Interesting article:http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html...W50aHVzaWFzdA==Hard OCP is one of the few review sites that routinely uses FSX as a benchmark. You can skip right to that portion of the review here: http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html...W50aHVzaWFzdA==The main point is that FSX relies much more on the CPU than the Vcard. For you Do-it-Yourself system builders (like me), that might help in the decision making process. Get all the CPU you can afford . . . and surprisingly, $170 ought to do it. FSX is not multi-thread enabled, so their comparison between the single core

Interesting Indeed. Thanks for that good news post. :)Manny

very interesting summary.thanks Sam :-)regards,David

It all looks good Sam but unfotunately, unless the R600 and its drivers can support TH2GO at max resolution it will be a non-starter for a growing number here. Still, at least the 8800GTX price will falll a bit.Does anyone know whether a 7900GTX to 880GTX is a worthwhile upgrade on DX9? What FPS % increase roughly?

The FX-62 is dual core..............Also, the new patch from ACES should enhance dual / multi core support.Glenn

>The FX-62 is dual core..............>>Also, the new patch from ACES should enhance dual / multi core>support.>>GlennWho told you that? Aces has said they will see what they can do. I look at it from the viewpoint that if they could have done anything to enhance multicore support then they would have done it pre-release. It is what it is imo. Their efforts would be much better utilized by producing a dx10 patch ASAP to market vista as a flagship gaming OS with fsx as its centrepiece.Also i agree that unless ati realizes that life doesn't stop at 2560x1600 then i am tied to the hip with nvidia and their buggy drivers and unenthusiastic support.________________________________________________________________________________________________Intel D975XBX2 'Bad Axe 2' | Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 @ 3.20Ghz | 2 GB Super Talent DDR2 800 @ 893Mhz | Big Typhoon VX | eVGA 8800GTS @ 575/900 | Seagate 2x 320GB SATA RAID-0 | OCZ GameXStream 700W | Creative X-Fi | Silverstone TJ-09BW | Matrox Triplehead Setup

Emphasis on the word 'Should'. I should have said 'hopefully'.It's getting like 'Daily Tech' in here for post picking..............Glenn

I know. I didn't mean to nitpick your thread. You would just be surprised to see how many people can read that 'should' and turn it into a 'they were supposed to' later on when it turns out no multi-core support was added. Without a substantial rewrite then there will be no miracles. Just give us a DX10 patch :)________________________________________________________________________________________________Intel D975XBX2 'Bad Axe 2' | Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 @ 3.20Ghz | 2 GB Super Talent DDR2 800 @ 893Mhz | Big Typhoon VX | eVGA 8800GTS @ 575/900 | Seagate 2x 320GB SATA RAID-0 | OCZ GameXStream 700W | Creative X-Fi | Silverstone TJ-09BW | Matrox Triplehead Setup

There might be hope on a couple of fronts. The new Vcards can be programmed to work as a CPU. It's the new CPGPU idea that ATI is working on. I believe that was the real driver of the merger between AMD and ATI. In a decade, the CPU and GPU functions will be combined into single XPU. Once again, AMD is leading the way. In a decade, there will be only one XPU in the box . . . but the reality is that the R600 and the 8800XYZ have that potential right now. Can Aces utilize this functionality to help out our overwhelmed CPUs? That's hope #1. Clearly, multi threading is the future. That's potentially a quick double if they can pull it off. Dual cores are are all the rage right now, but almost entirely useless. "Surely they must be . . ." Well, I'm moved to faith on this. A last resort, as always! Also on the "Triple Head To Go" front. I finally got several 19 inch LCDs. While reviving a spare computer, I installed 2 old Vcards (an old 4200 and a Matrox mystique PCI . . . ahh the memories). I booted up (really just for a flame check) and the properties tab showed 3 monitors available. It was a home made THTG. I got a hold of my local XFX tech support department and asked. "Yea." they say, "With modern Vcards and dual slot Mobos, just use 2 Vcards. You can have 2, 3 or 4 monitors in span mode, clone mode or dancing a jig." I am using a single AGP in my current main box, but (as you see) I'm pre-thinking my next box. It works OK in span mode. FSX has a feature that I can popup a second (third, forth, or more) V-cockpit window, drag it off, resize-rezoom to fit/match, then lock it to the master window. Pan moves all the windows together. Voaala. Dual Head to Go. Why not a triple? Forget SLI. I might want to use that extra PCI-e slot for an extra Vcard . . . and the 680is have 3 Vcard slots. I'm getting dizzy! So, (the thinking continues)do I want to spend $250 on a THTG or a second Vcard to get extra monitor(s)on board. I'm thinking the second Vcard will provide a 4th monitor, more overall video horsepower and additional resolution flexibility. What cha think?

