Upgrade my graphics card

[unknowndomain]

With fathers day coming up I wana upgrade my dads computers video card for him. He is really into Flight Sim X and he is currently using my old PC from before I switched. The card is quite old but the system is a 2.8 ghz p4 ht , with 1.5gb ram etc.. its more than capable but the graphics card is only the Nvidia geforce 5600 fx 256mb. far more outdated than the rest of the system. I would like to upgrade it however I dont know whats best. I would like to get one of the cards from Nvidia there are 4 on the OcUK site but is it worth spending the extra money to get the EVGA 7800 when the BFG 7600 has more ram, or is it better to go for the heaper Asus? What should I do I am buying this as a combined present from me and my sis for both fathers day and his birthday.

 

[sk3lph]

If your budget can stretch the Radeon X1950 Pro is a very good card and worth considering, unless its only one from Nvidia you're after.

 

[unknowndomain]

Im not nessisarilly looking for the best card just one which will let flight sim x max out on. I wana keep it under £100 if possible inc vat. However if i go over then i go over.

 

[sk3lph]

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-134-SP&tool=3

This ones under a ton - has some good comments attached too.

In terms of running flight sim x with everything maxed - its hard to say without trying various cards with your hardware and testing the result.

 

[Tute]

Isn't FSX Dx10?

Maybe consider an 8600 or HD 2600 (not sure if they will launch in time) in this case?

 

[unknowndomain]

I am looking at a XP Pro system with AGP 8x nothing. Yes FSX is DX10 but also DX9 i.e. they claim its better under vista but they would their microsoft after all.

ATI Radeon X1950 Pro 256MB ? Thats interesting I will do some research. I guess its sufficient to say that this card is going to far out perform the 5600fx?

 

[Tute]

Ah, my apologies.

In which case, you could chance the wait for a Dx10 AGP card (performance unknown) or plump for either the 7600GT, X1650XT, or stretch to the X1950 Pro.

Personally i'd be stretching to the X1950 Pro, it's a really decent card.

 

[sk3lph]

ATI Radeon X1950 Pro 256MB ? Thats interesting I will do some research. I guess its sufficient to say that this card is going to far out perform the 5600fx?

I was thinking about this card about 6 months ago as it was the AGP version I was thinking of before I decided to go the whole hog and upgrate my whole system.

I'm therefore a little out of date in terms of the other cards out there, but at the time it was considered to be the best mid range card and it has come down a bit in price since then too.

 

[Cyber-Mav]

7600gt is your best bet, it runs cool, consumes very little power, and should have no problems with the psu in the system.

the x1950pro runs hot so your gonna have to make sure your case cooling is up to the job, and seeing as how its getting quite hot here now i would recommend you to go for the 7600gt. 7600gt agp cards are around 75 quid now.

 

[ACESHIGH]

I was thinking about this card about 6 months ago as it was the AGP version I was thinking of before I decided to go the whole hog and upgrate my whole system.

I'm therefore a little out of date in terms of the other cards out there, but at the time it was considered to be the best mid range card and it has come down a bit in price since then too.

The X1950pro is still probably the best value card in its price range.
The 7600GT is much slower btw.

 

[unknowndomain]

Thanks all for your help!

 

[sk3lph]

So what d'you reckon you'll go for then?