MSFS Low Power Mode - who uses it?

[109Sqn 1,554]

For me, it makes a massive difference. For anyone unaware, it's one of the "Experimental" settings in your options. It changes the background of the sim's menus (i.e. pre-flight) from the animated hangar image to a plain image. In my case, I find my GPU fan speed drops from around 3200rpm (98%) to about 800rpm (25%) - the same as before starting sim - which is like comparing your companion softly blowing in your ear to a hurricane!😄 Apart from being quieter (and using less power), it can only do good for the lifespan of GPU fans. Who needs to be running the animated background anyway when it almost completely hidden by the menus?

Now if only Asobo could drop my fan speeds that low during flights...!😁*

 

(*Yes, I could manually lower them, or lower the graphics load on the GPU, but I tend to filter out the noise after a while anyway).

[jcomm 5,890]

Good hint and thx for posting. I am surely going to try that too !

[109Sqn 1,554]

2 minutes ago, jcomm said:

Good hint and thx for posting. I am surely going to try that too !

You're welcome. I think it's an under-promoted feature, maybe because it's less exciting that free aircraft or airports.

Be sure to share your findings.🙂

[Alvega 2,119]

I used it some months ago but it was bugged. They later fixed it with one of the updates but I never used it again. 

[s0cks 116]

I've had it on for ages now. I hated how resource heavy the damned menu was. Some of us care about energy efficiency. I wish there was an even lower power mode for when downloading in content manager though.

[109Sqn 1,554]

8 minutes ago, Alvega said:

I used it some months ago but it was bugged. They later fixed it with one of the updates but I never used it again. 

I've only tried it for a couple of weeks now, but it runs fine for me. I'd recommend trying again. Save the planet!😉

[109Sqn 1,554]

5 minutes ago, s0cks said:

I wish there was an even lower power mode for when downloading in content manager though

Apart from when actually flying, there's little need for maximum graphics content. It's like lasers at a gig - makes it look good but doesn't improve the music! There should be a low power option for the hangar - surely a slideshow of static shots of your aircraft would be less work for the GPU? As it is, my GPU fan ramps up to full power for that as well.

[jcomm 5,890]

47 minutes ago, 109Sqn said:

Be sure to share your findings.

I surely will, but not until tomorrow night, Greenwich time 😒.

I have also been using MSI Afterburner to throttle my RTX 3060Ti.

Edited November 30, 2022 by jcomm

[Noel 4,487]

1 hour ago, 109Sqn said:

 Apart from being quieter (and using less power), it can only do good for the lifespan of GPU fans.

That is why I limit frame rate when up and out of the airport and before final approach when it needs all the processing power it can.  Up in the air with unlocked frames of 50-90 it simply makes no difference, so I set at 36 all's amply fluid.

[bvdboomen 256]

I have it on since it was implemented. Much healthier for the GPU. I also limited my FPS to 30 which keep the temperatures low(er) during flights.

[steve310002 1,198]

I've been using it for ages now. Heck, my town won't even have Christmas lights this year due to energy shortage concerns so if I can save a tiny bit on using electricity in MSFS then I'm all for it. 

[cianpars 1,164]

At 30 fps my fan runs at 30% but at 60 fps it runs at 80% to 90%.  30 fps is sufficient for flight simming in my 30 years of experience.

I think movies only run at about 25 fps 

[bvdboomen 256]

36 minutes ago, cianpars said:

I think movies only run at about 25 fps

That is different due to motion blur kind of blending the frames but that's another discussion. 🙂

[tup61 1,542]

Used it but it didn't make a difference AT ALL. Afaik it should also lower usage whenever you pause the sim (to the menu)? My fans keep blowing with and without this settings. I might give it another try though...

What DOES really help me whenever I need to pause the game is to click on SAVE FLIGHT (or whatever the option is called): as SOON as the menu opens in which I can select a folder to save the flight to (at which point I do NOT actually save the flight: I just keep that window open) ALL my fans go silent... Really completely silent!!! So whenever I need to pause the sim for a longer period I always 'save' it: I just keep that window open until I return to the sim after which I click on CANCEL and proceed the flight. This is the ONLY way to pause the system wiithout my fans blowing themselves crazy.

Now... what really bugs me is WHY OH WHY can the sim 'cool down' a 100% when I have that save window opened and not when I simply pause the sim...??? Clearly something happens in the background as soon as you open that window so WHY can't Asobo make the same thing happening whenever I simply pause the sim...???!!!

[RaptyrOne 1,398]

Been using it for a few weeks. GPU definitely gets a bit of a break in the menu’s, does not spin the fans like crazy. Works well, no problems since using it.