NZFF

Many of us will be upgrading our PC's in the coming year, to cope with FSX and also to create faster spreadsheets and word processing (NOT! )

So I was wondering if there is someone in NZ who, as a specialty, can put together a rig optimised specifically for the flight sim.
You can spend an awful lot if you want, a loaded Dell online can set you back NZD 12,386.25 (my dream build).
But it probably isn't necessary to spend that.
So I propose 3 levels of spec, each capable of running 25 fps without stutters or nasties:
1. Entry level, will run FS OK but with settings to minimum
2. Median model, mid-level settings, and
3. No-holds barred, everything maxed and capable of running a home theatre

As a group we might have some clout, if there is sufficient interest. Let's hear from you via this poll, and do you know a supplier who may be interested?

an interesting idea, but is there much of a difference between a computer that can run flight sim and one that run any other game?
what sort of specific hardware needs do flight simmers have that other gamers, say, someone who wants to play need for speed, don't have?

I am looking to spend around $700 on a new proceccer and mobo (if this is possible) and just stick my old HDD and RAM inside a new case along with a new GFX card...

That's something on my list when I get to open up my FS store:)
I was planning to offer a mid-range machine with FS installed and tweaked ready to go. Of course that's the long-term plan, short term I need to think about dinner...

this system is probably capable of running WETA:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 ..... $1,855.76
Motherboard: Microstar Intel 975X Platinum V2.0 PowerUp Edition ..... $432.35
Graphics: 2x GeForce 7950GX2 1GB ..... $2,271.70
Memory: 4x 2GB DDR2-800 PC2-6400 ..... $2,356.20
Hard Disk: 2x Seagate 500GB ..... $848.14
Case: Antec P180 ..... $450
Power Supply: Enermax 620W Liberty ..... $313.88
Monitors: 2x Samsung 244T 24" TFT LCD ..... $2,394
Sound Card: Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty 7.1 ..... $430
Keyboard: Logitech G15 ..... $114.75
Mouse: Microsoft Laser Mouse 6000 ..... $49.05
DVD Writer: LiteOn SHM-165H6S ..... $89.60

Total Cost: $11,605.43
(using the cheapest vendors/parts from Pricespy)

xmas is less than 3 months away (in case anyone wanted to get me something)

holy hell look at that beast... all the 2x things look like 2x more things to go wrong though if you ask me

nah, think of them as redundant backups on your aircraft....
you wouldn't fly with just 1 hydraulic system, now would you?

well put my friend

Maybe this helps you keeping money in your pocket.....

http://gameadvisor.futuremark.com/gamea ... ameId=1098


Max

Thanks!
Still, you have to take this with a pinch of salt, I mean MS told us FS5 would fly on a 386



So my system is all green, huh?
Yeah, right.

well mine better be... FINALLY got it sorted... some ram not liking my mobo was the cause of all my problems...

but now I am up and running and boy is it quick...

Intel C2D E6400 CPU
Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 Mobo
Asus EN7600GT VidCard
2Gigs Corsair Twin2x2048 DDR2-800 PC6400 Dual Channel RAM
Enermax Liberty 500W PSU
250Gig Seagate 7200.10 SATA-II HDD

Unfortunately, I only have 2x 15" (VGA ) Philips LCD's... but a spanky new LCD will be on my Xmas list...

The thing loads to the WinXP desktop in like 10 seconds... and its finally stable... had the Orthos DualCore StressTest running last night... ran for 7 hours without a single error... wooohoooo

Was gonna get some FS action, but wifey decided at 11:30pm that I had had enough for one night and should get some sleep

Also, after going to the PC Flying Club meeting in Auckland on Sunday night, and seeing some of the RealNZ scenary in real life... i think my Credit Card is going to take another hammering

cant wait for my flight yoke and pedals to arrive!!!!

Charl wrote: Thanks!
Still, you have to take this with a pinch of salt, I mean MS told us FS5 would fly on a 386



So my system is all green, huh?
Yeah, right.

Hmmm, I get the same result. The thing about FSX is that it is IMMENSELY scaleable, so that it is possible to get it to work ok if you currently get good performance from FS9. However, while I get FS9 to run with most settings on full, I get FSX to work with most settings on low...
The posted minimum specs are interesting, I would have thought just double all that,and you 'll be ok.

I would have thought just double all that,and you 'll be ok.

Uh huh?

Like,
2GHz P4
64 MB graphics card
512 MB memory
Windows XP, erm, SP2?

B)

Think I'll go fly my little wireframe models at 85 fps...

"Your system is among the top 5% of all systems scanned by the Game Advisor."

um.
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 3000MHz
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GS
Memory: 1024MB
Free Disk Space: 164.58GB
Optical Drive: CD/DVD
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP

its 2 years old and its in the top 5%?!?

And mine??
As our bankaccount: still in red...............

Zöltuger wrote: CPU:Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 ..... $1,855.76
Graphics: 2x GeForce 7950GX2 1GB ..... $2,271.70

Funny, the folk who were happy with their fSX install had these...

I am looking to spend around $700 on a new proceccer and mobo (if this is possible) and just stick my old HDD and RAM inside a new case along with a new GFX card...

just make sure that your ram is compatible with the new board.If your old board has 180 pin ram,you may find that your new board requires 240 pin.Personally I would go for as much memory on a board as I could get.Some of the new third party mobos can take up to 16GB of ram.Then I would make sure that the processor I got could handle the info from the graphics card.Some processors can't,The top video cards are better than the cpu's.But most important,MAKE SURE YOUR MEMORY IS MATCHED.

i'd suggest waiting until intel's 80 core processor is realeased
http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/09/27/ ... page2.html

Zöltuger wrote:

QUOTE (Zöltuger @ Sep 26 2006, 05:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

this system is probably capable of running WETA:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 ..... $1,855.76
Motherboard: Microstar Intel 975X Platinum V2.0 PowerUp Edition ..... $432.35
Graphics: 2x GeForce 7950GX2 1GB ..... $2,271.70
Memory: 4x 2GB DDR2-800 PC2-6400 ..... $2,356.20
Hard Disk: 2x Seagate 500GB ..... $848.14
Case: Antec P180 ..... $450
Power Supply: Enermax 620W Liberty ..... $313.88
Monitors: 2x Samsung 244T 24" TFT LCD ..... $2,394
Sound Card: Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty 7.1 ..... $430
Keyboard: Logitech G15 ..... $114.75
Mouse: Microsoft Laser Mouse 6000 ..... $49.05
DVD Writer: LiteOn SHM-165H6S ..... $89.60

Total Cost: $11,605.43
(using the cheapest vendors/parts from Pricespy)

xmas is less than 3 months away (in case anyone wanted to get me something)

Wow, only 4 years ago...look at those prices (CPU,RAM and GPU esp.)

NZ255 wrote:

QUOTE (NZ255 @ Sep 11 2010, 09:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow, only 4 years ago...look at those prices (CPU,RAM and GPU esp.)

Yep, it's frightening how much things have changed. Still, a very top-end system will still run a person $8-9k + - not that anyone here is likely to plonk down that much dosh on a system... I suppose things have improved a little for "all the bells & whistles" - but those Alienware systems are still Satanically expensive...