Hello everyone.I'm still using a rather old desktop computer for FS9. I was quite pleased with it until I started using Ultimate Terrain Europe... Frames dropped sharply and most of the time it can't display the pretty ground textures. I'd like to improve that, but I'm not sure of a new graphics card will put an end to that blurred misery. My system consists of the following stuff:

• CPU: AMD Athlon XP 3200+ (Barton - 2.2Ghz)
• Motherboard:Epox 8RDA6+ Pro
• Memory: 2x 1GB PC3200
• Controller: Intel RAID Controller SRCS14L
• HDD: 4x 250GB SATA (8MB) in RAID-5 array
• Graphics: Asus N6600GT 128MB
• Screen: 19" 1600x1200 (1280x1024@85Hz)
• OS: Windows 7

Knowing FS9 can be quite CPU-intensive, I don't have much trouble running it with FS9+REX+GE. I mostly fly the Wilco/FeelThere A318/319/320/321. After installing Ultimate Terrain Europe, I started getting lots of those dreaded blurries. I believe my FS9.CFG to be well-tweaked by now.My first thought is that the 128MB for the geforce 6600GT is inadequate for loading the huge amount of textures and that I'd be better of with a newer chipset with definitely more memory.Therefore I was thinking about getting an ATI Radeon HD 4670. It comes with 1GB DDR3 and is clocked at 750Mhz. Looks better according to http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?ca...9&card2=190I also noticed people saying the Radeon HD 3850 performs better then the 4670? http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?ca...0&card2=190And then there's the Geforce 7950 GT which I think is quite interesting as well: http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?ca...1&card2=190Would one of these bring more enjoyment to flying around? I know I could buy a core i7 or a Phenom II, but currently I don't have the budget for it and unlikely in the near future (>_<#) I was think about spending around 100

Hello everyone.I'm still using a rather old desktop computer for FS9. I was quite pleased with it until I started using Ultimate Terrain Europe... Frames dropped sharply and most of the time it can't display the pretty ground textures. I'd like to improve that, but I'm not sure of a new graphics card will put an end to that blurred misery. My system consists of the following stuff:

• CPU: AMD Athlon XP 3200+ (Barton - 2.2Ghz)
• Motherboard:Epox 8RDA6+ Pro
• Memory: 2x 1GB PC3200
• Controller: Intel RAID Controller SRCS14L
• HDD: 4x 250GB SATA (8MB) in RAID-5 array
• Graphics: Asus N6600GT 128MB
• Screen: 19" 1600x1200 (1280x1024@85Hz)
• OS: Windows 7

Knowing FS9 can be quite CPU-intensive, I don't have much trouble running it with FS9+REX+GE. I mostly fly the Wilco/FeelThere A318/319/320/321. After installing Ultimate Terrain Europe, I started getting lots of those dreaded blurries. I believe my FS9.CFG to be well-tweaked by now.------------------------------------Would one of these bring more enjoyment to flying around? I know I could buy a core i7 or a Phenom II, but currently I don't have the budget for it and unlikely in the near future (>_<#) I was think about spending around 100

Well January , you've a very interesting setup :) I wish I could do the same. It must be awesome. I have to admit I always tend peek left or right for landing xD At least it's possible with a triple head display ^^Too bad my computer can't get a second video card. That's the reason I'm looking to upgrade mine.I've managed to find some Geforce 7950GT's in Germany for prices ranging from 49 to 93

Well January , you've a very interesting setup :) I wish I could do the same. It must be awesome. I have to admit I always tend peek left or right for landing xD At least it's possible with a triple head display ^^Too bad my computer can't get a second video card. That's the reason I'm looking to upgrade mine.I've managed to find some Geforce 7950GT's in Germany for prices ranging from 49 to 93

I always thought mixing an AGP card with a PCI card is a huge performance drop... If I've a slow device on my PCI-bus, isn't it so that all PCI bus operates at the slowest speed of all components?

I always thought mixing an AGP card with a PCI card is a huge performance drop... If I've a slow device on my PCI-bus, isn't it so that all PCI bus operates at the slowest speed of all components?

Syaoran- Can't answer that specific question- other than to describe my system performance.I setup each aircraft/flight with only a single monitor. I then adjust FS settings to achieve a constant 30-50 FPS. (On my old 'puter that means some settings are a bit below max but all are well above midpoint- other than AI.)Then I open Views L/R Fwd and drag them to the approriate monitor along with any airplane popups I want open. With the additional monitors active, frame rate drops to about half or typically 15-25. HOWEVER- there is NO detectable change in smoothness- as long as fps remains above 13-16. As noted in my prior post, 2 of the 3 views are ALWAYS stationary- that is they have the ultimate framerate. If the third view is running above the threshold of stutter, then the whole thing appears smooth!The foregoing is dependant on carefull adjustment of the angle of the outer views to compensate for bezel separation and so, to make the whole into a single image as far as your eyes are concerned. It's just the same as the triple views out of your car - the driver side window, windshield & passenger side window, all appear to the eyes and brain as one wide view!! [With a little bit always hidden behind the windshield posts- and that's what bezel correction does.] There seems to be a slight difference in performance between the PCI and second AGP monitor- but not terribly significant. If for space reasons, I could have only two monitors, I would put them both on the AGP card rather than one on each GPU. But overall, I see very little difference between AGP and PCI in multi monitor mode.I had always thought that the two cards should be of the same family so that a single driver could be used- however another simmer has said that he uses two cards from different manufacturers- hence two different drivers! My guess is that you may be able to find a suitable PCI card in someone's junk box!Smaller monitors- 17 or 19 " are desirable since they can utilize lower resolutions- hence less CPU power needed. My 18" CRT and 2 17" LCDs all run @ 1024x768. Small used 17" LCDs are cheap since everyone wants a new wide large monitor. (Then they need a higher resolution to avoid graininess, which in turn requires a faster processor and a faster GPU- like a dog chasing its tail!. Multiple smaller monitors avoid that rat race!)My small monitors still give me a 45" wide perspective- and at 26" eye to screen, that covers almost my whole peripheral vision. All I see is the FS world ahead of me!! It's a bit like having your own desktop IMAX theatre!-------------Incidentally, after setting up an aircraft/flight, I save it- then next time use that saved flight for a "ready to fly" setup.Hope this helps answer your query. Happy to answer questionsAlex Reid

Hmm... I still have a few PCI cards left in my junk box from former PCs... Varying from 3DfX Voodoo

I've decided to get a Radeon HD4670 1GB after all... It performs as good as the Geforce 7950GT according to the benchmarks and tests Tomshardware has done with Flight Simulator. Less than 3fps difference. Hopefully it's delivered somewhere next week :)

Well, that's a fine gfx card for FS2004 :DAnd it made my system quiet again ^^' The fan on the GT6600 wasn't in very good shape anymore. Too lose reslulting in vibrations & enormous noise (I sounded like an airliner taking off xD)Anyway... a few screenshots from the inaugurative flight EFHK - LLBG (which was a ###### to land on with ATC leading to runway 26 at 2000ft >_> GPWS went crazy. The fog looks sweet too with TableFog=0 in fs9.cfg