Best CPU upgrade

[gfd 15]

Everyone continues tweaking even when they are getting great performance and FPS because every scenario (what is loaded, the flightplan, the time of the day, the weather, etc.) changes and what was great for one situation may not work as well in another situation. I think the best thing you can do is set modest settings (not everything maxed out) and live with them. I use the settings in the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide and they generally work great for me. Crisp graphics most of the time and high fps. I use no tweaks as I think tweaks are bad (so did NickN when he wrote his Bible). Powerful systems today really do not need any tweak to make fsx work better because it won't work better. I have personally tried all of the tweaks over the past year and none have worked for me. In fact they slowed down my system in many cases and caused stuttering, long pauses, and other anomalies. I do use two tweaks - the LOD Radius has been raised to 6.5 over the default max of 4.5 and I have raised the Texture_Max_Load from the default of 1024 to 4096. The 4096 setting works most of the time but there is really no visible changes I have seen between 2048HD and 4096HD. The difference increases performance but nothing really aw, gee, whiz stuff. I do use Direct X 10 in FSX and, of course, DX11 in P3DV2 (automatically turned on) and, of course, that provides performance gains in FSX.

 

Bottom line - stop tweaking and go fly. There is no holy grail of settings out there and you will never find it with current tweaks and settings. If a new performance tweak ever shows up though, you and everyone else will immediately know about it. I think we have to wait for the next generation of computers and continued software coding of P3D in order for that ability to max everything out and see people on buildings and walking on the streets at a solid 40 fps.

 

Best regards,

 

You hit the nail squarely on the head. Particularly "... because it won't work better". Every once in awhile, we need a small dose of reality. Thanks for this.

[niyoko 7]

Everyone continues tweaking even when they are getting great performance and FPS because every scenario (what is loaded, the flightplan, the time of the day, the weather, etc.) changes and what was great for one situation may not work as well in another situation. I think the best thing you can do is set modest settings (not everything maxed out) and live with them. I use the settings in the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide and they generally work great for me. Crisp graphics most of the time and high fps. I use no tweaks as I think tweaks are bad (so did NickN when he wrote his Bible). Powerful systems today really do not need any tweak to make fsx work better because it won't work better. I have personally tried all of the tweaks over the past year and none have worked for me. In fact they slowed down my system in many cases and caused stuttering, long pauses, and other anomalies. I do use two tweaks - the LOD Radius has been raised to 6.5 over the default max of 4.5 and I have raised the Texture_Max_Load from the default of 1024 to 4096. The 4096 setting works most of the time but there is really no visible changes I have seen between 2048HD and 4096HD. The difference increases performance but nothing really aw, gee, whiz stuff. I do use Direct X 10 in FSX and, of course, DX11 in P3DV2 (automatically turned on) and, of course, that provides performance gains in FSX.

 

Bottom line - stop tweaking and go fly. There is no holy grail of settings out there and you will never find it with current tweaks and settings. If a new performance tweak ever shows up though, you and everyone else will immediately know about it. I think we have to wait for the next generation of computers and continued software coding of P3D in order for that ability to max everything out and see people on buildings and walking on the streets at a solid 40 fps.

 

Best regards,

Very true, there could be no end to tweeking and no perfect hardware setup. I would also add that there is no perfect FPS as well. FPS in Prepar3D & FSX is a bit of a red herring.

[whitetimer 0]

So money no object, just what would be the best CPU to buy ?

[autogyro 18]

What's the current most expensive but highest overclockable one? Probably that one. If you can get good single core performance (4.5 ghz+) as well as multicore then you'll probably sit pretty. For the most part.

[DylanM 1,069]

Here's a bit more information on Intel's roadmap (still waiting to see how much of an improvement Skylake is compared to Haswell, given that's it's a tock in the architecture):

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/194925-intels-comprehensive-roadmap-update-4g-tablets-skylake-on-track-for-h2-2015

[Jetblst 23]

Everyone continues tweaking even when they are getting great performance and FPS because every scenario (what is loaded, the flightplan, the time of the day, the weather, etc.) changes and what was great for one situation may not work as well in another situation. I think the best thing you can do is set modest settings (not everything maxed out) and live with them. I use the settings in the AVSIM FSX Configuration Guide and they generally work great for me. Crisp graphics most of the time and high fps. I use no tweaks as I think tweaks are bad (so did NickN when he wrote his Bible). Powerful systems today really do not need any tweak to make fsx work better because it won't work better. I have personally tried all of the tweaks over the past year and none have worked for me. In fact they slowed down my system in many cases and caused stuttering, long pauses, and other anomalies. I do use two tweaks - the LOD Radius has been raised to 6.5 over the default max of 4.5 and I have raised the Texture_Max_Load from the default of 1024 to 4096. The 4096 setting works most of the time but there is really no visible changes I have seen between 2048HD and 4096HD. The difference increases performance but nothing really aw, gee, whiz stuff. I do use Direct X 10 in FSX and, of course, DX11 in P3DV2 (automatically turned on) and, of course, that provides performance gains in FSX.

