Tom's Hardware: Topic Any flight simulator X wizards out there?
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MichaelD_83,
FSX is at the extrteme CPU end of the CPU / GPU performance spectrum. It's the most CPU intensive "game" title that you can run. FSX frame rate increases with CPU cores and clocks, but requires just a sigle mid-range nVidia-based GPU card. A graphics card with dual slot rear exhaust is preferred, so that computer case temperature is as cool as possible for an overclocked CPU.
As a licensed pilot, I've been a Flight Simulator enthusiast since 1992 running Flight Simulator 4.0, and have since built my rigs especially to run flight simulations. Overclocking is essential in order to achieve the best frame rate (FPS), which increase proportionally with processor clock frequency.
Lineage of my overclocked FSX rigs:
i7 920 2.67 @ 4.0 Hyperthreading - FPS best
Q9650 3.0 @ 4.2 - FPS better
Q6600 2.4 @ 3.6 - FPS good
E6600 2.4 @ 3.6 - FPS poor
The Q6600 is relatively easy to overclock, since it's no stretch to run the Front Side Bus (FSB) at 400 Mhz, which yields 3.6 Ghz. If you download Real Temp and report the "VID" under the "Settings" button, then I can tell you approximately how much vCore you'll need to reach a stable OC. Also, at 3.6, you'll need a case with good airflow, and a high-end CPU cooler.
Comp 
Message edited by CompuTronix on 05-30-2009 at 01:07:05 AM
vulcanman,
The 9800 GTX 512 is the best card available for $99.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150371 - which will do a great job of running FSX, as long as you don't exceed 1280 resolution. Also, the 9800 is a 10.5" card.
The best card for FSX is the 8800 GTS 512 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] _-14130325 - which is available at $109.99, and also has a $20.00 mail in rebate for a greeat buy at $89.99. The same point regarding 1280 resolution applies to the 8800, which is the most powerful nVidia based 9" card available, and is on par with the 9800.
To understand how these two cards compare to one another, check out the "Graphics Card Hierarchy Chart" at the Conclucion of Tom's "Best Graphics Cards For The Money: May '09" - http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 296-6.html
Both cards feature dual-slot rear-exhaust cooling so that case temperatures will be as cool as possible for an overclocked
CPU. Also, check out Tom's Gaming Graphics Charts for FSX - http://www.tomshardware.com/charts [...] 2,783.html
Comp
Message edited by CompuTronix on 05-30-2009 at 05:55:14 PM
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