Well, it's that time. My printer spooler service is missing from my XP install! Nothing has brought it back, so I can't install my new photoprinter :(Anyhow, my system is slow anyhow, so I'm gonna upgrade!What processor should I go for? Another Pentium 4? An AMD? What's the best for MSFS right now that won't break the bank? I'm thinking no more than 250 USD. Anymore will be too much money. Feel free to float some suggestions. I'll need new memory, motherboard, and maybe videocard too.

I prefer AMD Athlon XP+, get the fastest you can afford and FS9 will literally fly. Of course your Video card needs to be up to scratch as this makes the biggest performance difference. I'm currently running a GeForce FX5950 Ultra 256Mb DDR, its fast.

Well I don't believe a top notch video card make a big enough deal in flight simulator and there are many web sites with comparisons of the different cards over the last year to prove that FS is bottle necked with the CPU. I have a 5700 ULTRA, really a crappy card but better than the Ti series in performance and with my AMD 64 3200 it runs pretty good as long as I keep the AA off. Best Wishes,[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4]http://www.rawbw.com/~bdoolin/shinault/Animation1.gifCaution! Not a real pilot, but do play one on TV ;-)AMD 64 3200+ | NEC LCD 1980SXi 19" | ASUS KV8 DELUXE | GFORCE 5700 ULTRA @535/1000 | Maxtor 6Y080M0 SATA 80 GIG | 512 DDR 400 | Windows Xp Pro |

With a budget of $250 I would look at the buy/trade/sell forums for a motherboard/cpu combo around the XP 2500+ range preferably unlocked. I would say that will probably run you around 150-200 alone. What and how much ram do you have now, it may be sufficient to overclock with. In the long run I would deffinately go with a AMD but that is just preference as they are cheaper and are easily overclocked. As for your video card all the responses are correct. If you have a high end card it is great but you end up pushing it to it's limits and the CPU holds you back, if you go with the low end that may hold you back but you can get more CPU for less money and it can come close to equaling out. It all depends on preference. Are you looking for performance or eye candy? Lots of choices with a small budget.

>What processor should I go for? Another Pentium 4? An AMD? >What's the best for MSFS right now that won't break the bank? >I'm thinking no more than 250 USD. Anymore will be too much>money. I'm a freak and here is my choice:an AMD Athlon XP Mobile 2500+It runs cooler then the desktop brother, consumes less, and overclocks a lot more.Infact i bought one and am still running it at 2330mhz (similar to an actual 3600+ or thereabout) with only aircooling and some overvoltage.Since i paid it less then 90

Yeah, I meant 250 for the CPU. I know the motherboard will be 100 or so and pretty much the price of everything else. I was thinking no less than 3.2 GHz speed chip. You all agree AMD is better than the Intels then? What about VIA chipsets? They used to have a pretty bad record. I assume they've come around.My current video card is the Ti4600. I'm not unhappy with it, but I could do better I know. Is Nvidia doing better than ATI?I plan on getting a gig of ram, since I have a gig now. It's RDRAM though.Thanks again.

AMD is CHEAPER and well yeah just as good. You can go to FRYS or online to FRYS OUTPOST and get a MB-AMD or INTEL CPU combo for that range. I would get the best that you could buy for 250 regardless of the make (NOT VIA) although Via does make "MotherBoard chipsets" for AMDs and are great. Keep the Ti, that is really a descent card still. Just watch you AA settings and you should be able to get great frame rates with at least a AMD 2800+ or one of the 3000's. I remember not long my good freind paying 700 dollars for a AMD 2800 + cpu and they still perform just as well in fs as 6 months ago.... ATI is typically CHEAPER for the most part. They also seem to have a certain quality in rendering BUT I truely believe the NV 6800 ULTRA and ATI X800 XT PE are on par all that matters to me is the PRICE. The 6800 BLOWS the doors off ALL other ATI cards by miles. Best Wishes,[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4]http://www.rawbw.com/~bdoolin/shinault/Animation1.gifCaution! Not a real pilot, but do play one on TV ;-)AMD 64 3200+ | NEC LCD 1980SXi 19" | ASUS KV8 DELUXE | GFORCE 5700 ULTRA @535/1000 | Maxtor 6Y080M0 SATA 80 GIG | 512 DDR 400 | Windows Xp Pro |

Okay thanks. The VIA chipsets seem to be all AMD boards use. I'm thinking ASUS or ABit? Not sure and still need to ask around. I want everything new, but the money is still an issue. I really want a new tower and PS. I need a new HDD, so this is all gonna add up. That might be the only reason I will wait on the video card. We'll see, I might get it all, who knows, LOL.

I highly recommend the Athlon 64 procs. I recently built a new computer:Athlon 64 3200+ (~$200)Asus K8V SE Deluxe motherboard ($120)1 gb DDR400 RAM ($180)Total price was about $500 from www.newegg.com (HIGHLY recommended, have bought all my computer hardware there for the last 3 years). I already had my video card ATI 9800 Pro 128.In the PMDG 737 I usually get in the 20-23 FPS range in 2D cockpit at the end of the runway and I at cruising altitude I get 35-40+ FPS. Outside in spot plane view I almost always get 30+ FPS.Settings are mid to high for the most part, with 100% 3D clouds and max cloud cover. Running 4x AA and 8x AF.

>was thinking no less than 3.2 GHz speed chip. You all agree>AMD is better than the Intels then?AMD is cheaper then Intel, and runs pretty much as fast, sometimes faster.>What about VIA chipsets? They are good chipsets (AMD versions, leave Intel ones on the shelves), not so exasperated as Nvidia Nforce, but nontheless good.>They used to have a pretty bad record. I assume they've come>around.So far i heard of more problems inherent to the drivers of Nvidia's Nforce, then VIA.>My current video card is the Ti4600. I'm not unhappy with it,>but I could do better I know. Is Nvidia doing better than>ATI?I would suggest an ATI 9800 or 9700 (XT better), they come for a decent sum of money, and have planty of power to spare.