I've been thinking about this, and we needn't worry. If we can run FS9 - we can easily run FSX, with just a few features less. The detail or AI doesn't need to be on 100% - I think most of our computers, that can take FS9, an easily take on FSX.
When I bought Fs2002 over 98 I had a horrible feeling it would barely work. I was wrong. Yet when I bought FS9 I had the same feeling. I was wrong. The sim ran fine and I could enjoy it. So - I wouldn't worry about FSX - it'll run fine. 8)

Oi! Stop making things up.

Did you say upgrade? Will my computer handle FSX? Are my Specs ok? Do I need Vista?





























Just kidding.....

My guess is that MS wrote the program on whatever is availabe to the rest of us right now. They might have tweaked it for Vista but the original program was written useing "OLD" technology.

XP-32 will run the program, Vista will turn on the eye candy?????????

That is a good point. Strange really too.

After all it is 2006, xbox 360 has better graphics than your top pc so HEY!! GET WITH TIMES AND STOP BLOWING ALL YOUR CASH ON BOOZE!! 8) 8)
Upgrade
Upgrade
Upgrade

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Multiple cores is the answer.  4 core processors are out soonish.  Then 8 core ones will be out in 2008.

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So technically, will I need to upgrade?? ???

And here I was looking for an excuse to buy a monster new computer...

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Just like gravity, it's a myth......the earth sucks

Matt

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Blackholes pull matter in, but I think we are now really getting of track

Matt

The following is a list of ATI graphics boards that are currently compatable with Vista:
By ASIC Name:
All DX9 GPUs
M10 or above
R300 or above
RV350 or above
RS400, RS480, RS482, RC410

By Brand Name:

Desktop
Discrete
All-In-Wonder® 9600 Series or higher
All-In-Wonder® X600 Series or higher
Radeon® X300 Series or higher
Radeon® 9500 Series or higher
Integrated
Radeon® Xpress 200
Radeon® Xpress 200 CrossFire™

And from Nvidia:
The following NVIDIA desktop GPUs are "Windows Vista Ready:"

GeForce 7800 GTX GPUs
GeForce 7800 GT GPUs
GeForce 7300 GPUs
GeForce 6800 GPUs
GeForce 6600 GPUs
GeForce 6500 GPUs
GeForce 6200 GPUs
GeForce FX 5900 GPUs
GeForce FX 5700 GPUs
GeForce FX 5600 GPUs
GeForce FX 5500 GPUs
GeForce FX 5200 GPUs
GeForce PCX GPUs

This list was taken from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/evaluate/hardware/entpguid.mspx#EB...

I think that about covers what any of use are currently useing.

Those lists are misleading. They imply that other hardware won't work, which just isn't true. All the lists mean is that the items listed will/should work.

The lists above are short on potential compatible hardware.



More to the point, the best mainstream hardware on offer today should suffice for reasonable performance, ie. CPU's of 3.5ghz and above, 1gb ram and nv 7800GT's and above.

FSX will run on a wide range of hardware, possibly down as far as an FX 5200, but it won't be pretty.

My advice:

Don't rush out and upgrade for Vista or FSX, wait until the software is released and watch what comes out in the aftermath, you'll soon have enough info to make the right choices to an upgrade path.

By the time the upcoming software is on the market, you will see some new hardware released and the current high end will certainly be available at a discount.

Don't be impatient and get caught doing 2 upgrades because you got it wrong the first time.

An X700 will be much better, also independent graphics memory is a must!

You all speak of Vista as though it's going to be as resource heavy as FSX itself. It won't be. It's an operating system. Yes it will require more of your system resources than XP, just like XP did with 98. But it is an operating system, designed to run while letting all sorts of other applications run on top of it. It will not require all the latest hardware to work. Just like XP didn't. Because if it did then it would be months before sales finally got underway as noone would update their OS without updating their PC.

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Laptop graphics are quite different in the way they are implemented on mobile PC's.

For a start, very few Laptops have a dedicated graphics card within, most are "onboard solutions", (which is almost a misnomer).

The laptops that do have a dedicated card often have that card tied into the bios for that PC, making any upgrade difficult if not impossible.

The mobile PC industry seems clandestine and inflexible, information is not as readily available on their workings, in fact, it is often hidden. The mobile PC world is protecting this rare kind of monopoly, where they can extract high profits through these practices.

Who wouldn't want a laptop with fantastic specs at a reasonable cost? Unfortunately, the culture of the mobile pc industry is doing it's utmost to prevent such a situation, and anyone who wants great graphics on a laptop is subjected to the usery imposed on the public at large.

The public is partly to blame. Laptops are endeared as a fahion accessory, any extras are viewed by people as status symbols or whatever, (I'm immune and ignorant of fashion speak sorry). This is one of the major factors in keeping prices high. (Yuppies have a lot to answer for)

But I digress. When you buy a mobile PC, you are pretty much stuck with whatever graphics come with the laptop.

I'm not up on the latest models of laptops with good graphics, suffice to say they do exist at a price.

You want great graphics on a laptop? You better fill your wallet.

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Maybe FSX but I will bet money on anyone with a 64bit system being able to run Vista if they so wished.

Yea, I know, just making sure people didn't panic about it.