 

Bottom line - stop tweaking and go fly. There is no holy grail of settings out there and you will never find it with current tweaks and settings. If a new performance tweak ever shows up though, you and everyone else will immediately know about it. I think we have to wait for the next generation of computers and continued software coding of P3D in order for that ability to max everything out and see people on buildings and walking on the streets at a solid 40 fps.

 

Best regards

 

 

Just to be clear?   I wasn't trying, anyway, to talk about tweaks.  I am in the same exact camp you are firehawk.  I only have the tweaks NickN suggests I follow him closely.  

 

To the point what I am saying is that I am looking for those using P3D to hopefully ante up some advice on Processor VS CPU?  Is there a difference or are we talking about simply a much better version of FSX over at P3D.

 

I am trying to decide when if or when I would make the move to P3D is all.  Then to that end which is a good way to proceed with hardware.

 

I really like the instructions given here on AVSIM for setup as well.  Works great, lasts a long time.  That with NickN's methods has my machine at an optimum.  Which is not even CLOSE to what is available today.  (IE AMD Phenom II Black and a GTS 450 is ALL I use and it works great with adjustment of sliders.

 

So hopefully we can get some hardware pros and cons of what people are finding over at P3D.  

 

Apologies if I wasn't clear.   :smile:

[Jim Young 2,356]

 

 

Just to be clear? I wasn't trying, anyway, to talk about tweaks.

 

Here's what you stated that got me to talk about tweaks:

 

 

 

My two cents not worth even that is that FSX... I'm tired of the constant adjustments, DX10 fixer patchers, some new song and dance tweak. I too did the NickN Bible shuffle. <- WHICH by the way is the best method out there for a novice to medium tech minded person to build their own FSX rig which is the scope of his work.
Quickly - I will add that VIA NickNs bible I never NEVER have any CTD, OOM, or any other faults or problems. So there is a lot to be said for him.

 

The really old topic you dredged up does talk about the best CPU, etc., (or at least the title of the topic does) and perhaps it would have been better to start a new topic entitled "Best CPU Upgrade" instead of letting us read old CPU news.  If you really are interested in the best CPU's, the best place to get an answer to that question is in the Hardware Forum regarding CPU's.  This is where most of the hardware experts reside and can provide the best advice as there really isn't a CPU that is best for P3D or FSX or FSX-SE, or X-Plane.  If a CPU works great in FSX or X-Plane or Microsoft Flight, it will work great in P3DV2.  This is why we try to keep hardware discussions in the hardware forums.

 

To specifically answer your CPU question though, any Haswell CPU works great with all flight simulators.  I have the i7 4770K and it works great even without it being overclocked.  There is no CPU that will allow maximum settings for any flight simulator for any length of time.  It may work great for short flights but any long flights you will run out of VAS very quickly with high settings.

 

Best regards,

[Jetblst 23]

Here's what you stated that got me to talk about tweaks:

 

 

 

 

The really old topic you dredged up does talk about the best CPU, etc., (or at least the title of the topic does) and perhaps it would have been better to start a new topic entitled "Best CPU Upgrade" instead of letting us read old CPU news.  If you really are interested in the best CPU's, the best place to get an answer to that question is in the Hardware Forum regarding CPU's.  This is where most of the hardware experts reside and can provide the best advice as there really isn't a CPU that is best for P3D or FSX or FSX-SE, or X-Plane.  If a CPU works great in FSX or X-Plane or Microsoft Flight, it will work great in P3DV2.  This is why we try to keep hardware discussions in the hardware forums.

 

To specifically answer your CPU question though, any Haswell CPU works great with all flight simulators.  I have the i7 4770K and it works great even without it being overclocked.  There is no CPU that will allow maximum settings for any flight simulator for any length of time.  It may work great for short flights but any long flights you will run out of VAS very quickly with high settings.

 

Best regards,

 

Ah.  That makes more sense and you are right.  Agreed, about the new post.  My searches did not come up with a definitive answer to the question, as you just gave.  So from here in I guess that if I don't get the answer I'm looking for, perhaps it IS time for a new post on the subject.   :smile:

[Jim Young 2,356]

Yes sir.  We have a lot of members who complain to our moderators about members dredging up old topics.  With computer hardware especially, things change rapidly and looking at information regarding old hardware is simply no fun when we start reading and then realize the topic is old.  I really appreciate your positive comments about this.  Hope you get the answers you need to make your decision.

 

Best regards,