Graphics card advice

N

nemokin

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Hi, I am new to this forum and DX10 on FSX.

Over the last week, I studied Paul's how-to along with various web sites and YouTube to switch from DX9 to DX10.
All in all, I seemed to have successfully set up DX10 having made a few flights on ＮＧＸ both day and night.

While initially happy, frame rate drops into low teens closer to the ground and around heavy airports. This is despite my AA setting at low at 2x and other various setting are relatively low (sliders within FSX is closer to max on most key items). Buffer pool is 1.

To improve this, I am thinking to renew my graphics card and would like your recommendations.

My current setup:
i7-2700K OC 4.5GHz
GeForce 560Ti 2GB
Normally I fly PMDG around add-on airports using ASN and REX4Texture.
I have FTX global and vector installed with Aerosoft's night environments.

I'm willing to spend $300-ish but not $500-ish.

Any thoughts?
 
Hi and welcome!

I've no idea on local prices, but if I were to upgrade my GFX card, I'd go for one that supports 3 [true] monitor outputs - just in case you want to have a 3-monitor "wraparound" setup at some later date. Your CPU seems good for a while.

Adam.
 
If you shop around, a gtx 770 can be had for a little more than $300. Considering that its GPU core was once badged a gtx 680 ($500 card) not too long ago and as a 770 its clock and RAM speeds have been boosted, it'll be a really nice upgrade for a 560 ti. But be warned: low FPS around complex scenery areas is far more a CPU issue than a GPU issue.
 
Thank you both for your advice.

I just went to my local PC shop and bought a 2GB GTX770 with overclock.

Will try to replace my card today.
A little nervous since I have never switched a graphics card before.
I hope I'll do things right.
 
Absolutely make sure your PSU can handle the new card. You'll need a minimum PSU rating of 600W. Note that cheaper brands of PSU are notorious for inflating their power rating. Sorry I didn't mention this in my original reply. Other than this limitation, swapping graphics cards is as simple as it sounds:
0. Uninstall the graphics driver via windows; this is optional but I strongly recommend doing this
1. Unplug the PSU and disconnect the monitor.
2. Press the computer's power on switch to drain residual power; touch the case's chassis to discharge static from your fingers
3. Disconnect the PSU cables from the old card; remove all screws holding the card to the case's back plate.
4. To lift the old card out, first disengage the PCIe slot's lock by pressing on the slot's tab.
5. Place the new card into the slot.
6. Connect the PSU cables to the new card and reinstall the removed screws.
7. Plug in PSU and monitor and power up.
8. Install drivers if necessary
9. Enjoy!
 
Last edited:
TheFamilyMan said:
6. Connect the PSU cables to the new card.
7. Plug in PSU and monitor and power up.
8. Install drivers if necessary
9. Enjoy!
Click to expand...

I would add...

7.5. Make sure the computer is disconnected from the 'Net before powering on. Don't want Windows installing some driver it thinks is best.

8.0a. The first drivers installed after your new video card is installed should be the drivers that came with the card. Then upgrade to newer drivers if you wish.

Greg
 
Thank you, The Family Man and lownslo.
Your step by step guide to swap the cards is very appreciated especially the
last 7.5 and 8.0a. I did not know some of these steps.

Regarding the PSU, the shop clerk yesterday asked me exactly the same
power requirement question as you mentioned before I
bought the card. Since it's the shop I bought my PC from 3 years ago,
they had my spec on file and confirmed that I have 750W unit,
adequate to take on my new card.

Again, thank you.
 
nemokin said:
that I have 750W unit
Click to expand...

Cool, you should be set.

Just to make your life easier you should dump (and then reinstall) the Libraries in the Fixer before starting the sim the first time. And certainly, dump the old FSX.cfg and then let the sim build a new one. To start, add only these tweaks once the FSX.cfg is rebuilt:

[GRAPHICS]
HIGHMEMFIX=1

[Main]
DisablePreload=1

[Display]
WideViewAspect= <---- True or False based upon the resolution of your monitor

[BUFFERPOOLS]
UsePools=0

Start there... simple and clean. Don't add a bunch of tweaks from your previous .cfg right away. Try the Bufferpools at "Usepools=0" setting first.

Good luck and let us know how you get on,

Greg
 
Lownslo, thanks for your encouraging words.

What exactly is "dump the Library in the fixer"?
What steps am I supposed to follow?
 
nemokin said:
What exactly is "dump the Library in the fixer"?
What steps am I supposed to follow?
Click to expand...

