Laptop/HOTAS upgrading questions.

I currently have a laptop, and extreme 3d pro, and TWCS throttle. I need to update my stick, but I also am considering adding more RAM to my laptop, so I can run 2.5(particularly the MP).

Here are the laptop specs: i5-3320M(2.6 ghz), NVS5200M, 8gb (2x 4gb) DDR3L 1600 or 1866.

I have two options: get a t16000m and an 8gb RAM stick (total RAM 12gb, my laptop has only 2 memory slots), or get CH Fighterstick/FlightStick and no RAM. Here are the questions:

Will 2.5 multiplayer (especially since the 2.5.1 update) work with 12gb RAM (I don't mind putting every graphics setting on the lowest option)?

Although I like the extra hats on the CH, are they really nessacary, especially considering that the TWCS has 3 hats, an analog ministick, a 2-way rocker, and 3 push buttons (which i can shift to effectively give the T16000m 4 hats)?

Also, fyi, my laptop actually runs 2.5 in-game at an acceptable speed(30-40FPS) with all settings on the lowest. It is simply that when loading the mission editor, and the weapons loadout page, it eats RAM and takes, like, 5 mins each, and multiplayer eats RAM, and doesn't even load at all. It just freezes my laptop. -___-

I think you partially answered your own question. What's good of the new CH gear, if you still won't be able to join servers with 8 gigs anyway?

That being said, the other option doesn't sound stellar either. Generally mixing up different memory sticks is considered a risky business. In best scenario, the whole 12 will run with the speed of slower of two sticks, in worse scenario it won't run at all or cause stability issues. Unless you can somehow find 8 GB stick from the same producer with exactly the same timings as your current 4s (which I doubt you can) - then maybe, just maybe it kinda sorta shoulda work. But jump from 8 to 12 isn't much of a jump for 2.5.xx DCS anyway...

How about not buying new stick just now (if your old one still works that is) and going for 16 gigs (2x8 )? That would certainly make a noticeable difference for DCS.

dundun92

before you invest any more money into that laptop, please have a look at the minimum requirements for GPU. Yours has max. 1GB VRAM

The RAM you could fix, but the GPU ?

dundun92

 

before you invest any more money into that laptop, please have a look at the minimum requirements for GPU. Yours has max. 1GB VRAM

 

The RAM you could fix, but the GPU ?

I know about the min specifications. When I tested 2.5, my issue wasn't in-flight speed. It ran satisfactorily for me. What annoyed me was the ridiculous RAM usage. Loading the mission editor took ~5-10mins. Same with the weapons loadout page. And MP? Basically impossible. I had enough trouble in 1.5.8. I have checked about my laptop, and, unfortunately, the GPU cannot be upgraded. The CPU and RAM can though. From my understanding, a better GPU won't nessacarilly decrease load times, and RAM usage. Only more RAM will fix that. Please correct me if that isn't true.

An SSD is what really improves load times for a decent computer. In your case I might suggest that upgrading is more a money pit than a solution. I'm sure its not what you want to hear but I would suggest starting a fund for a new system.

An SSD is what really improves load times for a decent computer. In your case I might suggest that upgrading is more a money pit than a solution. I'm sure its not what you want to hear but I would suggest starting a fund for a new system.

I know I need an upgrade, I've simply been wondering if I could upgrade my laptop in any way, because it's going to be a little while before I can get a new computer.

If you do not have a SSD yet, get one. You can use any 2.5" SSD that fits your laptop in any new Computer for a few years to come, Sata won't vanish for years to come. So a SSD is an investment that you will not loose once you upgrade, just take the SSD out and into the new rig ;)

Do that first, then check how much further you got. Then, MAYBE, you could think about adding RAM if that is possible, if not, replace all modules for 16GB config ( very pricey ).

Load times are a combination of things. If you have plenty RAM and a SSD then you are as fast as it gets. Lower any component and you que up things. HDD's hate ques. Low RAM forces an offload to Pagefile, which with a single HDD will cause a DEEEEEP quedepth and SUDDENLY, those benchmark results for LOOONG que depth get very important whereas the article will say " standard users never have such deeep ques"..yeah, DCS is not everybody.

You see how quickly you can fall off the bench, backwards, naked.

Follow my tip, get an SSD, Samsung 860/870 series or Crucial MX500 ( NOT 300 ! ) and that will take you a mile further, hands down.

When your RAM is TILT and needs to offload, dare to use the SSD as a PageFile, do it, it will speed up things like only a witch can. Modern SSD's dont suffer wear & tear from a daily round of DCS and some heavy swapping.

:)

RAM may drop in a few months, dunno if you can wait that long.

If you do not have a SSD yet, get one. You can use any 2.5" SSD that fits your laptop in any new Computer for a few years to come, Sata won't vanish for years to come. So a SSD is an investment that you will not loose once you upgrade, just take the SSD out and into the new rig ;)

 

Do that first, then check how much further you got. Then, MAYBE, you could think about adding RAM if that is possible, if not, replace all modules for 16GB config ( very pricey ).

 

Load times are a combination of things. If you have plenty RAM and a SSD then you are as fast as it gets. Lower any component and you que up things. HDD's hate ques. Low RAM forces an offload to Pagefile, which with a single HDD will cause a DEEEEEP quedepth and SUDDENLY, those benchmark results for LOOONG que depth get very important whereas the article will say " standard users never have such deeep ques"..yeah, DCS is not everybody.

 

You see how quickly you can fall off the bench, backwards, naked.

 

Follow my tip, get an SSD, Samsung 860/870 series or Crucial MX500 ( NOT 300 ! ) and that will take you a mile further, hands down.

 

When your RAM is TILT and needs to offload, dare to use the SSD as a PageFile, do it, it will speed up things like only a witch can. Modern SSD's dont suffer wear & tear from a daily round of DCS and some heavy swapping.

 

:)

 

RAM may drop in a few months, dunno if you can wait that long.

So the SSD is kinda acting like additional RAM? If thats the case, then maybe a SSD is a better investment for upgrading my laptop.

A SSD is in no way any kind of RAM, other than that you can use it for a PageFile as well.

That will help the system to compensate for too little RAM as you can read/write a lot faster to any SSD than you can to any HDD, that's all.

A SSD is actually mandatory to have a smooth DCS experience, nothing to add to this.

So...

I just got a T16000m, and a MX500 is shipping later this week.

The T16000m is quite nice, and the spring is actually quite light. Much more accurate than the e3d pro. For once, I don't need a deadzone on my joystick. Aiming the F-15C is so easy now, I can get gun kills with much more ease.