>T>I am using a single AGP in my current main box, but (as you>see) I'm pre-thinking my next box. It works OK in span mode.>FSX has a feature that I can popup a second (third, forth, or>more) V-cockpit window, drag it off, resize-rezoom to>fit/match, then lock it to the master window. Pan moves all>the windows together. Voaala. Dual Head to Go. Why not a>triple? Forget SLI. I might want to use that extra PCI-e slot>for an extra Vcard . . . and the 680is have 3 Vcard slots. I'm>getting dizzy! >>So, (the thinking continues)do I want to spend $250 on a THTG>or a second Vcard to get extra monitor(s)on board. I'm>thinking the second Vcard will provide a 4th monitor, more>overall video horsepower and additional resolution>flexibility. >>What cha think? Sam,Do you the steps to open a new window in FSX and then move it over to the second monitor and then anchor the second widow to the first? I remember TDragger of ACES spelled out the steps in the FSX thread a while back. I tried it then and it worked. But now, I forgot.Manny

That's where I got the idea too. I read it and said "Oh yea. I get it!" It got cut and pasted right into a wordpad file. Here ya go, straight from Taildragger's post:"BTW, here's a tidbit you can try that doesn't even require multiple monitors:1. Go to the keyboard assignment dialog and look for "View - link all (toggle)".2. Assign this to a key combo (I use CTRL+SHIFT+/).3. Load a flight.4. Select the VC view.5. Open a new VC view (from the menu: Views | New View | Cockpit | Virtual Cockpit).6. Use your keyboard/hat switch to pan the new view to look right.7. Press the keys you defined in step 2.8. Repeat steps 5. 6 and 7 to create additional views 9. Drag new view over to appropriate monitor. 10. Pan around.You can optionally repeat steps 5 and 6 and pan in different directions. To revert to normal mode press the key combo again.I'll leave it to you to discover what this can be used for.TaildraggerGet the inside scoop of Flight Simulator X:http://blogs.msdn.com/tdragger/"I'm using this right now on a 2 monitor setup and it works great, although that default 744 is a total toy. What a joy it will be to get our airplane(s) ported over to FSX. Although it would just kill my current system, so no hurry. Keep on tweekin'. So, we now have these possibilities: 1) I can spend $XYZ on a BIG Vcard + $250 for the THTG. That will drive a 3840 X 1024 simulated wide screen across three monitors.2) Or I can spend the same $XYZ on the Big Card and drive 2 monitors individually at 12x10 (or 16x12 or whatever) from Big Card. Then drive one or two more (V-load contingent) from a second $250 Mid Card. The 8XXX series will have the same array of horsepowers and prices. There will be several Mid-Cards to chose from. That 8600GT is looking good. I suspect this will give me at least similar results with the added flexibility to run 4 monitors (if I choose) and to set resolutions individually. Hummm?

I can't wait to hear from someone running FSX on an E4300 cpu.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

I think someone really needs to recalculate their 'billions' of pixels per frame...

I read your article..outstanding...so I went and looked at a gateway today with that chip....the stock ram is NOT 800...Its slower... PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM I dont want to build my own. My question is,.... can we over clock with the slower ram, like you sugguest, and what are the results and consequenses..of staying with the stock ram.....does this damage the slower ram...does it effect speed....How much "less" do you have to overclock and still be able to use slower ramAlso, If I dont want to spend the money removing all the ram and upgrading to 800 would it be better for me to go up to the Intel 6300 (or higher) and use the stock PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM ram. My understanding is...you dont have to overclock the 6300 "as much" (less heat)to get the same results...so it would be easier on the ram....Leading too.....Is it a safe guess, that with the 1066 FSB the long range use of the board for upgrading is higher down the road as the new chips hit and the 800 ram becomes more cost effective...Finally...is it a problem.,,,to combine rams of different speeds..ie expand with the 800 while leaving the current ram there until an upgrade....how does this effect an over clock...Thank you so much for any help....jareth

You could always slap in a stick or two of your own DDR2-800 ;)Assuming the mobo can go that high...newegg:mushkin:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820146118crucial ballx:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820146565my fav corsair:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820145034edit: oops just read the last part whcih didn't wshow before...you don't want to spend more....oopsabout that e6300, you only got the 2mb L2 cache but you'll be able to get it right up there 3.0 to 3.5 +/- a couple on stock cooler. I haven't read the 4300 article yet though...maybe better???