After you get the card installed and then the drivers installed, go into Steve's Fixer and uninstall the Libraries. Then reinstall them before going into the sim the first time. Probably not really critical to do this step, but the Fixer makes it so easy that it is really cheap insurance that all is happy with your new 770 in the sim.

Greg
 
OK,now my new board is set and PC is back on.

Did as you instructed, rebuild the library in the fixer, had to reset
all items in nVidia Inspector at least to the previous 560Ti setting.

Did a quick test flight on B58.
I obviously need to adjust various NVI setting again matching my new card
since my B58 test flight was not as smooth as previous time also having a little more jagged edges.

Can this be due to keeping my BufferPool=1?
I know very little but I am guesting that with my i7-2700K OC4.5GHz with my new GTX770
I would switch it off by making it to BufferPool=0?
 
nemokin said:
Can this be due to keeping my BufferPool=1?
I know very little but I am guesting that with my i7-2700K OC4.5GHz with my new GTX770
I would switch it off by making it to BufferPool=0?
Click to expand...

Yep, start with UsePools=1. The goal is to get the sim running SMOOTH, and only then go after more performance/graphics.

Greg
 
nemokin said:
Can this be due to keeping my BufferPool=1?
I know very little but I am guesting that with my i7-2700K OC4.5GHz with my new GTX770
I would switch it off by making it to BufferPool=0?
Click to expand...

Start with UsePools=0. The goal is to get the sim running SMOOTH, and only then go after more performance/graphics.

Greg

Edit: Gonna try to attach a jpg of NI... not done any attachments here. Woot, it worked!

Anyway, start with NI settings like this and adjust as needed to get the sim smooth. Sorry about the confusion about UsePools in my post above... can't take a phone call and type at the same time (my wife claims I can't walk and chew gum at the same time). At any rate, start with UsePools=0.
 

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Thank you, I will try.
Looks like you have the same card.

BTW, should I turn on the Anti-Ali setting within FSX?
 
I just finished my first test flight.
NGX from Munich(Aerosoft) to Heathrow(UK2000) using ASN during daytime.
Only few clouds, a little more towards broken out of Munich.
I have FTX Europe and Global Vector as well.

When I made the same flight before when I was still in DX9 world
(although nighttime with street lights), I had OOM
which was the whole starting point of my investigation into DX10.
So, I think it's my "revenge" flight although daytime.

I was able to complete the flight without OOM this time.
Maybe my decision to switch to DX10 was right - shouldn't speak up
yet with only 1 "revenge" flight. Haha.

3D cockpit view started around 17-25 FR out of Munich, eventually
peaking around 45-55 during cruise at FL360, dropping around
20-30 during descent into London area (around FL100) with
lowest on short final at 10-15. Once landed at Heathrow, it went
back up around 13-20 during taxi with about 20-22 parked at the gate.
Turning onto ILS course and to short final, I had some
texture loading issue with several tiles showing up black first
before their ground texture.
(I read somewhere that if BP=0, I need to have my water setting at
high2x other wise these texture loading issue can occur. I have it
at Low2x now).

My AA is set at 2xSS in Inspector, framerate limiter OFF in NVI
but set at unlimited within FSX.

I would love to get my AA up to a higher setting though.

Do you have any advice as to which tweak I should start with?
 
Are you generally happy with the video card upgrade?

First thing I'd recommend is to set the framerate in sim to 30 and Off in NI. In DX10 Fixer try setting the AA level to 4X, and then 4X SGSS in NI (as in the above screenshot).
 
Yes, I think I'm happy with the card thanks to you! Of course I've flown only one flight. ^^

I shall tweak as you recommend and see what happens tomorrow. Maybe a return flight out of London but night this time. This area probably is most demanding on my PC due to numerous add-ons for London area.
 
nemokin said:
This area probably is most demanding on my PC due to numerous add-ons for London area.
Click to expand...

Indeed, sounds like a good place to do the testing. The texture loading issue may very well be the system being taxed too heavily (short final at a challenging addon airport), but you need to make sure it wasn't a Vsync issue. Set the Vsync in NI to 1/2 Refresh Rate and Vsync Tear Control in NI to Standard. Then FR in the sim to 30.

Me thinks you have a good start... now you must configure the system for your style of flying and addons. Try to keep the tweaks in your FSX.cfg to a minimum. Your system is now better balanced than when you had the 560Ti. The CPU and GPU can work much better together, the challenge is for you to get it all set up so they play well together. The primary tools should be settings in FSX, the DX10 Fixer, and NI.

Good luck and have fun,

Greg
 
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