P3Dv5 performance gain and VRAM

[Simicro 247]

Hello folks,

I got V5 last week and with the same settings as V4.5, I have not observed a noticeable performance gain as the vast majority of V5 users.

Then I read about the VRAM.

My system: i5 4670K @4.3 Ghz - 32 Gb DDR3 - GTX 1080 8 Gb - 2K Monitor @165 Hz G-Sync - Win10 x64

1. Noob question: I know that my GTX has 8 Gb of memory. Is that the VRAM?

2. If so, I have the minimum VRAM required?

3. And finally, does the VRAM has an influence on:

a) Crashs/stability?
b) Performance/fluidity?
c) Both?

 

 

[rickjake 243]

5 minutes ago, Simicro said:

Hello folks,

I got V5 last week and with the same settings as V4.5, I have not observed a noticeable performance gain as the vast majority of V5 users.

Then I read about the VRAM.

My system: i5 4670K @4.3 Ghz - 32 Gb DDR3 - GTX 1080 8 Gb - 2K Monitor @165 Hz G-Sync - Win10 x64

1. Noob question: I know that my GTX has 8 Gb of memory. Is that the VRAM?

2. If so, I have the minimum VRAM required?

3. And finally, does the VRAM has an influence on:

a) Crashs/stability?
b) Performance/fluidity?
c) Both?

 

 

Yes, your VRAM is your Video Random Access Memory on your video card.

P3D v5 uses Direct X-12.  I am no expert on the VRAM, but from what I have gathered, Direct x-12 processes memory differently and more efficiently. But does not monitor if you are getting close to your max video ram on your graphic's card. So if you crank up the settings, and use complex scenery, airplanes, you can easily exceed your video ram. When that happens, P3D will CTD with an OOM error.

My setup, my VRAM runs around 9-10Gb's when running P3D, (my video card has 11GbVRAM) and if I don't start my WMR for VR and P3D in a certain order, I will OOM before the sim loads completely. 

 

 

 

[Bob Scott 7,714]

1 hour ago, Simicro said:

Hello folks,

I got V5 last week and with the same settings as V4.5, I have not observed a noticeable performance gain as the vast majority of V5 users.

Then I read about the VRAM.

My system: i5 4670K @4.3 Ghz - 32 Gb DDR3 - GTX 1080 8 Gb - 2K Monitor @165 Hz G-Sync - Win10 x64

1. Noob question: I know that my GTX has 8 Gb of memory. Is that the VRAM?

2. If so, I have the minimum VRAM required?

3. And finally, does the VRAM has an influence on:

a) Crashs/stability?
b) Performance/fluidity?
c) Both?

Your 8GB VRAM should be plenty together with an HD/2K (1920x1080) monitor. 

I think the bulk of the performance gains in v5 are seen with use of DX12 at higher resolutions---1440p and especially 4K.  And when running DX12 and heavy graphics hitters like EA and multiple layers of HD clouds at those higher resolutions, 8GB VRAM can become a limiting factor.

 

[TurboKen 221]

1 hour ago, Simicro said:

Hello folks,

I got V5 last week and with the same settings as V4.5, I have not observed a noticeable performance gain as the vast majority of V5 users.

Then I read about the VRAM.

My system: i5 4670K @4.3 Ghz - 32 Gb DDR3 - GTX 1080 8 Gb - 2K Monitor @165 Hz G-Sync - Win10 x64

1. Noob question: I know that my GTX has 8 Gb of memory. Is that the VRAM?

2. If so, I have the minimum VRAM required?

3. And finally, does the VRAM has an influence on:

a) Crashs/stability?
b) Performance/fluidity?
c) Both?

 

 

Since others have already answered your questions I will just add maybe look at it a different way. You may be able to turn up more eye candy in V5 with out having a big hit to performance. However I will caution you to monitor your Vram usage carefully. Use to much and it will let you know by a crash to desktop CTD.

[Dave_YVR 968]

You also might not have any VRAM issues at all which isn't unheard of.

[shermank 166]

I am running V5.1 with an NVIDIA 1660ti. It has only 6 gigs of ram...but, I can run comfortably at around 4gigs in use out of an available 5.1 with my card. Create the settings that are visually and performance pleasing to you. If you happen to overrun your ram, dial back settings until you find your comfort zone. 5.1 is a terrific sim and though I delayed upgrading from 4.5, I am more than pleased with the profound differences I am seeing in performance and appearance. 

btw, the EA setting is very controversial. I went back and forth until finally deciding that I like it, even with its garish dawn and dusk colors. I hope LM will correct that in a future HF. Otherwise, I am using ASP3D WITH ASCA, plus Envshade... Here are a couple of shots taken on a recent flight in NZ. The aircraft BTW is a DC3 I fly for my VA www.dc3airways.net...new pilots always welcome

Sherm

[ailchim 206]

My PC is a couple of years old now and I have 8gb of VRAM of on a GTX1070, of which 7.1gb seems to be available when all is running well.  I've recently read that it's important to have the latest version of Windows, otherwise that 7.1gb will only be 6.5gb.  I don't know if that's true but it can't do any harm to update.

The video card is definitely the weak link in my machine but to upgrade the video card I'd also need a bigger PSU, so I'll leave that until I upgrade the whole machine.

I have ORBX, including the higher detail UK and Norway regions, GSX and ASP3D.  I run Alpha India AI traffic at about 50-60%.  Once you start on payware airports, you can't stop, so I never use a default one. I fly the PMDG NGXu in 3840 x 2160 resolution.  I have the P3D frame rate unlimited but a 30fps limit in nVidia Control Panel.  I get very close to a steady 30fps in most situations and rarely see it dip below 25fps even momentarily.  

