Windowed mode increases FPS???

[duckbilled 310]

I have never flown in windowed mode because I find the task bar distracting but recently I was having some video issues so I tried it out.I was using the 84.56whql drivers and I decided to install the 91.47's. I was having some minor video issues but my performance was pretty good. Once I loaded up the 91.47's, my fps went in the tank - 3fps at FL390 and all of the settings were the same. I am running at 1280x1024, AA, AF application controlled... Of course, I figured it was the drivers so I reverted back to the 84.56's but I was still having extremely low frame rates. I changed settings, resolutions and nothing worked until I went in to windowed mode. Blammo, 20fps. Just like it was before. Back to full screen - 3fps. Back to windowed - 20 fps.Does anyone have a possible explanation? Is anybody experiencing much better performance with windowed mode? I was having decent performance in full screen before I monkeyed with my drivers. I would like to get that back but I am wondering if windowed mode is something people should really try.

[ryanbatc 12,774]

This will vary from user to user...I always get more FPS in windowed mode...

[Reset XPDR 1,271]

Today while trying to love FSX again for the umpteenth time, I noticed the same thing. I was getting a depressing 11 FPS on the ground at Maui with default install settings on my not so shabby new rig in my sig (versus 50 FPS with similar graphical beauty with FS9 at exactly the same spot), when I went to windowed mode and my FPS bumped up to nearly 20! I might try a newer driver in the next couple of days and see whether that makes a difference.GaryPS. Microsoft, if you are reading this, please make sure FSX SP1 pumps out similar FPS at similar graphics settings as FS9. At the moment, FSX gives me less than half what FS9 gives me at FS9 maxed out equivalent settings (ie. in FSX with water and autogen way down, no ground or sea traffic, none of the new shadowing and certainly no bloom).

[Guest Purg]

If you're annoyed about the visible taskbar, unlock it and push it down so it's only barely visible.I found it distracting until I did that, but I use windowed mode so I can drag windows to my 2nd monitor.Haven't played full screen since upgrading so I don't know if there's any performance benefit. However, if you have the taskbar showing, you are running a (slightly) less resolution than full screen which might account for a small gain at least.

[Mace 1,901]

Kind of interesting, I have always run windowed mode for some reason.Kind of strange since I would get more screen real estate going full screen.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[Guest abulaafia]

this most likely has nothing to do with FSX, FSX just makes it more pronouncedfull-screen mode was invented for old CRT monitors, which have a vertical refresh than can be locked in by giving the graphic card full access (= full screen)full-screen mode is therefore pointless on a TFT-LCD flat screen monitor, deteriorating rather than improving performance.

[Max Kraus 338]

>PS. Microsoft, if you are reading this, please make sure FSX>SP1 pumps out similar FPS at similar graphics settings as FS9.> At the moment, FSX gives me less than half what FS9 gives me>at FS9 maxed out equivalent settings (ie. in FSX with water>and autogen way down, no ground or sea traffic, none of the>new shadowing and certainly no bloom).Gary. This was an intentional design decision to give the franchise headroom for the next few years. Live with it buddy.

[Paul Golding 92]

>If you're annoyed about the visible taskbar, unlock it and>push it down so it's only barely visible.Or even better, just change the settings to have it autohide!

[Reset XPDR 1,271]

You misunderstand me Max. Of course I expect FSX to have more headroom than the FS9 it replaces in terms of extra capability and greater detail for a given slider. However, when I dumb down FSX to give an FS9 max-slider equivalent look (as previously stated with water and autogen way down, no ground or sea traffic, none of the new shadowing and certainly no bloom) it does not return me even half the FPS that FS9 does. This is not headroom, this is a step backwards in terms of relative performance level for the equvalent level of graphical output.Gary

[Guest Seahawk82]

you can make the title bar smaller in windows right click on desktop"display properties"Appearance: Advanced:Item: Active Title baralso change the font size and window border settings if you want toNOTE:use at your own risk and make changes carefully

[Tabs 2,790]

>this most likely has nothing to do with FSX, FSX just makes>it more pronounced>>full-screen mode was invented for old CRT monitors, which have>a vertical refresh than can be locked in by giving the graphic>card full access (= full screen)>>full-screen mode is therefore pointless on a TFT-LCD flat>screen monitor, deteriorating rather than improving>performance. This is wrong. LCD monitors still have a refresh rate (though it isn't the same physical thing as on a CRT) and you need to turn off vsync for the specific game to get FPS above the refresh rate. I seriously don't think this has any bearing on FSX though since absolutely no one is getting 60+ FPS with it.

[duckbilled 310]

I am using CRT's

[dokelly07 0]

Im using 2 LCD's here, and can confirm this was a performance booster for me with NO loss in visuals at all. Also, the dreaded tearing of the runway/taxiway textures on final seems to have gone away as well. So, even if it did nothing but that - IM A HAPPY CAMPER now!! I was running windowed in 2004 to span my view across 2 screens, but stopped since I could not push the frames in FSX. Just one question..I tried resizing the active window bars font to make it smaller, but that changed the windows toolbar, and alot of other stuff. Is there any way to hide the top of the active window, while in windowed mode so you cant see the part that says - Microsoft FSX ?? Thanks...im not talking about holding ALT to hide the in game menu bar, ive already done that.Danon -

[Guest Seahawk82]

all you can do is make the title bar smaller and the font in the title bar smaller and change their color , I made the bar grey with darker grey for the letters , remember this is a windows change across all programs on any title bar it does not only affect Flight sim all title bars will look this way my computer is dedicated to Flight sim , to clean it of any and all clutter and free as much memory as possible.

[dokelly07 0]

No worries, and thanks.I was thinking I had in there in FS2004 but wasnt sure because it has been about 3 months since I have been going full screen with FSX. I can live with it, not a biggie especially since I have the taskbar autohide. I have to use my machine for everything, my wife would have fun trying to read the title bars in a size 8 font, in sky tones....haha.Danon O.