I just purchased a new computer from Dell and was wondering how it is going to handle Flight Sim...Dell Dimension XPS P43.20 GHz w/ 800 MHz front side bus/HT Technology1024MB DDR SDRAM at 400 MHZPower Supply is 450 watts128 MB GeForce FX 5200Let me know what you all think. Thanks!!

Should handle it well... The 5200 is the weakest link. All too often mfrs like Dell will save pennies by bundling a weaker card into an otherwise fair system. But I don't think performance will be impacted to the point where you'd feel like you have to rush out and buy a Radeon. Here's some tips for using the new system with FS2002/FS2004:~Mfrs bundle a lot of junk software that loads at startup, and may bog down performance. Find out what's there, and eliminate what you don't really need. Years ago I bought a system that had a keyboard with a volume control, buttons for email, etc.... The driver for the keyboard controls knocked performance back a good 20pct, and also introduced a pronounced and regular stutter. I dumped that one applet, and it was like a free cpu upgrade~Don't max either sim when you start. Start with AI off or low range, Shadows off, and Autogen low or off. Work your way up to a good compromise of visual detail/performance. I'm getting FS2004 to click along on a P3/800 with very little loss of visual quality. I'd love to have the "keys to the kingdom" that a box like yours represents...Hope these tips help.... Enjoy your new rig....-John

Thanks for the tips....I do have a Radeon 9600 128 mb video card...I guess I should keep that right? :)

Put the Radeon in the system. I think you will get better performance that the 5200

hi,im a new entry here and browsing the q&a's ive got a question that sounds like you could answer.using fs2002 with most sliders high im finding the fps seems to stay around 15-20 when at a detailed airport etc,as soon as its out of picture fps sits around 25 or more,i may be asking too much as the graphical quality it superb,but having never seen anyone else using fs2002,i cant compare,im interested in what you said about ditching stuff not required when a new p.c is bought(which mine is 10 mnts ago).compaq 6000 series p4 2.4ghzwinfast a310 fx 5600 256 on board ram512 p.c ramrunning fs2002 in 1024x768 32im no p.c expert but looking forward to any responseregards mike

If you're using FS2002 with most sliders high, your performance is about on par with your system. If you're running with little or no AI, then I'd consider it a bit low. Performance also depends on what view you have (where you're looking). Looking at a complex aircraft in spot view vs. looking out a basic 2-d panel can yield very different results over the same scenery. I always use the Cessna 172, looking at 2-d panel at Meigs to compare system performance.My system is too slow to say with certainty whether your fps is on par. But with AI high, my fps can drop between 10-12 at congested airports. The although your cpu runs at a clock speed about 3x mine, your fps would be closer to 2x mine--the graphics card being used as much as it is in FS2002.My gut suggestion is given your fps, it doesn't sound like you need to go hunting for any background apps to ditch. Your performance would be much worse if a background app were slowing your system down. But back to AI--if you're running without AI, I'd expect your performance to be much better. Without AI, my performance matches yours exactly.Regards,John

just tried current settings on cessna at miegs and the fps stays around 23+in spot view!my traffic percentage setting is 85%mike

23+ Fps at Meigs, in spot view, is pretty dang good with 85 pct. AI.... If I had AI rendered in the same scene, along with the Chicago Skyline in the background and spot view, I'd be looking at around 12-13 fps... -John

Absolutely. The first thing you should do is replace the 5200 as it's going to be a real choke point.