Decisions, Decisions

[fighter25]

Okay, I'm getting or building a new computer. My hope is to run FSX a lot better than I am now. My step dad is an I.T. guy, so he can put anything into a computer 'cuz he's trained really well for his job. I'm maybe getting a GeForce 8800 GTX (Most likely), and 2 or 3 gigs of RAM, and a Dual Core. Now if I can should I get a quad core? Also what MoBo should I get?

[jimcooper1]

Follow the specs in my Sig block and you won't go far wrong. A single graphics card will be OK if you're only running 1 or 2 monitors.

Regards

Jim

[ctjoyce]

Well, you could go with Jim's sig, but you could also buy a lot of hardware that you will never use to your fullest.

My suggestion would be........TO WAIT!! The current hardware is too fast for what we have now, and too slow for the holiday season. So my suggestion is to wait until Aug. By then we will have R600 and G81. We should also have the next wave of Core 2 Quad (Penyn). K10 may be out by then, but with AMDs roadmap, don't count on desktop K10 being here.

So could you spend $3000 on a E6700, 4GB RAM, 300GB 10,000RPM HDD, 8800GTX SLi rig? Yes. However its only going to get you so far. Also realise that there is currently only three games out that are definately going to be DX10. Everything else big for DX10 is going to be in Nov~ish. Also remember that Vista sucks for gaming right now, and not everyone is completely supporting it.

My conclusion, wait....I did.

Cheers
Cameron

[Ashton Lawson]

ah, finally, i found a time frame suggested by cam.  great.  now i know how long to wait for faster quad-core CPUs and possibly 8900 series...

but i thought the Radeon 2900 was gonna be released in about two weeks time?

[ctjoyce]

Meh, I somehow doubt that. ATi only just launched a pre-production benchmark card, and there aren't any major factors leading me to believe that they will.

Cheers
Cameron

[Nick N]

The XT NDA will be lifted (non disclosure agreement) AND the launch will be on May 14th. Until then all who are testing the card or who have knowledge of the 2900XT must remain silent. The XTX is under a 2nd NDA for the 65mn product which will be released in the following weeks along with the mid range RV630, etc. At least that is what I know right now. They may change that and release early or later.




in the mean time, enjoy a few numbers from an unknown single video card using revision 2 unknown beta drivers. The official drivers are expected to boost another 5-6%









notice the 06 score was run at a much lower CPU clock.. no use making the other guys look really bad      

[ctjoyce]

Its going to be intresting to see who wins the dual card setup. ATi usually falls behind here. Also the price war, another sore spot for ATi.

Cheers
Cameron

[Nick N]

Its going to be intresting to see who wins the dual card setup. ATi usually falls behind here. Also the price war, another sore spot for ATi.

Cheers
Cameron

LOL

go buy 2 ultra's

that will be the only card that may push the XTX and it will NEVER outdo the shader engine.


at 800+ bucks each? go for it


2 XT's will be EDIT: 369-399 each depending on the manufacture


and ATi is MS Certified for both XP and Vista.... none or very few issues

[Nick N]

what the heck, have another one on me





BTW... clocks will well exceed 1000 core on air... I will leave the memory clocks as a surprise.



and the ultra is jacked up as high as an 8800 can handle

[ctjoyce]

Well I may get a 2900, if I can fit it in the case

Cheers
Cameron

[Nick N]

Well I may get a 2900, if I can fit it in the case

Cheers
Cameron

no worries

you just need to make sure you have a REAL 750watt PSU for a single card or 1000watt for a dual (ok, 600 single-850watt minimum for dual but not with quad core system)

You can run them on lower power units but the card reads the current and changes its clock to make sure it wont overdrive the PSU

You need a good PSU and not that multi-rail crap either. The rails need to deliver a huge amount of power on the the 2nd 8 pin connector in order to do any clocking. If that rail is weak, the clock will retard automatically.

Single rail PSU only. Anything else and you probably wont get the card to clock right.

[DizZa]

LOL! Nice work Nick! Heh... I think I am gonna buy an awsome rig soon...... Well...... Dammit I want it now.

EDIT: My birthday is on the 14th and my Dad offered me a new computer? Hmmmm. Nah I'll wait till next year. My X850XTPE does me good.

Oh, and any fsX pictures of this 'unknown hardware'?

[fighter25]

My step-dad offered me one. I really need it seeing that my comp. is 7 or 8 years old!

[richardd43]

Darn Nick, I just got my 7950s to 9000 on 06 and you had to post those scores.... sigh

[Nick N]

Honey.. .. think of it like this, when I go hunting for moose I must be armed to do the job right. Although I am all for the sport of the hunt, a bow and arrow just does not cut it and can actually be very, very dangerous because I have to get very close to take the shot.


You would not want me in that kind of danger, would you??


Game computing is like big game hunting with a twist, every year or so the game gets twice as big so you have to buy a bigger gun with bigger loads



[i]Something happened with the power supply which damaged the video cards. I was taking them back for warrantee replacements and I put the bag down behind the car to come back in and get my keys. I went back, got in the car and out forgot about the bag. Needless to say I realized I had forgotten the bag when I backed up.