GTX 275 vs GTX 285

[Guest MarkP3637]

Hello all,I am getting a new computer custom built predominately for FSX. My old computer is an AMD Athlon Dual 2.8ghz proc with an 8800 GT card running FSX on a 22 in monitor 1680 by 1050 res.I will be using the same monitor but new computer specs will be:Intel I-7 920 overclocked to 3.6 ghzASUS P6X58DCorsair H50 cooler650 watt power supply2 1 TB 7200 RPM hard drives (one dedicated to FSX and add-ons)DDR-3 1600 6 GB RAMGeforce 275 OC GTX 1GB cardWindows 7 Home Premium 64 BitMy add-ons are REX 2.0, PMDG 747, Flight 1 Mustang, Aerosoft Cheyenne, UTX, GEX, Tongass Fjords, Eaglesoft Cit X, and some photoscenery and misc scenery add-ons.My complex aircraft add-ons run at 10 fps on my current system with almost all settings turned down to low (no car traffic, a.i. traffic, etc.)I want a system that will run these add-ons faster and smoother and I want to be able to add Ultimate Traffic 2 and FSDreamTeam airports and get good smooth performance. Hopefully, the new system above will do that.Also I have a single monitor setup but in the distant future I would like to get 3 monitors with Matrox Triple Head to go.To those of you using similar systems how do you like the performance of FSX? Any advice would be appreciated. Also I would like to get a 285 GTX however, the above system is just about to my financial limits and I think that card would add another $150 to the cost. How much difference would I see playing the game between a 275 GTX and a 285 GTX? For instance, will the 285 card control shimmering much better or give me a much better fps? (I do use Nhancer as well)I am just trying to figure out if I should just go for the 285 card and have less money to purchase more add-ons or if I will love the 275 GTX when compared to my current system?What significant difference would I see if any between the 2 cards in the game?If I purchased a larger monitor (25 in) with higher resolution in the distant future would that affect either video card performance?Thank you ,Mark

[TechguyMaxC 516]

You will not see a difference between those two cards using a 22" monitor. I own 2x 275s and a 285 and the performance difference is only 5-10% in applications that actually stress the GPU (FSX is not one of these applications).

[Guest MarkP3637]

Hi Max,Thanks for the info. I may have an opportunity to get a 26 inch monitor with a resolution of 1900 by 1200. Would the 285 make a difference with that larger monitor?Thanks,Mark

You will not see a difference between those two cards using a 22" monitor. I own 2x 275s and a 285 and the performance difference is only 5-10% in applications that actually stress the GPU (FSX is not one of these applications).

[TechguyMaxC 516]

The 285 is only worth it if money is no object, you must have the best, and you must buy now. Otherwise go with the 275 or wait for the GTX 480 and 470 to come out in a couple months.

[Guest MarkP3637]

I think I will stick with the 275 for now. Then I can save up and maybe get a better card as technology improves.Thanks for the advice. Going with that 275 will make the PC I want to build within my budget and it doesn't sound like I am going to miss out on anything in FSX.Mark

The 285 is only worth it if money is no object, you must have the best, and you must buy now. Otherwise go with the 275 or wait for the GTX 480 and 470 to come out in a couple months.

[TheFamilyMan 280]

I think I will stick with the 275 for now. Then I can save up and maybe get a better card as technology improves.Thanks for the advice. Going with that 275 will make the PC I want to build within my budget and it doesn't sound like I am going to miss out on anything in FSX.Mark

If you can stand the wait, you might want to stick with your 8800gt for a while. The upcoming nvidia cards will have triple head support that feature 'bezel management' like the current TH2GO has. I've recent built a new i7 860 rig and this weekend installed a gtx 275 that I got on a closeout deal for less than a gtx 260. If it wasn't for the excellent price I would have waited, using my old 8800 gts 512. As for the FSX performance difference between those two cards in my rig, the gtx 275 is only slightly better driving my 1680x1050 monitor. I would have been somewhat disappointed with the gtx 275 if it were not for other sims, e.g. Rise of Flight and IL-2, plainly showing noticable improvement. I'm an eye candy freak, I use 100% scenery/autogen, UTX with its enhanced car traffic, and pretty much most of the NickN setup; 15fps doesn't bug me if its smooth though in most cases I'm pegged at my max 25fps.

