SurClaro Flight Simulator Resources

[Dan Morera]

First let me show you my current specs:

Intel (R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.00GHZ (2CPUS)
1 GB RAM
DIRECT X9
RADEON X300 SE 128 MB HYPERMEMORY (ATI) 32 BIT 60HZ
160 GB Hard Drive

I get good frame rates (20) with medium settings as long as I don't have too many clouds, sometimes I get bluries (sp?). I want to improve the quality of the images on FS9 and hopefully go to FSX.

So basically the idea is this, I'm going up to 4gb ram and planning on buying a video card (cpu will come later no $).

The options are way to many for someone who don't know a thing about video cards, someone gave me these 3 options:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161061
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130086
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150220

What do you guys recommend?Any other options on that site? I'm definitely buying from that site, and my budget is under $200.

Thanks for your help
Dan

[121a]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143101

It is $20 above your budget but BFG Tech has a Lifetime warranty on all there products. I think they are one of the best computer component manufactures ever. :lol:
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143105
for less, but also less MHz on the Core and memory.

[Dan Morera]

Ok so I got my two finalists (buying new video card), but I just noticed something, these video cards say they are GDDR3, is this in anyway related to my RAM memory (I got DDR2)??? I just want to be 100% sure they are compatible with my PC.

Oh I just thought about something, am I going to need a new power supply with either one of these? (I got the standard Dell one, almost new)

CARD 1

CARD 2

Thanks
Dan

[skipperdan]

Here is an excellent 3 part article about Video Cards. It makes for excellent reading. At the end of each article is a link to the other articles.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/07/24/graphics_beginners/index.html

Before you spend any money, I highly recommend that you (and everybody else) read the following article. 8) 8)

http://forums.surclaro.com/sutra61836.html&highlight=bloody#61836

[GDI]

I don't believe I saw it in the beginner's guide, so I'll mention it, just in case:

Your power supply needing to be upgraded depends on how much your power supply is pumping out already- usually, ones with 500W and over will be just fine. Between 400 and 500W, check the specs of the graphics card. Some require 400, some 450. Below 400W, I recommend you upgrade.

You actually can run your card without enough power from the PSU (Power Supply Unit), but it'll run at a lower speed to prevent jumps in wattage, and burning out your computer.

Oh, also- in case you didn't read those guides, GDDR 3 stands for Graphics Dual Data Rate 3, meaning it's the fastest video memory right now. Your partially correct- the RAM in your computer is similar, but that's for applications and running programs. GDDR is used for drawing images and textures on your computer screen. It's also nice that you can upgrade the speed of your graphics memory- that's what the 3 stands for- without having to buy an entirely new system. Your RAM, on the other hand, isn't so flexible. Oh well.

Hope that helps some.

[skipperdan]

GDI:

As many people already know, I am not a fan for running upto Daddy's bedroom asking for a new Dual Core Processor, new Motherboard, and new PCI Express Graphics card just so that I can see "Eye Candy" that is part of FSX.

However, I recently upgraded from an ATI Radeon 9500 Pro with 128 memory to a Nvidia 6800 GTOC AGP with 256 GDDR3 memory. I have been very impressed with the improved graphics and the ability to move my sliders further to the right. 8) 8)

[GDI]

skipperdan:

Neither do I. If you saw my specs, they aren't exactly top of the line. More like average, or maybe above-average.

Also, I hate ATI. All their cards are awful. Okay, okay- I'm sorry, it's just that everytime I bought one of their cards, I had some compatibility issue, or I had to update my drivers every 2 days. It was ridicolous.

Glad to see another fellow with AGP. 8) I myself am trying to avoid the inevitable of having to upgrade my motherboard to PCI-Express.

[Ice]

Still Stuck with AGP here. My old 9600Pro is starting to get on my nerves. I want the candy so i sacrifice frames. Alas sometimes getting 7fps at a busy airport with lots of cloud does try my patience. But when i have the money i will get a better PC (time to get a proper job)

[skipperdan]

I look at it this way. Now that I can see more buildings and scenery, the new video card has helped me to enjoy navigating with Dead Recking and Pilotage. I do not need to be able to find Elephants and Luxury Cruiseliners in order to perfect my Dead Reckoning and Pilotage skills.

