What Dell computer will run the latest vers of MS Flight Sim well?

I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure what
will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with core 2 and
at least 2ghz.
will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does it
need to be dedicated?
Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
considering this?

This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.

thanks for your suggestions.
Jay

"Jay B" <> wrote in message
news:czZDh.40$...
> I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
> I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure what
> will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with core 2 and
> at least 2ghz.
> will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does it
> need to be dedicated?
> Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
> considering this?
>
> This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
> computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.
>
> thanks for your suggestions.
> Jay

Do not, under any circumstances, get the nVidia 7300le. MAJOR problem with
a BIOS conflict and the machine will run like a 486. Buy cheap and replace
yourself or take the next step up.

>>>>> Jay B writes:

Jay> I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
Jay> I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure
Jay> what will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with
Jay> core 2 and at least 2ghz.
Jay> will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does
Jay> it need to be dedicated?
Jay> Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
Jay> considering this?

FSX is a major resource hog, you will need a very fast CPU and a top
of the line video card (not with shared memory) to get good results.

Google on FSX Frame Rate to get an idea...

Jay> This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
Jay> computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.

Jay> thanks for your suggestions.
Jay> Jay


--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:27:01 -0500, "Tom Scales" <>
wrote:

>
>"Jay B" <> wrote in message
>news:czZDh.40$...
>> I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
>> I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure what
>> will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with core 2 and
>> at least 2ghz.
>> will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does it
>> need to be dedicated?
>> Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
>> considering this?
>>
>> This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
>> computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.
>>
>> thanks for your suggestions.
>> Jay
>
>Do not, under any circumstances, get the nVidia 7300le. MAJOR problem with
>a BIOS conflict and the machine will run like a 486. Buy cheap and replace
>yourself or take the next step up.
>


Hey Tom before I go running to my 9200 to check, isn't that what the
9200 comes with?? Guess it time to chew my nails... just kidding
I'm not a gamer and no big deal to buy a video card if necessary.

That reminds me, what is the best video card for say under $100 for
the 9200 nowadays (since I'm not well versed on this subject) ?

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:18:16 -0500, Jay B <> wrote:

>I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
>I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure what
>will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with core 2 and
>at least 2ghz.
>will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does it
>need to be dedicated?
>Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
>considering this?
>
>This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
>computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.
>
>thanks for your suggestions.
>Jay

Not trying to be cute but the box usually gives minimum requirements
tho I don't know how specific it will be. Might want to check the MS
web site to see what they might add to the game information.

"Jay B" <> wrote in message
news:czZDh.40$...
> I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
> I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure what
> will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with core 2 and
> at least 2ghz.
> will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does it
> need to be dedicated?
> Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
> considering this?
>
> This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
> computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.
>
> thanks for your suggestions.
> Jay

I assume you mean the current version or FSX. I have FSX and it does not do
well in large cities. The truth is FSX is behind current hardware in that it
does not make good use of either multi core cpus or SLI . You can read all
the dirt from one of the top designers of ACES in MS.
http://blogs.msdn.com/ptaylor/default.aspx

They are currently working on a performance patch (SP1) which will hopefully
improve things. This is a result of the backlash they got from the simming
community.

So in short buy the best you can afford and hope that the patch will make
things better. You can actually download a demo of the current program to
see how it performs on whatever system you have now.
http://www.fsinsider.com/Downloads/

If FSX does not meet your needs then the prior version FS9 which I still
fly, will do very well on most higher end systems, Dell or otherwise.

My system is Dimension 8400, P4/3.4ghz HT, with ATI pciexpress X700 pro, Win
XP SP2, 2GB RAM...2 1/2 year old system and I guess it will have to last a
bit longer or until the FS people get things sorted out. I am not buying any
new hardware given the current FSX problems , not to mention it runs even
slower with VISTA and they have not even gotten to DX10 yet.

FS is the only serious game/sim I use and I have had many years with
it...from DOS something :-)

good luck

Bill

<RnR> wrote in message news:...
> On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:27:01 -0500, "Tom Scales" <>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Jay B" <> wrote in message
>>news:czZDh.40$...
>>> I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
>>> I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure what
>>> will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with core 2 and
>>> at least 2ghz.
>>> will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does it
>>> need to be dedicated?
>>> Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
>>> considering this?
>>>
>>> This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
>>> computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.
>>>
>>> thanks for your suggestions.
>>> Jay
>>
>>Do not, under any circumstances, get the nVidia 7300le. MAJOR problem
>>with
>>a BIOS conflict and the machine will run like a 486. Buy cheap and
>>replace
>>yourself or take the next step up.
>>
>
>
> Hey Tom before I go running to my 9200 to check, isn't that what the
> 9200 comes with?? Guess it time to chew my nails... just kidding
> I'm not a gamer and no big deal to buy a video card if necessary.
>
> That reminds me, what is the best video card for say under $100 for
> the 9200 nowadays (since I'm not well versed on this subject) ?

