Hi all,

I'm currently running p3d v5 and looking to move to MSFS2020. I have a few questions before I move. The idea is to keep both sims.

1-is it better to purchase from steam or the Microsoft store? Is there any difference?

2-i run an i7-8700k with rtx2080 super 32gb ram. Will this be able to handle it well? I know it depends on alot f variables however generally speaking will it run?

3-what real world weather programs do you recommend? I currently use active sky.

4-are there any other must have addons I should purchase? I intend on GSX, Fenix a20.

any help would be much loppreciated. Sorry about the formatting of the post. It's not my fault.

Edited December 14, 20223 yr by Ray Proudfoot
Excess space removed.

wow that's a lot of blank space lol

all i got is the Fenix, airport addons and MSFS's built in live weather, that's all i need 👍

6 minutes ago, ashleyjames said:

Hi all,

I'm currently running p3d v5 and looking to move to MSFS2020. I have a few questions before I move. The idea is to keep both sims.

1-is it better to purchase from steam or the Microsoft store? Is there any difference?

2-i run an i7-8700k with rtx2080 super 32gb ram. Will this be able to handle it well? I know it depends on alot f variables however generally speaking will it run?

3-what real world weather programs do you recommend? I currently use active sky.

4-are there any other must have addons I should purchase? I intend on GSX, Fenix a20.

1 : Personally I would say Steam, I had some bad experiences with Microsoft store and Forza Horizon 4

2 : I have a bit better CPU, and worst GPU, I am running 30fps on high with the Fenix A320, on 5120X1440 resolution

3 : No need, you will already have real time weather, no historical weather yet

4 : I would say the PMDG 737, even if I find it inferior to the Fenix, also the 146 is fun. A310 is quite good and free

MSFS will run fine on your system.

No need to buy any weather add ons either.

I'm 3 weeks old new MSFS user after 7 years with P3D, PMDG, FSL, LM...you name it.

How bad Fenix in terms of FPS comparing with PMDG? I have 700 and 800 in MSFS and they are just brilliant on terms of performance. What percentage of decrease in performance Fenix would bring.

I have 9900k oc-ed to 5.0, 2080Ti with 12GB, 32GB RAM. Build this system right before NY Eve 2019/2020, i meant before all this madness started 🙂 

Edited December 14, 20223 yr by G-YMML1

I have and run both MSFS and P3D (and XP), and I've been doing it for quite a while.  So here is my experience, but everybody's situation is different.  Performance wise, MSFS is better for me than P3D or XP.  So you should be ok if P3D v5 works for you now.  

As for add-ons:

1. Fenix is very good. I still prefer FSL, but Fenix is a great buy.  If you have some pro-style cockpit gear, like Skalarki, be aware that Fenix does not interface entirely with such hardware due to licensing limitations with ProSim.  

2. GSX is still my favorite push-back tool and it, of course, has a lot of other features. Do you have to have it? No. 

3. PMDG 737 is excellent and performance is probably the best of my add-on planes.  I would recommend that along with the Maddog and the BAe 146.

4. ActiveSky is not a thing in MSFS.  Do not buy any other weather add-ons because none of them do the sort of things you are used to with ActiveSky.

5. If I had it to over, I would buy from Steam.  The Microsoft Store has been troublesome for me a couple of times and others have had some real awful stories.  I rarely hear a complaint about Steam.  

6. Go get the freeware MSFS Add-on linker tool.  It is very handy.

The MS Store has worked fime for me, so there aren't any "big" issues with it. I'd say you'll be fine either way,

Absolutely follow @Iadbound's advice on #6. That linker should have been part of the base sim. Use it to start every MSFS session you fly, and only activate the add-ons you will be using in that flight. Keep things clean and simple.

1. Steam

2. Yes

3. Default weather is great

4. Purely depends on your interests. Default ATC and AI traffic are not good. Weak spots right now. 

1 hour ago, ashleyjames said:

Hi all,

I'm currently running p3d v5 and looking to move to MSFS2020. I have a few questions before I move. The idea is to keep both sims.

1-is it better to purchase from steam or the Microsoft store? Is there any difference?

2-i run an i7-8700k with rtx2080 super 32gb ram. Will this be able to handle it well? I know it depends on alot f variables however generally speaking will it run?

3-what real world weather programs do you recommend? I currently use active sky.

4-are there any other must have addons I should purchase? I intend on GSX, Fenix a20.

any help would be much loppreciated. Sorry about the formatting of the post. It's not my fault.

1. No difference. Matter of preference, really.
2. MSFS runs on potato PCs
3. Weather api is closed. I use RWF
4. flightsim.to
 

1 hour ago, ashleyjames said:

Hi all,

I'm currently running p3d v5 and looking to move to MSFS2020. I have a few questions before I move. The idea is to keep both sims.

1-is it better to purchase from steam or the Microsoft store? Is there any difference?

2-i run an i7-8700k with rtx2080 super 32gb ram. Will this be able to handle it well? I know it depends on alot f variables however generally speaking will it run?

3-what real world weather programs do you recommend? I currently use active sky.

4-are there any other must have addons I should purchase? I intend on GSX, Fenix a20.

any help would be much loppreciated. Sorry about the formatting of the post. It's not my fault.

My two cents: 

1) as other stated there is no much difference. However if I had to choose I will go with steam. There was a thread comparing this two, and it seems sometimes Microsoft Store version can create some trouble (I had some adventures in the past regarding "Game services" app which is connected to Xbox app, and my MSFS did not open). I had to reinstall windows

2) You will be fine, remember that MSFS in general has better performance than in P3D - I have strong setup but sometimes in the same conditions in P3D I was able to got ~30 fps, 15 minutes later huge drop to 15 FPS. In MSFS its not the case, the sim is much better optimized

3) You do not have to buy another program. Default weather is very good at the moment and still improving 

4) MSFS is very good out of the box. You do not have to buy any ORBX stuff (I mean regions - they do not exist), etc. It depends if you are the Airline/GA guy. If Airline I will look into: 

- Airport sceneries, however there are a ton of stuff on Flightsim.to

- For Airliners the best right now are: iniBuilds A310 (included in MSFS as freeware), PMDG 737, Fenix A320, JustFlight BAE 146 and Leonardo Maddog MD-82. For Freeware Airliner the best right now is FlyByWire A32X 

3 hours ago, ashleyjames said:

Hi all,

I'm currently running p3d v5 and looking to move to MSFS2020. I have a few questions before I move. The idea is to keep both sims.

1-is it better to purchase from steam or the Microsoft store? Is there any difference?

2-i run an i7-8700k with rtx2080 super 32gb ram. Will this be able to handle it well? I know it depends on alot f variables however generally speaking will it run?

3-what real world weather programs do you recommend? I currently use active sky.

4-are there any other must have addons I should purchase? I intend on GSX, Fenix a20.

any help would be much loppreciated. Sorry about the formatting of the post. It's not my fault.

Welcome...

1. Your choice, no major diffs for me at least. If you're already on steam and used to that maybe start with that.
2. Like others have said, MSFS runs rather well on mid and sub-standard systems, so you'll be fine
3. No weather add-ons at all needed, the default weather is head and shoulders above anything else
4. 3rd-party payware aircraft add-ons wise, my choice when it comes to high fidelity and realistic aerodynamics and systems: Fenix A320, PMDG 737, Milviz C310, Sting S4, the coming A2A Comanche ... but even before purchasing any birds, I'd recommend you get your flying time in with the default iniBuilds A310 (high fidelity/quality), freeware FlyByWire A320, default Cessna 172 with the G1000, default Citation Longitude and CJ4 (after the January update which significantly improves their systems fidelity and flight models), etc
 

Edited December 14, 20223 yr by lwt1971

4 hours ago, ashleyjames said:

Hi all,

I'm currently running p3d v5 and looking to move to MSFS2020. I have a few questions before I move. The idea is to keep both sims.

1-is it better to purchase from steam or the Microsoft store? Is there any difference?

2-i run an i7-8700k with rtx2080 super 32gb ram. Will this be able to handle it well? I know it depends on alot f variables however generally speaking will it run?

3-what real world weather programs do you recommend? I currently use active sky.

4-are there any other must have addons I should purchase? I intend on GSX, Fenix a20.

any help would be much loppreciated. Sorry about the formatting of the post. It's not my fault.

1. In the past, people had issues getting updates from the Microsoft Store for MSFS. Lately, in the last 6 months or so, I haven't heard too many issues about getting updates from the Microsoft Store.  Steam though has always been relatively smooth for people getting updates. Having said that, if you buy MSFS from the Microsoft Store, and you get one of the latest XBox, you can play MSFS on the XBox. With Steam, you cannot use your Steam copy of MSFS on your XBox.

For the others, I think other people have answered your questions.

4 hours ago, G-YMML1 said:

I'm 3 weeks old new MSFS user after 7 years with P3D, PMDG, FSL, LM...you name it.

How bad Fenix in terms of FPS comparing with PMDG? I have 700 and 800 in MSFS and they are just brilliant on terms of performance. What percentage of decrease in performance Fenix would bring.

I have 9900k oc-ed to 5.0, 2080Ti with 12GB, 32GB RAM. Build this system right before NY Eve 2019/2020, i meant before all this madness started 🙂 

Anyone, please?

 

4 hours ago, ashleyjames said:

2-i run an i7-8700k with rtx2080 super 32gb ram. Will this be able to handle it well? I know it depends on alot f variables however generally speaking will it run?

 

I have an 8700K with a 1080TI and it runs fine (with some compromises in settings of course), I'd say it runs MSFS better than it ran P3D.

4 hours ago, ashleyjames said:

The idea is to keep both sims.

You won't keep P3D... 🙂

 

7 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

You won't keep P3D... 🙂

God knows I tried, but in a very short time it was apparent P3D is so lame by comparison to the total package MSFS currently is.  As for Steam v Store, I maintain the vast majority of problems w/ the Store version came from users' failure to understand how it works, and it's not hard at all, though not necessarily intuitive in spots.  I never liked the idea of putting a 3rd party application between myself and the sim, have installed MSFS a total of 3x now since launch with zero problems.  When it's time to reinstall I love the fact nearly 100% of all content is right there--select what you want to install from all addons purchased the store, walk away return and voila all ready to go w/ little to no reconfiguration.