I have a system almost 10 years old,  with a 12 GB system RAM limited motherboard.   My question is...for  MSFS (and truly the other two....)   if one would install 64 GB's of high speed, System RAM,  would any of the three major flight sims,  MSFS, P3D, and XP11/12,  fully utilize your 64 GB System RAM potential?   Is there a top limit to what MSFS can 'see' and utilize?   I won't have 20 programs running, spread sheets, this and that...and only would be populating that much RAM, for if any of the mentioned flight sims would use/fill the capacity.

Also...what about Video Memory?    Would grabbing a 3090 with 24 GB's of video memory be advantageous to any of the flight sim's  (all fully maxed out,  in all selectable options)  or would they only fill, if at all,  a card with 10 or 12 GB's onboard like a 3080 or a 3060/70 Ti?

I don't want to buy for 'bragging' status...but only for to give myself the absolute best usage in running all three sims.

What do those in the 'know' think?   For I don't....have been sitting with a GTX 1070 and 12 GB' of System RAM, with a 4 core i7-980 Extreme system for years.... , but now want to pony up once more for another 6-10 year use and rest from buying cycle.  Any suggestions, regarding my 'targeted questions',  would be most appreciated.

Ses

Edited August 24, 20223 yr by Sesquashtoo

I am on the same boat as you, i am currently using a 6600K and runs pretty good, but with my 1060 6GB, i am looking into the 3060Ti these days, then upgrade the CPU will be my next step.  I do think the i5 is sufficient enough for FS2020.  I am currently current 48GB of ram, and eventually be up to 64GB once i have my CPU upgraded.

64GB of system RAM isn't likely to get used at all, much less be "fully utilized" at present or in the near future.  If that need does develop (unlikely without a major increase in CPU speed and memory controller bandwidth), replacing your RAM with mo-faster-better later is a fairly easy and relatively inexpensive proposition. 

VRAM...well, for a brief period, P3Dv5 benefitted from having a lot (e.g. more than 11GB) of VRAM, but the hue and cry from the user base drove LM to recode things to better fit within the more common specs of the mainstream user base (8-11GB).  I think beneficial use of more VRAM may be possible or even likely going forward, and since adding more involves replacement of an expensive system component, there might be something to be said for a GPU with a lot of VRAM in a new build.  Currently, though, the 12GB 3080Ti will get you just about anywhere you would want to go.

4 hours ago, Sesquashtoo said:

I have a system almost 10 years old,  with a 12 GB system RAM limited motherboard.   My question is...for  MSFS (and truly the other two....)   if one would install 64 GB's of high speed, System RAM,  would any of the three major flight sims,  MSFS, P3D, and XP11/12,  fully utilize your 64 GB System RAM potential?   Is there a top limit to what MSFS can 'see' and utilize?   I won't have 20 programs running, spread sheets, this and that...and only would be populating that much RAM, for if any of the mentioned flight sims would use/fill the capacity.

Also...what about Video Memory?    Would grabbing a 3090 with 24 GB's of video memory be advantageous to any of the flight sim's  (all fully maxed out,  in all selectable options)  or would they only fill, if at all,  a card with 10 or 12 GB's onboard like a 3080 or a 3060/70 Ti?

I don't want to buy for 'bragging' status...but only for to give myself the absolute best usage in running all three sims.

What do those in the 'know' think?   For I don't....have been sitting with a GTX 1070 and 12 GB' of System RAM, with a 4 core i7-980 Extreme system for years.... , but now want to pony up once more for another 6-10 year use and rest from buying cycle.  Any suggestions, regarding my 'targeted questions',  would be most appreciated.

Ses

I have 32GB DDR4 3600 and have never seen over 15GB memory usage.

I just built my PC and snagged a brand new never used EVGA FTW3 3090 for $1,200 CDN. Prices here are falling rapidly and there’s a ton of people that brought these cards hoping to make a good profit. The guy I brought mine from actually brought 3 from Amazon at the beginning of June for a total of over $7,000 ! He admitted he thought they would be an investment but 2 months later he’ll be lucky to get $3,900 for all three cards. I kinda felt a bit sorry. I’d check the used market you might be surprised at what you can find. I had a 3080TI that I brought in June for the same amount I paid for the 3090 and sold it too a friend. I typically see around 10GB-11GB VRAM usage but have seen it at nearly 15GB. I never ran out of VRAM with my 3080TI though. I think the more you have the more the sim will use when needed.

