VRAM, new graphics cards and MSFS

[Victoroos 205]

Hi all,

I was wondering, new graphics card... but what about that VRAM?

I read the things from Guru: https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/microsoft-flight-simulator-(2020)-pc-graphics-performance-benchmark-review,4.html

But I'm doubting about the 3080 or the 3070.

I always went for the 070 or equal (got) and am now on a 1070 series, and it is time for an upgrade.

 

What do you guys think? Of course we have to wait and see how the 3000 perform but I also play games outside of MSFS.

 

cheers

vic

[micstatic 4,319]

I'll be getting the 3090.  Need that VRAM for P3DV5 and eventually when MSFS goes DX12. 

[RobJC 2,069]

I run 1440p (not 4k) and think a 3080 teamed with a 10900K may be the only way to run this sim fluidly. A 3090 would be safer. 

[Victoroos 205]

Really? That much. I'm also only using 1440.. But word not allowed.. 

[Noel 4,499]

On 9/11/2020 at 7:43 AM, micstatic said:

I'll be getting the 3090.  Need that VRAM for P3DV5 and eventually when MSFS goes DX12. 

Me2.  Judging by how the 8Gb RTX 2070 Super was easily squashed by the new FSDT KORD requiring me to turn down settings significantly, same same for any super congested areas even in the TBM930.  Still looks decent though I must say.  I keep my builds for around 6y over the last 2 builds and have always opted for high end parts and it's always worked out well.  I still have a GTX Titan in the former box which has P3D 3.4 on it.  24Gb is serious VRAM and I look forward to exploiting it.  I'm stoked how much less CPU-intensive MSFS is over P3D 4.5, and I guess 5.x is better in that regard as well.  Since enabling hyperthreading the 9900K barely breaks a sweat which is a pleasant change.   I will order an RTX 3090 FE as soon as it's out and take my chances as an early adopter as I have the 2070 for back up.

Edited September 12, 2020 by Noel

[cyclo 1]

I read that guru3D article before and it appears 8GB VRAM is enough for MSFS 2020. I only play RC Heli SIMs (AccuRC and RealFlight) and now MSFS 2020. Currently using a 1660 non super at 1440p on my 32" monitor and it is decent enough at High settings but it does suffer from stutter from time to time. My PC has a 9700k CPU and 2 x nVME drives plus a SATA SSD with a 750W PSU. I'm leaning towards a 3070... ~100W less power required, and at least as fast as a 2080Ti. I will still be waiting for benchmarks to be published though before I make my final decision.

[Noel 4,499]

15 hours ago, cyclo said:

I read that guru3D article before and it appears 8GB VRAM is enough for MSFS 2020. 

Sure it is, provided you are willing to turn down sliders that impact the GPU, which seems to have always been the case in recent flight sims.  My sense is  as 3rd party content arrives, and presumably when DX12 arrives, you will need all the VRAM you can muster IF you want to run settings pretty well maxed.  I don't think we will see a MSFS2021, or 22, or 23--this one likes its predecessors will go the distance, and will likely continue to be more demanding over time as new content is added, and as hardware ramps up to deliver it thru.

This being said, running some of those sliders below Ultra certainly isn't a massive decrease in IQ.  I'd rather not do the 3080 route only to learn it's fairly easy to hit 10Gb.  I think a 3080 will be fine for the next year or so but one experience w/ FSDT's KORD made it pretty clear the writing is on the wall, and as I say it should only get worse.

Edited September 13, 2020 by Noel

[Victoroos 205]

I see. So we'll have to wait. Hmm. I get the feeling people start to think the 8gb isn't enough.. Anymore 

[ANCRM114 35]

I'm content with my RTX 2060 Super performance for now.  I'll be waiting for a RTX 3080 Super/Ti/??? with hopefully 16GB of RAM. To be a bit more future proof.  I can't justify the cost of the 2090.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,954]

On 9/11/2020 at 2:43 PM, micstatic said:

I'll be getting the 3090.  Need that VRAM for P3DV5 and eventually when MSFS goes DX12. 

