RAM vs Graphics card

[trojan rabbit]

specs-
1GB RAM SDRAM at 333 MHZ, TIED
Integrated 3D AGP Graphics
160GB ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive  (7200)RPM
Microsoft XP



dementia Demention 2400 series, intel pentium processorat 2.660 GHz
integrated 10/100 ethernet


i want to upgrade my PC a little, and I don't have much money for a really good card, so I was thinking like a Geforce 2500 (i think that's it) or up to 2 gigs of RAM.  They both cost about the same...  Would the RAM help at all with FPS in FSX, as well as making the whole comp generally faster?

thanks,
Kevin

[ctjoyce]

Well if you want help in FSX, you can only go so far with RAM. That system is hard lacking a GPU. The AGP slot is holding you back, but a 6800 Ultra or X850 XTPE should do you just fine. Now you would expect me to suggest a 7800GS, however it will bottolneck that 2.66 Northwood.

So having a deadicated GPU will help much more in FSX. It will take a lot of the graphics load off the CPU and onto the the GPU, thus leaving the CPU to process the actual simulation.

Cheers
Cameron

[ozzy72]

I'm with Cameron on this one. Get the best graphics card you can afford. A gig of RAM is pretty good already

[trojan rabbit]

OK, thanks.  I wanted a better card, rather then RAM, but yesterday we ran a Norton Virus scan, and it took about a day and a half, with no other processes.  I wasn't sure, but more RAM would help my comp run more programs, right?  I didn't mind too much, but just that it slowed down the comp so much.  Not meaning to complain, anyway...

thanks,

Kevin [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

[Politically Incorrect]

OK, thanks.  I wanted a better card, rather then RAM, but yesterday we ran a Norton Virus scan, and it took about a day and a half, with no other processes.  I wasn't sure, but more RAM would help my comp run more programs, right?  I didn't mind too much, but just that it slowed down the comp so much.  Not meaning to complain, anyway...

thanks,

Kevin [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

1gig is good for about most everything. As for Norton taking so long there isn't enough RAM available to help that  ;D

[rootbeer]

Lighten the load on your CPU with a whoop-tushy GPU. Everybody's doin it, doin' it, doin' it!! Thank you! Thank you very much...

[DizZa]

ROFL, a Demention!

Well if you want help in FSX, you can only go so far with RAM. That system is hard lacking a GPU. The AGP slot is holding you back, but a 6800 Ultra or X850 XTPE should do you just fine. Now you would expect me to suggest a 7800GS, however it will bottolneck that 2.66 Northwood.

So having a deadicated GPU will help much more in FSX. It will take a lot of the graphics load off the CPU and onto the the GPU, thus leaving the CPU to process the actual simulation.

Cheers
Cameron

X850XTPE and 6800ULTA EXTREME are like .98 the speed of a 7800GS. Sorry but as I am a retard with an IQ of 160 I must be an ass.

[ctjoyce]

Well the X850 and 6800 aren't as slow as you make them out to be, and also you have to realise that in his rig he is bottolnecked by his CPU. The GPU will be processing graphics instructions faster than the CPU can know what to do with them, and therefore he isn't going to achieve full use of the card, thus paying for extra shaders / pipelines that he actually can't use.

Now I would recomend that he get a new system for FSX, however he asked for whether he should buy RAM or a new GPU, and in his case a new GPU will go a very long way.

Cheers
Cameron

[DizZa]

Well the X850 and 6800 aren't as slow as you make them out to be, and also you have to realise that in his rig he is bottolnecked by his CPU. The GPU will be processing graphics instructions faster than the CPU can know what to do with them, and therefore he isn't going to achieve full use of the card, thus paying for extra shaders / pipelines that he actually can't use.

Now I would recomend that he get a new system for FSX, however he asked for whether he should buy RAM or a new GPU, and in his case a new GPU will go a very long way.

Cheers
Cameron

Gotcha. What I meant was the X850XT and 6800ultra extreme are 98% (.98 of one whole 7800GS) of one 7800GS. Ultra... Is alittle slower.....

Well the X850 and 6800 aren't as slow as you make them out to be

I have an X850XT PE. Great card; though I didn't game for the first year when I had it. Silly me.

Runs fsX well:
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1178447306
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1178375829
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1178375878

[ctjoyce]

I don't doubt it, I ran the FSX demo on my X800XT and it seemed to do just fine for itself. And the X850 with its native HDR support, and 50% more pipelines and shaders would do just fine in just about anything......well except Suprime commander. Even there I can't max that out.

Cheers
Cameron

[trojan rabbit]

Can you guys recommend a decent one under$150, or close to that?

or should I stick with that $89 Geforce?

thanks,
Kevin [smiley=bath.gif]

[dcunning30]

Can you guys recommend a decent one under$150, or close to that?

or should I stick with that $89 Geforce?

thanks,
Kevin [smiley=bath.gif]

It depends.  Do you have an AGP or PCIe slot?  Also, just because you have an integrated AGP video doesn't necessairily mean you have an AGP slot.

[ctjoyce]

Its a Dell 4600, he has AGP.

As for the card, the 6800Ultra or the X850XT should be under $150.

Cheers
Cameron

[trojan rabbit]

Its a Dell 4600, he has AGP.

As for the card, the 6800Ultra or the X850XT should be under $150.

Cheers
Cameron

wow, aren't AGP's better?

I thought i had PCI...

that's what one techy at Best Buy said, but then again, i don't think i told him the right specs, sort of forgot  ;)


thanks

[dcunning30]

As far as throughput, AGP is better than PCI, but PCIe is better than both.