FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Any dedicated MS FSX users flying on DigitalStorm?

Post Date: 2008-07-04
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
FLighT View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member

Email address used to purchase matched with forums account email.

Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 144 		  Quote FLighT Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: Any dedicated MS FSX users flying on DigitalStorm?
    Posted: 04 Jul 2008 at 9:32am
On paper this should (hopefully) be a good build for FSX (and that's about all this box will be used for):
 
Copy of Specifications:
Chassis: Cooler Master Cosmos S Edition
Power Supply: 1200W PC Power & Cooling (ESA Edition) (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad QX9650 Extreme 3.00GHz (1333MHz FSB) (12MB Cache)
Motherboard: nVidia 790i Ultra Core 2 Quad (nForce 790i Ultra SLI) (DDR3 Only)
System Memory: 4GB DDR3 Corsair at 1800MHz Dominator DHX (Extreme-Performance)
Hard Drive 1: 300GB Western Digital VelociRaptor (10K RPM) (16MB Cache) (Extreme Speed)
Hard Drive 2: 300GB Western Digital VelociRaptor (10K RPM) (16MB Cache) (Extreme Speed)
Raid Option: - No Thanks
Hard Drive 3: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (DVD Reader 16x / CD Reader 40x)
Optical Drive 2: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x)
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1GB
Sound Card: Razer Barracuda AC-1 (Recommended)
Extreme Cooling: Liquid Chilled FrostBite Dual Loop System for CPU & Single Video Card Only
Internal Lighting: Blizzard Internal Lighting (Blue Edition) (Cold Cathode Tubes)
Modifications: NVIDIA Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA) System (Install, Test, Optimize Computer)
Boost Processor: Yes, Overclock the processor as much as possible with complete stability
Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Tweak Windows: Yes, Disable and tweak all of the non-crucial services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (64-Bit Edition) (For Enthusiasts)

 I'm not quite sure about Vista 32 or 64, or play it safe and dual boot. I'm on XP on my 2 current  boxes. I've read lots of Pro-Con on Vista with FSX. Any input would be appreciated.
Back to Top
!ender_ View Drop Down
DS Veteran
DS Veteran


Joined: 24 Oct 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4219 		  Quote !ender_ Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 04 Jul 2008 at 9:44am

Looks hot to me but im not sure youd ever need 2 raptors. Maybe smarter to get one raptor then a 500gb for storage.

i believe you would be fine with a 1000w psu
 
I'd definatly add the ram tweak, i dont have any exp messing with ddr3 but im sure youll get better results if you have them fiddle with the ram during the OC, it did a lot for me
 
definately go with vista 64, its the only way to see that ram work
Back to Top
Bismark View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member

Email address used to purchase matched with forums account email.

Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 120 		  Quote Bismark Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 04 Jul 2008 at 9:49am
I think he needs the 1200w power for his ESA set up.
And yeah it looks like it will blaze Flight
Asus Rampage Formula
Core 2 Quad Q9550
2 ATI Radeon HD4870 Crossfire
4GB Corsair DHX 1066
1000W Corsair HX
DS 850Si

Back to Top
Tyler Lowe View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie

Email address used to purchase matched with forums account email.

Joined: 14 May 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0 		  Quote Tyler Lowe Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 04 Jul 2008 at 10:01am
ATM, nothing produces faster framerates in FSX than an 8800 Ultra, not even the new flagship cards from NVidia. In time, the drivers will improve, but don't be too surprised if performance is a little bit choppy with the GTX280 at first when compared to older cards like the 8800 Ultra.
 
Here's a benchmark list from Tom's Hardware
radeon%20hd%204870
 
Back to Top
SunfighterLC View Drop Down
DS Veteran
DS Veteran


Joined: 18 Feb 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1527 		  Quote SunfighterLC Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 04 Jul 2008 at 11:05am
why does the GX2 go up in performance with AA enabled?
E8500@ 4.03Ghz
XFX 790i Ultra
1000W Corsair HX
2 280 GTX EVGA FTW
4GB OCZ Reaper 1800Mhz
250-80-300GB VR HD
Logitech Z-2300 2.1 Speakers
Asus Xonar 7.1
Hanns-G HG 281D 28" HDMI Monitor
Back to Top
Tyler Lowe View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie

Email address used to purchase matched with forums account email.

