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FSX users help

Use this forum to discuss technical issues related to the operation of your computer. Graphics, Hardward, Software, settings, etc.
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Bosshogg
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FSX users help

Post by Bosshogg »

I have been a dedicated fs9 user from the start and have always owned FSX also. I think it's finally time to make the switch. So I need recommendations for new hardware purchase to run FSX with scenery and aircraft add-ons. Any help from this group would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
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Firebird
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Re: FSX users help

Post by Firebird »

That is a fairly wide open window there.
You don't say what your current OS is or what CPU you are using, or even how much memory you have.

The answer really depends upon the main use of your PC and whether or not you are getting a totally new one or just upgrade the one you have where you can.

With a bit more info we can probably narrow down the field of view a bit.
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TimC340
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Re: FSX users help

Post by TimC340 »

Blimey. I would say that any pretty basic computer made in the last couple of years should run FSX without any issues. If you have lots of addons, your problem will be more with the limitations of FSX than with the computer, unless the machine you're using is fairly old. I used to run FSX useably well on a 2012 MacBook with Bootcamped Windows 7, 4Gb of RAM, 256Gb SSD and whatever the Intel integrated GPU was. It ran rather better on the replacement 2015 MacBook Pro, and I haven't noticed any great improvement now I occasionally run it on my main desktop (AMD 3900X, 5700XT GPU, 32GB RAM and 8Tb storage). Its limitations are due to its 32-bit structure, inability to use multiple CPU cores and poor RAM handling.
Bosshogg
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Re: FSX users help

Post by Bosshogg »

I am currently using a 7 year old computer with windows 8.1 so planning to purchase a new one. It only has 12gb installed RAM AND 3.20GHZ Intel processor.
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f4nutter
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Re: FSX users help

Post by f4nutter »

if that's what you are planning to run, then I would buy P3Dv4 or 5 they are basically FSX.
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Firebird
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Re: FSX users help

Post by Firebird »

The hardware spec itself doesn't sound like it would have a problem running FSX. If you are buying a new 'puter then you will get Windows 11 which FSX will happily run on.
I have heard people mention about 32GB of RAM but in my experience, under Windows 11, then MSFS runs perfectly fine with 16GB of RAM.

To be honest the way I have always played buying computers is get the best that you are comfortable affording. I do not mean getting the most expensive you can. In computing terms you can spend thousands getting the top of the range everything. What you will always find is that in 12 months the same spec is almost the lowest that you can buy and it will cost you about a third of the price.

The key thing is look for as much in the way of future proofing as you can.
Such areas as the the power supply, the power supply wanted by graphics cards is constantly going up. Each external peripheral takes power as well. Get at least an 850 watt supply.
Get a motherboard with the highest standard PCIe bus that you can. The best is currently PCIe4 but PCIe5 will be here shortly. The bus is what transfers data around the PC, so from disk to graphics card and CPU. Each generation of PCIe bus doubles in speed capability.
Finally, it is something that most people are not really touching on yet but is a massive thing is M.2 drives. These are basically HDs on a RAM strip. They are very fast. The M.2 drives are specced to the PCIe generation but are backward compatible.
They are faster than HDs, they are faster than standard SSDs and they do not require connections to a USB channel. They clip straight into dedicated M.2 slots on a motherboard. So look for a motherboard with the most number of slots. If you have one slot then it will do quite nice but a lot of boards will give you up to 3 slots which gives you a massive expansion potential.

Two final things on M.2 drives. Firstly the latest generation of motherboards are capable of booting from M.2 drives. Secondly, some games are being designed with direct access capability, this is what I am lead to believe is available as standard in the latest Xboxs.
What I understand it to be is that instead of a GPU asking for certain data and the CPU loading it and passing it to the GPU, the GPU loads it directly from the disk saving time and CPU.
For this to be enabled you need three things, a game that has DX12 Ultimate controlled software, the game is installed on an M.2 drive and a GPU that can take advantage of it.
MSFS will have this capability in the future.

For GPUs I would recommend getting an Nvidia G30 series board. The best one that you are comfortable paying for. At the moment GPUs are like gold dust and unless you get an Nvidia Founders Edition you are going to be paying a lot more for third party g30 boards.

For CPUs get the one that gives you the best bang for buck. You can easily over spec yourself. What I mean is that there is no need to get an Intel i9, or equivalent, if you don't have software that uses 8 cores. You can probably save yourself a lot of money an get yourself an i5, or equivalent, more chance or actually using 4 cores.

The system I built late last year has a PCIe4 motherboard and two M.2 drives, one it boots from and one is for MSFS. The SSDs/HDs that my old PC had I just plugged in the new one and continued using. I use an Intel i5.
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TimC340
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Re: FSX users help

Post by TimC340 »

Just to add that the best way to get the best graphics card you can afford is via one of the big computer assemblers/retailers. They pay the GPU manufacturers the wholesale price, and aren't gouging in the way the resellers are. At the moment, it's possible to find complete high-end computers running an RTX3080 for less than the 3080 goes for on the open market!
Bosshogg
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Re: FSX users help

Post by Bosshogg »

Thank you all for the help and suggestions.
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