GA, VFR flying low & slow, good! Next folks will want to know your choice of output device(s): Monitor(s), TV, VR, etc? What (and how many) you will be looking at when you fly informs GPU choice, and that in turn informs practical CPU parings. Starting with the end in mind should save you time and effort gathering information and recommendations from folks here in the forums.
Meanwhile, here are a few general trends I’ve observed over the past year making the move from Xbox Series X to PC back in Feb, again subject to change once all see what SU4 brings next:
Desktops>laptops; 64GB RAM; as much VRAM as affordable, but not less than 16GB; single monitor over multi monitor for lean spec’ed machines; and broadband speed as this is a streamed game. Could be in SU4 that 12GB VRAM may become practical, but more information will be needed once released and people start reporting outcomes.
I currently only have a 24” monitor and run at 1080p. However, I would like to move up to the 1440p on a new monitor. I don’t plan to move up to 4K just yet. I am planning to get a new monitor, something in the 27” - 34” range, just not sure if going with CURVED is the way to go or not???
As for my broadband speed, I use Starlink since we are in a remote area. My speeds vary from about 110 Mbps to 330 Mbps depending on which server I’m testing on.
@TenPatrol Say, when you have a moment, please take a look at the above from this new to us pilot. The posts above say more about FR8s’s PC needs/gaming expectations. Thanks in advance for any hardware recommendations for the sub $3k budget.
If you want help selecting parts for a PC build, please create a new thread. Don’t forget to include your budget so we can recommend the right components.
I’ve moved these comments to a new thread to ensure we keep the new Introductions thread tidy!
You’re more than welcome to continue helping @WarmerBead02743 here!
Have you thought of using a TV a a monitor? You can get a larger TV for the around the same price as a smaller monitor, and MSFS looks really good on the newer TVs. I’m retired like yourself, and having a large screen is much easier on the eyes than peering at a small-ish monitor - a small gauge displayed on a small monitor is sometimes hard to read. Plus, a TV can also be used as a … TV!
Once you’ve decided on your choice of display, we can advise on the best connecting cable to use - choosing the wrong cable can impact how MSFS will be shown.
I recently purchased an ASRock RX 9070 XT GPU and am getting from 90-120 FPS (I’ve locked it to 120 in the MSFS graphics settings) in 4K on my 55" HiSense U7K TV, with most setting on high or ultra, TLOD at 400 & OLOD at 200.
As @Nikita says, don’t purchase any GPU with less than 16 GB or VRAM - MSFS is a VRAM hog. The newer GPUs are also power hogs, so my advice here is:
a) Don’t purchase any PSU less than 1000W, 1200W if you can afford it. I purchased an Enermax Revolution DF 850W 850 PLUS Gold when I first built my PC and had a different GPU. I’d recommend the brand, but not my 850W version now - go for 1000 or 1200W.
and
b) All that power the newer GPUs use has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is heat. Don’t skimp on cooling. Make sure your case fans are up to the job. My bequiet! case came with four 240 fans which, together with my bequiet! Pure Loop 240 processor cooler, are currently able to keep my case temperatures in the 80-degree C range while flying. Again, I’d recommend the brand, but there are probably newer models available now.
I also have Starlink & have no issues with streaming all MSFS content, so if all the PC will be used for is MSFS, you don’t need a huge SSD hard drive for storage of the MSFS base content. My current “D:” drive that hosts MSFS is only using ~ 40 GB right now for core storage, so a 1TB SSD would be fine if you only plan to add a few free or purchased addons; 2TB would be better if the price difference is competitive & you think you will be adding a lot of addons to the base game. Don’t purchase the older HDD drives for anything other than backup - both Windows & MSFS need to have the fastest read/write access to your storage, and SSD drives are far faster than HDD. You could probably repurpose an existing HDD drive for use as a backup storage drive & save some dollars.