Joined: 14 May 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0 		  Quote Tyler Lowe Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 04 Jul 2008 at 11:13am
Must be an SLI profile thing.
 
Harley, this is in reference to single card solutions. SLI is naturally going to increase framerates if a good profile for the game in present in the drivers used, but your point is well made. SLI is always an option for someone looking for better perfromance.
Back to Top
FLighT View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member

Email address used to purchase matched with forums account email.

Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 144 		  Quote FLighT Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 04 Jul 2008 at 11:38am
That was quick. Thanks for the replies. I prefer user testimoney to advertising claims or even comparative testing results from hardware sites. None of them use FSX on a regular basis in their tests at high res, AA, and AF settings anyway, for some reason.
 
I have 7900's SLI'd  in my AMD box and not sure I ever benefited from it. I'll try a simpler approach this time. 
 
The second drive will be for FSX and the addons. This way when (not if ) I fubar something up it shouldn't take me as long to set things right.LOL
 
I like flying GA aircraft aircraft low and slow with UT, Scenerytech, GEX,  (FEX if they ever release a DVD - loved it in FS9), upgraded mesh, etc., so eyecandy is everything for me and I push my sliders harder than I should and at 1920 x 1200  @16AA / 16 AF on a 24" WS. So I end up locking framerate at 20 and reducing AA in the most taxing metropolitan areas. Might try a 28" with this new set up at that res.
 
I've done all the XP tweaks (Nick_N's) and don't feel there is anythig else more I can do with my present boxes in light of the advances in hardware since they were built.
 
As for liquid cooling and ESA...well, what the heck. Vista itself will be whole new experience, might as well experience all the new I can at this point as my next box will be for FS11 and whatever OS, and I don't expect to see that until 2010-2011.
 
And the first thing I'm going to do with Vista, if it doesn't come setup, is revert to Vista Basic look, maybe even Windows Basic. I never cared for the folder icon type views either, or anything but details list for folder views, call me old fashion, I just find it easier to work with.
 
Another question does comes to mid. With 64 bit is it necessary to install software using the compatability wizard or only with those programs that exhiibit a problem?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Edited by FLighT - 04 Jul 2008 at 11:41am
Back to Top
!ender_ View Drop Down
DS Veteran
DS Veteran


Joined: 24 Oct 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4219 		  Quote !ender_ Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 04 Jul 2008 at 7:59pm
if ram tweaking is included in the CPU overclock option, why is there a seperate option for ram tweaking?
especially one that is an aditional $45
Back to Top
FLighT View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member

Email address used to purchase matched with forums account email.

Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 144 		  Quote FLighT Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 05 Jul 2008 at 10:47am
Good morning Harleyman,
 
"ESA and Liquid": just for giglles and kicks.
 
" i run my OS  and FSX now on one 150 gig Raptor": you run FSX on the same drive as the OS and page file? I thought separating FSX from the OS was the way to go?
 
"As far as your last question...I don't quite understand...I run Vista 64 and just use my stuff": yea, I'm probably making a mountain of using 32 bit programs with a 64 bit OS when it's probably just a molehill, and I'm certain you've figured out by now I don't earn my living working in anything related to computer tehnologyLOL
I'm just an end user.
 
On RAM OC'ing: The sales person I talked with indicated to me that they didn't recommend OC'ing the RAM or Graphics card (at least with the config I was ordering). I suspect they would make slight adjustments to allow the RAM to  play nice with the CPU. From reading the posts out on the many flightsim forums it's obvious there are a lot of knowledgeable/talented folks who can build a box from scratch. When they experience a meltdown at 5Ghz on air they can do the repair themselves much more time and cost effectively than I. (The liquid cooling and ESA monitoring is a leaning experience for me and perhaps a way to extend component life/performance).
 
