Want a new PC?

[AndyT]

For about a year now I've been telling people to just hang on a bit, the new hardware is coming out soon. And I'm going to say it again, but this time I have some hard info for you as well.

Intel has recently announced its new line of Processors. There are 2 distinct species of them coming down the pipe along with some new architecture that blows away the front side bus.

I'm sure many of you have heard of the new Penryn 45 nanometer chips that have already been tested. Yes, they are working but wait! Thats not the juice yet. In the middle of 2008, Intel will release a new 45nm chip with 1 to 8+ cores, more on chip cache, and around 5ghz or faster clock speeds. This will of course require new motherboards which will of course only take DDR3 SDRAM. But then who would want to run anything less? These machines are going to eat FSX for lunch.

Now as good as that news is, it still gets better! Intel recently announced that they have now the ability to build 32nm chips! The amount of cores on a chip just went up again! We are looking at machines with maybe 32 cores on a single chip or more, running at speeds we have been dreaming of for the last few years, backed up by RAM with the ability to handle it all.

So, I'm going to say it again, Wait to buy your new system till next year, or even 2009 when the 32nm is scheduled to hit the streets.

[sas550]

With all respect Andy I disagree with You about waiting. At the time Intel releases their new stuff there's something new to come again.

I have always trailed about six/eight months behind the hype for the new stuff. The prices are more reasonable then.

For the last three years now I've upgrade my pc about five/six times. I only have to go for mobo, mem and cpu. I had to get a more powerful psu last time though. And somewhere in the middle I bought a new gfx card.

I have done alot of pc support to my collegues and friends and there's always someone willing to do a cheap upgrade with the stuff I'm lifting out so the cost isn't really that much.

Prices on ddr2 and both intel and Amd's 3,0ghz cpu's are very low right now so my advice is go for them now. We haven't seen (for natural reasons) what the new stuff will do with FSX.

We've heard it all before, how revolutionary things will be once this gfx card or cpu etc will be released.

This is just my subjective opinion on the matter. :-)

[AndyT]

Normally I would agree with you 100%. But the reason I am saying wait now is because these new processors will be the next generation. Remember how much faster than the 486 the first Pentiums were? A huge amount. This is the same kind of step that we had then. Its not just a newer faster processor, its a whole new kind of processor with a whole new kind of backbone. The Pentium has reached its limit. These new chips will be the new generation CPUs that will carry on for the next 10 years or so.

I had a computer business for 24 years and this is the kind of advancement that the industry looks for about every 10 years or so. This is a major change in hardware.

Normally I'd say: Yes, you are right. But not this time. This time its going to be worth the wait. In 6 months we should see the new 45nm CPUs on the market. I can wait the extra 6 on top of that for the prices to fall and the market to stabilize before I buy a new PC.

If you really want a Core2 machine, they are going to be cheap this time next year.

[Tim]

Good news and thanks Andy. I too am looking to replace a dated AMD 3200 FS server.

I also have to disagreed on at least one point; that is, FSX, Y, or Z using multiple cores.

As stated by Phil Taylor of ACES, FS has to be coded to use multiple cores. Not an easy task according to him. Have all the cores you want. If the software isn't coded to use them, they are wasted.

Your thoughts?

[Tomlin]

Tim I know you were asking AndyT about his thoughts, but if it's okay I would like to chime in, if ever so briefly.

Both Anders and Andy have great points. My father in law (yes, I love the guy-really I do) have this discussion about stuff (especially PC related) all the time. Waiting for the price to drop vs. getting it at a decent price. Im the type that if I can afford it, I will probably go ahead and buy it. He is the type that he will only buy it if he can get it at the absolute 'obselete' price.

I have been wanting to build a new machine for a year now and had actually planned on it back in Feb, but then I decided to wait when I bought the PMRJ software. Im glad I did, because now that I run no panel in FS9, my frames are up and FS runs really smooth, plus I have PMRJ running for my panel anyhow. I digress... . I cannot believe how much prices have fell thru the roof on AMD's big CPUs and RAM especially. It was so high back in the spring. Now you can get two gigs for just over $100. My point is that right now is a GREAT time to build a new system for today's top components at an all time low price for those specs, but then again, in 1 year, you can have a system that blows everything away that's available now.

BUT, what if waiting is worth it? That's dependant upon if you can fly your sim with what you have. If you cant, then it's safe to say to go ahead and build a machine now and then just recycle it back into a FS Client once the newest of the new is built in 1-1.5 years.

[Bob Reed]

Also that when these new parts hit the market $$$$$$ We all know how that is.. Just look up at the last couple of posts... We will still need to wait for the price to drop.

[Tim]

Your reply is most welcome Eric.

I do agree with you. I am currently spec'ing a new FS server. Hopefully I can have the components picked and assembled by the end of the year.

My old AMD PC does not work well with FSX. I do appreciate the addition of multi-core to FSX SP1. But as stated, four cores is all that FSX with SP1 can utilize. At least that is how I read the reports. So to me, any processor over four cores is unused in FSX. Maybe this will change with FS11 or whatever MS calls it.

Yes, you could wait and purchase the newer 8/16/32 or whatever core processor. But again, if FS is not coded to utilize the added cores, you will see no benefit other than a performance increase by way of added processor speed to cores FS can use.

Maybe I have it all wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

Regards

[AndyT]

The multi-core bug in FSX has been fixed. It will see and use up to 8 cores now.

Part of the point of me posting this was to bring to light the new technology. And part of that is that the older stuff always goes on sale when the new stuff comes out.

Next summer will be a great time to buy a nice Core2quad system at a fab price. Build it into all you can afford. Get 2 if you have the money. A year after that, FS11 will be looking at the store shelves and its being designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the multicore hardware. By the time it comes out, we will have machines that will be able to run it.

[Tim]

Andy,

I apparently miss quoted what I had read. From this report by Phil Taylor,

http://www.fsinsider.com/tips/Pages/SP1HowtoPrepareforSP1andWhatYouGetWhenYouInstallIt.aspx

I took the following to mean up to four cores even though eight and sixteen are mentioned in the following paragraph.


[JOBSCHEDULER]
AffinityMask=n

where

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%" summary=""><TBODY><TR><TD> n</TD><TD> num of cores scheduled </TD><TD> processor bit mask</TD></TR><TR><TD> 1</TD><TD> = 1 core</TD><TD> 0001</TD></TR><TR><TD> 3</TD><TD> = 2 cores </TD><TD> 0011</TD></TR><TR><TD> 7</TD><TD> = 3 cores </TD><TD> 0111</TD></TR><TR><TD> 15</TD><TD> = 4 cores</TD><TD> 1111
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

The processor bitmask shows you what cores will be enabled ( 1 ) and what cores will be disabled ( 0 ), primarily to allow you to see the pattern and be able to pick a bitmask for 8 and 16 cores or more when they are available.


Thanks for pointing out the use of additional cores.

Regards

[AndyT]

No problem, I miss things all the time. Just ask my wife.:roll: