MSFS 2024 has left me behind.  Been flight simming since the beginning, but now the price to run 2024 is too much for me.  I have a low to medium system which runs 2020 with medium to high settings with ho problems,

I can run 2024 with low to medium settings but only GA planes.  Large airliners will not run.  AI gave me my best settings which helped, but said I need a new graphics card.  I have a GTX1660ti.  The price for what I would need is way more than I can afford.  

So, as much as I prefer 2024, I will have to continue to use 2020.  

As usual less is more when it comes to flight simming.

The big airports I bought I don't fly to.

dd

2 hours ago, Roy Warren said:

MSFS 2024 has left me behind.  Been flight simming since the beginning, but now the price to run 2024 is too much for me.  I have a low to medium system which runs 2020 with medium to high settings with ho problems,

I can run 2024 with low to medium settings but only GA planes.  Large airliners will not run.  AI gave me my best settings which helped, but said I need a new graphics card.  I have a GTX1660ti.  The price for what I would need is way more than I can afford.  

So, as much as I prefer 2024, I will have to continue to use 2020.  

 

Edited December 1, 2025Dec 1 by Sky_Pilot071

2 hours ago, Roy Warren said:

MSFS 2024 has left me behind.  Been flight simming since the beginning, but now the price to run 2024 is too much for me.  I have a low to medium system which runs 2020 with medium to high settings with ho problems,

I can run 2024 with low to medium settings but only GA planes.  Large airliners will not run.  AI gave me my best settings which helped, but said I need a new graphics card.  I have a GTX1660ti.  The price for what I would need is way more than I can afford.  

So, as much as I prefer 2024, I will have to continue to use 2020.  

As far as PC's go, this system is pretty old though, I wouldn't expect amazing performance from 6-7 year old hardware.  The CPU and RAM are alright for medium-high settings but that GPU is ancient.  Sure you can't find a used 3080 somewhere?

Here's a weird cyber monday deal on a white 3080 ti from newegg - 500 USD!  (normally around 900)

https://www.newegg.com/peladn-geforce-rtx-3080-ti-12gb-graphics-card-triple-fans/p/1FT-00EY-00008?item=9SIBF3CJ4M6795&source=region&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid+shopping&utm_campaign=knc-googlemkp-pc-_-pla-peladn+flagship+store-_-video+card+-+nvidia-_-9SIBF3CJ4M6795&id0=Google&id1=22837010358&id2=183329976419&id3=&id4=&id5=pla-2423963028840&id6=&id7=9019514&id8=&id9=g&id10=c&id11=&id12=CjwKCAiA86_JBhAIEiwA4i9Ju15Ck2Ha7j4xuPga81OUkjpg_c8CfSPFT2TCdb0grvF8FbuhwguWxRoCTDUQAvD_BwE&id13=&id14=Y&id15=&id16=766603520384&id17=&id18=&id19=&id20=&id21=pla&id22=604133240&id23=online&id24=9SIBF3CJ4M6795&id25=US&id26=2423963028840&id27=Y&id28=&id29=&id30=16487084713841400183&id31=en&id32=&id33=&id34=&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22837010358&gbraid=0AAAAAD-YhmMSltCUB-BgLiWnCqq2Hx9Mh&gclid=CjwKCAiA86_JBhAIEiwA4i9Ju15Ck2Ha7j4xuPga81OUkjpg_c8CfSPFT2TCdb0grvF8FbuhwguWxRoCTDUQAvD_BwE

Here's a used regular 3080 on ebay for 350.  I sometimes am a little weary on used GPUs (bitcoin mining) but I've bought a few few and they have been just fine).  A 3080 vs your 1660 ti is night and day hehe.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/127533070793?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=127533070793&targetid=882300791467&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9019514&poi=&campaignid=1669934603&mkgroupid=65058347419&rlsatarget=pla-882300791467&abcId=1123856&merchantid=6296724&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1669934603&gbraid=0AAAAAD_QDh8NAxxqnz7LuNt3OQZIwXxqo&gclid=CjwKCAiA86_JBhAIEiwA4i9JuzlLwv6yUk0ALBbKriGbGgx8EJAn-hlAnpN-KlfTI4ACVXivPpU4ghoCEnoQAvD_BwE

 

On 11/27/2025 at 8:31 PM, Dreamflight767 said:

I think that means I'll be sticking with FS2020 where I can use higher settings where if I were to switch to FS2024, I'd probably have to lower my settings.

MMMMmmm...Juries out on this one, I have a virtually similar system and get fantastic results in MSFS 2024.

