SurClaro Flight Simulator Resources

[dre2006]

Hi everyone!! Im planning to get this laptop to mainly play fs2004 or fsx.

Dell Inspiron 6400

Processor: Intel Pentium dual-core proc T2060(1MB Cache/1.6GHz/533MHz FSB)

operating system:Win xp.

Display: 15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA Display with TrueLife™

Memory: Upgrade to 2GB from 512MB

Hard drive 100GB 7200 RPM SATA

Optical drive 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R

Graphics: 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7300 GS

Battery: 53 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

Is this descend enough to have my f2004 work smooth with some addons?
also is the 256MB ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1400 HyperMemory any better?

[capt.PropwashKCHS]

It should be decent enough to give you pretty good framerates in FS9...

I have a laptop that Dell Inspirion 2200 that i have FS9 **AND** FSX on and i get about 17-23 FPS (frames per second on HIGH in FS9 and about 5-8 in FSX).

In my own opinion i would say stay away from a laptop unless it is going to be a temporary computer. The reason behind this, is as new video cards come out that are DX10 and with Windows Vista already on the shelves, your laptop will be out of date in a mere few months. You wont be able to upgrade the Video Card unless you ship it back to DELL and pretty much pay almost $500 to get a new one put in and it take almost 4-8 weeks with shipping, swap-out, and it shipped back. To me that is not worth the hassle. Dell has some pretty nifty desktops that are extremely small (not much space to take up) but yet you get more bang for the buck. http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsdt_210?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs ......... then look at TECH SPECS under the main pic on the page.



My system componets (video i have no clue what it means, maybe someone can tell us.)

Windows XP Home
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
Processor Intel Celeron M (does not have built in mobile capability) ~1396 Mhz

Total Physical Memory 1,280.00 MB

Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB

Sound Card SigmaTel C-Major Audio

Video Card Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset Family
128MB (15" monitor)

Hard Drives 1 internal 30G 1 external (bought seperate) 60G for FS9 and FSX



Its just my opinion, but compared to what i have ... yes your Dell Laptop is better, but still... it is a laptop.. when it comes time to get a faster / better Video Card to handle the DX10 load, do you really want to spend the money in what it would take to probably get a whole new computer, or a desktop that you can just take the case off the tower and swap out parts yourself????? BUT then again, if you are going away to college, or moving alot, a laptop would be a good idea cause its easier to actually carry.... but what about upgrades?? if the Video Card, or Sound Card, or Motherboad goes out for whatever reason... hehe, get a new computer.
Desktop = just swap out the part and keep on going. your choice.

[rd]

Agree with Propwash.....

For a laptop, your fine to run FS9/FS2004, with settings set pretty good (high). RAM is good, so you should be fine for framerates and detail. As for your G-card, can't say, I don't know about ATI's junk.

As for FSX,......GET A PC....DESKTOP. Reason for this, is because you will need to step up to VISTA, get a DX10 compatible G-card, minimum of 2gb RAM. Which is not readily available, for laptops.

As for your worries for addons for FS9/FS2004, your laptop should be just fine. The only concerns would be for high mesh scenery. Otherwise, all other addons will work just fine.

RD

11 more posts.....and then...........