So rather than getting into an argument about 2020 v 2024 I want to try and figure out why I'm having such massive differences in performance (when others claim MSFS 2024 is more performant than its predecessor).

I have a modest rig. 

Device name    LAPTOP-TRMJ1Q9L
Processor    AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS with Radeon Graphics         (3.30 GHz)
Installed RAM    32.0 GB (31.4 GB usable)

Nvidia Geforce 3080 RXT (8GB)
Internet - 45Mbps 

Using MSFS 2020 with the Fenix, native limited to 30FPS, Lossless Scaling FG 2x, smooth, steady 60FPS.  Even at Inibuilds Dubai I've been bringing the PMDG 777 in without stutter.  

Using MSFS 2024 SP4 (beta).  At default EGGD.  Sits at 30FPS, 60FPS Lossless FG 2x.  Then every five to ten seconds, crippling stuttering for three or four seconds.  Every time I pan, crippling stuttering.  Basically an unusable sim.

Most settings on MED, TLOD 100.  

So I'm thinking 2024 doesn't perform well enough because I either have insufficient internet or I need a new gaming laptop (has to be a laptop as I spend months a year overseas).  Yet how come people say it is easier on performance?  

What are the thoughts on here?  

TIA!

MSFS 2024 might perform better in certain situations, but my understanding is, on average, it won't perform the same as MSFS 2020.  The clue is in the minimum hardware requirements for MSFS 2024.  If you check the minimum hardware requirements for MSFS 2024, it requires stronger hardware.  For example, MSFS 2024 requires a minimum of 16 GB of RAM, while MSFS 2020 requires a minimum of 8 GB of RAM.  Also, the recommended requirements for MSFS 2024 is also higher than the recommended requirements for MSFS 2020.

You are not supposed to repeat the same graphics settings in MSFS 2020, as you do in MSFS 2024, if you want the same FPS.

In your case, you are using a gaming laptop.  Gaming laptops are typically the gimped versions of the PC desktop.  Read this article to understand more about why the laptop version is gimped compared to the desktop version: techspot.com/review/2625-nvidia-rtx-4090-laptop-vs-desktop-gpu/

TLDR: Don't expect the same performance in MSFS 2024, that you get in MSFS 2020, because the  hardware requirements are higher for MSFS 2024.

16 minutes ago, Langeveldt said:

So rather than getting into an argument about 2020 v 2024 I want to try and figure out why I'm having such massive differences in performance (when others claim MSFS 2024 is more performant than its predecessor).

I don't know who can still make such a statement one year after Asobo's spiel about the expectation that FS2024 would perform better, there is countless evidence that MSFS is lighter both on the CPU and the GPU.

The behavior you are observing is totally normal considering your configuration, not much can be done apart from upgrading to a high-end desktop PC or sticking with MSFS 2020.

Thanks for these.  

So the early mood music is I should be expecting worse performance and it is my system, not my internet.  

I'm loathe to upgrade and drop a couple of thousand on a top of the range gaming laptop when I'm not sure it will cure the stutters.  

I have a similar rig. Here is what I've done to reduce issues and in SU3 it works pretty good.

• I use the auto FPS app.
• My base TLOD is <40, and I have everything on LOW except clouds. I think those are on Medium.

You are running into two hardware constraints: the 8gb video card, and I imagine a lack of cooling with the laptop. The combination of MED/TLOD 100 in 24 is not doing any favors.

Connection to the Internet, are you on Wifi or wire?

FS 2024 relies mostly on streaming, so, any latency can affect it's performance, and Wifi being half-duplex vs wired full-duplex can make a difference.

Edited September 22, 2025Sep 22 by jcomm

Yep, I'm on Wifi.  

I guess a way to test it would be---  well, I dont know how to test it.  I assume the Fenix aircraft is already "downloaded" so it isn't being streamed, and I can download a load of terrain?  I wonder if the stuttering is the terrain trying to be piped through the wifi, but doesn't 2020 do that also?  I guess the difference is assets like the terminal buildings etc.  

I'm going to put everything on low and then go from there.  I guess however that once that is done, 2020 will look significantly better anyway.

My main reason for wanting to move to 2024 was the improved night lighting environment.  

Let's see, I appreciate the responses.  

Interestingly, after putting everything on LOW and TLOD on 40, I got exactly the same stutters every few seconds.  It suggests to me it is internet related, which really sucks.  

52 minutes ago, Langeveldt said:

Thanks for these.  

So the early mood music is I should be expecting worse performance and it is my system, not my internet.  

I'm loathe to upgrade and drop a couple of thousand on a top of the range gaming laptop when I'm not sure it will cure the stutters.  

If you don't like stutters and want to avoid them at all costs, then:

1. Don't use a laptop.  Always, always, get a desktop computer, for the price you paid for your laptop.  For the price you pay for your gaming laptop, you will simply get faster and better hardware with a desktop computer.

2. Don't use wi-fi.  Wi-fi is generally slower than using an ethernet cable.  And it's worse if you live in an apartment/condo, and you have neighbors above/below or beside your apartment/condo, and they are using wi-fi too while you are using it.  When everyone in your building is using wi-fi at the same time, and everybody is on the same channel, your internet connection can slow down a lot.

