Low End Cpu Beats High End Gpu In P3D V2.2

[vck 0]

I was kind disappointed when I updated to V2.2. It seemed to run worst than V2.1 with Obrx PNW over Seattle metro area. I even experienced stutters and single digit FPS at lower AGL. Lowering the setting did make P3d run better but the problem is still there. I even upgrade my GPU from GF 650Ti to GTX 770 with no avail. When the bad things happened, either the CPU maxed out or both CPU and GPU were not doing much. GPU never got maxed out. Finally I decided to switch off PNW and what a day and night difference. Even with almost all the scenery settings fully to the right, terrain and cloud shadows at 20 km, and 25% air and sea traffic, P3d runs like a dream. The surprising thing is when the good thing happen, my lowly i5-4440@ 3.1 Ghz drives the GTX 770 to its full. The GPU stays at around 99% and temp rises from 27 to 64 degrees from my climb out from KBFI, to circle around KSEA, and to the final approach.  The CPU kept working hard but never max out. Put it another way, all the pistons are firing in harmony. See the meters in the next two screen shots. 

 

 

 

 

I tried the same settings in other nearby major airports such as KPDX and CYVR and observed the same smooth runs at even higher FPS with no stutters. Since Seattle area is one of the most challenging areas in FSX (and perhaps P3d), if an i5-4440 can handle it, higher end CPU may not help much or even reverse this delicate balance? The other thing puzzles me is that the system RAM and VRAM usage stayed very low. It looks like you don’t even need more than 1G VRAM to run P3d smoothly. May be the meters are not showing the correct usages. Anyway it is still too early to draw any conclusion but I think it confirms my belief that balanced CPU and GPU usage is the key to a smooth run. The earlier problem must be caused by Orbx PNW. The inner working of P3d has been significantly updated twice but there is no change to PNW. Do you still believe their claim that PNW is compatible with P3d V2 (which V2?)? Running that feels like throwing a monkey bar into a well oiled machine. We better turn off PNW in V 2.2 before Orbx can optimize their part. Spending big on expensive hardware to mask those add-on problems is not very cost effective at this moment.

 

I think my case proves that you don’t need a very high end system to run P3d smoothly with very high settings. Although what I report here may be an isolated case, I think P3d V2.2 is a vast improvement over the previous versions. Any future LM improvement should ensure harmonizing the CPU and GPU work flows.

[Crouchair 1]

I run and old duo core e7400 and over clocked it to 3.6 ghz and a vast improvement but still micro stutters decided to go to 3.8GHZlast night and stutters are gone I cant belive it and I am amazed that my old girl can run this Sim with hi FPS with the Ifly 737 over 25fps steady in VC and close to 50fps sometimes 70 + outside cockpit seems to me that P3d likes higer CPU settings and this is with FTX AU with vector road lights active. I have no tweaks so maybe the higher clocks are the answer well in my case anyway and temps are stable maybe under load higest was 64c I have never experienced this before Im glad I made the choice to go higer.Anyway thats my observation Im sure its different for everyone nice post enjoy your flying I cant wait to do another flight thank god the stutters are gone!

 

Luke 

[AlphaInfinity 13]

I hate to say it, but I am seeing the same results with PNW enabled. Just horrific performance especially in Seattle at lower altitudes. Same stutters even with ALL sliders turned down. FPS is great, that isn't the problem. FTX Global seems fine, but when running in hybrid mode, performance drops to horrific levels especially in lower visibility., Once again, not talking about FPS, but stutters.

[FlyIce 354]

could this actually be the problem of PNW? Maybe now it's the time that Orbx needs to truly optimize their addons for P3D v2.2.

[eminyilmaz 17]

Someone was saying that enabling vector lights on Ftx Global also impacting performance heavily. I am going to install my ftx addons this weekend so I don't have first hand experience but could anyone confirm this?

[Michael Moe 494]

I have reporting this as well in other posts. 1/3 - 1/4 of my FPS is being eat up by FTX Regions NCA and PNW

 

 

 

Just Try Flightbeam KSFO 28R with and without NCA/PNW . 30% decrease in FPS

 

 

Michael

[Cellinsky 15]

Sadly, I had to disable PNW as well. NC runs just fine. High and steady frames even with more complex Planes like the  Q400. ORBX with Vector runs very well too...

