Some Observations, Hardware vs. X-Plane software

[SkyCoyote]

Roughly 4-years ago I discovered that a Boeing 737-300 classic was in the works, and waited anxiously for it’s release. This bird along with a few of other small aircraft would complete my flight simulation experience.

 

When X-plane 10 was announced I assumed that the Apple Mac Pro would handle future system requirements. After all, I purchased this model because of it’s dual GPU’s ,and specifically to handle my video editing, and 3D modeling/rendering activities, all relying heavily on graphic processing loads.

 

By the end of April 2016, with the release of IXEG’s 737, it began to become clear my hardware configuration was not going to support the aircraft. Frame rates fell to a dead stop, and even with extra plugins and scenery off X-Plane would crash. I realized that X-plane was only using half of the 3GB VRAM my Mac Pro claimed to have.

 

All X-Aviation’s X-plane add-ons that I’ve purchased, with the exception of the DC-3, create some level of GPU hit that makes it impractical to run.

 

The Mac I have was not developed to be a gaming engine. The graphics software I’m using was written to take advantage of dual GPU’s. If I wanted to stick with Apple hardware, I should be using an I-Mac with a single 4GB GPU, built for games, at a cost considerably less than the amount spent on the Mac Pro system.

 

Not all X-plane add-ons are unusable. I can still run most of the aircraft offered by X-Plane on the half of my VRAM accessed by X-Plane software. Unless I decide to by a second gaming system, I’ll just have to do without pretty sky’s and 737 detailed realism.

 

Before anyone offers the option of running Windows using Boot Camp with Crossfire. I have a serious aversion to sloppy, ill-conceived programming.

[mmerelles]

I love the imacs, i do own 2 of them 27". Later 2013 imac highest nvidia gpu, cpu, mem spec configuration as well as a later 2014 retina 5k, also highest amd and cpu/mem spec configuration. I would say imacs are not up to the task of running extreme apps like xplane simulation.

Imacs are a beauty, sleek design, quieter, no cabling all around, awesome screens, osx is just great to me. They are all what you need for the conventional day to day home/business tasks.

But for extreme gaming/simulation? I would say they are no go based on my experience so far, you simply have to make too much compromises. They are severely restricted in wattage, they run the -mobile- hardware version of their pc counterparts but they cost 3 times than a pc.

I will be selling one of them soon (i will keep the other for my day by day) and for that money i am able to get one of the most highest spec powerfull available pcs today including newest gtx 1080 from nvidia that will outperform the imac 2 times easily for 1/3 of the original imac cost higher spec configuration.

 

just my 2 cents.

Edited June 5, 2016 by mmerelles
misspelling

[xplana]

precisely on the same road as mmerelles..

[Alatriste]

Same here. I have one mac Mini just to handle easy-home-work stuff, but when I have to play, I have the Alienware with the GTX-980 ready for it.

 

[WagnerTenor]

I just got too frustrated with fiddling with the settings on my Mac, so I build a PC with the GTX 1080 card and i7 4GHz and 64 Gigs of RAM.  Even though the cost was about $2,500 the cost was more than worth it.  Running maxed out on very high and a resolution of 2560x1400, I am getting fps of 25-60.  This depends on the weather and scenery load of course.  

[sizziano]

On June 5, 2016 at 10:13 PM, SkyCoyote said:

Roughly 4-years ago I discovered that a Boeing 737-300 classic was in the works, and waited anxiously for it’s release. This bird along with a few of other small aircraft would complete my flight simulation experience.

 

When X-plane 10 was announced I assumed that the Apple Mac Pro would handle future system requirements. After all, I purchased this model because of it’s dual GPU’s ,and specifically to handle my video editing, and 3D modeling/rendering activities, all relying heavily on graphic processing loads.

 

By the end of April 2016, with the release of IXEG’s 737, it began to become clear my hardware configuration was not going to support the aircraft. Frame rates fell to a dead stop, and even with extra plugins and scenery off X-Plane would crash. I realized that X-plane was only using half of the 3GB VRAM my Mac Pro claimed to have.

 

All X-Aviation’s X-plane add-ons that I’ve purchased, with the exception of the DC-3, create some level of GPU hit that makes it impractical to run.

 

The Mac I have was not developed to be a gaming engine. The graphics software I’m using was written to take advantage of dual GPU’s. If I wanted to stick with Apple hardware, I should be using an I-Mac with a single 4GB GPU, built for games, at a cost considerably less than the amount spent on the Mac Pro system.

 

Not all X-plane add-ons are unusable. I can still run most of the aircraft offered by X-Plane on the half of my VRAM accessed by X-Plane software. Unless I decide to by a second gaming system, I’ll just have to do without pretty sky’s and 737 detailed realism.

 

Before anyone offers the option of running Windows using Boot Camp with Crossfire. I have a serious aversion to sloppy, ill-conceived programming.

Running windows won't solve your problem, but getting a bespoke system will.

[frontendrob]

Macs are simply not fast enough nowadays to run XP10 the way it's meant to be (i.e. with very high settings, that includes HDR and 8x AA). Essentially because Apple refuses to put "real" (non mobile) GPU in the iMac and doesn't offer an alternative desktop other than the Mac Pro (which in unsuited for gaming by design). Also, Apple has a deal with ATI and is therefore forced to sell inferior GPU's since ATI fails to compete with nVidia in the high end sector. That is why I bought (rather built) a high end PC and installed Mac OS on it (a "Hackintosh", see tonymacx86.com), as I depend on a Mac for work. However, since OpenGL and nVidia drivers are better optimized on Windows, I am now running Win 10 on a second SSD to get the best of both worlds (I tested X-Plane extensively and on the same hardware, it runs better on Windows, in large part due to the graphics drivers).

It's really a blessing now, having an extremely powerful Mac (at a fraction of the cost compared to a Mac Pro) and Windows machine in one, however I cannot recommend setting up a Hackintosh unless you have a lot of experience in IT as it's rather tricky.