Video Card Question

[Super_Game]

I have a GeForce FX5200 128MB video card right now and it's pretty crummy. I saw a GeForce 7600 GT 256MB in my local Source store for $139.99 CAD. Is that a decent video card to play FSX with?

My system specs are:
Windows XP
Pentium 4

[flyboy 28]

I'm thinking for FSX you're going to want a card with at least 512mb. Are the actual tech specs for FSX even out? I haven't seen them..

[Viper22]

It's a great card for the price, but does your computer have a PCI-E slot for it?  Unless the 7600 has an agp version.  

[Super_Game]

Ahh dang. My computer has AGP and PCI but not PCI-E... I really hope that video card has an AGP version. Can someone confirm this please?

[Super_Game]

Well, I found another card. The e-GeForce 6200 256MB for $79.99 CAD which is AGP compatible. How about that one? Is that a good one too?

[Daube]

Forget this one, and te other one as well.
Those are budget cards. They are not powerfull, but they are also very cheap, which makes them attractive for usual gaming.

The problem is that those cards are really under-powered for FSX. You will get crappy results with these cards, and in the end you will complain about having loosed more than 100$ for nothing.

I would STRONGLY suggest you to wait (I know it's easy to say...), gather a little bit more money and then buy some real serious hardware, meaning motherboard+CPU+ 2Gb RAM + some PCI-E video car(s).

With 512 Mo RAM, you will suffer from great stuttering, since your memory will immediately be full and your harddisk (virtual memory) will slow down everything. With a Pentium 2,4Ghz, your wont be able to enable traffic or autogen or anything.

[Gunny04]

Dont buy a flippin 6200 AGP! DO NOT BUY ONE! sorry for the shouting, but mine caused me headaches from day one, its laying on my speaker about 5 feet away from me now..... anyways, I dont think any AGP card will run FSX at its potential, the 6200AGP can barely do FS9 maxed out, the only thing you would achieve with it is AA/AF with low settings..... I'd go with a whole new system if I were you..... I know I know its hard to save up money, but AGP is gone now....

Cheers, Gunny

[Bindoe]

Negatory. From my experiance fsX uses just under 256mb of memory.

I use a external program which measures VRAM, it got pretty close to 256mb.

[wealthysoup]

do you have a 256mb graphics card by any chance? if not ill bet you its a fast one.

higher settings will use more v ram if your only using medium settings it wont use as much as high settings.

[dyfly]

Hope this help, I have HP Pavilion 760n

[Fozzer]

If you are still stuck with an AGP motherboard, like me, here are some high performance AGP graphics cards for the dedicated AGP enthusiast...>>>

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/ ... Cards.html

Paul.... ...!

For me to upgrade now would involve a new PCIe Motherboard, Processor and heat sink, and a PCIe graphics card....all loadsamoney!... ...!

Paul... ...!

[Hai Perso Coyone?]

I have a 6800GT...Very good card for me at least, I can play all the games of my choice full blast

[loomex]

I was looking at the min. specs at best buy today.
I think it was 512mb ram
Pent. 1G prosesor
video card with 128mb ram
windows XP/sp2

I think thats what it said. I about busted out laughing at that

[Super_Game]

Actually, I was asking about the cheap video cards just to satisfy me until the new DirectX 10 cards come out with Vista, because this card is bugging the hell out of me with the frame rates. So, I was wondering if I could find a cheap card temporarily just so it's playable until I upgrade to a whole new system.  :)

[cheesegrater]

I wouldn't even try playing FSX on a Pentium 4. Too slow.