I paired this with an i7-12700K and can run high to ultra settings with TLOD & OLOD at 200 at a solid 50fps pretty much everywhere.  I run full 4K on a 43 inch TV, custom refresh rate of 50Hz, VSYNC on in NVCP and fps locked to 50 in Riva and the sim looks stunning and is buttery smooth. I actually considered buying a GSYNC compatible TV but seeing I can maintain 50fps there doesn’t seem much point.

I plan on following the 40xx launch carefully and might upgrade next year

Hope this helps

5 hours ago, RJC68 said:

The guy I brought mine from actually brought 3 from Amazon at the beginning of June for a total of over $7,000 ! He admitted he thought they would be an investment but 2 months later he’ll be lucky to get $3,900 for all three cards. I kinda felt a bit sorry.

I feel a bit delighted, I hate greed in all its forms and it is good to read that a little misfortune befell a greedy person.

6 hours ago, Reader said:

I feel a bit delighted, I hate greed in all its forms and it is good to read that a little misfortune befell a greedy person.

You seem to use every opportunity to find the bad. I suspect you actually only hate greed in others. I see it as someone who thought they could benefit from "what the market will bear" but was mistaken. Greed is good...it's what has given you the opportunity to have all the technology that is available today. When opportunity of greed is beaten out of society you live in Venezuela.

15 hours ago, avistudent said:

I am on the same boat as you, i am currently using a 6600K and runs pretty good, but with my 1060 6GB, i am looking into the 3060Ti these days, then upgrade the CPU will be my next step.  I do think the i5 is sufficient enough for FS2020.  I am currently current 48GB of ram, and eventually be up to 64GB once i have my CPU upgraded.

So you think that having 64 GB's of System RAM,  will be advantageous in a practical sense?   I'm going to do a lot more reading, and lurking on many forums,  but with prices continuing to rise, and never will much go down...and I want to truly buy 'n forget for another (at least(!))  six to ten years...that I might (at today's prices...) go for the full load out in System RAM.   For my CPU,  I'm either looking at an i7(whatever, ..K (not locked)) or the same in the i9 series.   I need to do some research on does one do better with a 3080 or the big boy, the 24 GB 3090 ,  OR.... does one actually do financially better (with the differences in video performance) with a Ti   of either the 3060, or 3070 (if there is one...just assuming for now).

I really like Dell computers...have always had one...NEVER had one issue or warranty or breakdown with any of them...and was looking at a fully loaded out  Alienware 13....but I really like the huge humongous tower of my current Dell, so am leaning now into just replacing the MB with some killer feature set one, and slapping either that i7 or i9 onto it, with all the top of the line, high speed RAM...and a really good fan-based CPU cooler tower.   That is the leaning now of my Computer Tower of Pisa,....lol.

The one thing though...that I always liked about my delivered Dell systems...is that every component has been vetted by Dell Labs, to run, and to run within the published specifications and published performance.   But to spend money on a new tower...for no good reason, just seems stunned to me...LOL!   So....the new MB/CPU/GPU/Memory seems the 'ticket'.

Cheers, and good luck with your build...

Ses

Edited August 25, 20223 yr by Sesquashtoo

14 hours ago, Bob Scott said:

64GB of system RAM isn't likely get used at all, much less be "fully utilized" at present or in the near future.  If that need does develop (unlikely without a major increase in CPU speed and memory controller bandwidth), replacing your RAM with mo-faster-better later is a fairly easy and relatively inexpensive proposition. 

VRAM...well, for a brief period, P3Dv5 benefitted from having a lot (e.g. more than 11GB) of VRAM, but the hue and cry from the user base drove LM to recode things to better fit within the more common specs of the mainstream user base (8-11GB).  I think beneficial use of more VRAM may be possible or even likely going forward, and since adding more involves replacement of an expensive system component, there might be something to be said for a GPU with a lot of VRAM in a new build.  Currently, though, the 12GB 3080Ti will get you just about anywhere you would want to go.

Thank you very much for that Bob!   Much appreciated.   So...perhaps then,  it will be a toss up for me, between at least 32 GB's of System and 64.  For the CPU,  I'm either going with a top end i7 or i9 series...and as you are right...you can NOT upgrade merely the amount of Video Memory without buying a whole new card...I might really have to think about (my 6 to ten year no buy policy...) just buying the 3090 with 24 GB' of very hot RAM...and then having spent the money, can sit back and know that I am well prepared for a 6 to 10 year run,  before having to even think about major internals.   Yeah...I might (as I type) just spend the few hundred more now...and be done with it....knowing that I will have an 'over-kill' system today, and for the next few years...

