Hello AVSIMmers,

I just got my first in my life VR headset - Quest 3.

My desktop is: i7-14700 + MB Z790 + 64GB RAM + 4070Ti + 2TB SSD.

I connected Quest 3 to MSFS and tried to play with settings but with no luck getting a sharp texture and good performance. Textures are not sharp and wavey.

I watched a few tutorials on youtube showing some settings in OpenXR and in the sim settings. I just tried sim settings only - getting a blurry image and great performance or significantly dropped FPS and a bit better image.

Could you please advise optimal settings for my setup, should I use openXR or somethings else? Could you please advise which specific settings makes the image crisp?

Thank you in advance for your time and advices.

Edited April 18, 20242 yr by Sunlightnsk

you definitely need to buy Virtual Desktop. Download OpenXR toolkit as well. Watch about the settings on You Tube. There are plenty of vids. 

Definitely recommend Virtual Desktop here as well. Don't use Oculus or SteamVR software, just Virtual Desktop and select the VDXR runtime in the streamer as this is the most performant option. OpenXR Toolkit is optional but recommended as it will let you tweak your VR image. For your GPU, I would recommend running the headset at 72Hz and enable SSW in Virtual Desktop. This will give you some headroom to supersample the image i.e. increase the image resolution to add some clarity and detail.

Most important things for me to use & adjust on my Quest 3:

- use Virtual Desktop w/VDXR runtime selected:

    - Space Ward enabled

    - VR Graphics Quality: High

    - VR Frame rate: either 72 or 80 (you want to be seeing half this value in-sim due to Space Warp being enabled)

    - Sharpening: 60%

- OPENXR TOOLKIT Settings (accessed via F2 while in-game in VR):

    - (performance tab) Foveated rendering set to "Preset"

    - (performance tab) Turbo Mode: On

    - (system tab) Override resolution: Yes

    - (system tab) Display resolution per eye: Try upping it until you JUST hit into the 3,000's

    - (system tab) Field of View: 96% (go as low as you can stand it before it starts to hinder your peripheral vision)

I also have either SmoothFlight or AutoFPS running when I fly to help keep me at 40 fps since the vast majority of my flight time is in/around the Long Island/ NYC area (which can be very hard on fps).

 

For my system these were the most important settings to at least getting me to a place of balance between visuals and smooth performance.

Keep in mind your settings may differ somewhat as my proc is an older 8700K and I'm using a 3080 gpu.

Are these perfect settings for me? NO, but they are finally good enough to suit me so that I can now focus on actually enjoying the flying and stop all the testing.

Once I build a new pc with new proc and gpu next year I will simply up the resolution and fps settings at that time.

PS - you'll see alot of old info on YT and elsewhere telling you to disable asynchronous space warp...don't do this; always make sure it's enabled in Virtual Desktop (this wasted alot my time in the beginning not knowing which information I was reading was new or old or even applicable to my own setup).

it might take you a week or so of testing and fooling around to see what works best for you.. but once you do, it's done. Just take notes when you're all done in case you ever need to repeat the process you wont waste any time 🙂

 

@hangar @Donka @zorro747 Thank you all for the recommendation! Highly valuable for me.

Silly question: Will I need to use a Link cable with a Virtual Desktop?

Edited April 18, 20242 yr by Sunlightnsk

13 minutes ago, Sunlightnsk said:

@hangar @Donka @zorro747 Thank you all for the recommendation! Highly valuable for me.

Silly question: Will I need to use a Link cable with a Virtual Desktop?

No, you use wireless with Virtual Desktop.

 

29 minutes ago, Sunlightnsk said:

@hangar @Donka @zorro747 Thank you all for the recommendation! Highly valuable for me.

Silly question: Will I need to use a Link cable with a Virtual Desktop?

Great question and will likely depend upon your router. Virtual Desktop is used to replace your Quest 3's built-in Airlink. Both Airlink and VD are wifi apps.

So if you are going to use VD or any wifi connection (including Airlink) then you of course would not also be using a cable. BUT...

whether or not you'll find success on wifi is totally dependent upon the wifi router in your home and whether or not it's fast enough.

I use a wifi 6 router that I have dedicated for use only for my VR stuff. if you do not have a wifi 6 router I have doubts that wifi will work well enough for you tbh.

*PS - if you use a wifi 6 ruoter you'll want to be sure and set it up with an SSID which utilizes the router's special wide frequency band (6ghtz frequency band which offers up to 1200 mhtz bandwidth). Then you connect (or Pair) the Quest3's Wifi to that SSID on your router. Once that's done you won't have to do it again.

Edited April 18, 20242 yr by hangar

Just on the above, I'm using my ISP issued Wifi 5 router and Virtual Desktop works flawlessly. You are largely dependent on distance from router and interference. If you don't have a lot of nearby wireless networks and competing devices then you should be able to maintain a steady connection.

 

@hangar @Donka @zorro747 I installed the Virtual Desktop and Wow! It is better now. Just need to go through all the settings\adjustments. Also ordered a CAT8 Ethernet cable to connect the desktop with the router.

I am sorry, may I ask you guys for a couple of more advices:

1. What accessories you would recommend to buy for Quest 3, based on your experience?

2. How you clean\wipe the pancake lenses? Just dry soft cloth, alcohol swabs?

Thank you!

4 hours ago, Sunlightnsk said:

@hangar @Donka @zorro747 I installed the Virtual Desktop and Wow! It is better now. Just need to go through all the settings\adjustments. Also ordered a CAT8 Ethernet cable to connect the desktop with the router.