I can accomplish all of this without spending hundreds of dollars to upgrade.

Note: I obtained the Nvidia card on EBay for a good price after taking my time and waiting for the perfect price.8) 8)
.
.

[groundsquirrel]

You know, it's all about the system. Well matched components will out perform a box full of hotrods everytime. My system as I have mentioned before is just a P4-3ghz with a gig of RAM and an ATI9600xt-pro128. I have noticed that the xt chipset is just in love with agp acceleration modes. Granted, I have done a few tweaks for FS, but nothing dramatic and I can run up the settings with over 17fps close in and nothing below 22 airborne. Plenty of detail, whatever traffic I want in whatever weather. The only time I get frame stops is if I get too happy changing views in a max poly model like the Seahawk/Boxer stuff, and that is normal, just due to the huge render load on the agp port. I made the mistake of upgrading my video drivers once, with disastrous results. I thought there was something wrong with my g-card. Finally came to my senses and started reading the change lists on those updated drivers and discovered that not a single one of them had anything to do with any programs I was running or was likely to run. So, I got out my OE disk and reinstalled the shipped drivers. VOILA! Now it was back to normal. Several hours of homework later led me to make sure I always have at least a gig of free space on the system drive. I now use PROFESSIONAL tools such as DiskTrix XP systembooster and their fantastical ultimate defrag. My stack even runs FSX at comfortable frame rates with acceptable levels of detail.
I have the same issue at work trying to council young hot rodders on why a bigger turbo can slow you down. I think it's high time that more physics and critical thinking are taught an earlier age. I should shut up now, I'm impacting my job security............ :wink:

[skipperdan]

Thanks GroundSquirrel:

I have been using the following software for years which is why I am in favor of tweaking my current rig instead of buying a new one:
O&O DEFRAG
SYSTEM BOOSTER http://www.disktrix.com/SBIntroduction.htm
ENDITALL

DiskTrix XP:
After reading Computer Pilot Magazine and your recommendation, I chose to download the Free Trial version of DiskTrix XP. I am very impressed and feel that this is great software.
http://www.disktrix.com/?gclid=CJOYyvvA340CFQwsOAodEyF0lg

Your Job Security:
You have nothing to worry about. I would much rather take my car to you than to Amco Transmissions. I can remember their TV commercial several years ago when they stated, "Only 50% of all cars brought into their shop needed a new transmission". Anybody with half a brain would not like these odds. That means that one half of the time, they "may" charge me for a new transmission vs only a minor tune-up. 8) 8)

[GDI]

Ice wrote: Still Stuck with AGP here. My old 9600Pro is starting to get on my nerves. I want the candy so i sacrifice frames. Alas sometimes getting 7fps at a busy airport with lots of cloud does try my patience. But when i have the money i will get a better PC (time to get a proper job)

You know, there are quite a few better AGP graphics cards out there- especially from nVidia. Check out the 7900 series- it's probably the best out there for AGP. I have a 7600- it's definitely better, and might be for you if you don't want to spend a bundle.

[Ice]

thanks GDI, but this Dell system with thier customised 250W PSU will not hack the better AGP cards. Its getting older and so this is as top as i can go.

GS, do you have fast writes on or off?

[groundsquirrel]

fast writes are on for my setup. this preferred for all motherboards capable of hyper-thread support such as my Intel D865GLC.

[GDI]

Ice wrote: thanks GDI, but this Dell system with thier customised 250W PSU will not hack the better AGP cards. Its getting older and so this is as top as i can go.

GS, do you have fast writes on or off?

To tell you the truth, that's okay. I previously had a Dell myself. I know what you're talking about- the area where the power cord attaches is on the wrong side of the case, right? What I did, when I bought a new PSU, is bent back the side where the new PSU's power cord attached, and it worked fine.

You could try that, to be able to get a few more years out of that computer.