Looks like 4870 or 4870 x2 is super fast for OTHER games, but for FSX loses some frame rate. What do you think? Smoothness?NoelQX9650 w/ Retail HSF|ASUS P5E3 Premium WiFi|4GB Muskin Ascent 7-6-6-18 1T DDR3-1600|EVGA 8800GT|Seagate SATA 2 x 2|Seagate Cheetah 15K.x|XP Pro SP2|Vista 64--maybe never to be installed

I am the one that started the 4850 stomps thread and do not want to start a throw the Nvidias in the trash frenzy.I had a BFG 8800gt and was overall happy with it.I was getting from my system the overall performance most others do with simular setups.That said, I was also having alot of problems with aa/af and menu CTDs.So were alot of other people.So after not trying a ATI for 10 yrs I gave ATI a try.IMO, if all you play is FSX and you are happy with your 8800gt, keep it.ATI cured my CTDs but not my aa/af problems which I am still trying to sort out.Most all the problems seem to be FSX and not the brand of card.The overall picture looks cleaner and brighter is best I can describe.Every system is different but in my case, its ot night and day betreen the 88 and the 48 card.If nothing else, get from from BB and try it out.They do not carry the X2 but there is no way in HE** I would spend that kind of money on ANY card especially if FSX is your sole game.If these new monster gig mini jet engines actually made a huge difference or even a small one in FSX, we would know by now.All I hear are the prices falling.I would rather keep the 8800gt or 4870 and go on a BIG payware shopping spree.

I'm in a weird space with this. I have an opportunity to "upgrade" cuz I am going to build a machine and my bro needs a vc for it, so I can either just get another 88 for myself, or get something faster. Here's where I'm at: I don't want to take a hit in FSX. I WOULD like to have a card that is faster than my 88 for Crysis and a few others. It appears FSX actually does best on the 88, so I'm kinda hosed it would appear. I FULLY agree with your comments on IQ. I have been an ATI user and their IQ is superior IMO.JIMJAM, how does FSX perform by comparison against your 88?QX9650 w/ Retail HSF|ASUS P5E3 Premium WiFi|4GB Muskin Ascent 7-6-6-18 1T DDR3-1600|EVGA 8800GT|Seagate SATA 2 x 2|Seagate Cheetah 15K.x|XP Pro SP2|Vista 64--maybe never to be installed

>I am the one that started the 4850 stomps thread and do not>want to start a throw the Nvidias in the trash frenzy.>I had a BFG 8800gt and was overall happy with it.>I was getting from my system the overall performance most>others do with simular setups.>That said, I was also having alot of problems with aa/af and>menu CTDs.>So were alot of other people.>So after not trying a ATI for 10 yrs I gave ATI a try.>IMO, if all you play is FSX and you are happy with your>8800gt, keep it.>ATI cured my CTDs but not my aa/af problems which I am stillI have had zero AA/AF problems with my 8800, or my 2950 AGP Pro ATI either. And no CTD's. Sounds like there are other "issues" with your hardware or config.

"issues" Yeah me and thousands of others.If you are having no aa/af issues then you are blessed and I would not touch a thing.Its hard to judge performance.I do not fly the same plane in the same area with the same weather enough to notice.One day helis,jets,Sr-71, whatever.Some sit on the runway and read the fps counter or fly a certain route but I have found these "benchmarks" are worthless.I reloaded Crysis and it kicks the 8800s ####. But FSX is FSX and seems to do what its wants to and how it wants to.I do a fair amount of surfing the web and have yet to find a card that beats the 8800gt by much. The 8800gtx from what I have heard is smoother.But then again I can simply move a slider left and obtain the same performance result without spending $500.Search here and google and you will see there is no one answer.Like I said, go by BestBuy and try one out.The proccessor has always been the best way to get FS9 or FSX to perform better so maybe you need to take that route.

I had the GTX260 for a bit. It made no difference in FS, but I got another notch of slidebar in Crysis/CoD. It did not support dual Vcards or Sleep, so it went back. I'm fighting an 9800GTX on Vista64. The system will not even boot with Nvidia drivers At All and BFG is stumped. I'm down to staring at a single 19" monitor at 8x6 with Vista's VGA driver. 8x6 on a 19"er used to be the cats's whiskers. How quickly we get spoiled. I have a $125 8800GT sitting on my desk right now. If BFG can't figure how to get a 9800GTX to run on Vista 64, they're getting that (3rd BB/"RMA"'d) one back too. This is just Way too much trouble for Hi vs Very Hi in Crysis . . . and for No difference in FS. From an 8800GT, there's not much.

SamI had to go back to 169 drivers on my Vista 32 machine. Newer ones take a very long time to boot.Bob

>The proccessor has always been the best way to get FS9 or FSX>to perform better so maybe you need to take that route.Well, not having performance issues per se with FSX, it's a case of I have an op to "upgrade", primarily for other games, but don't want to take a hit with FSX if I don't have to. QX9650 w/ Retail HSF|ASUS P5E3 Premium WiFi|4GB Muskin Ascent 7-6-6-18 1T DDR3-1600|EVGA 8800GT|Seagate SATA 2 x 2|Seagate Cheetah 15K.x|XP Pro SP2|Vista 64--maybe never to be installed

>From an 8800GT, there's not much.Could be. It seems like a 4870 or 4870 x2 would be a very nice upgrade for everything but FSX. It seems silly to send my first 8800GT into my bro's box and then buy another one, 6 mo later! But it's looking that way unless ATI can make its 4870(x2) do better in FSX. I just want it to match the 8800GT, that's all. I do prefer the IQ with ATI though.Noel

Just restored (back to a pre-9800 install) using Vista's backup image feature. How'd it work? Here I am! The 9800s start with the 174s. None (to date) are working with V64 and the 9800. The 88's going back in. It appears the 88 is simply the defacto standard for FS. There's just nothing better. Sometimes there are runs where things just work out. Not even being Able to spend more (Upgrade) might in fact morph as a counter-intuitive positive. Saw an XFX for $110 the other day. Life is good.

I'm going to wait as long as possible and see if 4870 gets some drivers that can match the 88 in FSX. If so, I'll prolly go that route as it would be a nice upgrade for COD:MW, Crysis, and of course, I do like the IQ best with ATI. If this doesn't happen within a month or so, dang I'm going to have to get another EVGA 88 which is an awesome device for the $$.QX9650 w/ Retail HSF|ASUS P5E3 Premium WiFi|4GB Muskin Ascent 7-6-6-18 1T DDR3-1600|EVGA 8800GT|Seagate SATA 2 x 2|Seagate Cheetah 15K.x|XP Pro SP2|Vista 64--maybe never to be installed