Graphics Card....

[kiwis]

I want to get into Flight Sim big time, I love the program which I've had for a few days now...

Thing is my computer is old and i'm not going to upgrade till later this year early next year and i want the best graphics card i can get....

my current system is this My PCbut I've added RAM and Hard Disk space since I got it.

My question is what graphics card should I get, ive not a clue when it comes to them?

[Daniel]

Hi there
It really depends on what flight simulator you want to run on your computer (probably flight simulator 9 or X).
If you want FS X then a higher spec graphics card will be required.
How is Flight Simulator running at the moment on your computer?

Cheers
Daniel

[creator2003]

You would be looking for a card with only PCI connection wheres newer cards and faster ones are PCIexpress ,8600gts would be a cheap card but its PCI-e ,its going to be hard trying to find one for it that will be sweet for FSX,, be like getting a AGP card for your puter these days ...
ill leave it at that for now

PS this is just due to your mother board only supporting PCI from a search i did on it

QUOTE

XpertVision GeForce FX5200 PCI 128MB DDR PCI version DVI VGA TV-out $84.38 MCT Computers Auckland, retail store. 13 Aug 04:07 03 Jul 08, 8PM
STLab Geforce MX400 32MB PCI VGA Card $89.73 PC OnLine Shop Auckland, online only, shipping charged per order. 13 Aug 04:57 +$16.00 on 19 Jun 08, 4AM
GeForce FX5200 PCI 128MB DDR PCI version DVI VGA TV-out $90.00 ETC Computers Auckland, retail store. 13 Aug 03:00 20 Jun 08, 2AM
Galaxy GeForce 6200A PCI 256MB 64-bit DDR DVI TV-out Fan $95.63 Ezone Auckland, retail store. 13 Aug 02:53 26 Jun 08, 4PM
STLab GeForce MX400 64MB PCI $99.51 Eden Computers Auckland, retail store, shipping charged per order, more than $6, flatrate. 13 Aug 05:08 -$22.11 on 22 May 08, 5PM
Galaxy GeForce 6200A PCI 256MB 64-bit DDR DVI TV-out Fan $100.13 Sigma PC Auckland, online, pick-ups ok. 13 Aug 01:42 +$10.00 on 24 Apr 08, 10AM
Galaxy GeForce 6200A PCI 256MB 64-bit DDR DVI TV-out Fan $100.13 MCT Computers Auckland, retail store. 13 Aug 04:07 03 Jul 08, 8PM
Albatron Geforce 7300GT 256MB DDR TV-out PCI $105.00 Super PC Christchurch, retail store, shipping charged per order. 13 Aug 03:40 22 Aug 07, 4PM
PNY PNY GeForce FX5200 PCI 256MB VCGFX522PPB graphics card $120.29 Dragon Computer Christchurch, retail store. 13 Aug 03:58 +$1.08 on 18 Jul 08, 2AM
PNY GeForce FX5200 PCI $132.09 C&L New Plymouth, online, pick-ups ok, all prices include shipping. 13 Aug 03:29 +$1.10 on 17 Jul 08, 3AM
PNY GeForce FX5200 PCI $137.08 GadgetPeople Wellington, online, pick-ups ok, all prices include shipping. 13 Aug 05:04 +$1.16 on 12 Aug 08, 4PM
PNY GeForce FX5200 PCI $140.40 PC OnLine Shop Auckland, online only, shipping charged per order. 13 Aug 04:51 11 Mar 08, 6AM
PNY GeForce FX5200 PCI $143.40 Eden Computers Auckland, retail store, shipping charged per order, more than $6, flatrate. 13 Aug 05:08 -$15.92 on 30 Jul 08, 5PM
Albatron PCI6200PL 128MB TV-out PCI Albatron PCI6200PL 128MB TV-out PCI Grapics Engine Geforce 6200A $154.70 Elive Auckland, online only, shipping charged per item. 13 Aug 04:44 +$7.47 on 11 Aug 08, 11AM
Albatron 128MB GeForce 6200 PCI The GeForce 6200 GPUs deliver best-in class performance at a great price $179.00 PCU Christchurch, retail store. 13 Aug 03:56 20 Mar 07, 11AM
Leadtek A340 PCI NVIDIA GeForce FX5200 64MB DDR PCI TV-out $187.55 C1 Shoppingmall Auckland, online, pick-ups ok. 13 Aug 04:37 -$1.6 on 19 Mar 08, 6PM
Leadtek nVidia GeForce FX5200 A340 128MB PCI graphics card $194.00 Paradigm PCs Wellington, online only, all prices include shipping. 12 Aug 16:12 -$1.78 on 22 Jul 08, 3PM
