Hi,

I hope someone can advise me here.

I build computers for friends and myself as a hobby.
I'm thinking of building one with nothing but FS2004 and perhaps a combat flight sim game.

The question is this, is my Nivedia Ti4600 (128MB) graphics card worth updating for a newer one?  I  can't remember how much it cost me but I've had it for 2 years now.
If I do build a comp specifically for this then I want to make sure that I can have EVERYTHING maxed out without having to worry.

At the moment I have the graphics maxed on 1152 x 864 x 32.  This is running ok but either I have to much addon planes and scenery or my comp is dying...  the screen has started to flicker occasionally and I have noticed that, when jumping to a location, it takes a few seconds to update the scenery for that area.
Not sure if this is graphics or pc prob. (My specs are below.)

Hope someone can advise.... Also SERIOUSLY considering getting some sort of watercooler for comp as fans are to noisey and my CPU is clocking 61 - 65 C  ??? which to me is a little on the hot side, would preffer 45 - 53 or lower. Case has 2 fans.

Also I'm not rich!    so would appreciate any "Bargain" websites 
Thanks,

John

Well my spec is running FS9maxed, in add-on helis over add-on scenery no trouble. It seems like an OK gfx card too.
Dan

ideally you dont want it going much above 50 at full load.  But the other PC I have here is running at 60 all day long for ages and has no probs.  Its not used for gaming though, just internet browsing and what ever other stuff my g/friend does.

You cant get a PCI Express card.  Your motherboard does not support it.  You will have to get the AGP version of the 6600GT which is a little more expensive (£150ish)

I must admit the 6600GT is looking more and more promising.  Can't afford to build new comp yet but (As I build and sell comps as a hobby) I have just sold a comp today (Yipee, been waiting 6 weeks for the money, last time I use my money!!) so I am tempted to go and buy graphics now but I know that cooling is a BIG problem and I would like to get all 4 HD's, graphics, ram and CPU water cooled but its gonna be a LOT of money. 

Still the 6600GT is new (I think) and its PCI Express means that I can use for now then put in new comp plus raid another 6600GT to it.  Would be nice

Got £150 to play with, its burning a whole in me pocket (Just swapped jobs so that I get 4 day weekends but have to wait to "Settle down" before I concentrate on building complete comp, last one cost me £2200 and I'm still paying for it. 

Ok. 

I've decided that cooling is the most important thing at the moment as I am running 55 - 60 degrees C!!
(With case open and 14" fan blowing in!!)

I've looked at water coolers and seen a nice one that I can add to and I hope take to my new computer.

Zalman Reserator 1 Fanless Water Cooling System (WC-000-ZA)
at http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_Others.html
Unfortunately I can't seem to get the full specs page to show but its the second and third item on the page.

I currently have an AMD XP2400 (2000mhz?) and new comp will have AMD 64 3000 / 3200, one or 2 cpu's can't decide yet.

Any ideas befor I waste my money?

Quote:




Congo,

I always ask people what they want a computer for before I build (I have only built about 6 or 7 for others and this is my 4th for me) and I would NEVER build a computer with someones money if I thought there might be problems with the way it would run unless they knew and had asked me to continue.

I want to build a faster computer for myself to play FS on.  I intend on using AMD 64bit 3000 or 3200 cpu (Possibly 2 on one board) and raiding 2 6600GT's on PCI-Express.

My computer currently has an AMD XP2400 with the original AMD fan yet as I am typing this with a 14" fan blowing into the open side of computer (setting one on fan) my cpu is running at 53 degrees and I only have AOL and 4 IE pages open.  To me that is to hot, FS runs CPU at 100%  and uses around 740 of my 333RAM which makes the temp go up to 63 - 65!

Screen shots :



And no games running!!

I will be using MY money (Which I have worked hard for) to build a high spec comp, this  current one was high spec but I didn't anticipate the heat problems but this is a lesson that I have / am learning at my expense so that I know I need to provide more cooling for anyone that wants to play comp games (So far only my brother but he uses his for nothing else and I have video capture, network, sound card etc etc)
Have not had a chance to use Firefox yet but I am downloading / installing stop sign as I type.
Will try Firefox on Fri as I will be finished work for 4 days (New job same place, start Tuesday, same full time wage but only 3 days a week  8) )

No offence but I don’t really think that you know how to build a PC, in your posts I can see that you don’t know anything about hardware compatibility, this is very important when you build a pc.
Tell us what is your intended budget so we can recommend the best parts for you, you seem to be lost about it and you may waste your money with something that wont work.

The older 266mhz AMD cpu's had older technology in that the wafer thickness of the silicon raw material was thicker than newer processors.

The use of thinner silicon allowed lower voltages, or comparitively lower voltages to be used within the cpu core.

New heatsink and cpu design also helped dissipate heat a little.

Current generation AMD cpu's seem to run just fine and don't overheat until considerably overclocked or non-standard voltages are applied.

Your money is far better spent on the right chipset and CPU, rather than any "Cooling" solution.

If you find that a "cooling solution" is needed, I would suggest you try to find out why the rig is overheating in the first place.