I just went from 285 gtx to aevga 580 gtx 1.5 gb just major difference, listen you see my specs below, but, I can run ultimate Traffic 2 at 85% airines traffic and thats including jfk, lax, frames might not increase more, cause Ihave them locked up at 30, with antialiasing running at 16 with nivida inspector running at 195.5 and the one big thing you will notice, at least I don't get them now, except maybe once ina while, but I can live with that, since my settings are high, yu get smoothness, and get rid of those stutters, used to frustrate me. Don't go for 3gb thas complete overkill checked the drivers forum I am in there about this upgrading, and I really can enjoy FSX a heck of a lot more. I know they cost a lot sinceI went to microcenter $4.99.99 but if you have the bucks go for it!!! good luck,Ronny

The GTX280 is more than sufficient for FSX,go for a better processor such as the intel 2500k,or 2600k. As mentioned all over sim forums it's about your processor.The GTX280 is more than sufficient for FSX,go for a better processor such as the intel 2500k,or 2600k. As mentioned all over sim forums it's about your processor.

that very true faster your processor the better result you get, that basically what fsx depends on speed.

The GTX280 is more than sufficient for FSX,go for a better processor such as the intel 2500k,or 2600k. As mentioned all over sim forums it's about your processor.The GTX280 is more than sufficient for FSX,go for a better processor such as the intel 2500k,or 2600k. As mentioned all over sim forums it's about your processor.

Possibly but as noted the CPU / GPU combination is critical so I wouldn't discount the 580 GPU as a beneficial upgrade especially when running at 4.8ghz+.Cheersjja

Yeah but I already have an i7 920 @ 4.3 Ghz, and I don't really have the money for a new processor/motherboard/RAMBen

Since i got add-ons like REX I've noticed the GPU takes on more load than with vanilla fsx

Are you sure about the EVGA GTX 580? I've read stories on the internet of the EVGA GTX580 1536 MB Superclocked sometimes running at 85C! The EVGA graphics cards look pretty much identical then the ones coming straight from NVIDIA. Only some colors and stickers on the heatsink, that's it.

My 580 runs at 75 degrees.

Possibly but as noted the CPU / GPU combination is critical so I wouldn't discount the 580 GPU as a beneficial upgrade especially when running at 4.8ghz+.Cheersjja

Nothing beats a good graphics card if you use it for other games but after upgrading graphics cards on my old E8600 processor from a GTX280 i saw no difference in performance on the GTX480 which runs the same as the new GTX570 in most benchmarks. Once I upgraded to the 2600k my framerates skyrocketed in FSX. I run from 50 to over 300 FPS in FSX with this processor. NGX averages 75 FPS.The 2500k AND 2600k are highly clockable and the multicores are the key to the big improvement over a dual core in FSX. If your updrade is purely for the FSX then go with the processor first.

Are you sure about the EVGA GTX 580? I've read stories on the internet of the EVGA GTX580 1536 MB Superclocked sometimes running at 85C! The EVGA graphics cards look pretty much identical then the ones coming straight from NVIDIA. Only some colors and stickers on the heatsink, that's it.

Nvidia gives order to these brands named EVGA, PALIT, ZOTAC, ASUS for manufacturing graphics cards with a minor difference. All are almost same with same speed. One is cool, Other looks beautiful, another have lifetime warranty etcas far as temp its how hard your working the card, yes they run hot but thats how they are suppose to run perfectly normal for these big v-cards

MSI afterburnerI use to keep my evga 580 gtx to run cool, and I haave had it for about a wk at 1.5 gb and woow what adifference it makes in fsx clear smooth as ice, go for it if you got the bucks. 3gigs sounds good but overkill unless you are running a few monitors then itwould help.