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Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:21 pm
by garymbuska
It would help if you mentioned your system specs so everyone will know what you have and what you might need. 8-)

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:40 am
by congo
I'm using an overclocked 7900GS and it seems pretty good in FSX, I have 2gb of ram and a single cored AMD CPU at 2.75ghz.

I'm pretty sure that I would benefit with more CPU power rather than a video card upgrade. Saying that, with traffic turned off, I can maintain 28-fps (frame locked) with pretty high settings on everything else, my video card is 256mb, and I suspect a 512mb card would help things along as well. My autogen and ground textures take some time to render occasionally...... my settings are obviously too high, but I like the eye candy and 28 fps minimum myself, and I don't mind waiting for the rendering.

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:36 pm
by Sovien
I'm using an overclocked 7900GS and it seems pretty good in FSX, I have 2gb of ram and a single cored AMD CPU at 2.75ghz.

Honestly, your processor isn't that slow. You could upgrade to a multi core processor, but you also have to remember most video games (including FSX) can not utilize any more then a single core.

So, for example if I had a duo core that ran at 2.2 ghz, I'd actually be running slower then you running a single core at 2.75 ghz. So, I dont think you need to upgrade your cpu unless you can find one that clocks atleast 3 ghz (and will work with your mobo).

That's all based on my understanding of how multicore processors work. My understanding could be slightly off.

Two gigs of ram is pretty sufficent for anything that's out right now. That being said, I'm a firm believer that more ram is always a good thing.

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:17 pm
by Wii
I'm using an overclocked 7900GS and it seems pretty good in FSX, I have 2gb of ram and a single cored AMD CPU at 2.75ghz.

Honestly, your processor isn't that slow. You could upgrade to a multi core processor, but you also have to remember most video games (including FSX) can not utilize any more then a single core.

No, FSX SP2 enables the use of the multiple cores. Multiple cores are a huge step up from single cores.

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 3:54 pm
by Sovien
I'm using an overclocked 7900GS and it seems pretty good in FSX, I have 2gb of ram and a single cored AMD CPU at 2.75ghz.

Honestly, your processor isn't that slow. You could upgrade to a multi core processor, but you also have to remember most video games (including FSX) can not utilize any more then a single core.

No, FSX SP2 enables the use of the multiple cores. Multiple cores are a huge step up from single cores.

Ahha, I wasn't aware that SP2 enabled the use of multi cores. Thanks for the clarification, Will. I agree that multicore would be a huge step up, but only if the software can utilize more then one core.

Well there you have it OP, multi core would be useable in FSX. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any other games that can utilize multiple cores yet.

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:18 pm
by garymbuska
I have 4 gigs ram and like Sovien said it only uses 3 1/2 gigs I am using a 7600 OC 512 mb ram & a 3.25 gig pentium 4 with hyper threading. I have a AGP slot and do not have PCI express so I am maxed out on both RAM and Video card and since my mobo uses a socket 412 which is no longer available I can not put on a multi core. So untill I can do a comeplete upgrade I am stuck. But I get reasonable FPS in FSX about the mid to upper twenties. with everything in the middle range.
You need to ask your self what is important it seems like your system is doing alright so if I were you I would save up my money and start from the ground up. My son just spent about $3,500.00 for his system but is is awesome.
A huge full size tower with a 1,ooo watt power supply 6 1.25mm fans two 8800 OCS video cards liknked together using SLI a 450 gig SATA hard drive a DUAL core 2.5 gig cpu 2 gigs of fast DDR3 ram a CD/ROM drive and a DVD/ROM drive a extra card that has 4 USB ports on it. When this thing cranks up it sounds like it is going to take off. But one thing for sure it does not even get warm. 8-)

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 5:43 pm
by SubZer0
I'm using an overclocked 7900GS and it seems pretty good in FSX, I have 2gb of ram and a single cored AMD CPU at 2.75ghz.

Honestly, your processor isn't that slow. You could upgrade to a multi core processor, but you also have to remember most video games (including FSX) can not utilize any more then a single core.

No, FSX SP2 enables the use of the multiple cores. Multiple cores are a huge step up from single cores.

Ahha, I wasn't aware that SP2 enabled the use of multi cores. Thanks for the clarification, Will. I agree that multicore would be a huge step up, but only if the software can utilize more then one core.

Well there you have it OP, multi core would be useable in FSX. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any other games that can utilize multiple cores yet.

Basically every recent game is capable of using multiple cores.. ESPECIALLY FSX. It was actually SP1 that made it capable of doing so, SP2 just fixes a few other things and will sometimes improve performance.

Also, XP is capable of recognizing and using 4+GB of RAM, but only with the x64 bit edition.

I do agree with you in that he shouldn't go to 4GB of RAM.. but ONLY if he doesn't have the x64 bit OS.

Overall, you would benefit from a CPU upgrade to a dual core than any other piece of hardware. Quads are even better if you can afford it,  the Q6600 is very cheap for a quad; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819115017

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:20 pm
by steve s
I say a Motherboard, and faster RAM to match it.

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:59 pm
by Sovien
So just to clarify, RAM will enhance your graphics and increase fps? :-?

Well...haha...No and Yes.

RAM is simply your computer's memory. If your computer has more RAM it can do more with the graphics settings.

To put it simply, having more ram will enable you turn up the graphic settings in flight simulator a little more because the computer has more memory to work with. Because of the increased memory your computer will be able to process the information slightly faster.

Because you can increase the graphics settings slightly the sim will look slightly better (more eye-candy). Also your computer will process this information alittle faster because there is more memory for the computer to work with.

Re: Should I buy a new card or other things?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:36 pm
by congo
So just to clarify, RAM will enhance your graphics and increase fps? :-?


No, that's a complete misconception and a fallacy.

Ram is the easiest thing to upgrade, I suspect that's why the Lie is so widespread.

Ram is working space, nothing else.

If you can build a model plane on a kitchen table, you don't need a hangar to build it in, that is how ram works...... if there is enough ram, more ram will do absolutely nothing.

If there is a ram shortfall, you run into performance issues as your PC starts using the hard disk to store temporary data that would normally reside in RAM.

To answer your original question, you should post in the hardware forum with your complete specs, but basically, If your CPU is slowish, and YOU may not be able to determine that, despite what you think, then that could be your problem.

Your video card is not the best but it's similar to mine, and I have little problem with mine in FSX.

A lot of what was posted above relates to my original comment on my CPU. I think the thread got offtrack because of that, but  you'll get better advice in the hardware forum.