fps - what am I missing?

[rjmck 0]

I am running fsx on vista 32bit business edition:computer is 3ghz pentium 4 dual core with 2gb memoryvideo card is ATI Radeon x1650 with 512mb memorywith the default B738 parked at terminal Brisbane YBBN, I am getting around 8-9fpsBUTam using only 56% cpu and 59% ramwhy am i not getting better fps with that 'spare capacity'?is it to do with other settings?any suggestions to improve this frustratingly poor fps appreciated.Ron(display details:screen 1360x1024 - global textures:high - filtering:antiostropic - anti-aliasing: video card - lens flare and bloom:off - a/c shadows:off -level of deatil:medium - mesh complexity:79 - mesh render: 76m - texture :1m - water effects:1.x - scenery complexity:dense - special effects: high - autogen:nil - traffic: nil )

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

FSX uses only one core for the main display thread (as best I know). The other core(s) is/are used for texture loading.

[Guest DigitalNoise]

>I am running fsx on vista 32bit business edition:>computer is 3ghz pentium 4 dual core with 2gb memory>video card is ATI Radeon x1650 with 512mb memory>>with the default B738 parked at terminal Brisbane YBBN, I am>getting around 8-9fps>BUT>am using only 56% cpu and 59% ram>>why am i not getting better fps with that 'spare capacity'?>is it to do with other settings?>>any suggestions to improve this frustratingly poor fps>appreciated.>>Ron>>(display details:>screen 1360x1024 - global textures:high ->filtering:antiostropic - anti-aliasing: video card - lens>flare and bloom:off - a/c shadows:off ->level of deatil:medium - mesh complexity:79 - mesh render: 76m>- texture :1m - water effects:1.x - scenery complexity:dense ->special effects: high - autogen:nil - traffic: nil )>>>Would say the weak link is your ATI 1650.Though FSX is very CPU dependent it still requires a strong card.Old system below gives consistant 18-26FPS (locked@26) with CS-727-200, at Brisbane she drops to 12-14.the old box runs an old AMD Barton-mobile AGP Nforce2 board o/c to 2.6 GHz, 1gig low CL 5222 ram >but< the custom (reversed PCI-e bridgechip Gainward NV7900GT-512 ram. Video card Settings: Game overide= 4sAA, 16 bit Aniso, Alpha-SSAAFSX, Anistropic, (no AA as card is set to overide FSX)1600x1200x32 Global Textures=high, Lens flare=on, Airplane shadows=on, Mesh=83/76m Texture=1m water 2.x Scenery and AG = normal FX=high, Trafic=low

[Guest SanH]

yes, go to your settings and set FPS to unlimited (i.e. dont lock it). You will then see a major jump.

[McCrash 3]

Set this 'special effects' back a bit. I think there is a 'Normal' setting.

[Paul J 349]

I think DigNoise is correct: I went from a 1600xt to the 1950XTX (which blows the 1600 series out of the water) and then a month ago to the HD3870 and got an even bigger increase in frames. I also oc'd the c2d 6600 o/c'd to 3.3 last year. Everything has an impact on fps: from a clean registry; constant defragging; the right settings in the fsx.cfg; the right settings on the video card; and so on. The major "magic bullet" for me was the c2d. I ALWAYS get a very fluid sim - over 20 - anywhere around SEA and LAX, but it has only come by reading, experimenting, search forums and just plain patience.