I am sorry, may I ask you guys for a couple of more advices:

1. What accessories you would recommend to buy for Quest 3, based on your experience?

2. How you clean\wipe the pancake lenses? Just dry soft cloth, alcohol swabs?

Thank you!

1. I would definitely recommend a new facial interface along with a replacement head strap. If you are sitting for MSFS only and you have a USB power source close enough by, you don't need a battery head strap since you can just run a USB cable for power if you are planning on flying for more than 2 hours. Having said that, I would recommend a battery head strap as the extra weight of the battery will help balance the headset instead of it being front heavy. I picked up a cheap battery head strap that works really well but wasn't quite heavy enough so I add some extra weights to it for make the headset perfectly balanced.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AMVR-Compatible-Accessories-Replacement-Breathable/dp/B0CNYGQ1SF

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCELI-Compatible-Adjustable-One-click-Enhanced/dp/B0CL9BNJ8D

I got the above head strap although I actually bought it on new on eBay for a good bit less. Adds an extra couple of hours runtime if you want, it very comfy and there are no buzzing noises.

 

2. Haven't had the need to clean the lenses yet as I avoid any contact with them but a soft dry cloth is probably best given the lenses aren't glass.

 

7 hours ago, Sunlightnsk said:

@hangar @Donka @zorro747 I installed the Virtual Desktop and Wow! It is better now. Just need to go through all the settings\adjustments. Also ordered a CAT8 Ethernet cable to connect the desktop with the router.

I am sorry, may I ask you guys for a couple of more advices:

1. What accessories you would recommend to buy for Quest 3, based on your experience?

2. How you clean\wipe the pancake lenses? Just dry soft cloth, alcohol swabs?

Thank you!

First think you must do is to change the strap. There are many options available on ebay or amazon. The most advertised is BoboVR or so. Like in the post above.  But It might be pricy. What I did, i just ordered the similar strap from Aliexpress which cost much less and I am happy about it now. You don;t need the strap with batteries for sure. At least for myself. What I do, I fire up the sim, fly for a certain amount of time and when I am at cruising level, I just put the headset and plug into the socket to charge (in the headset settings must set the sleeping option for 2 or 4h). Or you can buy a longer type C cable and just plug it into the socket and the headset. Thus it will be charging while you flying. Very simple 🙂 

Regarding cleaning the lenses, I just use the silk cloth from my sunglasses  But I don;t clean often....

Edited April 19, 20242 yr by zorro747

9 hours ago, Sunlightnsk said:

@hangar @Donka @zorro747 I installed the Virtual Desktop and Wow! It is better now. Just need to go through all the settings\adjustments. Also ordered a CAT8 Ethernet cable to connect the desktop with the router.

I am sorry, may I ask you guys for a couple of more advices:

1. What accessories you would recommend to buy for Quest 3, based on your experience?

2. How you clean\wipe the pancake lenses? Just dry soft cloth, alcohol swabs?

Thank you!

1. This is all about your own personal comfort and needs - but yes most people opt for a more comfy headstrap but this can add up with all the various ones you'll find out there to try so first just spend a good amount of time watching videos about them before deciding on 1 or 2 t test out. The other thing which I feel is VERY important to purchase would be a large external battery pack that you would plug into your Quest 3 while you are using it so that you can play for longer periods before having to recharge.

The Quest 3 has terrible battery life, especially when playing msfs2020. Youll only get maybe an hour or 90 minutes tops out of the Quest 3 built-in battery...so while you're sitting there in your chair playing you'll want to have an external battery plugged into the headset that will at least double or better your time before needing to shut down and recharge. While there are all sorts of external battery products you can try I prefer one that has alot of mAh (milliamp hours) because the higher that number is the longer the battery will go before needing recharging.

Personally I use this battery: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XRJZXKY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 which gives me about 4 hours of playtime (it has about 26,000mAh). I place it inside a fanny pack that I wear on a belt around my waste before sitting down (I can also wear it standing up for other games; hence the belted fanny pack idea). Here's a link to my fanny pack: Amazon.com: USHAKE Running Belt with Extender Belt, Bounce Free Pouch Bag, Fanny Pack Workout Belt Sports Waist Pack for Apple iPhone Samsung Note Galaxy in Running Walking Cycling-05BK : Sports & Outdoors

I also just started using the BoboVR S3 Pro strap/w B100 battery pack. This is a Halo style headstrap with battery and you can buy extra batteries for it, if you like. I think ach battery is 10,000mAh and will give you maybe 2 hours of sim time plus however long the Q3 battery lasts after that (another 1 hour likely)...so thats maybe 3 hours total sim time with only 1 b100 batt.

 

2. I use either clear or prescription lens covers from Zenni Optical which easily fit over the Quest3 panacake lenses, and these are what Im actually wiping before/after each use. I simply use a good quality eye glass or digital glass microfiber cloth. I breathe on the lens to add a bit of moisture then wipe. You can also buy a soft padded lens protector that you can place over the lenses for when not in use to protect it from getting scratches and also to make sure that no direct sunlight gets to the lenses when not in use.

Edited April 19, 20242 yr by hangar

@Donka @zorro747 Thank you very much for your recommendations!

Just on the battery pack suggestion, I initially had a different type of head strap without a battery and just wrapped a couple of velcro straps around the central head strap at the very rear and did the same with a 10,000mAh battery pack so I could essentially stick it on the back of my head and connect with a 30cm USB C cable. Worked great and offered good weight at the rear for balance. 

Just a heads up.  The OXRTK "Turbo Mode" setting can only be applied to Spatial Reprojection and is ignored for Space Warp (aka Motion Reprojection).  Read all about it here.