The recommended VRAM for v5 is 8Gb+. I cannot conceive it would ever use 24Gb or anything remotely close to it. I would look for a card with around 14Gb.

If it really does consume VRAM like that the programmers should hang their heads in shame.

https://www.prepar3d.com/system-requirements/

[Noel 4,499]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

The recommended VRAM for v5 is 8Gb+. I cannot conceive it would ever use 24Gb or anything remotely close to it. I would look for a card with around 14Gb.

If it really does consume VRAM like that the programmers should hang their heads in shame.

https://www.prepar3d.com/system-requirements/

And yet our friend RobA says he has seen 19Gb of VRAM in use in MSFS and that is pre-DX 12, and it's presumably vanilla MSFS circa 2020.  I look out 6y since I aim to keep my hardware for about 6y and would have to say if 19Gb is possible now, just wait another several years.  I'm delighted to be able to pick up that much processing power out of one component, and the 9900K w/ HT enabled has ample headroom for those study-level offerings we will start seeing.  My total cost for this last rebuild was somewhere around $1750 or so, so to add another $1500 for a giant increase in total performance seems reasonable, especially for its 6y lifespan.

Edited September 13, 2020 by Noel

[Ray Proudfoot 8,954]

1 minute ago, Noel said:

And yet our friend RobA says he has seen 19Gb of VRAM in use in MSFS and that is pre-DX 12, and it's presumably vanilla MSFS circa 2020.  I look out 6y and would have to say if 19Gb is possible now, just wait another several years.

I suspect he had all settings to max, weather at its worst and was flying over a major city like New York or London and perhaps at night. In reality the performance on most people’s PCs would be so bad they’d lower the complexity just to be able to fly it.

Technology moves very fast and in 6 years the 3000 series of cards could be considered below minimum spec for whatever is the sim of choice. That’s unless developers realise people aren’t prepared to junk their PCs every 2-3 years and start again. I’ve had mine for two years and would expect to get another 3 out of it without any major outlay. Maybe another SSD but that’s it.

The law of diminishing returns also kicks in. What improvements if any will DX13 or later bring? We’ve gone from DX9 to DX12 in 15 years. There comes a point where you can’t really improve things much more. Maybe that point is closer than people realise.

[micstatic 4,319]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

The recommended VRAM for v5 is 8Gb+. I cannot conceive it would ever use 24Gb or anything remotely close to it. I would look for a card with around 14Gb.

If it really does consume VRAM like that the programmers should hang their heads in shame.

https://www.prepar3d.com/system-requirements/

I have gone over the 11gb in Chicago and Miami the last two weeks. And that’s at 4K but with only 2048 textures.  Believe me it’s very possible. 

[micstatic 4,319]

2 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I suspect he had all settings to max, weather at its worst and was flying over a major city like New York or London and perhaps at night. In reality the performance on most people’s PCs would be so bad they’d lower the complexity just to be able to fly it.

Technology moves very fast and in 6 years the 3000 series of cards could be considered below minimum spec for whatever is the sim of choice. That’s unless developers realise people aren’t prepared to junk their PCs every 2-3 years and start again. I’ve had mine for two years and would expect to get another 3 out of it without any major outlay. Maybe another SSD but that’s it.

The law of diminishing returns also kicks in. What improvements if any will DX13 or later bring? We’ve gone from DX9 to DX12 in 15 years. There comes a point where you can’t really improve things much more. Maybe that point is closer than people realise.

My settings are high in many cases but certainly not maxed. And I lock to 30. I get not everybody feels like spending this kind of money. But vram limitation is very much a thing 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,954]

Just now, micstatic said:

I have gone over the 11gb in Chicago and Miami the last two weeks. And that’s at 4K but with only 2048 textures.  Believe me it’s very possible. 

MFS or P3Dv5? Both are new releases and I suspect things can be tweaked to reduce VRAM consumption.