fsx computer build

[cause88]

In the process of putting together the hardware for a new computer. First upgrade in 3 1/2 years. Want to upgrade fsx experience and be ready for future games (mostly for fsx experience.)
My selections as of right now.

Mobo: EVGA 123-YW-E175-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI

Cpu:      Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775

Cpu cooler: OCZ OCZTVEND2 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler

Ram:      CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)

Dual Video cards: EVGA 512-P3-N975-AR GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

Hard drives: Western Digital Caviar RE WD2500YS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Raid card: HighPoint RocketRAID1720 PCI SATA II Controller Card RAID 0/1 JBOD

Case and Psu: Antec TITAN650 Pedestal Server Case 650W Antec Psu

Flight controls: Saitek PZ35 Pro Flight Rudder Pedals
Saitek PZ44 Pro Flight Yoke System Controllers

Suggestions or comments much appreciated.

[T1MT1M]

Dual Video cards: EVGA 512-P3-N975-AR GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

If you want it mostly for FSX then drop these and grab a GTX 280. SLI does pretty much nothing for FSX

[cause88]

i appreciate the comment. i keep seeing conflicting information about how effective sli is in fsx. since my current system is still running a 9700 pro card on a amd athlon xp 2700+ thoroughbred i am way over due for an upgrade.

[NickN]

SLI is usless

also, the motherboard is not very stable for clocking

I would go with a Asus Rampage Formula and forget about Nvidia

[cause88]

Nick I am glad you popped up here. After much of the day searching past threads on this forum I have made a few adjustments to my list. I have substituted my Motherboard, video card and memory.

Motherboard   ASUS RAMPAGE FORMULA LGA 775 Intel X48

Video card      EVGA 896-P3-1262-AR GeForce GTX 260 Superclocked Edition 896MB 448-bit GDDR3

Ram            CORSAIR DOMINATOR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066

Everything else is staying the same unless someone can point out a reason for change.

I notice that you seem to have a preference toward x38 and x48 motherboards, can you explain why?
why the preferences for corsair dominator series of ram as compared to the corsair xms series?
Lastly I have finally come to understand the logic behind looking at a video cards bit rate more than its model number designation.
After combing through your posts over a good part of the year, I am greatly appreciative of any info or insight you can share with me.

Thanks Dennis

[NickN]

If you are not going to overclock there is no reason to buy 1066 memory.

The memory product I list is because I know it will clock stable

After several purchases of modern Nvidia motherboards and going through them I found to be loaded with issues and were not as stable in clocks. They also do not perform as well as x38 x48 motherboards

From the rest of your list, you can drop this

HighPoint RocketRAID1720 PCI SATA II Controller Card RAID 0/1 JBOD

that card is no better than the onboard SATA motherboard controller. Its a gimick card


You would be better off on a Single VelociRaptor than running RAID on the motherboard ports or that card you posted.

A professional hardware RAID card that would make a difference would be this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6816116042

which requires this battery backup unit

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6816116051




I have no clue about the quality of the Antec 650 PSU that comes with the tower. Sometimes those "come with tower" PSU's can be cut-down versions of their better products. I usually buy a tower without the PSU and supply my own. When I buy a PSU I buy PC Power and Cooling units. Their 750watt Silencer series is on sale for under 100 dollars right now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817703009

When it comes to towers I always buy one with 120mm rear fan(s) that have a wire grill and never perf metal becasue perf makes noise and blocks airflow by 50%

The tower you selected is huge.. its designed for multi drives as a server box. It has perf metal fan ports.

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/ ... 027-08.jpg


If I was going to spend 200 dollars on a tower, which in my case I usually spend between 250 and 350 without a PSU, I will get one with wire grill fan ports so the tower can breathe and not make noise

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/ ... 089-10.jpg

[NickN]

There is one other thing I would like to point out

you are building a FSX tower. You are selecting DDR2 parts and DDR3 is now entering its 2nd generation with i7.