[Guest MarkP3637]

If you can stand the wait, you might want to stick with your 8800gt for a while. The upcoming nvidia cards will have triple head support that feature 'bezel management' like the current TH2GO has. I've recent built a new i7 860 rig and this weekend installed a gtx 275 that I got on a closeout deal for less than a gtx 260. If it wasn't for the excellent price I would have waited, using my old 8800 gts 512. As for the FSX performance difference between those two cards in my rig, the gtx 275 is only slightly better driving my 1680x1050 monitor. I would have been somewhat disappointed with the gtx 275 if it were not for other sims, e.g. Rise of Flight and IL-2, plainly showing noticable improvement. I'm an eye candy freak, I use 100% scenery/autogen, UTX with its enhanced car traffic, and pretty much most of the NickN setup; 15fps doesn't bug me if its smooth though in most cases I'm pegged at my max 25fps.

I wondered about how much better the 275 GTX would be than my 8800 GT. I know the 8800GT was a great graphics card a couple of years ago but I was hoping I would see better performance with the 275, especiall like the visuals as you mention. I too love the eye candy in FSX. I want to see good water, and maybe a little more detail in my textures. I have already ordered the 275 GTX so I'm committed to going with it. I wonder if the new Nvidia cards coming out will make much more of a difference in FSX then the current ones? Maybe after they have been out a little while and the prices go down I will try one of those.Thanks,Mark

[TechguyMaxC 516]

The claim that NV's upcoming cards based upon Fermi architecture will support triple monitors and bezel management is unsubstantiated. NV's triple monitor solution will likely require the use of two graphics cards. The bezel management claim is pure speculation. The cards themselves will of course be faster than the current GTX 200 series, though so if you believe you are likely to suffer buyer's remorse in a month or two due to faster cards being released then hold off.

[TheFamilyMan 280]

I was not trying to diss the gtx 275 for your new rig, rather I was pointing out that some patience may be rewarded. The setup from a 8800gt to a gtx 275 is pretty significant, and paired with that new build should give you major FSX satisfaction. I really wanted to get an ATI 5850 but their driver support for FSX running on Vista/Win7 seems to have collasped and I imagine that those new nvidia gcards will initially be very pricey with limited availability, given nvidia's track record for new product releases. With this in mind, the gtx 275 became a very attractive 'compromise' for me considering how much I paid for one.

[TechguyMaxC 516]

Not sure where you're coming from but I agree that the GTX 275 is a good compromise between an 8800 GT and an as-yet-unreleased GTX 400 series card or even an over-priced and hard-to-find 285 for that matter.

[TheFamilyMan 280]

The claim that NV's upcoming cards based upon Fermi architecture will support triple monitors and bezel management is unsubstantiated. NV's triple monitor solution will likely require the use of two graphics cards. The bezel management claim is pure speculation. The cards themselves will of course be faster than the current GTX 200 series, though so if you believe you are likely to suffer buyer's remorse in a month or two due to faster cards being released then hold off.

Well that unsubstantiated bezel management info comes straight from page 29 of nvidia's gf100 whitepaper, though you were correct about the SLI requirement for the triple head which won't bode well for FSX (though really, if you want to drive that kind of resolution with decent high end image quality you'll want SLI).

[Guest MarkP3637]

Well that unsubstantiated bezel management info comes straight from page 29 of nvidia's gf100 whitepaper, though you were correct about the SLI requirement for the triple head which won't bode well for FSX (though really, if you want to drive that kind of resolution with decent high end image quality you'll want SLI).

I liked the GTX 275 because of the value. Around $150 less than a GTX 285 and still should be a good performing card for FSX from what I have read on the forum. I really thought about stickiing with the 8800 GT for a little while, but with the I-7 proc. and the 275 card I should have a much better FSX experience. Even when the new cards are released it would be a while before I would upgrade the 275 just because I know it will do a decent job. I am very much looking forward to the new system. I know it won't run FSX perfectly but it should be a major upgrade from my current one. Thanks for the suggestions,Mark

[TechguyMaxC 516]

My mistake on the bezel management, I hadn't seen that reported yet or if I did, I just forgot to note it as I don't run multiple monitors on any of my systems.