Cheers,

Ses

Edited August 25, 20223 yr by Sesquashtoo

13 hours ago, RJC68 said:

I have 32GB DDR4 3600 and have never seen over 15GB memory usage.

I just built my PC and snagged a brand new never used EVGA FTW3 3090 for $1,200 CDN. Prices here are falling rapidly and there’s a ton of people that brought these cards hoping to make a good profit. The guy I brought mine from actually brought 3 from Amazon at the beginning of June for a total of over $7,000 ! He admitted he thought they would be an investment but 2 months later he’ll be lucky to get $3,900 for all three cards. I kinda felt a bit sorry. I’d check the used market you might be surprised at what you can find. I had a 3080TI that I brought in June for the same amount I paid for the 3090 and sold it too a friend. I typically see around 10GB-11GB VRAM usage but have seen it at nearly 15GB. I never ran out of VRAM with my 3080TI though. I think the more you have the more the sim will use when needed.

I paired this with an i7-12700K and can run high to ultra settings with TLOD & OLOD at 200 at a solid 50fps pretty much everywhere.  I run full 4K on a 43 inch TV, custom refresh rate of 50Hz, VSYNC on in NVCP and fps locked to 50 in Riva and the sim looks stunning and is buttery smooth. I actually considered buying a GSYNC compatible TV but seeing I can maintain 50fps there doesn’t seem much point.

I plan on following the 40xx launch carefully and might upgrade next year

Hope this helps

'Hope this helps..."   YOU BET, it sure does RJC....and thank you.

OK...having read all the great responses...I have decided even this hour...I'm also going for a 24 GB 3090....so that decision is done.   You say that you have never seen a load out greater than 15 GB's...and is that with every sim FULLY tricked out in all settings?  That is how I like to run MSFS,  P3D, and try to do that with XP11 as much as possible.  I see that EVGA has the selling (EVGA FTW3 3090, for under $1,300.00 USF right now, but are out of stock...NO KIDDING!...so yep, that is where I am going to for the Video portion.   

The bottom line for my next system, RJC69, is the mental attitude, that WHATEVER, I am seeing in FPS,  smoothness, this, that...in all my three sims, that I will be running, is knowing that that particular flight sim...can ONLY put out what I see on screen...because my current system is more than over-kill for it....that's where I'd like to be with the up and coming....

Thanks for your input...much appreciated, and certainly all those that chose to reply, are helping me immensely  come to a clarity on what I want...and where I want that next computer system to 'take me'....  🙂

Cheers,

Edited August 25, 20223 yr by Sesquashtoo

I might also,  in thinking and coffee sucking...is that if the launch of the 40xxx series is on the doorstep...that I might want to stay a while longer with my Grandpa system...and see what the 40xx's are all about...and what you need to run/pair them with.  If I am buying...I'd want the absolute latest and greatest at that time....so....that to consider.   If anything,   3090's will be discounted to clear out stock... after that 40xxx launch.

Well, exciting times are headed my way....and as Maverick states..."I feel the need...FOR SPEED"!   🙂

1 hour ago, somiller said:

 Greed is good.

Thank goodness that we live in very different worlds.

Quote

I suspect you actually only hate greed in others.

Please don't make assumptions about someone about whom you know nothing.
This would not be the Avsim forums if an opportunity was missed to throw an insult
at another forum user. Well done for maintaining the standard.

21 minutes ago, Sesquashtoo said:

I might also,  in thinking and coffee sucking...is that if the launch of the 40xxx series is on the doorstep...that I might want to stay a while longer with my Grandpa system...and see what the 40xx's are all about...and what you need to run/pair them with.  If I am buying...I'd want the absolute latest and greatest at that time....so....that to consider.   If anything,   3090's will be discounted to clear out stock... after that 40xxx launch.

