Help with new machine for XP10

[Jeff N]

I've been wanting to get a new machine to run XP10 for a while and I think I'm ready to pull the trigger. I've been using XP9 on a 2010 Macbook Pro 15" for a couple years now and it's time to upgrade (and I don't want to burn up my laptop with simming since I rely on it for work).

Is it possible to get a decent PC rig to run XP10 at medium-to-high settings for around $1k, 27" monitor and all? If so, what would such a system consist of? Can I just buy a ready-made machine or do I need to cherry pick components and build one? I've been reading threads on this subject here and on "the org" but as someone who knows little about computer hardware I'm a bit lost. And I thought I'd ask here since it's a much more friendly place than that other site...

Thanks for any advice!

[Keith Smith]

quad core, overclock as much as you can with an off the shelf water cooler.

then. get as much video card as you can afford at that point..

[Pieces]

If you are familiar with reddit, I've heard that /r/buildapc is a great place to go for building advice. $1000 dollars should be reasonable for a computer able to handle XP 10. As Keith noted, you'll be best served by getting as beefy a CPU as you can manage, with GPU next in priority.

I think you'll get the best value for the money by building. Though, adding a monitor and Windows license may stretch that a bit. Of course, X-Plane does run on Linux so you don't have to get a Windows license.

[Jeff N]

Thanks guys. But...I don't even know what overclock means, or how to gauge video cards, etc. That's how hardware illiterate I am. I was thinking of going with a high end iMac but the price (2x my budget) and lack of upgradability (once I learn how to do so) make that a less than attractive option.

I'll check out that reddit link. I need some serious PC education...and...the time to acquire it.

[Steven Winslow]

Check out the link below. They're some guys that can build you the perfect machine with your budget in mind.

http://www.xforcepc.com

http://xforcepc.com/store/

Good luck!

[Jeff N]

Thanks, Steven. I might end up getting a customized pre-built system from XForce. I like the idea of piecing together my own machine, but the amount of info out there on hardware selection, even if just for X-Plane, is daunting to say the least.

[Jeff N]

So, after researching more, I think I've narrowed down my GPU and CPU choices.

For GPU, I'm thinking of going with a GTX 660 ti. Would I see much better results with that if I use an I7-3770K as opposed to an I5-3570K? The former is $120 more but I'm not sure if the 660 ti would be a bottle neck with that much CPU.

[Pieces]

I haven't looked at any statistics or anything, but I'm fairly certain XP 10 can use as much CPU as you can give it. Essentially, the simulation just keeps getting better and better (more simulation frames per second). You'll be much better off with the i7. And if it turns out you have some spare cycles on the CPU, use them for streaming or something .

[Keith Smith]

X-Plane will use as much as it can on a given core. But if you keep throwing cores at it, you'll quickly hit a plateau in terms of performance. Pound for pound, though, I would guess than a I7 will outshine an I5, just for the increased cache size alone.

I'd go quad-core, no hyper threading, fastest CPU you can get and the most video you can afford.

[Jeff N]

How about memory? Keith, I noticed in your build list that you're running 16GB, is that more for the video capture/editing you do or will XP utilize that as well?