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    FSX and the new Core i7 processors

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by mintchris, Sep 24, 2009.

  1. mintchris

    mintchris Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi!
    I am about to pull the trigger on a new laptop. Need something that can run FSX pretty well. Would like decent frame rates with maybe a few add ons thrown in there.
    I am looking at either the Studio 17 with a 4650 or the XPS 16 with the 4670.
    Here in Canada the jump from the i7-720QM to the i7-820QM is $400. Will FSX run really well with just the 720? It the performance jump to the 820 worth the extra $400?
    Thanks!!!!
     
    mintchris, Sep 24, 2009
    #1
  2. mew1838

    mew1838 Team Teal

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    Why not get something with better GPU?
     
    mew1838, Sep 24, 2009
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  3. mintchris

    mintchris Notebook Enthusiast

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    Well I was thinking about that but I have a desktop for serious FSX time. I just want something that I can squeeze 30FPS out of while I am on the road or just flopped on the couch. Think the i7-720 plus the 4650 will do it?
     
    mintchris, Sep 24, 2009
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  4. Ghold

    Ghold Notebook Evangelist

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    Dell studio's don't have i7's?
     
    Ghold, Sep 24, 2009
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  5. mintchris

    mintchris Notebook Enthusiast

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    They just became an option today.
     
    mintchris, Sep 24, 2009
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  6. Blazin23

    Blazin23 Notebook Evangelist

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    why do you want such a good processor with such an average card?

    get a core 2 quad processor (qx9300?) and then get a better gpu, otherwise you will see some serious bottlenecking from the gpu.

    Blazin
     
    Blazin23, Sep 24, 2009
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  7. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    AFAIK FSX relies mainly on the CPU. However, the price increase is exponential compared to the performance increase. A QX9300 would be better than the i7-720QM but it also costs a lot more. The 720QM is your best bet in terms of price for performance. I'm not sure if the GPU would be limiting there so I'll leave that for someone else to answer.
     
    sgogeta4, Sep 24, 2009
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  8. mintchris

    mintchris Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yeah that is my understanding too. I actually might have posted this in the wrong thread now that I think about it.
    So the 4650 is not that great of a card? I always thought it was alright. Maybe not top of the line but not terrible either.
     
    mintchris, Sep 24, 2009
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  9. Blazin23

    Blazin23 Notebook Evangelist

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    oh my bad i just realised the specs of the i7-720QM, i saw i7 and immediately thought of higher end cpu. In this case the i7-720QM is your best bet, and you would probably not see much gpu bottlenecking as the cpu is not fast enough to cause a gpu bottleneck and vice versa. (if you see what i mean)

    Blazin
     
    Blazin23, Sep 24, 2009
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  10. mintchris

    mintchris Notebook Enthusiast

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    Ok cool. Hope its ok that I ask this here but how does the i7 turbo boost work? I am pretty in the dark about this stuff in general but I know FSX runs really well with a 2.8 ghz processor. Seeing as the 720 will "boost" up to 2.8 will I be ok with this CPU?
     
    mintchris, Sep 24, 2009
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  11. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

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    For details of how fsx performs, there are some benchmarks in my sig. I recommend a higher clocked Core2Duo for Fsx, something like the 2.85 Ghz Core2Duo will be fine.

    Fsx performs perfectly on my 2.0 Ghz Q9000 as well though but for that game, it would be my second choice recommendation.

    I don't know enough about i7 to know how well that will perform but you really want a decent GPU as well.
     
    LaptopNut, Sep 24, 2009
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  12. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    The i7 has 4 cores and 8 threads. If the program can take advantage of more than 2 cores, the i7 would dominate any other option at that price point. If it only supports 2 cores, the i7 is still a good bet because it will shut down the 2 unused cores and overclock the remaining two and still outpace a similarly high clocked C2D.
     
    sgogeta4, Sep 24, 2009
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  13. mintchris

    mintchris Notebook Enthusiast

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    Ok thanks for that. Where I get thrown off is how the speed of the cpu is from 1.6-2.8. When does it run at each speed? If I could get it to hit 2.8 while I was playing that would be perfect but I dont really understand how.
     
    mintchris, Sep 24, 2009
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  14. Peter Bazooka

    Peter Bazooka Notebook Evangelist

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    Although there is no mention of FSX, Anand has a great article up about the new mobile cpu's. Definitely worth a read although it does have less benchmarks than their normal but I assume that is because they haven't had the cpu's long enough yet.

    http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3647
     
    Peter Bazooka, Sep 24, 2009
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  15. SeanDude05

    SeanDude05 Notebook Consultant

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    Say an example i7 states it clocks at 2.0GHz, and has a TurboBoost speed of 2.8GHz. Take for example, you are using a program that uses all four cores, all four cores are clocked at the standard rated 2.0GHz. If your running a program that only uses 2 cores, it will "throttle" two cores to near-zero power, while clocking the 2 used cores higher to say, 2.4GHz (example.) If the said program only uses one core (single-threaded), then three cores are throttled to near-zero power and the single used core is clocked then to the TurboBoost speed of 2.8GHz.
    Of course, you'll have to do a little research to find the actual speeds for each individual model.

    [​IMG]

    Capiche?
     
    SeanDude05, Sep 25, 2009
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  16. mintchris

    mintchris Notebook Enthusiast

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    OK I am starting to get it and thanks for that info.
    Soooo I know FSX only utilizes two cores. I also know it runs well at 2.8GHZ. So based on that info do you think the i7-720 is a good CPU for me or should I go higher?
     
    mintchris, Sep 25, 2009
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  17. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    The 720QM will probably be your best bet in terms of performance per cost. Price goes up exponentially for a minimal gain in terms of performance.
     
    sgogeta4, Sep 25, 2009
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  18. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

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    Hmm, just checked on the site, and it is indeed true that they are finally putting i7's in their laptops. I just wonder when they'll start putting them in Australian versions of laptops?
     
    Amnesiac, Sep 25, 2009
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  19. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

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    Fsx before Service Patch 1 only uses 2 Cores but after that patch it uses 4. On my Q9000 my frame rate increased after the SP1 patch and the benchmark also shows this.

    Before SP1 patch:

    Min: 7, Max: 32, AVG: 18


    After SP1 patch:

    Min: 20, Max: 49, AVG: 38

    Enabling DX10 also increased the frame rates by a huge amount as well.
     
    LaptopNut, Sep 25, 2009
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  20. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

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    LaptopNut, Sep 25, 2009
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  21. Vinyard

    Vinyard Notebook Evangelist

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    I don't agree with them, You should go for the i7. It's great and I'm in love with it!
     
    Vinyard, Sep 25, 2009
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  22. Templesa

    Templesa Notebook Deity

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    Yeah, but you have the "True" i7 ;) They are discussing the new mobile one.
     
    Templesa, Sep 25, 2009
    #22