How much RAM/VRAM do you really need?

User Support Hub Hardware & Peripherals
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I’m starting to find it slightly amusing hearing various builders/reviewer on youtube talking about how much RAM and/or VRAM you need. Typically it seems you don’t need more than 16GB of RAM, with 32GB being a nice luxury, and for VRAM it seems people almost scoff at cards with more than 10-12GB.

I’m here with 64GB of RAM and an RTX 3090 (24 GB VRAM), watching MS Flight Simulator happily chew through more than 32GB of RAM on it’s own, and sometimes as much as 15GB of VRAM!

I’m guessing these youtubers don’t play much MSFS 2020 :smiley:

On a more serious note, I wonder if people with less RAM/VRAM see the sim acting more sensibly, and for me it’s just not flushing out old data as soon as it can, because … it doesn’t need to, I guess. For me, RAM usage only seems to head into the 30s when I’m still on the loading screen waiting for a flight to spawn, it then soon drops to low-mid 20s. VRAM picks up when hitting photogrammetry areas (e.g. London, where I tend to fly), and occassionally with go from 12+GB straight down to 6-7GB and then slowly creep up again.

I’ve made a mental note with myself that I need to stop framechasing, but it’s just sometimes legitimately interesting to see what the sim is getting up to :slight_smile:

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Simple answer is that you cannot not have too much. I have seen MSFS use 23GB of system RAM. It is kinda like current draw in electricity…It will use as much as it needs of what is available.

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I only have 16GB of ram and it works just fine.

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I would love to see what kinda resources the sim eats @ LFPG in one of the 3 default heavy tuber airlines with your system with I’m assuming you are running pretty maxed out setttings.

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I typically only fly GA, had 16GB and it ran just fine. Upgraded to 32GB and noticed a considerable performance increase, especially during loading. If you take a look at the Premium Deluxe edition requirements, it actually recommends 32GB…I can only assume that is due to the 787.

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I only fly GA, but am happy to give it a go if you’re interested. Yes, my settings are pretty maxed out (especially when not in VR), indeed, I could literally max everything to see what it does if you like. Gimme a plane to try, and I’ll do a simple take off from LFPG and report what I see :slight_smile:

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For ULTRA settings you need more than 32GB to fly in certain areas.

The largest working set I saw for the sim was 28GB, which then crashed my sim because Windows and a few other programs took the other 4 GB.

Happens often when I fly over large cities or metro areas.

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Use the 787 there with broken or overcast clouds also. :rofl:
Thanks!

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I got 32gb in my system. And leaving everything running in the background…because I got so much ram, chrome tabs, game stores, random tiny little applications like that. While running flight sim, my system could use 20gb.

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I think MSFS is a hungry RAM monster, I have 32GB and sometimes (very rare), it reaches close to 28gb of usage. However, I am curious to see these memory optimizations that they have talked a lot about in the Dev Q&A.

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The real answer is as much as you can afford.

I’ve gone through 32 GB to 48 GB to 64 GB and, please, believe me,
the Scenery improves greatly. Plus performance plus non FS2020 performance.

I have gone through this with a fixed Nvidia GTX 1660 TI graphics card.

As far as Graphics Cards, I personally don’t have any experience.
But, I have seen some videos from the RTX 3080/3090 that have
mouth watering video that I have not seen. Much greater detail and colors.

I would want to go to 128 GB of memory and a RTX 3090 if I could
afford it. I would also need a new MB and CPU and …

But, I am not saying that I am unhappy.
Neither should you be.

I love the graphics that I am getting with 64 GB of SDRAM and GTX 1660 TI.
and the speed of processing.

A new CPU might increase the speed.

A new Graphics Card will not increase your loading time but it will make the picture prettier.

It just pertains to 3 simple things:

  1. What you are dissatisfied with
  2. What you want to get
  3. What you can afford

How much RAM/VRAM do I need?
Nothing more than what I have.

But, guess what, I’ll buy an RTX 3080 as soon as I can get one
at MSRP ($699.00 USD)

And then, I’ll buy that new i17 3660 CPU and required Motherboard.

And then, …“As falls Wichita Falls so falls Wichita”.
My favorite Pat Metheny song.

Meaning, such is life.

Peace.

1 Like
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Simple answer the more ram you have the better same with vram.The sim will make use of what ever you have depending on how far you push your settings. Too little may result in lower fps and stutters.

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Wait…you purposely leave others apps and processes running combined with MSFS?
I try and run the sim as bare as possible alone everytime.

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I do.
I never worry about what is running.
And don’t care.
Of course, I have 64 GB of SDRAM.

But I did take 16GB of it for a RAMDrive for Rolling Cache.

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I have an i5-8400, 32GB RAM, RTX 3070 with 8GB VRAM .

At 1440p the maximum system ram I have seen in use is 28 GB so for me 32GB is plenty. In fact even at 4K most people report 32GB is enough, However some VR users have reported improved performance with an Index or G2 by going up to 64GB.

At 1440p with 8GB VRAM, whist it DOES occasionally run out of VRAM it is only at places like O’Hare or JFK in a tubeliner with traffic on and live weather. Seems like 8GB is OK for 1080p or 1440p most of the time BUT but may not be near enough at 4K or for VR.

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True.
I fly straight 4K.

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Im on 11GB VRAM and 32GB RAM
Past sims have left some of us with paranoid habits of ending as many unnecessary background processes before a session with these titles trying to maintain every little bit of CPU resource and performance as possible dedicated to the sim.

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Oh yehh, all is good. :+1:

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I think the answer to this question, about ram & Vram, is going to change when the partially resolved memory issue is patched…
With that being said, I strongly suggest people refrain from upgrading hardware until the patch is released.

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Good advice.

Also if you are running 1080p do not build a system based on recommended specs for a system pushing 4K or VR it will be overkill.