Video Card Upgrade

[timcarter 0]

I

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

I

[Peter Clemenko 0]

As you can see in the threads below, the 9600GT is a great card for the price!

If you do get a new card, get one from a site like tigerdirect or newegg, also I should reccomend that you check sites like toms hardware for benchmarks of the video cards out there. You'd be suprised. Also I should note that a 9600 GT is pretty much a 8600 GT renamed, so personally, I would go for at least a 9800gt, you can pick those up for about 120 online, sometimes even less than 100 after rebates... As a general rule though, always avoid buying at brick and mortar stores, where you will find video cards for 1000 that you can get online for 300.

[timcarter 0]

As you can see in the threads below, the 9600GT is a great card for the price!

Bert,Thanks for the prompt response! I have one more question; reference RAM. First this is my current setup:Windows XP (SP3)Pentium ® 4 CPU 3.60GHz3.60GHz 1.00GB RAMMSI GEFORCE 6600 256MBDrive C 186 GB73.1 GB Used113GB FreeThat being said; do you think my current Ram would be adequate should I upgrade to a 9600GT? The card I

[timcarter 0]

If you do get a new card, get one from a site like tigerdirect or newegg, also I should reccomend that you check sites like toms hardware for benchmarks of the video cards out there. You'd be suprised. Also I should note that a 9600 GT is pretty much a 8600 GT renamed, so personally, I would go for at least a 9800gt, you can pick those up for about 120 online, sometimes even less than 100 after rebates... As a general rule though, always avoid buying at brick and mortar stores, where you will find video cards for 1000 that you can get online for 300.

Peter,Thanks for the prompt response! I have one more question; reference RAM. First this is my current setup:Windows XP (SP3)Pentium ® 4 CPU 3.60GHz3.60GHz 1.00GB RAMMSI GEFORCE 6600 256MBDrive C 186 GB73.1 GB Used113GB FreeThat being said; do you think my current Ram would be adequate should I upgrade to a 9600GT? The card I

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

Bert,Thanks for the prompt response! I have one more question; reference RAM. First this is my current setup:Windows XP (SP3)Pentium

[timcarter 0]

I had a system much like yours.. the real solution is to upgrade to a faster CPU,but adding 1GB of RAM and upgrading to a 512M 9600GT is a good step and wouldnot cost much. Not sure why you would go for a 1GB card with your system..If you check the benchmarks, the 9600GT performs very close to an 8800GT and willperform equal with a mild overclock. Also, power consumption is an issue when upgrading..As to "8600GT renamed", compare the key specs for FSX:Memory bandwidth and Memory transfer in GB/s8600GT: 128 - 22.49600GT: 256 - 57.69800GT: 256 - 57.6

Bert, again thanks for the prompt response, so you think a CPU up grade along with 1GB of RAM and a 512M 9600GT Card would do the trick. Any recommendations on a CPU & a 512M card?

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

Bert, again thanks for the prompt response, so you think a CPU up grade along with 1GB of RAM and a 512M 9600GT Card would do the trick. Any recommendations on a CPU & a 512M card?

This is a different question entirely... there are any number of opinions on what a nice rig for FSX would look like.My answer was to the question of how you might improve your current system without spending a bundle,so 1GB RAM + new video card = $200.The realistic minimum requirements to run FSX well on Windows XP, IMHO at least, are something like:Intel Core-2-duo or quad running at 3GHz or more on a well matched motherboardwith 2 GB of fast RAM and one or two fast (7200 RPM) disk drive(s).9600GT 512 video card or better.Well ventilated case with 400W power supply or better.If running Vista, add 2 GB of RAM.