Replace Geforce 8800GTS 2GB video card?

[BAW9DV 2]

Hi,

I have a custom built computer system for MSFS (customised by the late great Mike Greenblatt of FS-GS) running FS9.1 (FS2004) on a Windows XP Pro SP3 based OS.

I do hope to move to FSX-SE in the near future but not just yet.  And I want to keep this system to fly until I have the new rig set up as I want it.

My NVidia GeForce 8800 GTS 2GB Video card seems to be on the way out now.   Textures draws are slow now and the screen occasionally "flashes" (only happens in FS, not in normal Windows environment use) and so I want to replace the card.

Naturally, this video card is no longer available.  Searching the Internet for used or nearly new cards, reveals many available but only the 512MB variety and usually only for the Apple Mac!   I really want to keep as much of my settings as possible while installing another card, so I am asking for recommendations as to what card to buy to replace this one.   My system is an Intel Pentium Dual Core E5400 CPU running at 2.73Ghz with 2GB of dual channel RAM.   The motherboard is an ASUS P5KPL-SE which supports PCI-E.

I have Flight Environment Pro and GE Pro installed as well as the complete Ultimate Terrain series (Alaska, USA, Canada and Europe).  I use ActiveSky Evolution (the last version available for FS9) for my weather.

I'm not certain exactly how the video card is set up and I'm concious of possible losing all my settings when I get a new card so I really want to minimise this - if I can.   I'm also wondering if there is a faster CPU available out there that would fit my motherboard and just give FS2004 as little "boost" as it were.

Any help would be appreciated. 

 

Thank you

Lee James

West Sussex UK

[Mick 0]

On 3/20/2017 at 1:38 PM, SB9DV said:

[...] so I want to replace the card.

 

Quote

 

[...]Pentium Dual Core E5400 CPU running at 2.73Ghz with 2GB of dual channel RAM.

 

As far as I know, FS9 is using only one core. So here you have to look for power per core, 3.7GHz or better.

The more cores, the more other stuff may be used at the same time together with the sim.

As for the GPU, recently I was able to build my dream computer (Intel I7 5960X/8 cores/16 threads, 64GB RAM, GTX1070, X99-A II motherboard, Win7 and some more nice to haves) and I have a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 and it works like a charm! 8BG of graphics memory is way enough. But enough is never enough, isn't it :-)

Others might like other GPU, so it is up to you. Bu I can recommend the 1070! If you have too much money, for games the 1080 might be an idea. I didn't buy this one, because it would not give me any advantages over the 1070, because I use my computer 97% for 3dsMax and rendering and there the 1080 is not much better.

 

In general fast CPU, GPU and as much memory as you can afford. And a 64bit system, if you want to benefit of 8 or 16GB of RAM. I would recommend Win7, even it is getting difficult to get a license, because they want to sell their spyware (Win10)!

 

Greetings from Berlin,

Mick!

P.S.: Gee, my first post since 2008...

P.P.S.: 1070 vs. 8800

[vector 7]

My Intel i5 3.2 Ghz processor and NVidia 560 Ti card with 1 Gb of RAM run FS2004 just fine.  You don't need to spend loads of Wonga getting the latest and greatest just to fly FS2004!!  Older cards can still be found on eBay.

Dijvid

[Mick 0]

 

5 hours ago, vector said:

[...]You don't need to spend loads of Wonga getting the latest and greatest just to fly FS2004![...]

Correct, but:

On 3/20/2017 at 1:38 PM, SB9DV said:

[.../I do hope to move to FSX-SE in the near future but not just yet.[...]

 

Mick!

[vector 7]

17 hours ago, Mick said:

 

Correct, but:

 

Mick!

Well, alI can say is "good luck" !!!!  The cost of new hardware to run FSX in any meaningful way was, and still is, a very significant reason why I won't move to FSX.

Dijvid

[flyinpilot212121 724]

I recently upgraded my old video card, I believe it was an old 5500 GTS.. I went with the Nvidia GTX 660 and I got a massive performance upgrade in doing so.
Im not very computer Savvy, And I'm not sure the performance difference between the GTX660 and your card, But it may be something to look into. I was able to pick it up used for 100$ CAD.

Unfortunately That is as high of a card as I can go. while doing research on my motherboard, I learnt that my board cant handle anything higher than the 660GTX