Well, exciting times are headed my way....and as Maverick states..."I feel the need...FOR SPEED"!   🙂

If you haven't already got a GPU then it might be good to wait, bear in mind you might also need a significant PSU upgrade as well with a 40xx card

I keep hearing that there is a ton of existing 30xx stock out there which is driving the price of current cards down. I have done lots of testing with my new PC to find the sweet spot and if I lock fps to 30 I can run every setting completely maxed out and then even push the render scale to 130 to keep the load on my 3090 which will stop me from being Main Thread Limited. There is a trade off in that while the sim is very smooth and fluid panning around is not so. It bothers some and others don't seem to mind. Even at ultra settings I have been no where near maxing out the VRAM.

As I mentioned in my other post I have dialed a few settings back now and created a custom 50Hz refresh rate on my TV and locked my fps to 50 and moving the camera around is now super smooth and still gives the GPU some breathing space. 

47 minutes ago, RJC68 said:

If you haven't already got a GPU then it might be good to wait, bear in mind you might also need a significant PSU upgrade as well with a 40xx card

I keep hearing that there is a ton of existing 30xx stock out there which is driving the price of current cards down. I have done lots of testing with my new PC to find the sweet spot and if I lock fps to 30 I can run every setting completely maxed out and then even push the render scale to 130 to keep the load on my 3090 which will stop me from being Main Thread Limited. There is a trade off in that while the sim is very smooth and fluid panning around is not so. It bothers some and others don't seem to mind. Even at ultra settings I have been no where near maxing out the VRAM.

As I mentioned in my other post I have dialed a few settings back now and created a custom 50Hz refresh rate on my TV and locked my fps to 50 and moving the camera around is now super smooth and still gives the GPU some breathing space. 

Interesting that even with a 3090....you found that to 'sweet spot' , you did need to set a few settings back from full out!   So I guess that with MSFS,  you can't assume that you can 'brute force' it to shell out full options.  Interesting.   I have currently a Dell built 1,000 watt, four channel PSU,  onboard, so I believe that I am good there.

So, I guess from replies, that putting together what I would call an 'over-kill' system does not guarantee that you will be able to max out the coding (all features that can be adjusted)  in MSFS at present.  Perhaps, with added optimization,  it could be realized.   

Edited August 25, 20223 yr by Sesquashtoo

38 minutes ago, Sesquashtoo said:

Interesting that even with a 3090....you found that to 'sweet spot' , you did need to set a few settings back from full out!   So I guess that with MSFS,  you can't assume that you can 'brute force' it to shell out full options.  Interesting.   I have currently a Dell built 1,000 watt, four channel PSU,  onboard, so I believe that I am good there.

So, I guess from replies, that putting together what I would call an 'over-kill' system does not guarantee that you will be able to max out the coding (all features that can be adjusted)  in MSFS at present.  Perhaps, with added optimization,  it could be realized.   

Sorry let me clarify,

If you want to fly complex aircraft like the Fenix or PMDG at busy airports yes I did dial a couple of settings back to achieve a solid 50fps. I have tried to maintain 60fps with everything on ultra but it is not possible even with my hardware. At 50fps with my settings the sim still looks spectacular and performs really well. Of course with less complex aircraft and scenarios I can maintain or exceed 60fps. I am looking at a GSYNC compatible TV which would in theory allow for lower FPS and still maintain fluidity at ultra settings but the million dollar question I have to ask myself is will the sim look any better than it does right now?

Hopefully SU10 will bring some good performance optimization which will allow the magical 60fps in complex aircraft at busy airports with very high settings if of course your hardware allows. The best thing you can do is to optimize the sim to achieve what expectations you have with your hardware.

1 hour ago, RJC68 said:

Sorry let me clarify,

If you want to fly complex aircraft like the Fenix or PMDG at busy airports yes I did dial a couple of settings back to achieve a solid 50fps. I have tried to maintain 60fps with everything on ultra but it is not possible even with my hardware. At 50fps with my settings the sim still looks spectacular and performs really well. Of course with less complex aircraft and scenarios I can maintain or exceed 60fps. I am looking at a GSYNC compatible TV which would in theory allow for lower FPS and still maintain fluidity at ultra settings but the million dollar question I have to ask myself is will the sim look any better than it does right now?

Hopefully SU10 will bring some good performance optimization which will allow the magical 60fps in complex aircraft at busy airports with very high settings if of course your hardware allows. The best thing you can do is to optimize the sim to achieve what expectations you have with your hardware.

Thanks for that clarification.   Since I don't fly 'study' aircraft, I should be in the high FPS then, with the sim 'full out'. Good to read.  Thanks!