Typically, that uses 4 point something of the 7.1gb available, occasionally going just over 5.1gb on approach when your windscreen is full of scenery and payware airport.

BUT you have to be realistic about sliders.  I don't have anything pushed above a "medium"  position.  Taking EA Cloud Resolution up to High from Medium for example is another 0.5gb right away and if you then add in bad weather then you're always close to a VRAM crash.  If you start cranking on the reflections, cloud resolutions and water detail, you're a goner.

I'm sure others get much better results from newer machines and I'll probably update in 6 months time aiming for a 3080 10gb as a minimum or even a 3090.  Who knows, there may even be some in the shops then!

In the meantime, you can make V5.1 work on a low spec if you are careful, but as always, you get what you pay for.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2021 by ailchim
Additional info

[downscc 1,327]

18 hours ago, rickjake said:

P3D v5 uses Direct X-12.  I am no expert on the VRAM, but from what I have gathered, Direct x-12 processes memory differently and more efficiently. But does not monitor if you are getting close to your max video ram on your graphic's card. So if you crank up the settings, and use complex scenery, airplanes, you can easily exceed your video ram. When that happens, P3D will CTD with an OOM error.

 

 

 

 

I don't know where you are getting this patently false information, but you should question that source.

One of the major advantages to DX12 Video API is that is allows the application to manage VRAM instead of the OS and changes to Win10 in early 2020 gave it a full capability compatible with the video driver and the OS.  Prepar3D v5.1 takes advantage of this capability to manage VRAM.  It will adjust to cases where VRAM allocation is high and you will never exceed the VRAM capacity.  Not even DX11 and earlier would result in OOM errors if you exceed VRAM because the NVidia driver will simply start using the system drive as a cache for the overflow and the result is a slideshow not an OOM.  I've seen this happen in P3Dv4.5 to me with 11GB VRAM.

If you use the Shift+Z shortcut to display the frame rate you'll notice in P3Dv5 that is also displays the amount of VRAM used and the amount that it has available.  If you have 8GB the available will be less because the video driver needs work space.  My 11GB card runs about 9.3GB available (from memory) and normal allocation in heavy scenery areas runs up to 6GB.

[Simicro 247]

Thank you all, I understand better.

[djbully 210]

59 minutes ago, downscc said:

I don't know where you are getting this patently false information, but you should question that source.

One of the major advantages to DX12 Video API is that is allows the application to manage VRAM instead of the OS and changes to Win10 in early 2020 gave it a full capability compatible with the video driver and the OS.  Prepar3D v5.1 takes advantage of this capability to manage VRAM.  It will adjust to cases where VRAM allocation is high and you will never exceed the VRAM capacity.  Not even DX11 and earlier would result in OOM errors if you exceed VRAM because the NVidia driver will simply start using the system drive as a cache for the overflow and the result is a slideshow not an OOM.  I've seen this happen in P3Dv4.5 to me with 11GB VRAM.

If you use the Shift+Z shortcut to display the frame rate you'll notice in P3Dv5 that is also displays the amount of VRAM used and the amount that it has available.  If you have 8GB the available will be less because the video driver needs work space.  My 11GB card runs about 9.3GB available (from memory) and normal allocation in heavy scenery areas runs up to 6GB.

I’m not sure about that. I’ve oom’d with 16gb Vram in v5. With lots of addons, high settings, full aigaim AI and heavy weather with TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=10 tweak it’s easily done.  

[pgde 571]

4 hours ago, shermank said:

btw, the EA setting is very controversial. I went back and forth until finally deciding that I like it, even with its garish dawn and dusk colors. I hope LM will correct that in a future HF. Otherwise, I am using ASP3D WITH ASCA, plus Envshade... Here are a couple of shots taken on a recent flight in NZ. The aircraft BTW is a DC3 I fly for my VA www.dc3airways.net...new pilots always welcome

 

 

Sherm

Hey Sherm -- if EA is on, and you are using ASP3D, ASCA is automatically disabled by AS. So if you use EA 100% of the time, you may want to stop loading it to save some resources. See https://forums.hifisimtech.com/threads/asp3d-asca-enhanced-atmospherics-on-v5-1-hf1.13353/#post-59989

Edited February 19, 2021 by pgde

[rob0203 686]

I can really recommend the V5 settings guide from RD Presets! It really helped me tune my setup perfectly

Edited February 19, 2021 by rob0203

[shermank 166]

4 hours ago, pgde said:

Hey Sherm -- if EA is on, and you are using ASP3D, ASCA is automatically disabled by AS. So if you use EA 100% of the time, you may want to stop loading it to save some resources. See https://forums.hifisimtech.com/threads/asp3d-asca-enhanced-atmospherics-on-v5-1-hf1.13353/#post-59989

 you are right about that....I had completely forgotten. Thanks for the tip and heads up....btw, that explains why in envdir, I cannot activate the ASCA slider to on. It is greyed out..

Sherm

Edited February 19, 2021 by shermank

[pgde 571]

Not to worry. I imagine Hifi has encountered this question a lot! Here is a prediction (so take it with that in mind) that when(ever) the issues in EA get resolved, there will be an ASCA 2.0 that enhances dynamic clouds. I imagine behind the scenes ASCA 2.0 will be a complete rewrite. If that is true, I wouldn't mind paying an upgrade fee. In fact, to support any developer that sticks with P3D, I wouldn't mind paying an upgrade fee so they stay in the game. 

Remember as one of the MSFS selling point was that there would be no need for add-ons? 

Have a great weekend!

P.

[shermank 166]

I agree, pg....I paid for the AS upgrade, well worth it, not to mention the discount for being a previous owner of the older version. I hope what you are saying is true for ASCA....both are terrific programs...

sherm