OS X Enough power for Xplane 10?

[glenthompson]

Is the following hardware sufficient to run Xplane 10 at an acceptable rate? Want to get an idea before buying the program and control hardware.

Mac Pro 3,1 with 2x2.8 quad processors, 16gb memory, and Radeon 5870 graphics

 

[Janichsan]

Is the following hardware sufficient to run Xplane 10 at an acceptable rate? Want to get an idea before buying the program and control hardware.

Mac Pro 3,1 with 2x2.8 quad processors, 16gb memory, and Radeon 5870 graphics

You should be fine. But since an "acceptable" framerate is a rather subjective thing, it would be better for you to form your own opinion – which you luckily can do, since there is a free demo.

 

[h9826790]

Should be OK. Of course, it depends on the resolution and setting.

For 2.8 GHz CPU + 5870, it should able to run the game at 1080P, medium setting, with more than 30FPS.

Anyway, it seems that CPU will be the bottleneck (X-plan still basically single thread at this moment, dual processor won't help). Just make sure you lower the CPU intensive setting (e.g. ground traffic), then you should be fine.

 

[glenthompson]

Should be OK. Of course, it depends on the resolution and setting.

For 2.8 GHz CPU + 5870, it should able to run the game at 1080P, medium setting, with more than 30FPS.

Anyway, it seems that CPU will be the bottleneck (X-plan still basically single thread at this moment, dual processor won't help). Just make sure you lower the CPU intensive setting (e.g. ground traffic), then you should be fine.

The web site leads one to believe that it will use all the processor available, including multiple CPUs. Is that not the case? It only uses all the cores in one CPU?

I'll have to give the demo a try though using a mouse and keyboard won't be very realistic.

 

[CASLondon]

X-plane uses multiple cores only at key moments, the way I understand x-plane is CPU clock speed matters - faster is better, more important than cores. Single thread performance

Other potential bottlenecks are VRam on the GPU

 

[MacsRgr8]

X-plane uses multiple cores only at key moments, the way I understand x-plane is CPU clock speed matters - faster is better, more important than cores. Single thread performance

Other potential bottlenecks are VRam on the GPU

This is really the only game I know of that it ALL counts, and pretty much evenly so:
- CPU
- GPU
- RAM
- VRAM

In my experience with X-Plane 10 (on a Mac Pro 2008 with Radeons 4870, 5870 en 7950, and iMac 2013 27" with Geforce 780 M), I can tell you that the i7 in de iMac makes the most difference.
The 780 M could be better, of course. But, the 4 GB VRAM is all used!

But.... what makes a huge difference in itself?
The installed scenery:
Large highly-detailed Airports, huge high-res photo scenery, etc...

A Mac Pro 2008 with Radeon 5870 and 16 GB of RAM will get you going pretty much okay.
Just avoid extreme resolution settings and HDR.
Also, don't let the SIM draw too many buildings etc.

Have a go with the demo!

 

[h9826790]

From memory, most of the time, X-plane can only use up to 2 cores, one core for flight simulation, and may be the 2nd core for calculating other stuff.

The wording in their webpage "Ability to more fully utilize multi-core CPUs..." only means it can use more than 1 core now. It's "more fully utilize", but not "fully utilize", as long as it has the ability to use more than one core (yes, only the ability, but not necessary always use it), that sentence is correct.

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I'll have to give the demo a try though using a mouse and keyboard won't be very realistic.

For computer performance testing, mouse and keyboard is good enough. In fact, it's better to let AI to fly the plane. You just use mouse and keyboard to look around and check the FPS.