 

Marcello

[nudata 10]

Orbx is not a problem unless you elect to run it on a simulator that does more than old FSX. The majority of P3D users have an excellent experience. Turn your FPS down to 25, stay away from KSEA, CAREFULLY choose shadow settings and even my system gives me very good VFR General Aviation performance. These issues are very normal as people acclimate to the new P3D. Adjust, compromise and/or spend money.

[AlphaInfinity 13]

Orbx is not a problem unless you elect to run it on a simulator that does more than old FSX. The majority of P3D users have an excellent experience. Turn your FPS down to 25, stay away from KSEA, CAREFULLY choose shadow settings and even my system gives me very good VFR General Aviation performance. These issues are very normal as people acclimate to the new P3D. Adjust, compromise and/or spend money.

This isn't a system problem it is an optimization problem. My system is about the same as yours, except overclocked to 4.6 and I am running in SLI with two GTX 680s. Once again, not a FPS, CPU, memory or GPU bottleneck.

[nudata 10]

Are we looking at the wrong areas? GPU and CPU may not be the issue. These things need good motherboard performance to get/send their data. A BIOS that needs updating or is a better disk driver  maybe the answer. The greatest disappointment may be spending money on the three letter things and plugging them into an inferior motherboard.

 

I do get stutters in PNW (Pacific Northwest) from Orbx/FTX. But they are mostly looking almost straight down at the ground from the cockpit. This is the highest resolution texture area based upon AGL (Above Ground Level). Also if I make a strong turn I may get a stutter/pause. Flying with P3D is cheap. Sightseeing is expensive....

 

I use an old ASRock Z77 motherboard with no updates because I fear the total disaster from trying to update my BIOS.

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

 

 

stay away from KSEA,

 

Even in FSX, PNW KSEA is my highest demanding airport...so demanding it's where I do my tweaking.  Tougher than FlightBeam KIAD and FlyTampa KTPA.  No problems with NCA.  So, it's not just a P3D issue. 

[Jim Young 2,356]

 

 

I am going to install my ftx addons this weekend so I don't have first hand experience but could anyone confirm this?

 

Sightseeing is expensive....

 

I know this is off topic but just wanted to pass on a friendly reminder that we have changed our signature policy again and we are kindly asking everyone to please put their system specs and flight sim information in their respective "My Profile". More details can be found at the following link - http://forum.avsim.net/topic/436632-new-signature-rules or under the Forums tab above. Thanks for your cooperation.

 

Best regards,

[vck 0]

Even in FSX, PNW KSEA is my highest demanding airport...so demanding it's where I do my tweaking.  Tougher than FlightBeam KIAD and FlyTampa KTPA.  No problems with NCA.  So, it's not just a P3D issue. 

 

Orbx PNW in v 2.2 probably is not optimized since it is still the same old developed for FSX. V2.2 did a major revamp to overhaul the autogen architecture that set the CPU free. Therefore I expect that Obrx has to update their codes accordingly to keep pace with P3d in the near future. I can wait patiently because P3d scenery is already stunning good that I feel little need for the add-on. Anyway PNW still works fine in the rural areas so I can use it when flying in places other than Seattle area.

 

With Orbx PNW turned off, the major bottleneck shifts to the GPU. A mid range Haswell @3.1 Ghz can handle KSEA easily with all the scenery sliders maxed out, 25% AI air/sea traffics, and 20 km shadows in fair weather. However, the FPS killer becomes the cloud shadows under overcast sky. You can click on the next screen shot to see that CPU is caught napping while GPU is under extreme stress when the cloud shadow is at 20 km (A quick question here: Is the low VRAM usage normal?).

 

 

 

In this situation a faster CPU won’t help. You either move scenery sliders to the left or turn off cloud shadows to relieve GPU loads then the smoothness is back. I originally thought that upgrading from GTX 650Ti to 770 will last me a long time but V2.2 just bursts my bubble. Hopefully LM can do some optimization in cloud shadow rendering algorithm in the next version so I can get at least some money back for my investment.