RAM vs. video card

[Blaunarwal]

You should also consider, a better video card is mostly larger than yours. So check it fits into your computer case!

[Modlerbob]

My computer guru and I opened the case and measured the space available. Video card needs to be half height and only 5" long. The problem is the power supply which is stacked on top of the hard drive. Finding a 300 watt or better power supply that will fit may be impossible. Looking back now I most likely should have stuck with a standard height case.

[garymbuska]

My computer guru and I opened the case and measured the space available. Video card needs to be half height and only 5" long. The problem is the power supply which is stacked on top of the hard drive. Finding a 300 watt or better power supply that will fit may be impossible. Looking back now I most likely should have stuck with a standard height case.

That is a common problem with a small computer case. The power supply they use is not standard size so you will have trouble replacing it.
If you have any knowledge of computers at all you can buy another case and just put the same mother board into the new case. I would recommend a mid tower at least. Some will come with a power supply and start at about $50.00 That is what I wound up doing. My first system was a compact system
and the power supply died in it. I was unable to get a new one because of the space was to small, and like you at the time did not have a lot of money.
So I bought a mid tower case and a new power supply and put the mother board into it.
This is really not that difficult to do. But the one thing you will need is a diagram of your current mother board so you know where to put the wires. The case will come with a instruction manual telling you what wires go where.
The wires I am talking about are the ones for the disk busy light the power light mike and headphone wires as well as any USB ports as these have to plug into the correct place on the mother board.

[Fozzer]

Beware of mixing Motherboards and cases, Mini Case, Midi Case, ATX Case, BTX Case, etc....

Often the motherboard fixing holes, and the stand-off screw holes in the cases, don't line up!

I had a BTX case Computer at one time which couldn't be upgraded for all sorts of incompatible reasons.

Best go for a full size, ATX Tower case.

Paul.

[litterboxgolfer]

Sorry man but with your situation there is nothing you can do hardware-wise that will improve your experience with FSX. $200 on a Sandy-Bridge OEM is not going to do anything for you concerning FSX, and considering you have an OEM PC from HP, you aren't doing too much serious work on that PC to the point where spending money on it is a viable option. 8 GB of memory is enough for FSX.

The only way you can improve performance is by taking care of FSX on a different level that you may not find worth your time if you only play FSX occasionally.

[Modlerbob]

Well I guess it pays to search the internet. My guru found a 450 watt power supply that will fit the space in my SFF case. That will allow me to get a more powerful video card. Now I just have to decide whether it will be worth spending $250+ for a power supply and card just to make FSX scenery more authentic.

Planes fly fine as long as I keep the scenery and AI objects at minimal settings.

[Fozzer]

With all my previous elderly computers running the various Flight Sims, the most important thing for me was to adjust the various sliders to get the Sim to run "S-M-O-O-T-H-L-Y"!

As long as I could get the view out of the left window, at very low altitude, to glide by smoothly, without a hiccup, I knew I was on the right route!

With FSX, that mostly involves obtaining the fastest Central Processor that one could afford!

FSX needs/thrives on, very fast Processors!

Paul.... ...!

[garymbuska]

FSX needs/thrives on, very fast Processors!

Paul.... ...!

A understatement if I ever saw one.
Do like I did when I updated I purchased each piece at different times watching for sales and such. I spent around 800 to 900 dollars all in all
If you go to tigerdirect they are always having deals on what are called BAREBONE deals
BAREBONES usually consist of a case and a power supply but some times thy come with RAM and a CPU and every now and then you will find one that has all three.
BAREBONES are a good way to go
Check out this link http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... 2&CatId=31
this is not a bad price.
If you want to really go whole hog with out spending a arm and a leg look at this one http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... 0&CatId=31
This has every thing you need I hope it does not make you cry to much but truthfully this is not a bad price for this system.
I have the same motherboard and it is awesome.

[Modlerbob]

End of story. My computer guru felt so bad about steering me toward a dead end computer owing to the sff case and proprietary hardware he has replaced it with a much more capable machine. It cost me my old machine plus $50. This new machine is capable of running FSX with nearly everything set at max levels. I think I will be satisfied with this machine for quite a while.

[Blaunarwal]

Great end of the story. What specs does the new rig have?

[Modlerbob]

I was afraid someone was going to ask that. The main processor is an AMD Phenom II X4 B55 3.2 GHz, the video card is an AMD Radeon HD 6700 w/ 1 gig DDR5 memory, system has 8 gig ram and the hard drive is 1 terabyte. I use a logitech extreme 3D pro joystick. Never could figure out how anybody could fly using just a mouse.

[Bass]

Congrats Bob, now you can FLY! Isn't that the most important thing..!!
Get the latest driver update on that particular 6700, BUT allways save the one you got thats working

[garymbuska]

Congrats Bob, now you can FLY! Isn't that the most important thing..!!
Get the latest driver update on that particular 6700, BUT allways save the one you got thats working

Great advise make sure you take it.