Hi, im looking for a whole new computer system. At the momment im running a Acer Aspire Laptop 64MB Mobile intel Chipset 1.6Ghz 512MB of RAM not the best but holds for FSX. im new to gaming and dont know whats best. please include 2 screens.Thanks, Brock.

Brock - what sort of price range do you have in mind? - this will impact the suggestions people will make.Also, when were you thinking of purchasing? - Recommendations may change once Windows Vista RTMs at the end of January 2007.If you are new to these forums, many folks post their computer specs in their messages. Browsing the FSX forum is a great way to get an idea of what current hardware works with FSX & what does not.

>Hi, im looking for a whole new computer system. At the>momment im running a Acer Aspire Laptop 64MB Mobile intel>Chipset 1.6Ghz 512MB of RAM not the best but holds for FSX. im>new to gaming and dont know whats best. please include 2>screens.>>Thanks, Brock.Wow, Brock, you are brave to run FSX with that hardware. :) Good job.What SkyDrift said is good...it DOES depend on how much you want to spend.Basically, offhand I can think of two options:Option #1: Get a decent Core2Duo setup, 2 gb of decent ram, and a fairly inexpensive video card such as an nVidia 7900-series. Then, 6-8 months down the line, when the DirectX10 patch for FSX comes out, you can upgrade to a DirectX 10 video card.Option #2: Get a decent Core2Duo, and 2 gb of ram, as with option1, but this time, buy an 8800GT or 8800GTX graphics card--these are the first DirectX10 cards. The drawback is, they are very expensive right now and will add about $500 to your computer price.I'd probably lean toward option#1 if I were building right now. By this summer, DirectX10 video cards will be MUCH cheaper unless something weird happens with the market and availability.My system posted below is a $90 cpu. And it runs FSX better than some people's $400 cpu's. The hardware posted below runs FSX pretty well, but the good news for you is that you can spend a low amount of money too, and get a decent FSX system. Core2Duo allows you to do that.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2530 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8, WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian

2007, im waiting for DX10 in Aus well really under 3k Aussie dollar.less is better, also is it cheaper to built? i have a acer 2.6Ghz 512MB of RAM all stock should i built on to it?

>>Hi, im looking for a whole new computer system. At the>>momment im running a Acer Aspire Laptop 64MB Mobile intel>>Chipset 1.6Ghz 512MB of RAM not the best but holds for FSX.>im>>new to gaming and dont know whats best. please include 2>>screens.>>>>Thanks, Brock.>>Wow, Brock, you are brave to run FSX with that hardware. :) >Good job.>>What SkyDrift said is good...it DOES depend on how much you>want to spend.>>Basically, offhand I can think of two options:>>Option #1: Get a decent Core2Duo setup, 2 gb of decent ram,>and a fairly inexpensive video card such as an nVidia>7900-series. Then, 6-8 months down the line, when the>DirectX10 patch for FSX comes out, you can upgrade to a>DirectX 10 video card.>>Option #2: Get a decent Core2Duo, and 2 gb of ram, as with>option1, but this time, buy an 8800GT or 8800GTX graphics>card--these are the first DirectX10 cards. The drawback is,>they are very expensive right now and will add about $500 to>your computer price.>>I'd probably lean toward option#1 if I were building right>now. By this summer, DirectX10 video cards will be MUCH>cheaper unless something weird happens with the market and>availability.>>My system posted below is a $90 cpu. And it runs FSX better>than some people's $400 cpu's. The hardware posted below runs>FSX pretty well, but the good news for you is that you can>spend a low amount of money too, and get a decent FSX system. >Core2Duo allows you to do that.>>>Rhett>>AMD 3700+ (@2530 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS>A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8, WD 250 gig>7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster PraetorianThanks guys will check pricing... and cooling i dont know whats best, does the HDD afect proformance?

>>Thanks guys will check pricing... and cooling i dont know>whats best, does the HDD afect proformance?For cooling, on my rig below I run stock cooling and still overclock quite well. If you go with a Core2Duo, I think their fans are pretty good and people do well with stock cooling.If you do want an aftermarket cooler, Arctic Freezer, Zalman are good coolers for the cpu. You just have to make sure that the cooler fits in your case and motherboard. Some of those Zalman Cu coolers are big with lots of fins...HDD does affect performance of FS; but just get a modern serial ata 2 hard drive and you will be fine. The best performance for the money is a 7200 rpm SATA2 drive, either Seagate or Western Digital. If it's your only drive, you'll want at least 200 gigs.10000 rpm drives, such as the Raptor, are popular with FS people too because they are even faster...but they are more expensive and don't hold as much data typically. Some people run a 10000 rpm drive as their OS drive and FS drive, and a 7200 rpm drive for storing things like mp3's and so forth.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2530 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8, WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian

Thanks Rhett, But if it does run a little hot i will add one:)thanks. so the 8### video cards are the best option?

>thanks. so the 8### video cards are the best option?Well if money is no object, I'd say overall yes. But keep in mind, the 8### series are brand-new, and will command a $$$$ bigtime price. Also according to another person here who has an 8800 card (Manny), the drivers are not that great for the 8800 right now. That will improve though so it would not be a consideration for me if I were in the market.I think by this summer there will be a few more DirectX 10 video cards out, and they will be better/faster/run cooler than the 8800.Plus since the FSX DirectX10 update has not been released, you couldn't take advantage of the DX10 features of the 8800, either. I'm not sure when that update will come out but if I were a betting man I would not expect it before May-June at the earliest.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2530 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8, WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian

Thanks everyone, As i would love to get off this laptop and have a computer that holds, i should wait and save up a bit more then buy:)Brock.