The big Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 thread

K.O.Kiki

Benchmarks:

• Guru3D
• TechSpot
• Tom's Hardware

In general:
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (FS20) is a behemoth of a game, and will need a serious computer to play at the highest settings.
At the same time, this is a sim game and thus it's OK to aim for 30fps.

FS20 currently uses DX11 and thus doesn't utilize high core-count CPUs well. However, it DOES scale with additional cores, and Ultra settings require at least 8 CPU threads.
Intel vs AMD: as always, Intel is faster due to higher core speed, however you only lose around 5fps. I would still recommend AMD and use extra budget for a faster GPU.

However, the game loves memory bandwidth, and thus 1st-gen Ryzen & DDR3 Intel CPUs can suffer.
16GB system RAM is enough, however high-speed/low-latency RAM is highly recommended; and more RAM doesn't hurt.

Installing the game to an SSD seems like a must; as is a fast internet connection.

As for GPU, the Medium preset should give playable on GTX 1650 or above at 1080p.
However, more GPU power & VRAM is necessary for Ultra settings / higher resolution.

Thus 6GB VRAM is the bare minimum for Ultra quality details, with 8GB recommended.
1080p: GTX 1660 Super/Ti, GTX 1070 Ti/1080, RX Vega 56, RX 5600 XT
1440p: RTX 2060 Super/RX 5700 or up
4K: Wait for next-gen

bnt

I have a PC where the CPU is about 6 years old (i5-6400 on a B150), and it is struggling with FS2020. The GPU is newer (GTX 1060) and isn't being pushed past 50% utilisation, while the CPU is pegged at 100%. So I need a much faster CPU, which will mean a new motherboard ... a new PC, basically. I'm probably looking at an i7-10700 system around the new year.

.G.

And when you get the new CPU you'll find the GPU holding you back! The joys of PC gaming, always something to upgrade

I've a Ryzen 5 3600 with a 2080ti and its not the CPU thats holding things back in my system! GPU constantly at 99% usage, CPU much less.

Mickeroo

It's running ok for me at 1440p, medium settings on i7 6700k/gtx1070. Getting around 50fps most of the time. I haven't gone near any big cities or anything though, I suspect performance will tank if I fly around NYC or similar.

It's definitely giving me the itch for an upgrade though

Metric Tensor

Mickeroo wrote: »

It's running ok for me at 1440p, medium settings on i7 6700k/gtx1070. Getting around 50fps most of the time. I haven't gone near any big cities or anything though, I suspect performance will tank if I fly around NYC or similar.

It's definitely giving me the itch for an upgrade though

Same spec as me and considering purchasing. Happy to hear that its at least reasonably usable.

Oafley Jones

What do you think the trajectory for prices will be when the 30xx release, specifically for high end models e.g. 3080? Just looking at the previous gens, will there be an initial bump, does it taper off over time or do prices remain largely static? How about for pre builts?

Samuel T. Cogley

Oafley Jones wrote: »

What do you think the trajectory for prices will be when the 30xx release, specifically for high end models e.g. 3080? Just looking at the previous gens, will there be an initial bump, does it taper off over time or do prices remain largely static? How about for pre builts?

Expect around €1000 or more for the 3080. The US prices are given sans sales tax and you need to add on VAT etc. It's hard to say will they stay at that price given AMD might actually be competitive up to the 3080 tier this time.

Dcully

Running very nice for me @ 1440p ,rarely drop below 60fps maybe 45fps in huge cities with a mix of ultra medium and high settings based on the tuned settings from Tom's hardware.

8600k @ 4.6 GHz
Evga gtx 1080ti sc
8 GB DDR4 3200 MHz.

Surprisingly my ram doing s great job.

Samuel T. Cogley

Downloaded AMD Drivers 20.8.3 and I'm much happier with the temps/fan speeds now. Also seems to know when it's in a menu and clocks down a bit.

JoyPad

It's working reasonably well on my 3 year old PC (i7-7700K @ 4.5GHz, 16GB 3000MHz RAM, 1080Ti). Although GeForce experience is suggesting Medium settings, I've done a bit a tweaking.

Now, since both me and the progeny have 1080Ti cards, I was wondering if I should try an upgrade, where he gets my card to use in SLI, and I buy something new. It would have to go to him, as my PSU is not powerful enough for two cards.

I never had 2x cards in one PC, so I wonder if there's improvement over one card, enough to warrant the attempt, or should I just try to sell my card to offset some of the cost of the new card. Any thoughts?

Homelander

JoyPad wrote: »

It's working reasonably well on my 3 year old PC (i7-7700K @ 4.5GHz, 16GB 3000MHz RAM, 1080Ti). Although GeForce experience is suggesting Medium settings, I've done a bit a tweaking.

Now, since both me and the progeny have 1080Ti cards, I was wondering if I should try an upgrade, where he gets my card to use in SLI, and I buy something new. It would have to go to him, as my PSU is not powerful enough for two cards.

