Advice please: should I purchase MSFS2020 again?

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Hi everyone

I purchased MSFS2020 twice and each time got a refund because I couldn’t get it started at all on my system. I want to purchase it again and have been waiting for a patch which sorts out what seems to be a major issue according to those monitoring the problems on the “answers-Microsoft” forum. That is memory leaks, I’m told. So this means you are flying along and then suddenly the sim crashes. You never know whether you made it or not.

If I got the sim working on my system, then although I could put up with odd quirks here and there, obviously I could not put up with the memory leak issue because it’s just random and unavoidable and would ruin a flight.

The particular issue I was having on my system which stopped MSFS2020 starting at all was not a memory leak problem. I traced it to having a too high frame rate set in the NVIDIA control panel. I suppose this must have meant that MSFS2020 was putting too much of a strain on my system when starting. Each time MSFS2020 crashed I got the black, green or most usually the pink screen, and the system required a hardware reset.

Eventually after over three weeks of trying various things, I reduced the frame rate in NVIDIA control panel to minimum, and MSFS2020 started OK. However by that time I’d already requested the second refund which was irreversible, so I couldn’t use the sim after all.

For me, the net result has been that despite having purchased the sim when it was released back on 18 August 2020, and despite having upgraded my system other than the video card, and despite spending hours and hours, well days and days, trying this fix that fix, I’ve never actually flown using the sim at all.

Could I ask therefore, whether people think that it’s now safe for me (on my system) to purchase MSFS2020 again?

I would purchase the Premium version. My system specs are: Windows 10 (latest version of course), ASRock X570 Steel Legend motherboard with Ryzen 5 2600 3.4Ghz processor, 32GB DDR4 RAM, GeForce GTX 980 Ti with 6GB RAM, driver is the latest 452.06.

Thanks everyone for your help.

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I’d say you can run it on your system. I’m running it on an i7 4790, 16gb ram, rx570 8Gb. Most settings on High and medium, clouds on ultra. I do not limit frame rates, I also allow my computer to finish its virus checking etc before starting Fs2020, minimise any non essential background process apps.

With G1000 Cessna 172 I’m getting 25 fps at some very big airports such as Heathrow with live weather and traffic, very smooth with no stutters. Don’t forget a flight sim doesn’t need fast frame rates.

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i would wait if i was you… This game (can’t call it a sim in this state) get more and more bugged from every patch. So i would advice you to wait until things actually get’s fixed and not more and more broken :slight_smile:

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The game has gotten worse at this point, I would strongly advise anyone against buying it.

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@jgjorg

Depends on your expectations in its present state.

I’m e.g. doing mainly VFR flying with the DR400 in sparse populated areas.

Locked at 60fps the immersion, smoothness and graphics are still unbeatable IMO :slight_smile:

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Many thanks for all your answers. Since some said “no” I didn’t repurchase.
I was wondering though, whether most will say “yes” after the latest patch 1.7.14.0?

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I held off buying until things were more stable (so I thought) and VR was getting near.

Bought yesterday and can’t even get the thing installed. Stuck at 9GB downloaded, then stuck at the loading screen after that. Still trying various trouble shooting options. Massively frustrating experience.

This is the only PC game, in 28 years of PC gaming, that I haven’t even been able to install, never mind run. What an absolute disaster MS.

So, nope, this version still isn’t looking good.

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You mention that it seemed to run fine in the end, before your second refund. Is there any reason you think it might not anymore?

Hardware wise you should be good to go, but software wise there could be issues on either side (yours or MSFS) that could cause conflicts.
I don’t know if it is possible on your end, but if I were you I’d do a clean windows install (never hurts anyway) and try again.

Or else maybe you know someone who could log in on your computer with his own account and test it for you (any version, steam, etc)?

Edit : forgot to ask you about your ram. What frequency is it and have you activated the xmp profile in your bios? The ryzen CPUs are very touchy when it comes to ram speeds (I have the ryzen 2600 too, With 16gb 3000MHz ram)

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I would definitely get more RAM. It might run on 6 but it will definlty run better on atleast 16 GB…

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PS if you’re really interested in the game and have the funds to upgrade your hardware as need be or in increments , I don’t see why you don’t just buy the game and keep it, you’ll eventually get the Specs to run it well…

Otherwise the cycle of buying and refunding and upgrading and doing it all over again and again , its sounds like a real pain in the butt.

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Why dont you buy it through Microsoft Gamepass? Its like 1 dollar i think.

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Maybe he is, maybe he is getting his 1.00 refunded eachtime :scream_cat:

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jgjorg says he has 32GB ram - the 6GB is the video card.

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Despite all the problems, and lack of features which even fsx had, when it runs FS2020 is certainly a good experience. My system is not new, and my GPU has only 4GB RAM, but I run at medium level with 20-30 fps and minimum stutters, and this is good enough for me.

And it will get better in the long run. You will end up buying it at some some in the future, so you may as well enjoy the experience now.

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Just this.

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1$ for for first month Gamepass was only during the first month of MSFS. Now it is 10$/month.

Wait with purchase. I tested it for 1$ the first month and cancelled gamepass after that. Too many bugs, too unpolished. Will wait until next spring/summer and then fly what is hopefully a better experience.

On top, the graphics apparently get downgraded for Xbox. Last patch really made them worse. If this turns out to be true and they were dishonest when they said they would not do that to PC players, I will not buy at all since the sim loses all appeal (I am a eye candy guy).

Graphics downgrade video

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I think they denied this in the develops Q&A. In fact, at one point, they said something about an improvement they were making to allow it to run on xbox would help PC users as well.

Another point from the video was that the scenery is generated from the latest maps, and they get maps from various sources, in particular from government data. If maps change, or they change the source map for a particular location, then the scenery will obviously be different. Different scenery does not equal a downgrade.

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Why on Earth would you buy and refund a game three times?!? Any game?!? I think this sim is not for the faint of heart and you should move on with your life. I hear Squadrons is out lol

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I’d wait… You should be able to run it, though GPU is a little weak. But the game is busted right now, it’s far more unstable then the initial release for me.

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Hi Sebibucky
In your footnote you refer to sensitivity of the Ryzen CPUs to ram speeds. This caused me to have a look at my bios settings. Everything is set to Auto, so although my ram is capable of 3200MHz the board has clocked down the speed to 2666 (one below 2667 which is the max for the board I think, with this particular CPU). I can see an option to switch to XMP 2.0 Profile, which would run the ram at 3200MHz at a higher voltage, so that is certainly an option to try if I have continuing problems with MSFS. Thanks for the idea.