Fresh install of FS20 on fresh install of W11 here. Previously on 7700K + 1070 and the hardware was running at nearly full chat but not exactly pinned. With medium settings I could get 30fps steady (half vsync) but it kept stuttering even during cruise and only got worse at airports.
Bit the bullet and threw new hardware at it; Ryzen 5600, 32GB DDR4-3600, 3070, 1TB NVME SSD. It was noticeably smoother and at the same settings, the hardware is barely breaking a sweat but the stutters remain. You can imagine my disappointment after all that money and effort into basically rebuilding the whole dam rig.
Already did my googling, already disabled and deleted rolling cache, uninstalled VDGS, disabled Windows Defender, no FSUIPC, no RGB programs. Nothing helps. Does one need an actual i9 and 5090 to run this heap?
I have come to believe (at least on my system) that these stutters are heavy scenery loads streaming in, since they normally only happen on short final when the ground and airport are both getting closer.
Can you tell us our motherboard and screen resolution? Have you closed all background programs except those essential to Win11? Is anything overclocked?
My friend I invested in a i9-14900KF running at 3.20 GHz, 64Gb of ddr5 memory, a 2Tb SSD for both fs2020 and the operating system and a GeForce 5080 and I also get stutters and sometimes even complete freezes that can last for a couple of seconds.
I know this is not solving anything for you, but maybe you find some comfort in knowing youâre not alone
FWIW, my FS2020 was running absolutely flawless on a mediocre system UNTIL the release of FS2024. I simply refuse to believe this is/was a mere co-incidenceâŠ
Again, for reasons known only to the mods, Iâve included responses to this in a lengthy previous post thatâs âawaiting approvalâ but just to your specific points alone:
Iâve tried (and promptly disabled) DLSS in MSFS because on my system it turned everything into what feels like a long-exposure photograph and blurry mess.
Yes, the AMD-equivalent of XMP is enabled. I have 2 sticks of 16GB running at their full 3600mhz.
Graphics driver version is whatever the latest stable Game Ready download was on Nvidiaâs website as of last Saturday. Windows 11 is fully up to date as well.
Initially I was running on an i7-7700K OC-ed to 5GHz. The logic was lesser cores at higher speeds are still better than two dozen cores at much lower speeds. This strategy has worked very well for me since FS9 all the way through P3Dv5 but I thought with the current stuttering it has finally reached its limit with MSFS.
So I bought this 5600 which tops out slightly over 4.5GHz on boost. Almost no difference! I then threw a 3070 at it since the old 1070 was running at over 90% (but crucially, not pinned at max). Only slightly better and basically the only thing I got out of it was higher antialiasing settings.
The 1TB NVME SSD that FS sits on is also similarly unbothered.
W11 boots off a standard 512GB SATA SSD.
These stutters are not caused by performance bottlenecks cos there are none.
So itâs not just the graphics engine, itâs the whole system stuttering like IO is not multitasking and hogging the system sporadically.
If youâve replaced the CPU and GPU, the only thing left is the Motherboard and itâs chipset.
There is a lot of discussion about the earlier vs later nVidia drivers on the web. I would consider rolling back to an earlier version. Itâs worth a try.
Do this search on google ⊠ânvidia driver serious stutter FS2020â
Iâm sorry to hear that youâre having so much trouble. Short of rolling back to an earlier graphic driver and searching for any Motherboard chip driver updates, perhaps even bios updates, I would have to look at the motherboard itself. Itâs the only item left to consider.
As an experiment, I asked deepseek for some suggestions and here is the response âŠ
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Random pauses or stutters in a flight simulator (or any graphically intensive program) can be caused by several factors. Here are the most common causes and solutions:
1. Insufficient Hardware (CPU/GPU/RAM Bottleneck)
Check CPU/GPU/RAM usage (via Task Manager or MSI Afterburner) while running the sim.
If CPU or GPU is at 100%, itâs a bottleneck.
Solution: Lower graphics settings (shadows, clouds, traffic) or upgrade hardware.
2. Background Processes Interfering
Other programs (antivirus, updates, browser tabs) may steal resources.
Solution:
Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to Startup, disable unnecessary apps.
Run the sim in âHigh Performanceâ mode (Windows Power Settings).
Temporarily disable antivirus/scans.
3. Storage (Slow HDD or Overloaded SSD)
If the sim is installed on an old HDD, loading assets can cause stutters.
Solution:
Move the sim to an SSD.
Ensure at least 10-20% free space on the drive.
4. Outdated or Buggy GPU Drivers
Old or corrupted drivers can cause stuttering.
Solution:
Update GPU drivers (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel from official sites).
Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) for a clean reinstall.
5. Thermal Throttling (Overheating)
If CPU/GPU overheats, it slows down to prevent damage.
Solution:
Monitor temps (HWMonitor, Core Temp).
Clean fans, improve airflow, or repaste CPU/GPU if needed.
6. Network-Related Issues (Online Sims)
If playing online (MSFS, X-Plane, etc.), poor connection can cause pauses.
Solution:
Test offline mode to see if stutters persist.
Use a wired connection (if on Wi-Fi).
7. Shader Compilation Stutter (Common in New Games)
Some sims compile shaders on-the-fly, causing pauses.
Solution:
Look for a âpre-compile shadersâ option in settings.
Wait for patches (some sims improve this over time).
8. BIOS/UEFI or Power Settings
Some systems throttle performance incorrectly.
Solution:
Enable XMP/DOCP in BIOS for RAM.
Set Windows to âUltimate Performanceâ power plan.
9. Game-Specific Fixes
Some sims (like MSFS) have known stutter issues.
Solution:
Check forums (e.g., Avsim, Reddit) for sim-specific tweaks.
Try disabling AI traffic, lowering LOD settings.
10. Test with Another Sim/Game
If only one sim stutters, it may be software-related.
Reinstall the sim or verify game files (Steam/other platforms).
Would you like help diagnosing which of these is most likely in your case? If so, share:
Hi Dizzy, appreciate your efforts although I generally take AI with a grain of salt. Will try downgrading NVidia drivers before my next flight and report back.
Hoping its not the motherboard because that shi is brand new and well.. you know how it is, disassembly and reassembly and all.
FYI, I have 16 devices plugged into my PC. Sometimes one of them doesnât initialize properly, so I asked Deepseek to write a Powershell script that will scan my USB devices and ports looking for an error condition, and then to restart the port (retrying up to 5 times if the reset fails)
After a few iterations, deepseek built the script that works perfectly, including a batch file which elevates itâs privileges to admin. Iâm rather in awe of how clever AI has become.
BTW, I collaborated with ChatGPT to write a python script to migrate my controllers across from FS2020 to FS2024. I have donated it to the masses on flightsim.to.
Also donât forget to set NVCP Vsync to âFastâ to eliminate the screen tearing that Vsync brings.
I have a 3060, 5700G and 16 GB of RAM, and a 60 Hz monitor in 1080p. I limit in-sim FPS to 30 via NVCP, then use Lossless Scaling to scale back to 60 (no Frame Generation), and rarely ever see stutters, and only after a long flight if ever.
But if your PC can churn out 60 FPS without Frame Generation in your most demanding scenario, then you can limit to 60. Just ensure your refresh rate is equal to or double that of your FPS cap. Unless you use G-Sync, the extra frames above your refresh rate wonât matter and can actually induce stuttering.
