Graphics card for VIDEO and FSX

[ABE 0]

I realize that the top display card is Nvidia 8800 GTX. But I need a card capable of video capture. The 8800 does not have that capability.I am considering the ATI 2900XTX, less powerful than the 8800, but has video capture.Also I need a card that supports 2 monitors, Dell 30" and Dell 27", both require DVI-I connections.Appreciate any help.Thanks.Abe

[Guest Scratch1964]

I am not sure any 'single' GPU will render fast enough for 2 such huge monitors where FSX is concerned.Does your motherboard offer full dual slot 16x PCI-e in crossfire? If so perhaps an X2900 crossfire set up might be a more feasible option.As for Geforce 8 series performance in FSX, i'm running a 640MB 8800GTS/Asus P5W DH/Conroe E6700/2GB RAM PC6400/2 x Barracuda 320GB SATA II RAID 0 which struggles at only 1280x1024 res.Certainly there is good press with the X2900. It returns better benchmaks than the 8800GTX in many games, although sadly, these benchmark GPU tests rarely ever cover simulation software.Scratch1964

[ABE 0]

Scratch,My present system is a Pentium 4 @3.8 GHZ. I am using a 27" Dell and a 21" CRT sony. FSX runs fine with the sliders about half way roughly. As a 2nd monitor, I am thinking about Westinghouse 37" LCD with a res. of 1920x1080.I am thinking about upgrading to a Pentium Core 2 duo, possibly a quad extreme. I am waiting for the newer ATI 2900 xtx which supposedly would have 1GIG of Ram. I would have chosen the 8800 GTX but it does not have video capture capability, which I need.I am still asking advice about my potential setup.Thanks.Abe

[Guest wayupthere]

Abe, regarding the 2900, i was just reading a rather mixed-feeling type of review over at HWS http://hardwaresecrets.com/article/449 . Give that a read if you haven't done so already.Since you are planning video-capture and assuming video-editing also, the quad-core could be attractive to you, if you will be using an editor capable of supporting quad-cores. As far as FSX is concerned, it's claimed that with the introduction of SP1, quad is supported whoever, granted from what I've seen now its using 4 cores (thought not fully) it hasn't produced amazing looking performance.New CPU's are due next year (incl. the 45nm process line), speculating one to be AMDs TrueQuad Phenom CPU line. (One that i have my eye on for my next upgrade)_______To clarify Core2Quad vs. TrueQuadIntels Quads are: 2 dual cores on die in one package.AMDs TrueQuad are: 4 separate cores on die in one package.

[ABE 0]

That is what I am planning on doing. Getting quad-core, possibly extreme. I want to find out also about the 2900xtx if it was ever dropped completely. Then I'll have to settle on the 2900XT.Thanks.Abe