Graphics Card Upgrade

[MWISimmer]

George, an extra stick of 256/512 RAM would help you a bit.  ;)...  And cost less...
Rob.

[G-EORGE]

OK thanks i'll bear it in mind

[Chris_F]

Your description sounds like an AGP slot to me.  The thing you plug your monitor in to today, is that a card plugged in to one of your three white slots (PCI)?  Or is it separate from where all the slots are (motherboard based graphics)?  My bet is that you've got a motherboard based graphics card now.

A GF6200 AGP should be a pretty sizeable upgrade from what you have.  If you got the money and want to spend it on your computer I think that's probably a good bet.  I had a GF5200 card and it ran FS9 at mid/low graphics settings just fine.  The 5200 is a lot less card than the 6200 so expect to see some decent performance.  You won't be able to max it out, but you'll be able to turn some or most of the sliders up.

Check out Wikipedia.com for a basic description of the nVidia cards.  Search for nVidia.  Also cross shop with ATI and see what you think will buy you the most card for your fifty pounds.  Either way I think you'll do well upgrading to an AGP vid card.

[ctjoyce]

@Chris: Quiet you. The cards you recommend are too low level for what FS should be running.

A minimum of a 6600GT from nVidia or a X800GTO from ATi are what everyone shoud be looking at. Yes they are $150+ cards, Yes that is a big number, but for what you get out of it, you shouldnt even shudder. Seriously dont expect to have a high end sim like Fly2e, Me, Mr.Apoo and others without shelling out the cash.

Cheers
Cameron

[Chris_F]

@Chris: Quiet you. The cards you recommend are too low level for what FS should be running.

Unfortunately not everyone is made of money.

[Scorpiоn]

Seriously, I don't think we should expect people to double their budget just because we want them to have more computer.  That's like telling a homeless person not to go to a shelter and hold out for a suite at the Ritz.

Quoted for truth.

[ctjoyce]

Seriously, I don't think we should expect people to double their budget just because we want them to have more computer.  That's like telling a homeless person not to go to a shelter and hold out for a suite at the Ritz.

As that may be, I personally cant give someone a suggestion to buy less than adequate hardware for a gameing system. If your gameing you need GAMEING hardware. The 6200 IS NOT a gameing card, and the FX5XXX series are way outdated.

Seriously you wouldn't buy the absolute cheapest roofing for your house, as its not in the budget. Same with your GPU. If you plan to get a card for gameing YOU NEED TO BUY SOMETHING TO DO THE JOB!!! not just a quick fix for now.

Cheers
Cameron

[G-EORGE]

Thanks for all the advice, I still think I'll go for the 6200, if i used the sim non-stop then I probably would fork out for a 6600, but instead I tend to play it for a few weeks, then get bored and leave it for a few weeks etc;

[ctjoyce]

Alright then. Look for a eVGA or BFG tech card.

Cheers
Cameron

[Chris_F]

Seriously you wouldn't buy the absolute cheapest roofing for your house, Same with your GPU. If you plan to get a card for gameing YOU NEED TO BUY SOMETHING TO DO THE JOB!!! not just a quick fix for now.

I would if I lived in a double wide in the poor section of the trailer park, just lost my job, and the choise was either a cheap roof or deal with rain dripping on my kid's bed.

Besides, even if he bought a 7800 there would come a day when it isn't adequate anymore.  Buying something to do the job doesn't exist in the PC world.  You get something that works to a certain level and you gotta know that that level will change.  Today the 6600 is an acceptable card, tomorrow it won't be.  There was a time when a 5200 was a pretty good card (maybe not the best for the money, but there was a time when it was good enough).

[vololiberista]

Hi G-EORGE
As you can see from all the replies, graphics cards are very much a matter of personal preference.

I used to Run FlyII with a G Force 2 with 32 mb because it was smoother than a g force 4 with 64mb!!!!!

What matters most for frame rate is the relationship between the CPU and the motherboard and then a graphics card that they both get on with ..

Also i have to say that I used to have a G force 4 AGP that actually was slower than it's PCI equivalent!!!!

I don't know whereabouts in UK You live but
have a look at this site http://www.britishcomputerfairs.com/
If there is one near you then certainly you will find a good card within your budget.
Good Luck
Vololiberista

[kipman725]

DO NOT BUY A PCI CARD!!!!

By far its the worst thing on the market. Save your cash, and get a bare minimum of a 6600GT.

Cheers
Cameron

Hear Hear
The FX series should be avoided like THE PLAUGE I have one because of the reputation nvidia built up after the 4 series and reviwers been too weak to slate nvidia for producing such a flawed prduct.  Basicly the FX is good untill you run directX 9.0 stuff where is falls on it's arse with bad rendering bugs and auwfull performance.

If you have an AGP slot the 6600gt is a very good card to get, not too pricey and quite nipppy with good perforamance (for its price) with advanced shaders.

[4_Series_Scania]

The FX series should be avoided like THE PLAUGE I have one because of the reputation nvidia built up after the 4 series and reviwers been too weak to slate nvidia for producing such a flawed prduct.  Basicly the FX is good untill you run directX 9.0 stuff where is falls on it's arse with bad rendering bugs and auwfull performance.

Glad I was'nt the only one to fall for the FX series, they arn't a bad card as such, the trouble was, the direct competition ,at the time, was so much better!

We live & learn.......

[Chris_F]

Glad I was'nt the only one to fall for the FX series, they arn't a bad card as such, the trouble was, the direct competition ,at the time, was so much better!

We live & learn.......

I too had an FX series card.  I just went from that (FX5200) to a 6800GS.  BIG improvement.

[kipman725]

yeah should be alot better than your current card, rember to download the latest drivers from nvidas site instead of using the ones on the cd as they will be out of date.  If your budget would strech to a 6600gt thats a far faster card and worth the extra money, but you seem quite keen to spend as little as posible  :P