I have 32GB of system RAM - I’ve not seen this max’d out with MSFS, so since RAM prices are quite high right now, I’d suggest prioritizing your available $$$ towards getting the best CPU & GPU possible, rather than going for 64GB.
The primary decision you need to make is your motherboard, as this will determine the make & model number of your memory, SSD, CPU & GPU. You need to make sure that all are on the motherboard manufacturers compatibility list. Virtually all CPUs & GPUs will be, most SSDs will be too, but not all memory sticks are - and there are reports in these forums of MSFS not playing well with memory that was not on the motherboard’s compatibility list.
My PC is around 3 years old now, so my MSI PRO Z690-A motherboard and Intel Core i7-12700K are rather dated, so I’ll let others with newer hardware provide advice in that respect.
Hope this helps - keep asking questions & sharing your ideas for potential components - there is a wealth of knowledge here within the community that can help you build the optimal PC for your $3,000!
Thanks for the quick replay and all the info! Hadn’t even considered using a TV for a screen instead of a monitor. I’ll have to look into that for sure!
As for the heat inside the case, my Cooler Master HAF 932 has (1) 140mm fan and (2) 230 mm fans. That coupled with a CPU cooler should be enough …. I hope? Currently using a Noctua Dual Fan CPU cooler (NH-D15 ???) but plan to get a new fan for the new build since they aren’t too expensive, unless it’s worth trying to reuse the current fan?
I’ve noticed that the MB’s in WHIITE and cheaper than those in BLACK, from what I’ve seen, and all the RGB components are more expensive too. I don’t plan to show case my build, so I don’t need RGB inside or really care what color the MB is either, if it’s all the same in the end. To me it’s better to spend the $$$ elsewhere.
Like I mentioned earlier, I cool a CPU (7950X3D) that generates a LOT of heat, and the Dark Rock Pro 4 air cooler keeps it in the 50-60°C range during flights. Your Noctua NH-D15 is an excellent cooler. As long as it fits the case, it should be just fine.
On the other hand…my case has 10 fans.
ETA: Two of them exhaust the radiator heat from the water block on my GPU. That’s the best thing I ever did for my system, as it gets the heat from that mini-furnace out of the case.
3 x 140mm front intake
1 x 140mm rear exhaust
2 x 140mm top radiator exhaust
3 x 120mm low speed side intake, ducted over the motherboard.
1 x PSU exhaust.
All fan curves (except the PSU) are controlled by either BIOS or iCue.
Specifically, I monitor the CPUs core max and GPU memory with FanControl. The GPU memory is the hottest component in the case.
Actually, in summertime, the air in the case will be around 80 - but only Fahrenheit, thankfully!
CPU
For gaming, there are currently no better CPUs than Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Ryzen 7 7800X3D. As gamers, we care about FPS not scores in Passmark or Cinebench.
At the moment, in terms of FPS/price, Ryzen 7 9800X3D (the king of gaming) and Ryzen 7 7800X3D are the clear winners.
Motherboard
I had MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WIFI – a very good motherboard and a great choice if you don’t need the X870E. If I hadn’t decided to give it to my son along with a Ryzen 7 7800X3D and 64GB of RAM, I would still be using the Tomahawk. Now, I have the X870E Carbon WIFI.
RAM
When it comes to RAM (computer memory) it should be selected based on compatibility with the motherboard and CPU. Currently, DDR5 memory and motherboards supporting DDR5 are the standard. Memory modules are also divided into two categories: those dedicated for Intel with XMP profiles (XMP compatible) and those specifically for AMD with EXPO profiles (EXPO compatible).
There are also universal memory kits that support both XMP and EXPO profiles, with Corsair being an example of a manufacturer that produces these. On the other hand, companies like G.Skill produce memory specifically tailored for either Intel or AMD.
Of course there are exceptions. Some G.Skill memory modules are compatible with both XMP and EXPO profiles.
It’s worth mentioning that there is another classification of memory modules. For example, G.Skill produces A-die and M-die memory modules. The key difference between them is that A-die memory typically allows for better tweaking and overclocking compared to M-die.