DS and other companies that cater to those of us lunatics who quest for bleeding edge performance, build in an attempt to make the experience as "bullet proof" as possible to the end user. That's just common business sense if your looking for repeat business and good word of mouth referrals. It's supposed to be about having fun not frustration.
 
"After more and more flying with the GTX280, I can safely say we have a WINNER!": That's what I was hoping for based on the iniitial specs quoted for the product. Of course everybodies mileage will vary because of the tremendous number of variables and interactions involved in any complex system like this (and not just computers) even with identical hardware and software. The hundreds of hardware and software settings involved and their interaction can lead to differing operational results. The most someone like myself can do is a lot of investigative homework before buying, and I've been grinding on this new build since the start of this year when I decided FSX was it for me and how do I get more out of it.
 
"ROCK SOLID at 30FPS": If I can get that at the high graphic settings I like I'll be a happy camper. 60 would be perfection. But from my experience it's not the peak FPS but where the average is and how steady it is. I also spend some of my free time dabbling in home theatre since the advent of widscreen LED and plasma monitors, wrestling with the digital artifact issues (judder being my biggest gripe) introduced by these systems in combination with Hi-Def and current film techologies including conventional and digital filming and CGI effects and there combined use. The term "fluidity" is the key in both flightsiming and the movie viewing experience, for me, not peak fps.
 
"I also have to credit NickN for his AWESOME tips on how to properly setup a FSX system.": Agreed, it made a noticeable difference in the smoothness of FSX (not FPS) in my case, and just as important, it was a huge learning experience for me at the same time. It just doesn't get any 'funner' than this as far as I'm concerned.
 
Enough blah, blah, blah for now. I plan to finalize things this coming week and schedule delivery around an upcoming fishing trip. Thanks for the input everyone.

 

 



 
 
 
 
 
 
Back to Top
FLighT View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member

Email address used to purchase matched with forums account email.

Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 144 		  Quote FLighT Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 08 Jul 2008 at 8:34am
Well, I ordered this yesterday. Changing system coolant every couple of months is gonna' be a learning experience. But, that's all a part of the fun of this hobby, right? LOL
 
Chassis: Cooler Master Cosmos S Edition
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Interior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Power Supply: 1200W PC Power & Cooling (ESA Edition) (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad QX9650 Extreme 3.00GHz (1333MHz FSB) (12MB Cache)
Motherboard: nVidia 790i Ultra Core 2 Quad (nForce 790i Ultra SLI) (DDR3 Only)
System Memory: 4GB DDR3 Corsair at 1800MHz Dominator DHX (Extreme-Performance)
Card Reader: - No Thanks
Hard Drive 1: 300GB Western Digital VelociRaptor (10K RPM) (16MB Cache) (Extreme Speed)
Hard Drive 2: 300GB Western Digital VelociRaptor (10K RPM) (16MB Cache) (Extreme Speed)
Raid Option: - No Thanks
Hard Drive 3: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD-ROM/CD-ROM (DVD Reader 16x / CD Reader 40x)
Optical Drive 2: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x)
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card(s): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1GB
TV Tuner: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Razer Barracuda AC-1 (Recommended)
Extreme Cooling: Liquid Chilled FrostBite Dual Loop System for CPU & Single Video Card Only
Internal Lighting: Blizzard Internal Lighting (Blue Edition) (Cold Cathode Tubes)
Modifications: NVIDIA Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA) System (Install, Test, Optimize Computer)
CPU Boost: Yes, Overclock the processor as much as possible with complete stability
Graphics Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Memory Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my memory
Windows Boost: Yes, Disable and tweak all of the non-crucial services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (64-Bit Edition) (For Enthusiasts)
 

 


Edited by FLighT - 08 Jul 2008 at 8:34am
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.0390625 seconds.