fsx-ms Mouse Cursor Performance Impact... Fact or Fiction?

[MadDog 353]

While reading the latest update from PMDG, I was reminded of many discussions in the past about how a visible mouse cursor impacts performance in FSX.  I'm bringing it up again because in the 9 years that I've been using the program,  I have NEVER experienced any reduction in frames when the cursor is displayed.  Whether the cursor is visible or hidden, my frames stay exactly the same... and I do pay attention to that sort of thing.  Could it be because I've always used a Logitech mouse (and its associated drivers)?  I'm really curious why so many people have reported this problem and I've never once experienced it.

 

M.D.

[airernie 263]

I've never experienced it either, to my knowledge.   However, in the world of flight sims with so many equipment, operating system and software variations we may be among the fortunate ones.

 

I also fly in windowed mode and perhaps that plays into it.  I don't recall those who reported the problem indicating if they were windowed or full screen.

 

 

Ernie

[greggerm 312]

Windowed mode, have never personally experienced it with FSX, FSX:SE or P3D v2 or v3....  (knocks on wood)

 

I don't doubt anyone who claims to have had the issue though - far too many people have reported it in the past, and it was even worked against by Dovetail as a fix/improvement in their last FSX:SE update.

[thefrog 18]

I definitely used to have it with my FSX setup: frame rates would drop dramatically with the mouse cursor visible. Just one of the reasons (along with frame rates dropping to single figures with some of my Alabeo aircraft) that I started using P3D.

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

I didn't have it on my older WinXP system, but notice it on my Windows 7 system. In some aircraft like PMDG's, it's good for a drop of about 5 FPS.

[metalmike 34]

I get a pretty substantial drop. Always have, even now with Steam Edition.

[JWNoctis 4]

I can confirm a 4-5 fps drop from about 20fps in complex autogen scenery, with my current Steam edition setup.

 

Curiously, moving the mouse over some menu negated the drop, besides moving pointer outside window in windowed mode. Wonder what black magic is at work there.

[MadDog 353]

I apologize if the title is misleading.  I don't mean to imply that the problem isn't real for some people... just that I've never seen it on the four machines I've owned since FSX came out.  I run almost exclusively in full screen mode; but have also never experienced it in a window.  I know there's a multitude of hardware/software configurations out there... but it seems like there must be some common factor that causes it.  Are those people experiencing the drop using the default Windows mouse driver?  I run 1920x1080 on a single 39" display... could it possibly be related to higher resolutions or using multiple monitors?  Wish I could share what I've been doing right.

 

M.D.

[SimSlim 5]

I read in some forum post (I think it was the PMDG 747 post) where a user who experienced it was using two large monitors and stated that the FPS drop with mouse problem was a function of the monitor real estate that must be scanned for the mouse position.  More pixels means longer scan time and a resulting FPS reduction.

[magnetite 38]

I get it on my system as well. Default planes and add-on ones. Basic mouse as well as a performance mouse. High mouse poll rate or low poll rate.

 

I'm running FSX at 1920x1080 resolution in full screen mode.

 

Using something like P3D or XPlane, it doesn't happen.

[jetsmell 45]

If the cursor does have an impact, I'm wondering if the size, shape or color makes a difference. I use windowed mode where my many icons show at the bottom when the cursor is over it. Does the task bar have an impact also ?

[TheNerd 12]

I've moved on the P3D, so I don't experience it anymore. But when I used FSX, my framerate would tank from 22-ish to about 8.

[W2DR 1,860]

I've never seen the problem either. Dual 25" monitors running at 1920x1200. Strange things these computers.....

 

Doug

[Bjoern 1,157]

Never experienced it. But then again, I'm only using the simple lo-fi cursor in Windows without any drop shadows and other fancy visual effects.

[ryanbatc 12,854]

I always experience it on FSX , windowed mode. On P3D they fixed it.