My computer (Toshiba Qosmio) has crashed AGAIN! :-madI want to buy the best computer and the best of everything, especially the video card.I want a computer that can run FS2004 in any plane in the virtual cockpit (such as the Level-D 767; PMDG 747, 737 series; Captain Sim 727, 707) perfectly smooth -- 20 to 30 frames per second so that the gauges flow smoothly, even in extreme weather (such as overcast 2,000-5,000; broken from 6,000-15,000; and thunderstorms up to 30,000).I want to be able to have that kind of weather and the virtual cockpit with all the simulator performance settings set to full (such as the terrain quality) and STILL get 20 to 30 frames per second. I also want to be able to fly into busy airports that my current computer has had trouble flying in to smoothly (such as London Heathrow, LAX, San Francisco, Chicago, La Guardia & JFK, Frankfurt, Munich, Hong Kong, etc.)Thanks for your advice!Ricky

Well, to meet your specs be prepared to spend between $5,000-10,000 (perhaps more)if you are truly serious. Plus there is no commercial rig that would meet those specs to run FS2004 like that so you will have to hire a specialist to build the system custom-made, put in the water-cooling, Overclocking to 5GHz. so you might need nitrogen cooling!A good test would be to load your system at the busiest airport in flightsim (KORD?, KDFW?) with all your settings maxed, 5 layers of real-time weather, 100% AI, 100% GA, etc. and jot down your FPS. Let's say you are getting 5-7 FPS. Then figure about $200.00 for every framerate you want to add from that. You want 20 extra FPS, add $4,000 to the price tag. Of course you can build one yourself and save some bucks.And don't forget the $100's ($1,000's?), you'll need to spend on addons. Now that you got the ultimate speed you gotta have it look as real as possible. Oh, one more thing... when FS10 comes out you get to start all over!( just a light-hearted look but you get the idea ;) )

5-10 grand? I got my new computer last week, and I paid ca. $1,500 for it, and get 20fps in heavy weather with the PS 777, full traffic and busy airport. It's an AMD 64 3500+, nVidia 7800GT and 1MB RAM.Also I think what should be renewed in fs10 is how it utizes the technology in the new processors and videocards, like other games do. It should rather be less demanding on the system than fs9 imho. The shop I bought from normally sells components, but they also assemble different kinds of computers, like office, home, game etc. Don't you have shops like that whereever you come from, so you can avoit the Dell and HP's and still get a complete out of the box ... eh ... box?Eagle

Not sure how demanding those heavies are compared to the latest GA planes...but I have almost never seen less than 20 FPS on mine e.g. with the DF Baron and lots of addon scenery and lots of clouds.But I wouldn't buy a new computer just because the old one crashes. That means something is wrong with it. Of course it may still be outdated and slow, but that's not the reason why it crashes.

>5-10 grand? I got my new computer last week, and I paid ca.>$1,500 for it, and get 20fps in heavy weather with the PS 777,>full traffic and busy airport. It's an AMD 64 3500+, nVidia>7800GT and 1MB RAM.>>Also I think what should be renewed in fs10 is how it utizes>the technology in the new processors and videocards, like>other games do. It should rather be less demanding on the>system than fs9 imho. >>The shop I bought from normally sells components, but they>also assemble different kinds of computers, like office, home,>game etc. Don't you have shops like that whereever you come>from, so you can avoit the Dell and HP's and still get a>complete out of the box ... eh ... box?>>EagleHi,Quite agree, get a "gamers" PC built. By the way - your price estimate's OK for the graphicscard, but the PC, That'll run into a 6 figure sum. Acomplete system that'll run FS9 perfectly - Perhaps NASAhas one going cheap???H.A.N.D.

>5-10 grand? I got my new computer last week, and I paid ca.>$1,500 for it, and get 20fps in heavy weather with the PS 777,>full traffic and busy airport. It's an AMD 64 3500+, nVidia>7800GT and 1MB RAM.>>Also I think what should be renewed in fs10 is how it utizes>the technology in the new processors and videocards, like>other games do. It should rather be less demanding on the>system than fs9 imho. >>The shop I bought from normally sells components, but they>also assemble different kinds of computers, like office, home,>game etc. Don't you have shops like that whereever you come>from, so you can avoit the Dell and HP's and still get a>complete out of the box ... eh ... box?>>Eaglethey make ram in one megabyte sizes????!!!!!!!!! you must have meant 1 gigabyte

1 nanobyte ;)Eagle

The best thing is to not "buy" a computer, but to build one yourself your liking. If you know how to connect cables and can read a manual then that's be best way to go.Pat