Hardware Upgrade for max settings in FSX

[nf22a]

I want to know what hardware i should upgrade to be able to run FSX at the highest settings

my comp specs are

Nvdia 7900 GS 256 MB
4 GB RAM
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Dual-Core
Nvidia nforce 570 SLI Motherboard

[HugoCampos]

You won't be able to max FSX and get really good fps as of now. Still, if you want to have the best performance in FSX, you should have at least a QX6800 orQX6850, 4GB of really fast DDRII (Corsair Dominator are the best), a motherboard with nvidia 680i chipset and either one 8800 Ultra or two of them in SLI. A really fast Hard Drive would also help a lot in loading times and in loading all the scenery while in game... you should probably get a RAPTOR!
Well, all of those components are really (REALLY!!!!) expensive. If you wanna have most settings maxed, not play at insane resolutions and have decent fps, then you can get a Q6600 or Q6700, 4GB of DDRII (G. SKill ones have really good prices and offer great performance), an 8800GTS 640Mb or a HD2900XT and a motherboard with the new Intel p35 chipset.

[Nick N]

I disaagree with the DDR2 suggestion, although good DDR2 will give a supurb result, DDR3 will overtake it by the end of the year. It already has. DDR3 2000 is being released next month and the current DDR3 offerings will run DDR3 2000 clocked up

Also, the motherboards that support DDR3 ONLY will allow a full upgrade to the true quad core Intel processors due out around the end of the year. The P35 and X38 chipsets will allow full support of the next generation of Intel processors.

AMD will be releasing their next gen chipset soon which will be needed for full support of their next gen processor due out at around the same time


What is available today will run those processors, but will run them crippled


As for running FSX MAXED OUT.. forget it. Please refer to this post made by Miltestpilot: http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 4731881/#7


You wopnt be able to max out FSX and see everything it has to offer for at least another year, less if you have a deep wallet

However, to get the best experience and have the ability to upgrade and not have to purchase new motherboard, etc, I would recommend a DDR3 system and bite the bullet on the cost. The X38 chipset motherboards will be out next month and that is what I would go for in DDR3. (I already have the P35 and *cOUGH* X38 motherboards) there is no comparison.

As for the video cards... we are about to se another change in that area as well. Both Nvidia and ATI will be going to war with their next offerings over then next 90 days.

Right now, your best bet is a 8800GTX and plan on clocking the crap out of it too, along with a QX processor and the fastest memory your wallet can afford. But dont expect FSX to run maxed.. it wont, but it will run very nice!

I would not buy any Nv 68x chipset motherboard.

[HugoCampos]

Yea, you're right about the DDRIII. I just think it's way too expensive right now. Maybe in a couple months.
When I ordered my new computer components, I had to go with the DDRII since I didn't have the money for DDRIII. I had to stay under 1500 EUR which is really not a lot in Europe. I so wish I was in the states... my 1500 EUR would be $2000 and the prices there are much better... I would get a much much better rig

[waspiflab]

Get your PPL and buy a real aircraft  ;)

[aussiewannabe]

As for running FSX MAXED OUT.. forget it. Please refer to this post made by Miltestpilot: http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 4731881/#7

It's nice to know that my original post is serving a useful purpose.

For the record, I only went "full max" to do screenshots for the Free Screenshot forum. Some look great, some look bad. As for the latter, this is what has lead me to ask knowledgable individuals on how to upgrade my CPU and PSU in order to enjoy FS more. Prior to joining, I had things set at a more reasonable/bearable level.

[Nick N]

You can push the sliders and check all the boxes in FSX or FS9 and if the hardware cant render what its being asked to do you wont see everything the software is able to deliver, regardless of settings or tweaks.

[GunnerMan]

Actually FSX can be maxed to some extent. This guy does it...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWCrqmYSeD0 it's not over Seattle but it's pretty decent. Now if he were to add a chuiller to his water loop and get some even more extreme overclocks, and do some of the tweaks around here im sure he would prolly not have much of a problem. Im not sure if this is Pre SP1 as well. He does say it runs really bad but it dosent look to bad.

So if you do have a endless sea of green in your wallet then maxing it out comfortably is probably only a few months away.

[Nick N]

Actually FSX can be maxed to some extent. This guy does it...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWCrqmYSeD0 it's not over Seattle but it's pretty decent. Now if he were to add a chuiller to his water loop and get some even more extreme overclocks, and do some of the tweaks around here im sure he would prolly not have much of a problem. Im not sure if this is Pre SP1 as well. He does say it runs really bad but it dosent look to bad.

So if you do have a endless sea of green in your wallet then maxing it out comfortably is probably only a few months away.

Im sorry

The person that did that video has no clue and that is not maxed out, not even close

The code being rendered (and aborted) is 10x FS9 code and there will not be any hardware on the market that can calc/render that amount of information properly and smoothy, and, also provide the insane shader clock needed till next year, probably around the middle to the end of next year.

Baring the sliders themselves and the information being dumped and not even being shown on the screen, FSX.cfg will allow some pretty hard-arse intense scenery once the program senses the right amount of video memory and clocks available.

You are looking at close to a terabyte of dataflow in a session, easy

FSX throttles what the hardware cant port

I saw that video

Not impressed

My single GTX and QX processor on a DDR3 system (tweaked of course) runs and looks better than that on a 24inch screen

[GunnerMan]

Well, I can agree that fsx throttles the gfx but he did have it maxed. He dosent really have controll over how much throttling the sim itself does.

[Nick N]

Not throttle, but he has control and if he wants to show off and make a real point, he can go into the FSX.cfg file and set:

LOD_RADIUS=9.500000

and

TERRAIN_MAX_AUTOGEN_TREES_PER_CELL=6000
TERRAIN_MAX_AUTOGEN_BUILDINGS_PER_CELL=6000


and enable light bloom too


Problem is, his setup is not optimized for the SLi he is running and I can tell that by the video.


I know he can not control the throttle the software imposes, but his hardware would crash and burn on the above edits so he does not have the software maxed out, not even close, and his demo does not show true hardware ability.

He does not know what hes doing. Watch the video. He uses the MAIN sliders set to ultra high, which does not come close to pushing the each setting box to the full available settings. If I do what he did, at the location he started, I would see 50+ FPS on a single card.

And then he goes on to say it runs bad. It stutters like a rutting pig in his video and he never gets out of the 20's for frames

He does not know how to set the proper resolution and lock for SLi

I have no problem with FSX on a single card


That video was posted on the net as a brag about his parts, and it is not even a good brag


LOL

[GunnerMan]

Yes he has about a 6 part vid on his building of the thing and a few other game tests. It is a nice setup nevertheless.