, I am getting frame rates of 30-100 (although I lock it now at 30 and hit that 90% of the time - and the flying is smooth). And not all, but most of the Graphics sliders are in the Max and Ultra region, and I'm using the DX 10 fix.

 

Everything looks good, flies well, etc. BUT I have a nagging doubt that if I configure it "correctly" my P3D v4.5 will be better that FSX.

 

Any thoughts and advice? Should I stick with FSX or bite the bullet and go back to P3D and just learn to tweak it til I get the right frame rates???

 

[Nuno Pinto 1,397]

You won't like this, but you're using the wrong platform. You need a more powerful platform, namely in the graphics department.

Either that or run FS2004 but FS2004... yeah.

[charliearon 3,024]

To avoid the FSX VS P3D VS Xplane debates in the FSX forum, I have moved your post to the Hangar Chat forum.  Personally, I would use what works for you!  Welcome back to the crazy world of flightsim! 🤪

[CFIJose 5,485]

2 hours ago, dagbostar said:

Hi all - I hope this is the right place to post - if not apologies in advance! 

Since COVID hit I agreed with my wife that to stay sane during the lockdown I would choose a new hobby or go back to an old one. I chose Flight Sim which I was once really into but haven't looked at for 10+ years. My only computer is a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 specced below:

• Processor - 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 - 4 cores, 8 threads, 1.30 → 3.90 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 15W
• Graphics - Intel Iris Plus Graphics - 64 Execution Units, 300 → 1100 MHz
• Memory - 16GB - 3733 MHz LPDDR4X RAM
• Storage - 1 TB - BGA PCIe SSD

 

I already know that if you were buying a machine to use flight sim it would NOT be this one 🙂 but this is such a wonderful computer for everything else I need it for and I do not have the space or desire for a second machine. I also have the various Logitec Yoke, Throtlle and Rudders. So the set up is portable, I can put it away, and bring it out quickly.

 

So, to my selection dilmena.

 

I have tried X-Plane 11 (utter fail - deleted the demo bc the Surface is under powered), P3D v5 (utter fail - returned as I could not get past an error screen which suggested I didn't have the right type of graphics card), P3D v4.5 - not bad. Frame rates for P3D v4.5 around 10-15 with an ORBX region (EU Scotland) or the Base, Vector + OpenLC loaded and a plane from A2A (172) or MilViz (Beaver).

 

So I thought I wonder if FSX:SE would be better as surely the above machine would have been state of the art back in the day and I had bought a copy of FSX:SE for £3.99 in a sale a few years ago when I was thinking of restarting the hobby but had never used it.

 

The result, with the EXACT same Add Ons from ORBX loaded, an add-on plane, and nothing else, I am getting frame rates of 30-100 (although I lock it now at 30 and hit that 90% of the time - and the flying is smooth). And not all, but most of the Graphics sliders are in the Max and Ultra region, and I'm using the DX 10 fix.

 

Everything looks good, flies well, etc. BUT I have a nagging doubt that if I configure it "correctly" my P3D v4.5 will be better that FSX.

 

Any thoughts and advice? Should I stick with FSX or bite the bullet and go back to P3D and just learn to tweak it til I get the right frame rates???

 

You can't go wrong with FSX Steam edition. It's a platform that can easily be updated with some very nice add-ons. It's also a good starting point, until MSFS2020 is released.

Edited June 25, 2020 by DJJose

[W2DR 1,860]

Welcome to the forum(s). I think FSX Steam Edition will work fine if you don't use a lot of add-ons and keep the graphics options at a reasonable level. For the price it's well worth a try at least..........Doug

[Chock 17,769]

To be honest, if you get the SteveFX DX10 Scenery Fixer/Cloud Shadows add-on for FSX, it looks about as good as P3D. I think most people would be hard pressed to tell if a screenshot was from a copy of FSX with that add-on, or the latest version of P3D. So if FSX works for you on the hardware you've got, then why not enjoy it?

As long as FSX can deliver a reasonable frame rate on your hardware, it's really only when you start throwing a ton of add-ons at it to the point where it reaches its VAS limit of 4Gb and possibly crashes that there is a problem, so if you keep a lid on things add-on wise and don't go mad with the detail sliders, FSX is fine.

[George Cooke 7]

@Chock  @W2DR  @DJJose  @charliearon  @Nuno Pinto Thanks all for you helpful feedback. The responses are quite reassuring and I will stick with FSX:SE as it is giving me the smooth flying with the few add-ons (mostly scenery) that I have. It's old and creaky like me so I think we're a good fit for now!

[W2DR 1,860]

Enjoy it. I still have FSX installed alongside P3D and I find myself using it more and more. There is just something about it that really grabs me. One thing you can add that won't affect the framerate are the ORBX Global ground textures and the ORBX Landclass products. In fact, many of us have seen a slight increase in FPS after installing the textures. Those two add-ons do SO much to improve the looks of things. Anyway, have fun............Doug

P.S. - And take the advice from Chock about the DX 10 fixer. Not only will things look better but it, too, may give a slight improvement in FPS.

Edited June 26, 2020 by W2DR
Added P.S.

[George Cooke 7]

Yes, I have the Orbx Base and Vector - both really fantastic. I'm almost (!) toying with the idea of never looking at the FPS. I read somewhere recently to forget the FPS and just focus on "does it feel smooth". Apparently life is better that way 🙂