Well finally after 5 years my ACER Ferrari 3400 has died and my other laptop, a Toshiba A200, just doesnt keep the frame rates up. With Flight Environment set to full cumulus and the slider half way manages about 12 to 15 FPS and less of course in the VC and the airport areas. I am currently running FS2004 with PMDG aircraft.So I have been thinking about a HP DV5T with 4GB RAM, 320 GB SATA drive, a NVDIA 9600M (512 card) and screen res supported is 1680 x 1050. Is it a good buy and will it enable me to migrate to FSX or is there something better? I should point out that this is going to be an FS machine pure and simple and other such incidentals as the Internet and MS Office are going to be just afterthoughts. Sorry - I don't seem to be able to edit the heading typos.Gerry

Umm, what is your CPU? The CPU is the most important part of flight simulator(my opinion) Anything over like 2.0 will run FS9 superbly and FSX you might want like a 2.4GHz processor. I have a Q6600 @ 2.4Ghz and it seems to run FSX, ok. 20 to 40 FPS on current setting but I have some things turned down like the clouds(for some reason those drop like 20 FPS for me?)

Umm, what is your CPU? The CPU is the most important part of flight simulator(my opinion) Anything over like 2.0 will run FS9 superbly and FSX you might want like a 2.4GHz processor. I have a Q6600 @ 2.4Ghz and it seems to run FSX, ok. 20 to 40 FPS on current setting but I have some things turned down like the clouds(for some reason those drop like 20 FPS for me?)

I just have a dual core 1.73Ghz CPU with 2.5GB RAM and yes, I agree clouds have the major impact on framerates or at least 8/8 cumulus to 37000 ft certainly do. So if I understand you correctly a faster CPU (like the 2.53 Gz CPU in the HP DV5) will be more important than the NVIDIA 9600M GT video?Gerry

I just have a dual core 1.73Ghz CPU with 2.5GB RAM and yes, I agree clouds have the major impact on framerates or at least 8/8 cumulus to 37000 ft certainly do. So if I understand you correctly a faster CPU (like the 2.53 Gz CPU in the HP DV5) will be more important than the NVIDIA 9600M GT video?Gerry

Well, they are both pretty important but the CPU is more important. As long as you get a decent or awesome graphics card. If you can afford both then do it. The CPU, in my opinion will give you the most performance improvement, if upgraded. If you do get another computer don't cut your self short if you don't get a great graphics card because they can't be upgraded in the laptop. (8800 or up)Taylor Oldham

Well, they are both pretty important but the CPU is more important. As long as you get a decent or awesome graphics card. If you can afford both then do it. The CPU, in my opinion will give you the most performance improvement, if upgraded. If you do get another computer don't cut your self short if you don't get a great graphics card because they can't be upgraded in the laptop. (8800 or up)Taylor Oldham

Well, graphics card can now be updated as they would be on desktops as long as they are mxm type cards. on my laptop both cpu and graphics can be upgraded. mxm cards are not onboard cards. just google mxm cards ang u'll find variants for both nvidia and ati.hope this helps