7 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

That's interesting.  I just checked the ASUS manual and it says: "You may install varying memory sizes in channel A and B. The system maps the total size of the lower-sized channel for the dual channel configuration. Any excess memory from the higher-sized channel is the mapped for single channel operation."  

According to this wording from ASUS, it is dual channel for the first 8 GB of the 16 GB RAM, and the second 8 GB RAM stick.  Then the remaining 8 GB of the 16 GB stick is single channel. 

This is pretty much consistent with this Quora answer as well: https://www.quora.com/Is-it-worth-it-to-buy-a-16GB-RAM-upgrade-and-lose-the-dual-channel-benefits-or-should-I-just-buy-a-matching-8GB/answer/George-Wright-34?ch=10&share=f886c5ce

You can check to see if you're using dual channel with CPU-Z:

The sim is only using 25% of my 64 GB of DDR4 3200.

 

 

 

I upgraded recently from 16GB 3000mhz to 32GB 3200 mhz. Maybe placebo, maybe not but I am fairly convinced there is a minor improvement in FPS. I do not watch FPS counters, so I do not have numbers to quote. Also, pretty sure 16GB was the source of 2 CTD on final approach when flying the PMDG DC6 on a 2 hour flight between two highly detailed airports with some fairly heavy live weather enroute. 

Take it with a pinch of salt but there are plenty YouTube videos showing side by side that 32GB gives around 6% FPS more than 16GB in the same PC. 
 

There is no definitive answer, it depends on the rest of your hardware, the sim settings, aircraft, weather, background apps running simultaneously, etc etc. But more can’t be bad.

And don’t put all your money on the 27 July sim update suddenly negating the need for a decent amount of memory. I think expectations are being set a little too high for this impending update……..

 

1 hour ago, hanhamreds said:

I never said it was, in fact if you check my post history you will find I’ve mentioned the injection of data being the cause of stutters on more than one occasion 👍

I read into your post much as he did.  Just saying.  You did not refer to any separate reason/cause.

Edited July 6, 20214 yr by fppilot

Every system will be different but one thing is certain. It won't hurt to go to 32GB from 16GB RAM. I run 32 and my system appears to be pretty balanced. 

 I went from 16GB to 32GB and it does "seem" there are less stutters especially when recording and that is just at 1440p.

Apparently (aside from the obvious like what and where you fly) setting higher resolutions and higher render scaling will use more system RAM and VR will use even more than 4K .  Also the more VRAM your GPU has the more system RAM the game will reserve.

The most ram I have ever seen "committed" is 28 GB at 1440p with my 8GB VRAM 3070

The forthcoming update may change all that.

7 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

I was thinking about this, but I look at my 16GB Ram usage when I am running MSFS , and it averages around 65%, so I think for me it would not be necessary, 

It's using 65% but that is all that's available due to Windows and other software using the rest and the system needs a reserve too. I noticed a very good performance jump going from 16 to 32GB especially with stutters, much reduced. It definitely does help.

When you give the sim and rest of the PC enough it will usually top out at around 23-25GB at very busy areas otherwise cruising at 21-ish.

23 minutes ago, Bandyka said:

When you give the sim and rest of the PC enough it will usually top out at around 23-25GB at very busy areas otherwise cruising at 21-ish.

This sounds about right.   I upgraded my system to 64GB of RAM a couple months ago, not so much for MSFS as so I could do other things while MSFS is running.    It pretty much has access to all the RAM its little digital heart could desire now, and in most places it seems to hang out around 19-21GB with some spikier areas.

14 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

I was thinking about this, but I look at my 16GB Ram usage when I am running MSFS , and it averages around 65%, so I think for me it would not be necessary, 

It depends on the settings and the area you fly over. At Ultra settings I often see 15-16 GB used, so I would stay on the safe side with 32.

11 hours ago, Republic3D said:

RAM usage for me us sometimes 27-28 GB, but apparently the update coming with WU5 will improve performance and lower RAM usage to about half that. 

What settings are you using? Do you keep other software open in the background?
When I had 64 GB I never saw more than 25% of the RAM used at 1440p/Ultra, so I sold 2 sticks eventually...

Going from 16gb to 32gb ram vastly improved my flying experience.  It is not a placebo I've been on MSFS since day 1 and I can definitely see great improvements such as being able to load in Chicago O'Hare and be flyable there.  

16 minutes ago, Todd2 said:

Going from 16gb to 32gb ram vastly improved my flying experience.  It is not a placebo I've been on MSFS since day 1 and I can definitely see great improvements such as being able to load in Chicago O'Hare and be flyable there.  

Yeah ... O'Hare is a killer. it is one of the few places I see more than 25GB used.

4 minutes ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

Yeah ... O'Hare is a killer. it is one of the few places I see more than 25GB used.

This is also where my VRAM usage goes into the 90+ %

If I could have just bought another 2x8 to go with what I have I'd have upgraded already, but taking the existing 2x8 perfectly good mem out just to get dual channel for me was too expensive (around £150) when most people seem to say it doesn't make a huge difference.

2 hours ago, manageablebits said:

If I could have just bought another 2x8 to go with what I have I'd have upgraded already, but taking the existing 2x8 perfectly good mem out just to get dual channel for me was too expensive (around £150) when most people seem to say it doesn't make a huge difference.

If  there are only two slots its expensive yes.