Which do I upgrade? RAM or Graphics Card

[lancer_01]

Hello all

Please may I request some help from you

My system is currently as follows:

Intel P4 2.8 Ghz Processor
80GB HD
Colombia 2 Motherboard
512 DDR RAM
ATI Radeon 9000 Graphics card

When using FS9 at Heathrow using UK2000 scenery and Traffic 2004 with AI traffic set to 100% and with a PSS A330 loaded I get framerates of about 8 fps

What I would like your advice on is which upgrade will give me best results i.e higher framerates, increasing my RAM or getting a better graphics card?

In the same situation as above with AI traffic turned off i get 20+ FPS, I mentioned this incase it helps does this mean I would be better off getting more ram, or is it a graphics card problem.

Many thanks in advance to you for your help

Regards
Chris

[tommchowat]

you'll definately be wanting a new graphics card old boy. I had a Radeon 9200 and I HATED it with a burning passion. RAM doesn't increase frame rates, it just enables textures to be loaded quicker etc. Definately get a new graphics card, eg. 9700 or 9800 if you can afford it.
EDIT: but it is advisable to double your current RAM...

[flyinggraham]

Graphics Card, pure and simple. You have enough RAM to survive for the time being but your GFX card is not. I would go Nvidia with the new FX5700/5950/6800 however it is up to you.

At the moment you have a bottleneck, and that is your GFX card.

Graham Harvey

[lancer_01]

Hey Guys

Thanks for the help

Could some one please tell me what the term bottle neck means to me with respect to the above replies.

I am sorry if this is a simple question, but my excuse is I am new.

So it looks like I need a new graphics card then, well I suppose my next decision is which one do i get?

Well I understand the the latest ones are Nvidia 6800 and Radeon X800 processors, is it worth going for one of these.

Or would a Radeon 9800 pro or 9800 XT be sufficient, also, (i know i am asking a lot of questions) what are the Nvidia equivelants to the above 2 cards

Thanks in advance for your help
Chris

[flyerBoy]

hello
No computer in todays world will run fs smoothly with everything @ 100% and a complex airport. Prepare to turn down sliders

have a nice flight

[tommchowat]

Having a bottleneck in your system means that it's all good apart from one aspect (usually the graphics card in most people's cases). The 6800 and Radeon X800 are seriously expensive (I think) and I don't know your budget. Your next best bet would be going for the Radeon 9800 Pro or XT (don't really know the difference between the two). The Nvidia equivelants to these two cards are probably the Fx5900 or Fx5950 Ultra.

[woottsbj25]

[font color="blue" size="2" face="arial"]Exactly what Tom said, but...

The 6800 and the X800 are very expensive. If you decide you want to get one of those, you MUST make sure first that you're system can handle it. If you go for the 6800, go for the GT fersion with your spec. It might sound like a car - "The new 6800 GT, with 400 Brake Horsepower and a top speed of 250MPH" - but it isn't :-lol . It is pretty much exactly the same as a normal 6800 Ultra, but you have less of a clock speed therefore it is demanding less from your processor.

Also look at small things like the Wattage of your PSU. I have just been hoping to get a 6800GT soon, and have been looking at everything on my system. Everything went well until I looked at the wattage of my PSU. It is 200W and the card needs at least 350W. I have just emailed ASUS technical support about that, and am hoping to recieve a reply soon.

However, if you do decide to go for the 6800 or X800, it will give you superfast, amazing graphics which are currently unparralleled. A 9800 will do the job well, but nothing like as well as the other 2.

Hope this has helped.[/font]


Regards,

Tom Wootton

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