Windowed vs Full Screen

[MDF86 123]

Other than personal preference (or lack of choice for multiple monitor users) are there any performance differences between running FSX in full screen or windowed mode?

[Rocky_53 1,566]

Yes, there can be, but it seems that it is entirely dependent upon an individual's setup. I have never been able to run in windowed mode because I get a  performance hit, especially in the NGX. Others find they get better performance, so figure. The best thing to do is try it! There are other considerations too eg. running in fullscreen doesn't allow certain other hardware or software to be used. I remember getting a small USB touchscreen monitor, which sounded like a great idea at the time, but I discovered it wouldn't work alongside FSX in fullscreen mode while I used a second monitor. Fullscreen mode will allow things to be used on a second monitor while working 'within' FSX, but that does not always work when introducing something else from outside FSX, by that I mean some other software. Also there are Vsync implications too. But in regards to your original question, I think i've probably already answered that. Try it anyway and run some tests :smile:

[pete_auau 1,152]

I always run in window mode no hits  at all not  that I can tell, reason being  I can check the web and other areas of my pc  with out using the alt  tab  thing  which can cause  the black screen  issues  that some users  get

[FLEX1978 373]

Complete opposite for me running multi monitors. Windowed 8fps, fullscreen 60fps.   I use a networked machine to run other FS related stuff and web browsers.  Keeps my FS machine clean anyway.  

 

Howard is correct, it varies depending on your setup, try it and see what works best for you.

 

Regards

[jetsmell 45]

I was getting a lot of crashes in full screen. One day I was playing with Plan g , went to Windowed mode to experiment with it. I accidentally left it in Windowed mode after that. Found I wasn't getting those crashes again. Grab the edges in Window mode and you can expand the screen.

[OldFlyboy 30]

Get AutoHotKey (.ahk) and it allows you to remove windows borders. It is a nice, simple script and can be ready to use in a couple of minutes.

I stopped using full screen a year or so back and have not seen any performance loss. Plus: ASN, LINDA console. Flight plan, GPS, etc are visible on my second monitor whenever needed

[Alpha Floor 237]

On FSX I get better performance on full-screen mode.

 

On FS9 I get better performance on windowed mode, but anti-aliasing doesn't seem to work.

 

Why? It remains a mistery.

[Krister 51]

Get AutoHotKey (.ahk) and it allows you to remove windows borders. It is a nice, simple script and can be ready to use in a couple of minutes.

I stopped using full screen a year or so back and have not seen any performance loss. Plus: ASN, LINDA console. Flight plan, GPS, etc are visible on my second monitor whenever needed

Got tro try that! I absolutely prefer flying in fullscreen mode but fsx and Squawkbox (the client you use to connect to vatsim) really hates it each other in full screen mode and about four out of five times it ends in CTD.  Looks like I will try this: http://captainsim.org/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1358559328

[MDF86 123]

Thanks all.

 

I currently run two monitors, one with FSX in windowed mode (but using Linda to hide the title bar to mimic full screen) and have another monitor with flight planning, charts etc.

 

I'm doing a total Windows and FSX Reinstall so wondered whether there would be a performance benefit to sacrifice the two-monitor set up and just run in full screen on one monitor, and use my iPad for charts.

 

I will have to try both and see how the performance varies!

[Krister 51]

Thanks all.

 

I currently run two monitors, one with FSX in windowed mode (but using Linda to hide the title bar to mimic full screen) and have another monitor with flight planning, charts etc.

 

I'm doing a total Windows and FSX Reinstall so wondered whether there would be a performance benefit to sacrifice the two-monitor set up and just run in full screen on one monitor, and use my iPad for charts.

 

I will have to try both and see how the performance varies!

iPad for charts is the way for me. I use the fantastic FS2Kneeboard to load all charts for the US and can also load other charts in the app if I first save them to dropbox. 

[PIC007 82]

I use windowed mode and 2 monitors so I have access to other programs while flying.

 

One important note when using windowed mode, be sure the taskbar is not touching the FSX window, either by moving to the #2 monitor or hiding it..thats the single biggest reason some have bad performance

[wims80 121]

I use windowed mode + pseudo full screen autohotkey script. It makes the sim look like it's in full screen while at the same time it lets me access my secondary monitor without crashing the sim. It's great, highly recommended

 

http://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=pseudo+full+screen&CatID=root&Go=Search