GPU shopping time!

[Celtman]

Hey everyone

I'm looking for a new GPU, mainly for FSX but for other games also I currently have a 260 GTX, which I like, but I have the budget to stretch further now

What do you guys recommend with a budget for

[Slotback]

GTX 470.


SSD.

[waspiflab]

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod ... T1GDG.html

Read alot about the 5870 cards in magazines etc they have great results.  In tests these have nailed the nvidia gtx470

[Slotback]

The GTX 470 is somewhat cheaper than the 5870. And I'm betting the GTX 470 would outperform the 5870 in FSX, But yes the 5870 is faster and if I could have either I'd get the 5870.

[Celtman]

So the 5870 is faster and better for overall gaming, but the 470 is better in fsx?

How much better do you think it would perform? I mean FSX what I mainly use my PC for, other gaming is more of a sideline.

I heard something about the 5870 being two cards strapped together, so FSX only uses half the power (or something like that  ) is that true?

Also would you recommend installing the OS on an SSD or FSX on an SSD?

Thanks for the help guys

[waspiflab]

I don't believe any card out there yet is good enough for FSX

[Slotback]

So the 5870 is faster and better for overall gaming, but the 470 is better in fsx?

I have not seen any direct comparisons of the 5870 with the GTX 470. However Nick N explained that the 5870 was approximately the same as the GTX 285 in FSX. I have also seen benchmarks of the GTX 470 versus GTX 285, and the GTX 470 is significantly faster in FSX. If you want these benchmarks you'll have to ask someone else because I don't have a link to them, I think it was on Avsim, not sure though. So I presume that GTX 470 will be faster than the 5870 in FSX. That being said, both are very good cards in FSX, and the 5870 will be somewhat faster in most applications. The GTX 470 is slightly better value for money over the 5870 in most applications, so either way you can't really go wrong.

Also the GTX 470 uses a heap of electricity you might want to check your PSU can run it.


ALSO FSX is limited by the CPU, so while in most games a GTX 470 might double your fps, you're unlikely to get double fps in FSX. The best upgrade for a fsx computer is generally a faster processor, or overclocking it.


Also you could probably sell your current GTX 260 to get some more cash.

How much better do you think it would perform? I mean FSX what I mainly use my PC for, other gaming is more of a sideline.

I don't know how much better it would perform in FSX. There are a number of free reviews of the GTX 470 which would compare it to the 5870 in other games though.

[quote]I heard something about the 5870 being two cards strapped together, so FSX only uses half the power (or something like that

[Celtman]

So the 5870 is faster and better for overall gaming, but the 470 is better in fsx?

I have not seen any direct comparisons of the 5870 with the GTX 470. However Nick N explained that the 5870 was approximately the same as the GTX 285 in FSX. I have also seen benchmarks of the GTX 470 versus GTX 285, and the GTX 470 is significantly faster in FSX. If you want these benchmarks you'll have to ask someone else because I don't have a link to them, I think it was on Avsim, not sure though. So I presume that GTX 470 will be faster than the 5870 in FSX. That being said, both are very good cards in FSX, and the 5870 will be somewhat faster in most applications. The GTX 470 is slightly better value for money over the 5870 in most applications, so either way you can't really go wrong.

Also the GTX 470 uses a heap of electricity you might want to check your PSU can run it.


ALSO FSX is limited by the CPU, so while in most games a GTX 470 might double your fps, you're unlikely to get double fps in FSX. The best upgrade for a fsx computer is generally a faster processor, or overclocking it.


Also you could probably sell your current GTX 260 to get some more cash.

How much better do you think it would perform? I mean FSX what I mainly use my PC for, other gaming is more of a sideline.

I don't know how much better it would perform in FSX. There are a number of free reviews of the GTX 470 which would compare it to the 5870 in other games though.

[quote]I heard something about the 5870 being two cards strapped together, so FSX only uses half the power (or something like that

[Slotback]

Generally 3.8ghz or above. Sometimes as far as 4.2ghz.

[Celtman]

Am I best installing FSX on the SSD or normal HDD?

[Slotback]

SSD if you have enough space.