Advice on GFX card.

[midju]

First, I know this is a religion. Please keep it nice.

 

I'm using A NVIDIA GTX 460 now.

 

 

Question:

 

Shall I go for an ATI/AMD or NVIDIA?, driver quality and multi monitor support in focus.

This will only be used in a ED/DCS/BMS rig.

[EtherealN]

What kind of multi monitor support are you looking for? What screen resolutions and how many? If more than 2, go AMD.

[PeterP]

I second that what EtherealN wrote.

It highly depends what you what to do with it or expect it to do before I would say card model X is what you are looking for...

So more info is needed.

 

 

If you want simply 30FPS in DCS at 1920x1080 and a MFCD export- all modern GPU will able to do so. NVIDIA and AMD

(Keep in mind DCS is a "Framed" simulation and the CPU is very important to deliver the GPU with info what to render - and most of the times your bottleneck. )

 

 

But if you want to be able to run more than two monitors with a single card - there is only a AMD product fitting your needs.

 

But you can aslo decide to run a NVIDIA with a matrox TH2GO... and you will be also able to atach 4monirs instead of only one.

...but this is more cost intensive than getting a AMD.

 

About drivers:

...we have already many,many threads about this - the search function is your friend.

[Gunnergolly]

I currently have a 1Gb ATI 5870, i was considering the ATI 7970 but have been put off by the difficulty that others are experiencing with this card at the moment.....although i know that it is a new card and hopefully the drivers will improve and support DCS products in the future

 

That only really leaves the Nvidia 580 as i'm lead to believe that there is no point in buying a dual GPU card for this sim...

 

I'm running run a dual monitor setup 1680X1050 & 1920X1080, would there be any advantage to having the 3Gb card over the 1.5Gb card for my setup/resolution ?.

 

(I have an i5 Processor@4.8Ghz and 8Gb of Ram)...

 

Thanks

[PeterP]

Before any one answers your question (lots of info is missing to decide...) - there is a very simple test to see if your CPU is the bottleneck , - and so you can decide if you will benefit from a new GPU.

 

Run a track that is recorded in a campaign mission with a lots of battle going on.

 

Do this first on your normal setting with your system is in the exact same configuration (monitors/exports...)

- and than do it with all graphic settings are turned to low.

 

- If you have a better overall average FPS at the seconded run,...you can benefit from a GPU upgrade.

 

If the average (not the max!) is staying the similar/same - you should think about a CPU upgrade first - because a better GPU will only help you to turn on more GFX options on like HDR/AA... but it will not higher your FPS while the CPU is struggling with the calculations for the ongoing battle.

(that's why I call DCS a "framed" simulation)

 

If you running Multi monitors in a windowed configuration and want to have a boost for "free" :SoftTH NEWS

This will make it possible to run DCS in full-screen and even have Helios visible at your secondary screens.

 

more than 1GB V-ram helps if you run on very high resolutions/have more than one View-ports and/or more than one monitors. - if you only want to run 1 monitor in 1650x1080 - 1GB is sufficient.

Edited January 24, 2012 by PeterP

[EtherealN]

One minor addition: if your datamining tool allows it, getting both median and average could be useful to inform you.

[Gunnergolly]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I will do as you suggested and run that test using FRAPS to record the results (i'm assuming that FRAPS can do that as i have never used the program before ?).

 

PeterP....

 

I have tried using SoftTh and it works.....however on my system when i go into the mission editor i'm having these problems (i used SoftTH208balpha_x64).

 

1) The names of the places on the mission editor map are blurred and they are flickering on and off.

 

2) The grid co-ordinates are not displayed on the map.

 

3) If i'm playing BS2 the ABRIS map is also having the above problem (No1).

 

It's probably just a wrong setting on my end :(.

 

However i will be away from my computer for the next two weeks due to work commitments so would you mind if i posted you my settings/config files/screen shots on my return.

 

Just so that you could maybe spend a minute checking my setup.

 

Many thanks

 

Gunner....

[EtherealN]

Yes, fraps is fine. To get median values you will howver need to make sure to save individual frame data and manage that in Excel or OpenOffice.

[midju]

What kind of multi monitor support are you looking for? What screen resolutions and how many? If more than 2, go AMD.

 

Thanks for your reply and others,

 

After some thoughts based on this forum I think I wait for the upcoming new DCS fighter and then make my decision what GFX to use.

 

Best regards.

 

Ps. lol "made you look" when I scanned your Avatar. GOOD ONE Ds.

Edited January 25, 2012 by midju

[PeterP]

Gunnergolly,

 

Fix:

Enable "quirk-mode" in the config.SoftTHconfig:

 

[debug]

compatibleIB=0

compatibleTex=0

compatibleVB=0

enableVBQuirk=1<<<

or use the previous 2.07 version instead.

 

 

And sure - np. I will have a look at your files.

Edited January 25, 2012 by PeterP

[Gunnergolly]

If my memory is correct using version 2.07 caused the game to crash whenever a unit launched a missile, version 2.08 has been fine in that regard.

 

When I get home in a couple of weeks time I will try your suggested fix and post my files for you to review.

 

Appreciate your offer of checking my files/setup peterP.

 

Cheers

 

Gunner....

[PeterP]

When you do so please give me the whole picture.

Means:

 

-your used "Monitor-setup".lua

-configSoftTh.config

[Gunnergolly]

will do.....