This detail is crucial because certain timing values won’t work with M-die while they should be fine with A-die.
32GB of good, fast memory is enough for MSFS 2024, but we’ve noticed that 64GB can have a positive impact on performance. I’m running 64GB of G.Skill DDR5 6000 (2×32GB, CL26).
PSU
The power supply (PSU) is one of the most important, if not the most crucial components of a computer. You should never cut costs when it comes to the power supply, and it’s essential to always buy from reputable brands. It’s important to emphasize that cheap, no-name power supplies can damage or even destroy your computer’s components. As I mentioned, you should never compromise on the quality of the power supply.
On various forums you might come across recommendations suggesting that an 850W power supply is sufficient for high-end PC components, including the RTX 4090 - don’t trust those suggestions, please.
PSU should be chosen based on the components you buy now, but more importantly, with an eye on the future. A good, branded PSU should last you for years and it’s important to ensure it can handle future upgrades to your PC.
In the future, new PC components will likely require more wattage for proper functioning. Add to that multiple M.2 drives, SSDs and if you plan to overclock your GPU, CPU or memory an 850W PSU will not be enough. It’s better to go with a 1000W or 1300W PSU that is fully compatible with PCIe 5.0 or 5.1 and ATX 3.0 or 3.1 standards. Brands like Be Quiet, Corsair, MSI and Thermaltake produce such high-quality power supplies. Personally, I have the MSI MEG Ai1300P, which comes with a 10-year warranty and offers everything I need for both now and the future.
PC case and CPU cooler - it’s crucial to choose a case that is spacious enough to accommodate large components such as 420 and 360mm water cooling radiators and heavy, oversized graphics cards.
It’s also important that the PC case can easily accommodate Extended ATX motherboards (E-ATX), which are larger than standard-sized motherboards.
Fan installation option* are also important - the more installation points available, the better.
Consider ease of access and maintenance. Choose a case that allows for straightforward cleaning of components without needing to disassemble everything.
Until recently I was using the Be Quiet Silent Base 802 Window Black mainly because of temperatures, case size, and airflow - I preferred lower temperatures over the looks of PC case. My Ryzen 7 9800X3D was cooled by the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360, and it was a very good combination.
Currently, I have PC case Be Quiet Light Base 900 FX and added 3 Be Quiet Light Wings 140mm PWM Reverse Black fans at the bottom of the case to push air inside, which noticeably lowered the temperatures of all components. I also upgraded from the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 to the Arctic Liquid Freezer III PRO 420, with the radiator installed at the top of the case.
I highly recommend the Be Quiet Light Base 900 FX combined with the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB – it provides a significant temperature drop and keeps the components running comfortably.
GPU
As for GPU, for MSFS 2024 we currently recommend a GPU with no less than 16GB of VRAM - if you want to play in 2K, you’ll need a GPU that’s powerful enough to run 2K on ultra settings.
Monitor
When choosing a monitor you need to consider whether you prioritize matrix speed (refresh rate and response time) or visual effects (color accuracy, HDR and overall image quality).
Wow, thanks for taking the time to put this all together for me (and others I’m sure). This is exactly the sort of info I’m looking for. I’ve done a lot of reading, and this matches what I’ve read so far and more. I’ll have to put all this together and see what the costs come to. I’m not in a big hurry to build a new system mainly because I want to make sure that I choose the right components for now and into the future. Xmas is coming, so sales will be showing up soon!
Welcome! The awesome folks who posted above are the most helpful folks I have benefited greatly from here and so I will add my thanks to them for joining this new build thread for you. While my own PC is a little different than theirs, I couldn’t have conceived of or realized it without their wise counsel. The market for parts looks very different to me today than it did earlier in the year when I spec’ed my $3k PC which MicroCenter built for me as the best compromise between what I wanted and what was actually available for purchase at the time. Wishing you all the best for parts shopping and your next build!