Yeah, the 7300LE is what mine came with, because they just sit in the corner
as servers. There is a glitch somewhere, because if you upgrade the bios
beyond the initial 1.x.x release, then it cause major problems with the boot
drive, with the throughput dropping to almost 0 every few seconds. Looks
like a heartbeat

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 18:57:38 -0500, "Tom Scales" <>
wrote:

>
><RnR> wrote in message news:...
>> On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:27:01 -0500, "Tom Scales" <>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>"Jay B" <> wrote in message
>>>news:czZDh.40$...
>>>> I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
>>>> I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure what
>>>> will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with core 2 and
>>>> at least 2ghz.
>>>> will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does it
>>>> need to be dedicated?
>>>> Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
>>>> considering this?
>>>>
>>>> This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
>>>> computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.
>>>>
>>>> thanks for your suggestions.
>>>> Jay
>>>
>>>Do not, under any circumstances, get the nVidia 7300le. MAJOR problem
>>>with
>>>a BIOS conflict and the machine will run like a 486. Buy cheap and
>>>replace
>>>yourself or take the next step up.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Hey Tom before I go running to my 9200 to check, isn't that what the
>> 9200 comes with?? Guess it time to chew my nails... just kidding
>> I'm not a gamer and no big deal to buy a video card if necessary.
>>
>> That reminds me, what is the best video card for say under $100 for
>> the 9200 nowadays (since I'm not well versed on this subject) ?
>
>Yeah, the 7300LE is what mine came with, because they just sit in the corner
>as servers. There is a glitch somewhere, because if you upgrade the bios
>beyond the initial 1.x.x release, then it cause major problems with the boot
>drive, with the throughput dropping to almost 0 every few seconds. Looks
>like a heartbeat
>


Yea I think mine has one too but right now I'm on a laptop so I'll
have to check it later. Well, the bug probably won't affect me but
I'll keep it in mind just in case. Maybe someday, just for the heck
of it, I'll upgrade just to avoid the potential problem. Thanks.

thanks Bill, and all the others that responded.
that's what i was afraid of.

Bill wrote:
> "Jay B" <> wrote in message
> news:czZDh.40$...
>> I'm looking for a recommendation for running MS Flight Simulator.
>> I need a 256mb video card. Since I don't play games, I'm not sure what
>> will give the best experience. I was considering a 9200 with core 2 and
>> at least 2ghz.
>> will the 256mb video card (shared memory) work for flightsim? or does it
>> need to be dedicated?
>> Also, can it be played on a laptop, or should we stay away from
>> considering this?
>>
>> This is not for me, but a retired person i know that is buying a new
>> computer and wants to run flight sim as there main program.
>>
>> thanks for your suggestions.
>> Jay
>
> I assume you mean the current version or FSX. I have FSX and it does not do
> well in large cities. The truth is FSX is behind current hardware in that it
> does not make good use of either multi core cpus or SLI . You can read all
> the dirt from one of the top designers of ACES in MS.
> http://blogs.msdn.com/ptaylor/default.aspx
>
> They are currently working on a performance patch (SP1) which will hopefully
> improve things. This is a result of the backlash they got from the simming
> community.
>
> So in short buy the best you can afford and hope that the patch will make
> things better. You can actually download a demo of the current program to
> see how it performs on whatever system you have now.
> http://www.fsinsider.com/Downloads/
>
> If FSX does not meet your needs then the prior version FS9 which I still
> fly, will do very well on most higher end systems, Dell or otherwise.
>
> My system is Dimension 8400, P4/3.4ghz HT, with ATI pciexpress X700 pro, Win
> XP SP2, 2GB RAM...2 1/2 year old system and I guess it will have to last a
> bit longer or until the FS people get things sorted out. I am not buying any
> new hardware given the current FSX problems , not to mention it runs even
> slower with VISTA and they have not even gotten to DX10 yet.
>
> FS is the only serious game/sim I use and I have had many years with
> it...from DOS something :-)
>
> good luck
>
> Bill
>
>

> thanks Bill, and all the others that responded.
> that's what i was afraid of.

You could always try X-Plane in the meantime !

http://x-plane.com/