 

Like you I have been thinking "Time I upgraded" as my current system is a few years old. But with each sim update it appears more gets squeezed out of my system so will probably eventually upgrade but not yet..

 

MSFS 2024 runs perfectly fine for me at present at a lot of ultra settings.

23 hours ago, Fielder said:

I think that's an excellent choice!

It was. Running MS2024 maxed out at 4k and it looks and performs great. The new lighting in 2024 is out of this world. It makes a huge difference to how the world looks. I don't use third party airports and use the FBW A320 mostly, which is not particularly heavy, so it seems to handle what i have thrown at it so far.

20 hours ago, Roy Warren said:

So, as much as I prefer 2024, I will have to continue to use 2020.  

Even though I'm old and cranky, I live for the future. 😱

dd

On 11/27/2025 at 10:03 PM, Dreamflight767 said:

How/why would FS2024 run better than FS2020?  Isn't FS2024 more demanding with higher graphics etc.?

better visuals and performance here in 2024 vs 2020, SU4 will hit the nail. using SU4 beta - like any beta before - and 2024 is just smooth. and my system was build for FS2020, see sig below, so not the strongest, I just updated that GPU from a 3060 to 4070 some months ago

On 12/1/2025 at 1:44 AM, Roy Warren said:

MSFS 2024 has left me behind.  Been flight simming since the beginning, but now the price to run 2024 is too much for me.  I have a low to medium system which runs 2020 with medium to high settings with ho problems,

I can run 2024 with low to medium settings but only GA planes.  Large airliners will not run.  AI gave me my best settings which helped, but said I need a new graphics card.  I have a GTX1660ti.  The price for what I would need is way more than I can afford.  

So, as much as I prefer 2024, I will have to continue to use 2020.  

What is you definition of what you need?

I'm simming happily with the Fenix in busy places like London with a 9900 and 3080 10gb. The CPU doesn't need an upgrade only the GPU.  Through Ebay you can probably find a good deal. For me "happily" means setting texture on medium(can't see the difference) and everything else on High. Clouds are on ultra. Also the screen is an Ultra wide but not 4K or anything. 

I really am of the opinion that if you have 10gb or more of VRAM any other investments in your system doesn't yield the improvements per USD/EUR/GBP that you would expect. Hence you see a lot of "I bought newest of newest hardware but can't play it on ultra" topics. 

For me, VRam is the issue. I have a 3080, and the sim maxes out quite often in  2024. So i ordered a Corsair system with a 5080. I didn't think the 5090 was worth another $2000.

25 minutes ago, mikegrr said:

For me, VRam is the issue. I have a 3080, and the sim maxes out quite often in  2024. So i ordered a Corsair system with a 5080. I didn't think the 5090 was worth another $2000.

This is where I’m confused.  From my readings/understanding, flight sims need all the VRAM they can get.  My 3090 has 24gb but even though it’s newer, a card like the 5080 (since the 5090 is around $3,000) has 16gb vram.

So is a newer card with less vram better, or is the older card with more vram?  

I don’t get it, I understand (my goal) but I don’t understand the objective of flight simming computing anymore.

I also don’t understand why a DEV creates a game that demands a super computer to get full immersion and “wow factor”.

Edited December 3, 2025Dec 3 by Dreamflight767

Man if these prices for PC parts keep going up like that we might all end up running the sim on PS5s 😃

1 hour ago, Dreamflight767 said:

I also don’t understand why a DEV creates a game that demands a super computer to get full immersion and “wow factor”.

some love greatest realism which we achieve through continuous innovation and are prepared to pay for it, has been like this ever since they invented the wheel. feel free to use older less advanced, less expensive older hardware with outdated technology and previous generation software. whatever floats your boat. and so forth ...

1 hour ago, Georgleboui said:

if these prices for PC parts keep going up like that we might all end up running the sim on PS5s

not a bad idea, I might have gotten an Xbox already if it supported VR, but unfortunately MS doesn't see enough profit in VR.

2 hours ago, Georgleboui said:

Man if these prices for PC parts keep going up like that we might all end up running the sim on PS5s 😃

PC RAM 2 x 32 GB compared to xBox X U$725 (see below).

3 hours ago, Dreamflight767 said:

So is a newer card with less vram better, or is the older card with more vram?  

In my opinion your 3090 (24gb) is still pretty stout for sim.  If you run 4K I would be less interested in a lower vram newer card.  Not totally uninterested, but just less so.

On the other hand, if you run 1080p or 1440 then the vram advantage of the 3090 is not as important and a newer-gen card starts looking better, even if it has less vram.