TheFamilyMan

OK, I'm sold (AccuSeason user BTW). Doubt I'll be a day 0 MSFS 2024 adopter anyways (unless there's a limited time crazy good discount for 2020 owners). Was initially misled by the Atmos name, thought it was sound enhancement, ala Dolby Atmos.

As mentioned if TIR works fine with the sims you use, there is absolutely no need to install this update. The TIR website's info for this new driver lists among other things fixes due to problems with unsigned TIR DLLs. Now that is a big surprise to me, considering what this says about their company.

The #1 VR performance boost I found is the resolution scale. DLSS is the key IMO, I use DLSS Quality which effectively scales the resolution at 66%, and Balanced is 58%! Both produce very good results (if you don't need glass panels). I run at a solid 45 FPS for smoothness (which I get 95% of the time). I guess what I'd consider essential is in the eye of the beholder. Thus as always YMMV.

There is no escaping that flight sim in VR is excessively GPU hungry, such that there is no substitute for a xx80 or xx90 series card if you don't want to deal with subpar VR visuals, e.g. stuttering and blurry low res image quality coupled with med/low MSFS graphics settings. I consider my evga 3080 ti barely capable of driving the VR experience with my HP Reverb G2. VR is still a long ways off from producing 4K 2D monitor image quality but the immersion is worth that compromise IMO. I can't imagine that MSFS 2024 will be any more forgiving with VR.

This may be hardware related. Consider running the Windows Memory Diagnostic to verify that your RAM is working properly. Or better yet, use Memtest86 to test your RAM. BTW, I've never had this problem running MSFS.

IIRC, the game running efficiency of the 7950X3D's 3D cache collapses when all cores are enabled and running. That is why the 7800X3D can hold its own so well with MSFS, it's 3D cache always runs at peak efficiency with its 8 cores. It'd be interesting to run your SMT test with your 7950X3D in game mode, i.e. with only 8 cores enabled.

This NC computer shop looks pretty compelling. This is exactly what I was talking to in my above post. With two locations, hopefully there's one near you.

Don't own either HMDs, but here's my take as a rtx 3080 ti owner. If you got the money the Crystal Light is the way to go. Consider that with it for now you can lower its display resolution to get better FPS, and when you eventually upgrade your GPU that higher resolution is waiting to be utilized. That's something that can't be said of the Quest 3.

Glad you got the HMD so it's comfortable, I'm looking to get a Crystal Light sometime. To enhance smoothness, consider the following experiment. Disable "Smart Smoothing" in the pimax software and set a FPS limit in the Nvidia control panel to 1/2 of the HMD's refresh rate. It's recommended to use 90 htz for the HMD refresh rate since you can get 45 fps consistently. Doing this creates a perfect image update sync between MSFS and the HMD which greatly reduces if not eliminates judder (aka stutters), plus it should get rid of jiggly artifacts. Using the MSFS graphics setting "Reprojection Mode: Depth" also helps here. This works great with my G2, hope it also does so on the Crystal Light.

Didn't go though all 7 pages of posts, but really now how many hot air balloon flights can one do before total burnout 😄

Bigscreen Beyond: exceedingly light weight (100 g), but glare with so so lenses that require an absolutely perfect fit and no native tracking devices. Crystal Light: lower cost (but still $$$), excellent visuals but 2 lbs (900 g) on your face and head. Reverb G2: my baseline in regards to the above, but facing immanent EOL due to MS abandonment (explicative deleted). Thus summarizing my current VR dilemma (BTW, Quest 3...no way, don't even bother!)

Another glowing review. I'd love to get a Pimax Crystal Light, but with it weighing 920g (at 3:43) it's a no-go for me. My G2 weighs 550g and it's about as heavy as I can tolerate with my compromised neck. One thing telling about Pimax: they don't directly publish the weight specs of their HMDs. I guess it's like the old joke "if you have to ask, it's too much".

Since my first computer over 30 years ago, I always powered them off every day as soon as I was done using it. Some days it'd be power cycled two or more times. For all my build for all those years never had a failure beyond a cheapo PSU in an early build that failed without collateral damage and a two years old EVGA gcard that they promptly replaced with a one of higher model (those were the days). Every PSU since has been top tier for the power needed, I learned that lesson.

Bit late to this party...never owned an Alienware computer but heard nothing but bad things about them. Consider if you are still looking to get a good pre-built, it's really worth looking into local computer shops (if they exist where you live). Most will gladly build a computer for you, and usually have pre-configured builds to choose from which you can customized to best suit your needs. Best of all it will have a warranty such if you have problems they will service it, both in or out of warranty. A win-win so to speak, though compared to DIY all this will cost you a little more.

All the above + native VR support: a blissful marriage (though not without the occasional spat, as all relationships go).