For about 500 more you could put yourself into a tower that will out perform what you selected by a longshot. Considering the fact that you could spend that 500 on a different processor running DDR2 and never see the same performace in FSX I would suggest you may wish to change the processor, motherboard and memory to i7

You will most likely reach a point of wanting to upgrade that Q6600 which is really a old news processor since the Q96 hit the market.

i7 940
P6T Palm motherboard (OC Palm is a nice feature)
DDR3 1600 3x2GB 8-8-8 1.65v

You will need a socket 1366 heatsink if you intend to try and clock above 3.5GHz and that proc will do 4. Thermalright is releasing a 120 Extreme 1366 version in about a week or so which comes with a fan. Or a 120 Extreme can be used with a special backplate mount sold to convert the 120 Extreme socket 775 to 1366 but the original 120 Extreme does not come with a PWM 4 pin fan

Use a 64bit OS for full 6GB access. If 32bit you can mark the OS for >2GB aware and use up to 3.2GB of the first 4. FSX SP2 is >2GB aware and will use the memory


You will probably spend about 550 more for all that but the result in FSX will be much greater than the highest most insane overclock you can ever get out of the Q6600 or even a Q9650 on DDR2

[cause88]

Thank you for the reply.
Crap now I not only have to re-evaluate my entire system, but my entire gaming style and expectations. Of course that is one of the reasons I do advanced research and compile as much information in advance, so as to make an informed decision on the subject.

In truth I am not a major gamer by any means. In fact the only games I play with any regularity are much older games that in truth don

[NickN]

To make full use of 1066 and good 1066 product you need to be on these settings:

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1223693603

2nd post down.

He was onDDR2 1066 and a Q6600 till we got him into a Q9650 and a DDR3 system



Thing is.. FSX is the game that tops all others for resource needs in CPU therefore if you really want decent FSX results you need to clocking the Q6600

What you want out of FSX and what you are willing to pay for that result is up to you

[cause88]

Nick
Thank you for the reply again. I am now to that stage of decision making where I have to try and be honest with myself and bridge the gap between what makes sense from a logical stand point and what makes sense from a realistic sense. This is the part of the process that I always dread.

I will take a look at all the information that is available on this site from past and present posts and try to apply it to my current situation.

Once I think I have it dialed in I will post the results here and I hope you will review the components and offer any tidbits of knowledge that you choose to toss my way.

I really appreciate all the information that you have shared with me in this endeavor.

Dennis

[cause88]

Nick,
Well after much soul searching and gnashing of teeth, I think I have my new system finally nailed down.

First I would like to extend a big

[NickN]

Naaaaa.. running FSX from its own drive is the way to go.. just make a folder on that drive and install FSX to it using the CUSTOM install selections with the DVD



Rock and roll...   have fun with that system.. you will have a lot of room to clock with it and you wont be sorry you made the plunge

[raptorx]

Hi Dennis,

Get the 300Gb Velociraptor for FSX.  That 150Gb will fill up fast and you really only have 50% of your drive to use if you want to keep drive performance.  They're going for well under the original $300 price tag they used to have.  You're going to have a real nice sim once you get that chip to 4GHz.  

-Jim

[cause88]

The parts for my computer arrived yesterday, with the exception of my Ultra-120 extreme heat sink. The heat sink is scheduled to arrive on Monday. I have gotten the side and rear fan ports dremeled out and replaced with wire fan grills, and I have started putting it together to run over the weekend, with stock cooling for a few days until the Ultra-120 extreme arrives. Then the true adventure begins.

[SubZer0]

Dennis

it's good to see you have your parts now. it's hard waiting for that cooler knowing you have everything else, isn't it?  ;D

I"ve had my system for about 2 weeks now and it's been running like a dream. I got my i7 920 to 3.8ghz stable and that's without lapping the proc and the HSF yet... once I do I'll be able to get 4ghz easily I hope. I expect you'll have no hard time with that 940 to 4ghz.

your system will run much better than mine I believe... you have the 280 and I have the 260, and still runs games like Crysis very smooth at highest resolution (1680x1050) with AA to ON! I've clocked that sucker from 576mhz to 670mhz easily... make sure you clock that 280 to get the most out of it

the case runs quite cool and the airflow is fantastic, that's me saying that without having modded it (too lazy). if you've got that sucker modded... it's gonna run like the arctic in there  ;)

believe me, you'll be extremely happy you did this upgrade. not only will you be able to play FSX problem-free, but you'll have the ability to play Crysis and Far Cry 2 without having to yell at your computer  ;D

enjoy your new toy, man!

Andy