Dual Core/Windows 7/Vista - 32 bit or 64 bit?

Simple question:

I want to upgrade to Windows 7 Beta to try it - only because I hear BlackShark runs way faster with multicore in DX 10 due to some DX 10 optimizations. That is all, I don't want to use the OS for anything else. I'm using XP right now and feel like I'm missing out.

Which do I go to for best performance with DCS - 32 bit or 64 bit?

Thanks.

After stressing out a bit, I upgraded to Vista 64 bit. I assumed that since BS is so CPU intensive 64 bit might enable more calculations. Runs great, but I don't have any "objective" information.

I was on XP, then went to Win 7 32 bit, then to Win 7 64 bit, and then bought a new computer with Vista 64 bit. Sheesh...

Simple question:

 

I want to upgrade to Windows 7 Beta to try it - only because I hear BlackShark runs way faster with multicore in DX 10 due to some DX 10 optimizations. That is all, I don't want to use the OS for anything else. I'm using XP right now and feel like I'm missing out.

 

Which do I go to for best performance with DCS - 32 bit or 64 bit?

 

Thanks.

I get at best 7 fps increase with Win7, than my WinXP. from 13 fps, to 20 fps. That's helpful with a 2 Ghz duo2core cpu. I would not call that a large increase. Also, it's now RC, not beta.

as far as x32 or x64, I went with x32. I read up and decided it would give me less hassles.

I get at best 7 fps increase with Win7, than my WinXP. from 13 fps, to 20 fps. That's helpful with a 2 Ghz duo2core cpu. I would not call that a large increase. Also, it's now RC, not beta.

 

as far as x32 or x64, I went with x32. I read up and decided it would give me less hassles.

You're looking at this in the wrong way... would you call 50% increase a good inrease then because addition of 7fps on 13fps is actually quite good ;) If you had 40fps and had 50% increase you would be on 60fps :book:

You're looking at this in the wrong way... would you call 50% increase a good inrease then because addition of 7fps on 13fps is actually quite good ;) If you had 40fps and had 50% increase you would be on 60fps :book:

I'll bet you will find that it will not be a 50% increase in fps when you go further up in CPU sizes... as far as I can see most people get 10 to 20 fps increase with Vista or Win7 over WinXP in most cpu's, no matter what the size is. There maybe some cases of more than that.. but I doubt those that get 40 fps with WinXP will get 80 fps with Vista/Win7. (Vista and Win7 are both on the same level as far as performance and features.. compared to WinXP).

Why 40fps with XP to 80fps in Vista/Win7? We're talking 50% increase, not 100%... what you could do is instead of guessing/betting, test if you increase CPU clock by 10% if same increase follows again.

my cpu is set as high as it wil go.. it is an e6300 and is 1.8 I have it set to 2.07 and it will not go any higher... without crashing.

and as far as all the test results go.... well, people will say what they get... I just mean don't expect large increases.. sure 7 fps increase is nice... but having a slow cpu like mine is not the best example.. I am only guessing from what I read what increases people get when they change from WinXP to Vista/Win7. Besides, I doubt anyone's eyeballs could tell the difference between 50 fps and 70 fps, if they can get that increase.

Others will pipe up if they do get large increases... or if they even need an increase in fps.

Im use Core2Duo Windows 7 64 bits, and BS run very well.

my WinXP/Win7 dual boot went bad last night while switching from Win7 back to WinXP on my Black Shark practice night.. my whole computer got screwed up, and neither operating system would boot. I spent many hours fixing it.

BTW, Black Shark was running and I was hosting a mission in Windows 7, but had a problem and was unable to join a game on another server with Win7 my screen would go black when I joined the server. But,this is pnly happneing with Win7 and my 546" LCD HDTV. When I go back with WinXP I can join servers using my HDTV.

Anyways,,, I got my computer back up and running. The dual boot can really go very bad if there is a glitch.. gotta make sur eyou have backups ready..

If you're not already doing so, use DcsMax to set processor affinity for DCS:BS. Black Shark wasn't written to take advantage of multicore processors. I'm running an Intel i7, quad core processor, and forcing multiple cores to give DCS:BS priority over other tasks has greatly increased mission load times and frame rates. I have tools to monitor the stress applied to my video cards, and DCS:BS doesn't tax them at all.

Here's a link to the DcsMax thread: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=40037

I already use that... :thumbup:

Simple question:

 

I want to upgrade to Windows 7 Beta to try it - only because I hear BlackShark runs way faster with multicore in DX 10 due to some DX 10 optimizations. That is all, I don't want to use the OS for anything else. I'm using XP right now and feel like I'm missing out.

 

Which do I go to for best performance with DCS - 32 bit or 64 bit?

 

Thanks.

This is a late reply - but since I've dug up some new information, quoted from MSDN:

Performance Implications of Running a 64-bit Operating System

Because processors with AMD64 and Intel 64 architecture can execute 32-bit instructions natively, they can run 32-bit applications at full speed, even on a 64-bit OS. There is a modest cost for converting parameters between 32-bit and 64-bit when calling operating system functions, but this cost is generally negligible. This means that you should see no slowdown when running 32-bit applications on a 64-bit OS.

Altough you must see this information in relevance to your drivers and hardware - because you need hardware and drivers which is mature enough for 64bit (of course).

The reality of 64bit is that you may experience some slowdowns depending on your configuration - but from this point in time and onwards I think we will see much more 64bit development and (latest) hardware/driver configurations that runs as smooth as 32bit - or starting to outperforming it as well.

But for "old" configurations - sticking with 32bit may seem to be the smart thing until you have a new rig. :)

Wags has said that the next big change to the engine should be an addition of a 64 bit version, so DCS can take advantage of more RAM. So if you have a fairly modern system, 64 bit is the way to go. I'm currently using win 7 rc 64 bit, never had any issue.

If you build a new system, I'd go for 64bit.

Memory is pretty cheap and most graphics cards have 1GB of VRAM in the meanwhile, some even more. With 32bit you will quickly run out of physical addresses, as it only supports about 3.8GB at max, vRAM+RAM that is!

On the other hand, if you have more than 4GB, modern OS like Vista/Win7 are able to assign more memory to an application than the original limit of 2GB. I'm currently running the game with a GTX285 with 2GB of vRAM and 4GB RAM installed. Ingame stats in BS show that it uses 3.5GB.

I increased preload-ranges and have almost no reloading when flying any longer.

Wags has said that the next big change to the engine should be an addition of a 64 bit version, so DCS can take advantage of more RAM. So if you have a fairly modern system, 64 bit is the way to go. I'm currently using win 7 rc 64 bit, never had any issue.

I would guess they to take advantage of more of the 64bit systems - altough rebuild the whole engine into 64bit is quite a big undertaking. This is due to the nature of x64 platform require you to run all the software - and all the components it relies on (all DLL's in the system / Lua / everyting, maybe including TrackIr).

I doubt we will see a full 64bit enginge within the next 2 years (my personal opiniion of course). I think it may be more realistic to see this closer to the end of teh DCS-series.

But at some stage we will see the first experimental support for it (sometimes next yer maybe?) - and better optimization - altough as Microsoft states, you shouldn't have any major performance hit from runnign 32bit software on a 64bit platform. :)

EDIT: Ohgawd - look at my spelling - no wonder I suck at coding :(