Help me choose a video card!

[Zoom2136]

Originally Posted by Fltlt_HardBall

Yep, I've currently got a 500w PSU, and want to try and avoid upgrading it if possible...

It's a real slippery slide... new video card? Oops, that card needs a 680w PSU. Oh, and if you want DX10/11 you'd better upgrade your OS from XP. Wanna drop a decent quad-core CPU on your existing socket 775 mobo? That'll be 400 bucks. Sheesh, I may as well scrap the whole lot and start again...

BINGO, we have a winner

COD is a flight sim, and as such its performance is tied to thw single biggest bottle neck in you computer. If you have a 775 socket MB, it is time for a serious upgrade. Get a new 1155 socket MB with a i5 2500K CPU. You will need RAM as you are probably running DDR2. Get a 6 GIG kit. For the rest of your PC, re-use your old components. Buy a basic GPU and upgrade down the road. This is more $$$$ upfront, but will end up costing less in the long run...