Is anybody using this setup for his or her computer. I really want to upgrade and am thinking about getting a top fo the line computer to get the job done. I will probably go with a Ti 4600 or ATI's latest 9700 card. I am currently using Windows ME, an AMD Athlon 1.2G Thunderbird with 512MB PC133 memory, and a GeForce256DDR 32MB videcard and am tired of the stutters, the frequent pauses, and ATC that sounds lie a broken record (skips and repeats) at times.Will moving the the latest and greatest processor hardware get me to this point, or should I wait until something faster comes along. I just want smoothness in my frames with no pauses and stutters.Any comments or suggestions will be welcomed.ROB

Close to the exact same setup should arrive at my house in less than a week...so I'll let you know :) I'm moving up from a 750Mhz Duron with 192Meg SDRAM!!!! So how's that for a jump?? New setup =P4 2.56Ghz 533FSBIntel 850E w/ RAID mobo1Gb 1066 RAMBUSRAID array 2x60Gb harddrivesnVidia Ti4600... and yes...it'll be overclocked the day after I get it :)... have a water cooling system on the way!!

That's a heck of a jump!You are one lucky dude, perhaps the first to get one of these rigs. I am sure you will put it through the test. I can't wait to hear your report. Do you have any of those add-on sceneries that are frame-rate killers on most machines?Rob

I'm gonna go with the 2.53 and 512mgs of the PC1066 ram too; but gonna wait a couple months as the new Pentiums are coming out and the price on the current lot is suppose to drop considerably. Especially since Intel is disappointed bigtime with their sales of these new processors. This fall sometime looks good for me. Also looking at the Leadtek Ti4600 which comes with two nice fans attached. My only question still remaining is which mobo. I'm looking at the Intels; but thinking about the new Asus board. I think it was the Asus P4T33C. Read somewhere that it's more overclocking friendly?? Guess you're suppose to be able to overclock these bad boys to around 3 gig with no heat problems. Gonna order an extra case fan though just to be on the safe side and then take the components to the shop where they have folks that know what they're doing. Unlike me.

Hi Rob,I am using a Pentium IV 2.4 GHz with 533 FSB with 512 MB 2700 RAM on an ASUS P4B533 MB. The vid card is Asus GF4 T14600 with 29.92 drivers running on Windows 98SE (old fashioned I guess!).With all sliders to the max I get FPS of over 50 in most areas. Around Heathrow with Project AI and other traffic I get approx 38 FPS.It is totally smooth with no stutters, pauses or anything else. No problems with ATC either.Definitely a worthwhile investment!SimonDuncraig (Perth)

>Is anybody using this setup for his or her computer. I >really want to upgrade and am thinking about getting a top >fo the line computer to get the job done. I will probably >go with a Ti 4600 or ATI's latest 9700 card. >>I am currently using Windows ME, an AMD Athlon 1.2G >Thunderbird with 512MB PC133 memory, and a GeForce256DDR >32MB videcard and am tired of the stutters, the frequent >pauses, and ATC that sounds lie a broken record (skips and >repeats) at times. >>Will moving the the latest and greatest processor hardware >get me to this point, or should I wait until something >faster comes along. I just want smoothness in my frames >with no pauses and stutters. >>Any comments or suggestions will be welcomed. >>ROB Thats the sort of thing that I was looking at...why dont you get it this weekend and then work out the bugs and let us all know. :)

Wow Simon!Am I hearing you correctly, you never get at and around 38 Frames per minute in the heaviest scenery and AI places with all sliders to the max? That is well three to four times what I am getting. Does this include full ATC? What kind of weather settings do you use? Thanks,Robbie

RobbieHe, I have a few sceneries that kill frames... but I can't run the game over 1024x780 on my poor 750 Duron... :) As to the question about the Intel motherboard... the Intel I850E is a very stable platform... it doesn't handle "too" much overclocking as the ASUS does, but you won't the the Blue Screen of Death hopefully as much. I'm using the Gigabyte version of the Intel board and it's supposedly a smoker (hopefully not literally!).

Robbie,That includes full ATC and real weather using FS Meteo.The Asus Mboard is great for overclocking by the way - all done through the Bios.Simon

Hi Rob,Just thought I would jump in here. It's been a while since I directed anybody to this older post from Elrond, but perhaps you should take a look at it before making a decision.I think going with a Pentium right now makes sense, but I believe that in a very short time you'll be able to assemble a fast P4/2.5 based system for a lot less than it would cost right now. However, if you just can't wait, I would at least seriously consider the P4/2.3GHz based on the Northwood die (0.13micron). This CPU is half the price (more than a US $200 savings), but should only set you back in speed by only ~10% relative to the 2.5. Just some food for thought, don't get too full :-lol.

Hi Robbie,I share your surprise. That performance is truly mind boggling!!BTW - Northwood comes in two flavors, 2.3 and 2.5 (actually 2.26 and 2.53 to be precise). That 2.4 must have been a special order :-lol.

The 2.4 GHz 533 FSB is a standard Intel processor. They call it the 2.4BGHz. Check the Intel web site for spec's. I purchased it from a normal computer dealer - definitely not a special order.Simon

I stand corrected. Please wait while I wipe the egg off my face :-hah. I just can't keep up with all these crazy changes, particularly these "A" and "B" series. Your FS performance makes me want to do something irrational like buy another computer :-lol.Edit - and what's worse, they come with either 400 or 533 FSB!! Makes AMD's nomenclature look almost sane.Edit 2 - Almost forgot to say sorry. I should think next time before haste gets the better of me (or at least do my homework). It's been a long week (yes, I know it's only Monday...).

Donkeys must be flying and it must be an ice age down underground!Anyone who claims to get high frame rates with all sliders up on full and with lots of AI traffic is full....Full of what, well I leave that up to your imagination.

Well I won't even rise to it.There's always someone........I may post a screen shot when I get home later tonight - on second thoughts why bother.Trying to be helpful and constructive - thats all.