With Windows 7 32 bit and 4g of memory, would upgrading to a video card with 2g of video memory actually reduce performance compared with a 1 gig card, by reducing the memory available to Windows?

 

Thank you.

With Windows 7 32 bit and 4g of memory, would upgrading to a video card with 2g of video memory actually reduce performance compared with a 1 gig card, by reducing the memory available to Windows?

 

Thank you.

 

Running a 2gig card will not hurt you at all. If you play other games, go for it! BUT, if FSX is your core platform, I'd say don't waste your money and go for the 1GB.

Thank you Ben.

 

I have 1g HD5870 which does all I need of it at the moment However I'm thinking of upgrading to a dual-monitor set up 2x24 and wondered if that would require a better card e.g. GTX580, and then wondered how that would affect memory errors, as in 'OOMs'.

 

Glad of your advice, Sir.

Gliderdiver

With a 32 bit OS and a 2GB video card you are likely to run into more OOM issues due to the Virtual Address Space (VAS) which has very little to do with physical RAM. In a 32-bit OS running a 32-bit app like FSX the video memory will take some of the VAS and leave less for FSX. In a 32-bit OS - 4GB VAS is still available to FSX, but 2GB of the VAS is used for the kernel/system and 2 GB minus the VRAM is available to FSX. In a 32-bit OS (only) If you set the /3GB switch in the boot ini then up to 3GB will be available to FSX minus the VRAM, leaving only 1 GB for the system. Note: FSX has the Large Address Aware flag set so can use the maximum of 4 GB of VAS.

This is a KB article about Vista but in general it applies to all 32-bit forms of Windows and explains what happens when you use a video card with large amounts of VRAM in a 32-bit OS: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940105. You may get away with a card having 1GB VRAM but just be ready for OOMs under certain conditions.

 

The best option - use win 7 64-bit, very small impact by VRAM.

Regards

PeterH

Thank you PeterH, I do have the 3gig switch set, and it was VAS issue I had in mind, but wasn't sure about the impact the vid memory would have on that. With a 1g HD5870 I get OOMs now if I try to increase LOD_BIAS over 4.5, however, my modest system still produces very good frame rates outside of very heavy auto-gen, and even handles cloud well with UsePools=0 and is very smooth with an external frame rate limiter.

 

We always want more though don't we :Hug: .

 

Best wishes to all.

Thank you Ben.

 

I have 1g HD5870 which does all I need of it at the moment However I'm thinking of upgrading to a dual-monitor set up 2x24 and wondered if that would require a better card e.g. GTX580, and then wondered how that would affect memory errors, as in 'OOMs'.

 

Glad of your advice, Sir.

 

I would strongly reccomend that you save up some serious cash before you upgrade. To power that large of resolution, you are going to need a machine that packs quite a punch.

 

You need a super fast CPU and a super fast GPU. Nvidia GTX680 + Intel Core i7 2700K.

Thanks Ben

 

I see these dual and triple monitor systems and it's beginning to dawn that I'm going to need more than just a Video card upgrade.

 

Best wishes

But I want to upgrade to a dual-monitor set up 2 x24 and want to know this will need a better CARDS. GTX580 example

But I want to upgrade to a dual-monitor set up 2 x24 and want to know this will need a better CARDS. GTX580 example

 

Honestly, why would you want a dual monitor setup? That just leaves you with a nice fat bezel in the center of you view.

Isn't 64 bit windows better?