I'm considering upgrading my graphics card to a GTX 580 (1.5 GB) from a GTX 285 (1.0 GB). The one I am thinking of is this:http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1536mb-evga-gtx-580-superclocked-40nm-4050mhz-gddr5-gpu-797mhz-shader-1594mhz-512-cores-mhdmi-dl-dviNot necessarily from this supplier if I can find it cheaper.My question is, do you people think I will see an improvement in FSX performance, either in fps or other areas? Also, do the 580's pump out significantly more heat than the 285's? I might have to add a fan if they do.I know the biggest performance gain will be from upgrading the CPU to a sandybridge, but I have decided that is at least a year away, when I plan to get a new rig.See my sig for system specs, although I have forgotten/never knew the full specs of my existing card.Thanks for any help or suggestions.

_{I think you will see a performance difference with the 580, although it'd be better if you could push your CPU to 4.0 GHz or higher. Regardless, you'll be able to run fairly high levels of AA, plus transparency AA which should yield a noticeable improvement in image sharpness and suppression off shimmering.The 580 is probably similar to the 285 w/r/t heat. The EVGA cards have good heatsinks and fans and run fairly quiet.}

I'm a bit limited in pushing the overclocking any further. My cooler isn't the best, and the CPU tends to run too hot if I push it higher.I figured that a new GPU might help me make the most of what I have. I might also transfer it to the new system when I upgrade the rest.

I have an i7 920 DO. Theoretically your 930 should overclock a tad more than a 920.Mine is overclocked to 4GHz and nice and cool, thanks to a Noctua NH-D14.I have the EVGA GTX580, but the 1GB version. And i must say, that i noticed a considerable performance improvement with this card, despite the fact that FSX is more CPU bound.However, I was coming from an old 7900GTX.P.S. You say you are limited by your CPU cooler. Well if you can afford a very expensive GTX580, then i would have thought you could afford a cooler easily.

Edited February 1, 201214 yr by martin-w

I have an i7 920 DO. Theoretically your 930 should overclock a tad more than a 920.You say you are limited by your CPU cooler. Well if you can afford a very expensive GTX580, then i would have thought you could afford a cooler easily.

While I am far from rich, cost isn't a real issue. Its more a question of how much tinkering I am prepared to do to my current system versus how long I will keep it. A year from now I will have much more time for both simming and tinkering. In the mean time, I just want to squeez a bit extra out of it. I have thought about a new cooler, but I'm afraid that one thing will lead to another, and another, and another, and so on. I'm actually quite happy with my system overall, so I'm just going to splash out on this one thing for now, then in a year (maybe a little bit less) build, or have custom built, a new rig with the latest of everything. If I don't port over the GTX 580 it will go to someone I know who will be glad to have it, along with the rest of my current rig. FSX and add-ons erased, of course.