What hardware to choose ?

[mustsafa]

Hello everyone.

I want to build a new computer capable of running FL3. I just want to know should I get a gaming cpu (examples: I5 and FX-8370BE) or something with processing power (example I7). Will xeons and Opterons shine in this area since they are workstation CPUs and thus have high scientific processing powers? GPUs are not of much my concerns since GTX-660ti is actually more than enough and decently priced.

[cichlidfan]

Hello everyone.

I want to build a new computer capable of running FL3. I just want to know should I get a gaming cpu (examples: I5 and FX-8370BE) or something with processing power (example I7). Will xeons and Opterons shine in this area since they are workstation CPUs and thus have high scientific processing powers? GPUs are not of much my concerns since GTX-660ti is actually more than enough and decently priced.

 

The i5 will do the job (DCS is not a multi-threaded application) but I would bump up the 660ti.

[mustsafa]

Thanks. But just for the sake of curiosity, will I7s and opterons also run dcs well? Because I am jumping between building a capabile Desktop with I5 or a barebook with I7 or Opteron. (I already have an I5-m520 and it doesn't run well and I am much of a mobile user. I just don't want to spend over $1000 with alienwares and qosimos, I at least want 1440*900 with 60fps, even on lowest settings)

[Erdem]

I'm not an expert, but what I keep hearing is that one it comes to single-threaded processing, AMD CPUs are pretty inferior compared to Intel CPUs. I'd go with an i5 or an i7.

 

Xeon CPU's don't have extra "scientific" processing powers. AFAIK they're actually just workstation versions of the i7 desktop processors. They're higher quality i7's that are optimized for 24/7 usage(heat generation and voltage) and their performance is pretty similar.

[mustsafa]

Thanks. I am not going to buy hardwares anytime soon, I just wanted to know a few basic misconceptions. On the bright side, better hardwares might be available (for barebooks too) later.

[King_Hrothgar]

At this time the I5-4690 (or k version if you like overclocking) is probably the best value for DCS. It's top of the pack for single thread performance (about 25% faster than the fastest AMD FX) and for DCS, that's the only thing that counts. The top end I7's are just as good, but cost more and you won't see any performance increase in DCS since all they really do is add more cores that won't be used.

[AdolfoWilson]

I think if you have the money, you must buy a higher GPU, in a single flight DCS doesn't really push the limits, but when you get inside a fully loaded mission with heavy atmospheric situation and lots of tanks, choppers and fighters shooting each other, that is when your hardware will be pushed to the limits, that is the usual load on a normal mission and even more on crazy mission some guys make available.

 

So the I5 probably will handle well, but a good GPU is needed. Running Attack missions with the ground pounders is not very good at lower res, as you must visually acquire your targets if not using labels, so 1080 or superior resolution should be used, as most on line servers disable the labels feature. Ah and using the TV screen on aircraft like Su-25T also increase the graphical load while you scan for targets.

 

In few months, we will be receiving DCS 2.0 update, it will add feature that will help a lot with most actual performance issues, adding multi thread support and better graphical resources usage which will make a better use of your hardware, and things like greater draw distances are aways welcome specially when looking for fighters. So don't get a weak GPU. I really recommend a better one, if possible.

[pctoptech]

You can never go wrong with an Intel cpu, Intel has always out paced AMD in math speed witch is more important with most flight sims than straight out data processing. The more FLOPS (Floating Operations Points per second) a cpu will perform the better the heavy cpu programs like flight sims or in depth excel spread sheets will perform. aslo, as I stated in another thread. Nvidia cards perform better with Intel cpus and Radeon cards perform better with AMD cpus, this is something I have learned as a 25 year Computer technician. By the way DCS World runs awesome on my machine, if you look at my signature below you can see what equipment I am using to run it on. I get an average of 40 FPS and a max of 50 FPS in DCS World and about the same in FSX running in DX10 mode.

Edited November 9, 2014 by pctoptech