How To: Build a DCS Capable Machine on a Budget

I see threads every so often where people are asking about solving performance issues, finding out they need better hardware, and being limited by a tight budget. I have also noticed that a lot of people have difficulty identifying what hardware will be good enough to do the job, especially when budget constraints are added in.

So I thought I would build a guide on how to select components for a gaming PC that will run DCS without breaking the bank.

For the purposes of building any high-performance PC, your most valuable resource will be a website that provides performance benchmarks; I like Passmark, they have a wide selection of benchmarking tools, and virtually every piece of hardware ever made has a performance score.

To start with, let's see what the minimum and recommended system requirements come out to in terms of Passmark scores.

Minimum:

• CPU: Core I3 (~2000 Passmark pts)
  
• GPU: 2GB, DX11 support (~360 pts)
  
• RAM: 8GB
  

The lowest scoring I3 is a mobile version clocking in at 1070 points. This is probably unrealistic for running DCS, so we'll go with the best-value I3 according the the value:money chart, which is the Core-I3-350M at 1900 points and $24

The cheapest DX-11 2GB video card I can find is the GT610, which scores 357 passmark points.

This should check out, as my old HP laptop with a 9600 M GT (score 247) and a Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz (score 968) used to get a stable 20-30 FPS before DX11 (which is much more efficient than DX9 ever was)

Building a computer off these specs, using the cheapest components on NewEgg, we get the following:

WARNING: The following system, while dirt-cheap, will deliver a relatively poor DCS experience. You will be able to play, but you will have to use low graphics settings, and you will experience low framerates, especially in cities and on missions with heavy use of AI and scripting elements

Total cost for Dirt Cheap Build: $265 + the cost of your preferred HDD

Now that we have an idea of a bare-minimum configuration, let's see what the recommended specs run out at

Recommended:

• CPU: Core I5 (or better) ~5000 Passmark Points
  
• GPU: GTX 780 / Radeon R9-290 8000~7000 points respectively.
  
• RAM: 16GB
  

Let's look at a newegg price for this system:

Total Cost for Recommended Specs: $625(Nvidia) or $595 (Radeon) + the cost of your preferred HDD

But we can do better than this... Passmark has a chart of GPUs and CPUs by performance-per-dollar...

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu_value.html

Using these charts, we can find high-performance cards that won't break the bank. My preference:

Total price, $490 + the cost of your preferred HDD, well within the reach of a modest budget.

Now, you will notice that I left out price point on a hard drive. This is a choice that will have minimal effect on in-game performance. Your choice of HDD primarily effects how much you can store on the computer, and how fast your programs will load up when you start them (or when you launch a mission). You can spend as little as tens or as much as hundreds on storage: it all depends on your budget and how much space you need.

In summation:

Q: what GPU do i need to DCS Reliably

A: A modern video card with at least 2GB of RAM, DX11+ support, and a PassMark score of 5000-8000 (my GTX 780M gets me 45-60 FPS all day with a score of 4000)

Q: What CPU do i need?

A: Any CPU scoring at least 3000 on PassMark

IMPORTANT TIPS: Do not be tempted to go cheap on Case, Power Supply, or Motherboard. Buy from a well-reviewed manufacturer, and always err on the side of More Power. I've seen too many builds (including my current roommate's) trashed by a power supply that wasn't up to the job, a motherboard that had shitty components get fried, or a case that did not provide good airflow. These problems will all cost you time and money, when you could spend a few extra bucks up front and not fuss with it again.

Nice post, thanks.

Shu,

Passmark's single thread benchmark is more adequate.

Just put one together, 4th gen i5-3.4/3.8GHz, on modest overclock @ 4.4 it scored 2650 points in both Passmark ( vers. 8 + 9 ) single thread.

My 2nd gen i7-2600k had 2712 points at 5GHz ( you can see how much more eff. the 4th gen is, very little tbh ).

Somewhere at roughly 2400-2500 points it gets smooooth.

Shu,

 

Passmark's single thread benchmark is more adequate.

good point, I should have considered that, since DCS relies heavily on single-thread performance.

I'll tweak my numbers later this evening.

DCS system requirements

I think if you have only the O.S. ( windows) and the game (DCS) installed on your machine the game will run smootly because you dont have all those installed apps taking memory and CPU resorces while you play the game.

To take care of this problem i have only the Windows 8.1 installed with some windows store apps......and the rest of the apps like Office2007 i have a Virtual Machine (VMware) with Windows XP. To make web browesing safer i use another VM with Linux OpenSUSE.

I think if you have only the O.S. ( windows) and the game (DCS) installed on your machine the game will run smootly because you dont have all those installed apps taking memory and CPU resorces while you play the game.

 

 

To take care of this problem i have only the Windows 8.1 installed with some windows store apps......and the rest of the apps like Office2007 i have a Virtual Machine (VMware) with Windows XP. To make web browesing safer i use another VM with Linux OpenSUSE.

Well, VMware won't save you from all the bad stuff that's around !

If, for example, you have shared folders enabled, you are just as unsafe as not using VMware at all if you encounter the right threat even with SuSE.

To be safe, always turn that feature off in Safety Machines.

Other than that, good approach, but VMware itself inserts some real low level drivers deeeep into your OS, no matter which one. The price you pay.

Shu,

by looking at the currently available i5 and i7 series, mainly 4th-6th generation, as long as it is a K version you will most certainly be able to clock it somewhere well over 4GHz, good ones 4.5+.

I really ask myself if I need to buy a 4790k or 7600k or if a lesser one from each series will in the end be just as fast as both may clock just as high when overclocked.

Looking at the raw/default data is somewhat obsolete as most in here OC anyway...and if you dont intend to oc at all only the fastest i5/i7 is good enough anyway and likely still not fast enough to drive a new 1000series GTX at full stroke.

My pal just clocked his 4th gen i5 to 4.6GHz...he's a bloody novice..just by using Asus tool and let it work....really ask myself how stupid I`d look if I get a 4790k that clocks less, for 170 bucks more !! I dont wanna find out LoL

*he clocked it till 4.8 tbh but temps were in the 80s so he clocked back to 4.5 with 60's temps full load...as a novice who doesnt know how to plug in USB, not speaking installing any driver.

..that's how easy overclocking got these days

Well, VMware won't save you from all the bad stuff that's around !

 

If, for example, you have shared folders enabled, you are just as unsafe as not using VMware at all if you encounter the right threat even with SuSE.

 

To be safe, always turn that feature off in Safety Machines.

 

Other than that, good approach, but VMware itself inserts some real low level drivers deeeep into your OS, no matter which one. The price you pay.

Well...i have almost everytrhing in VMWare (Virtual Machines) so i dont worry with CPU resorces and memory malware and spyware activity in my main O.S. (8.1)

Well...i have almost everytrhing in VMWare (Virtual Machines) so i dont worry with CPU resorces and memory malware and spyware activity in my main O.S. (8.1)

Read about "Zepto" and why you should not enable SHARED FOLDERS in any of VMware, be it Fusion, Workstation or whatever....

BTW..I run VMware too...and some HyperV...LoL all Virtual these days