Edited September 22, 2025Sep 22 by abrams_tank

2024 works better than 2020 on more performant hardware as it does a better job using that hardware- it has a higher ceiling. 
 

on more modest hardware, 2020 is likely better as you’ve already seen. 

8 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

If you don't like stutters and want to avoid them at all costs, then:

1. Don't use a laptop.  Always, always, get a desktop computer, for the price you paid for your laptop.  For the price you pay for your gaming laptop, you will simply get faster and better hardware with a desktop computer.

2. Don't use wi-fi.  Wi-fi is generally slower than using an ethernet cable.  And it's worse if you live in an apartment/condo, and you have neighbors above/below or beside your apartment/condo, and they are using wi-fi too while you are using it.  When everyone in your building is using wi-fi at the same time, and everybody is on the same channel, your internet connection can slow down a lot.

Simply put I need a gaming laptop for reasons that I spend half my year overseas and would like to sim then. My current laptop runs 2020 fine.

Right now I'm assuming there isn't a gaming laptop out there that will run MSFS 2024 decently well?  It's good to know all this as I was thinking of upgrading now.  I guess it's best to wait a few years and carry on enjoying 2020.  

Edited September 22, 2025Sep 22 by Langeveldt

11 minutes ago, Langeveldt said:

Simply put I need a gaming laptop for reasons that I spend half my year overseas and would like to sim then. My current laptop runs 2020 fine.

Right now I'm assuming there isn't a gaming laptop out there that will run MSFS 2024 decently well?  It's good to know all this as I was thinking of upgrading now.  I guess it's best to wait a few years and carry on enjoying 2020.  

I guess it depends what resolution you are running at, and what graphics settings you use?  Like if you are running at 4K, and everything is set to Ultra, then I don't even know if there is a gaming laptop out there than can run 4K and everything at Ultra, with all the typical add-ons being used at the same time (ie. Fenix, FSLTL, GSX, iniBuilds Heathrow, BeyondATC, etc), that can constantly give you high FPS without any stutters.  A top end desktop can probably do it, but not a top end laptop (because like I said, hardware in laptops are gimped).

If you are running at 1080p, with settings on high, and the typical add-ons, then yes, there is probably a gaming laptop out there than can run this in MSFS 2024 smoothly.

At the very least, get an ethernet cable and use that on your laptop if you can, over using wi-fi.

Edited September 22, 2025Sep 22 by abrams_tank

6 minutes ago, abrams_tank said:

I guess it depends what resolution you are running at, and what graphics settings you use?  Like if you are running at 4K, and everything is set to Ultra, then I don't even know if there is a gaming laptop out there than can run 4K and everything at Ultra, with all the typical add-ons being used at the same time (ie. Fenix, FSLTL, GSX, iniBuilds Heathrow, BeyondATC, etc), that can constantly give you high FPS without any stutters.  A top end desktop can probably do it, but not a top end laptop (because like I said, hardware in laptops are gimped).

If you are running at 1080p, with settings on high, and the typical add-ons, then yes, there is probably a gaming laptop out there than can run this in MSFS 2024 smoothly.

At the very least, get an ethernet cable and use that on your laptop if you can, over using wi-fi.

Thanks.  I'm running at 1440p..

I've been looking at small PCS (something I can pick up and carry, potentially put in a case), and they seem to pack more of a punch than a laptop does, although they run laptop GFX cards.  Something like this.  

PCSPECIALIST - Configure the AMD Am5 Sff Gaming to your ideal requirements.

Would I be able to pack more of a punch in here than with my current laptop?  I assume a 16GB 5070 would be a start.  

16 minutes ago, Langeveldt said:

Thanks.  I'm running at 1440p..

I've been looking at small PCS (something I can pick up and carry, potentially put in a case), and they seem to pack more of a punch than a laptop does, although they run laptop GFX cards.  Something like this.  

PCSPECIALIST - Configure the AMD Am5 Sff Gaming to your ideal requirements.

Would I be able to pack more of a punch in here than with my current laptop?  I assume a 16GB 5070 would be a start.  

If these small PCs are running laptop graphics cards, I don't think it will be that much better.  I would just stick with your laptop, and lower your settings.  If I run MSFS 2024 on my laptop at all (I'm using a 4060 on my laptop), I run it at 1080p.  Are you connecting your laptop to an external monitor? Because if you are just using your laptop's monitor for MSFS 2024, 1080p should be sufficient for a laptop monitor.

Edited September 22, 2025Sep 22 by abrams_tank

Whilst your internet could be a bit faster and integrated graphics is not ideal, generally high settings in MSFS24 seem to be around the same as ultra settings in MSFS20 and many make the mistake of thinking that because they run 2020 at ultra, they should be able to run 2024 at ultra as well.  You probably ned to run s0s4 at lower TLOD and OLED settings than you do in 2020 and there are a few settings in the 2024 graphics menu that have high impacts on performance and may be best set at medium or even off (I can't give you them all atm as I don't have flight simulator running, thogu texture resolution is one that springs to mind and there have ben reports that turning off fauna can have a significant impact).

 

Edit:  Displacement mapping, texture resolution and offscreen terrain caching were the three system hog settings I was thinking of plus buildings, trees, plants, rocks and grass.

Edited September 22, 2025Sep 22 by cianpars