Leadtek nVidia GeForce FX5200 A340 64MB PCI Graphics Card $199.00 Paradigm PCs Wellington, online only, all prices include shipping. 12 Aug 16:12 -$2.67 on 22 Jul 08, 3PM
Leadtek WinFast A340 GeForce 5200 128MB DDR PCI DVI Low profile graphics card $199.31 Ascent Technology Wellington, online, pick-ups ok, all prices include shipping. 13 Aug 04:06 02 Jul 08, 4PM
WinFast A340 GeForce 5200 128MB DDR PCI DVI Low profile $199.31 Ascent Technology Wellington, online, pick-ups ok, all prices include shipping. 13 Aug 04:06 02 Jul 08, 4PM
WinFast A340 GeForceFX 5200 64MB DDR PCI DVI Low profile $200.35 Ascent Technology Wellington, online, pick-ups ok, all prices include shipping. 13 Aug 04:06 04 Jul 08, 2AM
Leadtek WinFast A340 GeForceFX 5200 64MB DDR PCI DVI graphics card $200.35 Ascent Technology Wellington, online, pick-ups ok, all prices include shipping. 13 Aug 04:06 18 Jul 08, 3AM
Leadtek GeForce FX5200 64MB DDR DVIx2+2VGA Dongle PCI A340 $201.18 C&L New Plymouth, online, pick-ups ok, all prices include shipping. 13 Aug 03:30 +$13.20 on 05 Apr 08, 5PM
Leadtek nVidia Geforce FX 5200 128MB DDR DVIX2+2VGA dongle PCI VGA Card $201.38 PB Technologies Auckland Auckland, retail store. 13 Aug 04:50 03 Jul 08, 5PM
Albatron PCI6200PL 128MB TV-out PCI geforce PCI 6200ALP $201.38 PB Technologies Auckland Auckland, retail store. 13 Aug 04:50 27 Jun 08, 4PM
nVidia Geforce FX 5200 64MB DDR DVIx2+2VGA Dongle PCI VGA Card $211.39 CBCNZ Christchurch, retail store, shipping charged per order. 13 Aug 04:43 02 Feb 08, 2PM
Leadtek Winfast nVidia Geforce FX 5200 64MB DDR DVIx2+2VGA Dongle PCI VGA Card $212.38 Dragon Computer Christchurch, retail store. 13 Aug 03:58 10 Jan 08, 4AM
Leadtek nVidia Geforce FX 5200 64MB DDR DVIx2+2VGA Dongle PCI VG One card powers two displays WinFast $213.47 PC Genie Auckland, online only, shipping charged per order, flatrate. 13 Aug 04:30 25 Apr 08, 2AM
WinFast GeForce FX5200 64MB PCI $229.12 Eden Computers Auckland, retail store, shipping charged per order, more than $6, flatrate. 13 Aug 05:08 +$26.10 on 17 Oct 07, 5PM
XFX Geforce GTX 280 1GB GDDR3 DUAL DVI SLI DX10 PCI $775.13 OCZone Auckland, online, pick-ups ok, shipping charged per item. 13 Aug 04:50 19 Jul 08, 11AM
XFX geforce gtx 280 1GB gddr3 dual dvi sli dx10 pci $775.15 UEC Auckland , online only, shipping charged per order. 13 Aug 02:32 +$0.02 on 04 Aug 08, 11AM

Sellers in bold are Featured Retailers.
Prices are in New Zealand Dollars.[/quote]

these are from pricespy and are just some that would be ok to put it to it but would they run FSX any better well thats unknown
http://www.pricespy.co.nz/pno_318.html

Last edited by creator2003 on Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

[HardCorePawn]

Looking at the mobo specs for that machine, you are pretty constrained in what you can and cannot do...

It has onboard graphics, and only 3 PCI expansion slots... so, as mike has mentioned, you are unable to use an AGP or PCI-express video card... leaving only low-end PCI cards...

You can forget FSX... and the performance in FS9 is not likely to be very good either...

To be honest, in my opinion, it is not really worth investing anymore money in this machine and you would be better off saving for a decent flight sim box...

Probably not what you wanted to hear

[Anthony]

Yip you will be pretty much wasting your time putting more time and money into this machine.
Get a new motherboard and CPU and pair that with the ATI HD4850 which is the best bang for buck card out there at the moment.
You mention not upgrading for a while anyway, I would wait until closer to the time for asking for advice as the technology scene changes very quickly.
It's definitely possible to get a decent computer for flight simulator for $1500 or less, no monitor but including mouse, keyboard, OS, etc.