>Seriously though, with the FS series being so CPU-bound in the>past, I'll be mighty impressed if a 7900 series GPU can triple>the frame rates I saw in the FSX demo with my 6800.Tom's Hardware used FS2004 as part of their graphics card comparison tests (but I think they have dropped it now). Using a standard test featuring a partially cloudy sky over Hong Kong at dusk they have been achieving considerable fps improvements with the better cards for at least the past two years. Like you, I thought FS was always CPU limited until I saw the Tom's articles.--Bryn

I'm more confused than ever. I had kinda decided to go ahead with the new MB and Core2 CPU and 2GB memory.....but stay with my 6800GT until the DX-10 cards come out. I don't expect to be able to set the sliders too far right...I'd like to get about 24 fps. I hate to spend $300 for a 7900GT when it won't be DX-10 compatible. Is anyone else using the Core2 with the 6800GT? If so, what results are you getting?

The only part I sweated about was when the UPS truck pulled up. I was hoping to time that too when she was at work. It pulled up on her lunch break. I went outside, signed the paper, and hid the package under one of our decks. She asked me what the UPS truck came for. I told her the guy got the wrong address. She did not question it. When she went back to work, I installed the new ASRock mb and the new Athlon64 3800 single core. No problem...RH

Well, I'mpretty confident that the FS series (at least pre-FSX) is CPU bound, because whenever I've experienced low frame rates I can change GPU settings all day long with minimal impact (eg. resolution, AA / AF, clock speed, even card generation), whereas the slightest change in CPU has a commensurate impact on FPS. Tests like those that Tom's hardware conducts include sections of open space scenery where FPS skyrockets with high-end GPUs, but do you care more about boosting your low point FPS from 10 to 15 fps or your high point FPS from 100 to 200+? I'll take boosting low point FPS any day, and so far that is where CPU reigns supreme, to the point of nearly being exclusive, in the FS series.FSX is rumoured to utilise more GPU power, but I seriously doubt a two generation change in GPU class will yield a three times increase in low end FPS in this new version.Gary

I thought FSX did not support SLI

You must have a pretty poor marriage if you lie to your wife about something so trivial.

>You must have a pretty poor marriage if you lie to your wife>about something so trivial.FYI, I have a great marriage of 10 years and one child. However, LOL -- some things, some wives need to just be in the dark about. lololololololhttp://www.lemosnet.com/misc/gpilotsig.jpg

Strangely enough my wife actually enjoys new tech stuff.I recently bought a 19 inch Ultrasharp Dell LCD (second one on its way soon). Well she couldn't have that. She ordered one of the 26 inch HDTV LCD TVs. However we do agree that when we do buy something we pay cash for it at least 90% of the time.Its cool to have a wife into tech stuff too. She actually doesn't mind me getting new stuff, she gets excited about it with me!! Guess I am just very fortunate to have such wonderful wife.

The 7900gs will be marginally faster than a 6800gt. My 7900gt is overclocked pretty high and luckily i got one of the good ones. There are tons of bad batch 7900gt's out there. Read the reviews on some of those 7900gt's on newegg and you'll see all the people that got defective cards and what a nightmare this card has been. Luckily i got a good one and i ordered it the day that they were released. I figured it was the best compromise between price and speed to tide me over before core2 and dx10 hardware came out. This card is pretty awesome though and will be much faster for you than a 7900gs for only a bit more money. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your preference, I am tied to Nvidia due to my matrox triplehead display system since they are the only cards that will support a native 3840x1024 resolution. ATI cards wont work with the triplehead because they can't natively support a rez that high...

And if you buy from Newegg, they regularly have rebates on their 7900GT cards that bring them down to the $230 level. I'm currently eyeing off an MSI 7900GT for around that price, but I'm going to wait until after the Avsim convention to see whether ATI or nVidia is the way to go with FSX (I'm getting strong nVidia vibes already :-))Gary

I guess that could be how FSX runs with stock ground, sky, clouds and aircraft.I remember how in my older system, as soon as I added payware and a few freeware stuff, FPS dropped rapidly. I have a FX55 + ATI X1900XT 512Mb (bigger and faster than the NV 7900GS) + 2 Gb Ram and with all addons running and sliders pretty much on the left I average 20/22 with FS9. I bet the 50 he scores will come fast to 15 when a payware scenery, clouds, etc with a PMDG AC are running together and sliders are to the left.Leo