I never had 2x cards in one PC, so I wonder if there's improvement over one card, enough to warrant the attempt, or should I just try to sell my card to offset some of the cost of the new card. Any thoughts?

SLI is a total waste of time these days. Most games don't support it, and even the odd ones that do, the gain is small.

Even when it was popular it was patchy, these days, it's money flushed down the toilet.

Wonda-Boy

I agree, back in the day the single cards where not that powerful so we stuck a band aid on an stuck 2 together. The cards today are really powerful so SLI is just a huge headache TBH.

Samuel T. Cogley

MSFS2020 doesn't support SLI AFAIK.

JoyPad

The heir has already informed me that he will require a 3080, as he wants to try ray tracing, and needs more oomph for the Vive anyway.
So, there goes my SLI plan out the window!

Anyone in the market for a couple of 1080Ti cards? Just out of warranty, never overclocked.

Samuel T. Cogley

Not my ad but...

https://www.adverts.ie/gaming-controllers/saitek-flight-yoke/21484890

EoinHef

I've got a Thrustmaster T16000M,must hook it up and give the game a try.

bnt

I’ve had a Logitech 3D flight stick for a few years but haven’t really been happy with it, so I have a Thrustmaster TCA Airbus edition on order, due in a couple of weeks.

JoyPad

Be careful with Thrustmaster, their support is not that good.

I've bought a T.Flight Hotas One in July. After a few weeks, it has developed an issue with the rudder control (Z axis, the twist of the stick).
Apparently, this is a common issue with many Thrustmaster joysticks.

I wrote to support describing the issue, including how it is diagnosed in Control Panel (at rest, the sensor flickers between middle position and maximum left twist). I told them I bought the thing on their website.
17 days later, I get a reply with one of those pre-canned messages. Half of it tells me how to confirm the problem with the Control Panel applet, and the other half tells me to contact the retailer and ask for replacement. If only they'd read my message...

Dcully

I bought a TM T300 alcantara wheel and pedal set but had 2 major issues wihin a week.
Thrustmaster didnt want to know about it, overclockers where i bought werent much better until i insisted im within my rights to get a refund.

Wonda-Boy

Honeycomb flight yoke seems to be the bizzo.....but they pricey.

Wonda-Boy

Nearly managed my 1st 1 million landing in the landing challenges.....just cant break that 1m mark. The xbox controller is very fiddly, Id love a good flight yoke and I be top ten in the WORLD!

JoyPad

JoyPad wrote: »

Be careful with Thrustmaster, their support is not that good.

I've bought a T.Flight Hotas One in July. After a few weeks, it has developed an issue with the rudder control (Z axis, the twist of the stick).
Apparently, this is a common issue with many Thrustmaster joysticks.

After a lot of back and forth with the support department, there will be a replacement HOTAS One in the mail for me.

I had to send a video showing the problem, capturing the Control Panel applet showing the sensor misbehaving, while the joystick is untouched. Finally, they asked me to cut the cable and send them a photo with the joystick having the serial number on the base and the cut cable visible. They didn't want me to send them the broken one back, but they made sure it's not going to be used anymore.

Mickeroo

JoyPad wrote: »

After a lot of back and forth with the support department, there will be a replacement HOTAS One in the mail for me.

I had to send a video showing the problem, capturing the Control Panel applet showing the sensor misbehaving, while the joystick is untouched. Finally, they asked me to cut the cable and send them a photo with the joystick having the serial number on the base and the cut cable visible. They didn't want me to send them the broken one back, but they made sure it's not going to be used anymore.

Well that's a really weird request. If they were happy it was broken and didn't want it back, almost seems vindictive :pac:

JoyPad

Mickeroo wrote: »

Well that's a really weird request. If they were happy it was broken and didn't want it back, almost seems vindictive :pac:

The cable contains 4 wires plus ground. Took me a whole half hour to reconnect and make it work again. Still malfunctioning though, there's no way I'm digging in the stick's base to cut out the bad sensor.

I can still use this with Flight Simulator, where I re-configured controls and un-assigned the stick twist, and I can use a different axis for rudder.

For stupid games (e.g. Ace Combat 7) that do not allow me to re-configure controls, the HOTAS remains unusable.

Hyzepher

I'm pretty sure I would have refused that request until I had a new one in my posession.

JoyPad

Hyzepher wrote: »

I'm pretty sure I would have refused that request until I had a new one in my posession.

They would not send the replacement until I sent the photo.
I complained that I can't use it as it was, so no point in arguing.

Samuel T. Cogley

Amazon. Had a few things that have gone wrong like keyboards, a HOTAS once. Ordered the new one and returned the old one for a refund after the new one had turned up. Can't recommend the sweatshop employer enough.

.G.

Yeah as horrible as Bezos is to his unfortunate subjects you really can't fault their customer service.