MSFS2024, Just Eating up! even on Low settings

[Empire9943]

With MSFS2020 and OBS, whether HAGS (Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling) is on or off, everything works fine. While MSFS2020 does experience lower FPS and slightly worse performance compared to MSFS2024, streaming and running MSFS2020 simultaneously doesn’t cause any major issues or crashes.

However, with MSFS2024 and OBS:

• HAGS On: MSFS2024 runs smoothly with lower GPU and CPU usage. However, at random times, OBS experiences bitrate drops and then completely freezes. There are no crash logs—OBS just locks up, requiring a restart. This issue can repeat itself.
• HAGS Off: MSFS2024 uses more resources but still runs better than MSFS2020, with higher FPS. While OBS no longer freezes, I now encounter frequent encoding overloads, resulting in frame drops. When the CPU hits 100%, I also hear audio crackling. OBS continuously fluctuates between “encoding system overload” and returning to normal, making it unstable in a different way.

i7 10700K 3990,

No matter what I try to fix, another issue seems to arise.

[wcc96387]

Does s this happen with OBS closed? I dont use it but I’ve heard from a lot of people that OBS has issues and causes a noticeable performance hit

[Empire9943]

Both MSFS2020 and MSFS2024 run fine with OBS, whether streaming or not. However, the issue is that OBS either freezes completely or runs into encoding overload, causing my CPU to hit 100%.

MSFS2024, even on medium settings, is consuming significantly more GPU and CPU resources, constantly maxing them out. In contrast, MSFS2020 never puts this kind of strain on my system.

It feels like a never-ending cycle, fix one problem, and another one appears.

Is anyone else experiencing 100% CPU usage in MSFS2024, even at just 30 FPS, while the GPU usage hovers around 80-90%?

And before anyone says my CPU is outdated, I’ve seen people with an i7-8200K and an RTX 3080 streaming MSFS in 4K without any issues.

[IncontnentCamel]

I think we need more info to really help you.

• What are your OBS settings?
• Do you use hardware or software encoding?
• Did you mean RTX 3090?
• RAM?
• resolution? (recording and game rendering)

@Empire9943

Is anyone else experiencing 100% CPU usage in MSFS2024, even at just 30 FPS, while the GPU usage hovers around 80-90%?

And to answer that question: no. I have a 13600k and never see anything close to 100% CPU usage. GPU is a RTX 4080. I suspect MSFS 2024 makes better use of your hardware and now you run into issues with OBS because of a lack of processing power left over for OBS.

[Empire9943]

Based on what I know about my setup, here’s what I can provide:

• OBS Settings: Log obsproject.com/logs/ehaxOK6AIJPeaNHb
• Encoding: Since I have an RTX 3090, I use NVENC (hardware encoding) for better performance.
• GPU: Yes, you have an RTX 3090.
• RAM: I have 64GB of RAM @ 3600.
• Resolution:
  • Monitor at **2560x1440 (1440p) resolution, but on OBS it’s output at 1080p (1920*1080) for both base/output.
  • Game rendering resolution is 1080p**, I never run the game/sim in fullscreen, only have one screen.

2020 meanwhile is fine, doesn’t eat or make OBS die XD

On that note, 2024 has always been good to me also, it’s only started doing this since 2024 had that world update and well, updates appear.

Locked at 30FPS in the sim, yes I had frame gen on and that led me to stable 60PS - but when I turn it down and locked it at 30FPS the system is still using to high CPU And GPU - I mean COME ON - 2024 runs fine anyway but not with OBS also

[Empire9943]

Hello,

After some experimenting, I’ve found a temporary workaround that’s been working well across two separate streams. While it doesn’t fully resolve the issue, it does help, though the results can vary depending on the aircraft you’re flying. For example, the Fenix A320 performs differently compared to a more demanding heavy like the A350.

Here’s what I’ve been doing:

1. Clean install your GPU drivers and use Studio drivers instead of Game Ready ones.
2. In the NVIDIA Control Panel, set the Power Management Mode to “Prefer Maximum Performance” for OBS.exe only, and leave the MSFS2024 settings at default. Setting both to maximum performance causes a conflict, so this gives OBS priority.
3. Launch OBS as Administrator before starting MSFS2024. This helps ensure the system prioritises OBS. You can also set OBS’s internal process priority to “High” in its settings. Once your overlays are updated, give OBS a moment to settle before launching the sim. I noticed that launching MSFS before OBS tends to cause freezing issues.

Also, I’ve kept HAGS (Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling) turned on throughout the process.

Every system is different, so it’s important to tailor your MSFS settings to your own setup. Sometimes it’s not about chasing the highest FPS, remember, it’s a simulator, not a shooter.

For reference, I’m running an RTX 3090, i7-10700K @ 5.1GHz, 64GB RAM, and MSFS is installed on an M.2 drive.

Despite the lowest hardware, I keep most in-game settings on Low. Only two options are set to Medium. I’ve turned off ground traffic, air traffic, and animals entirely off. Also, LOD (Level of Detail) can hit your CPU hard, so I’ve dropped mine all the way to the lowest setting.

Additionally, I’ve capped my framerate to 15 FPS via the NVIDIA Control Panel It’s a smooth and consistent experience for streaming and simming without pushing the system too hard.

The only way I can run on High is if I have a 5090 and 9950x3d

Let me know if this works for you too!

[Empire9943]

So, by turning my settings down, gives me more room for OBS Yet while locked at 20 FPS it’s STILL stuttering and lagging!

At least OBS no longer crashes, well - it still freezes

Not easy to see the cockpit now, but end of the day my system is WEAK…

[wcc96387]

do you have these issues without running OBS?

[Empire9943]

MSFS is fine it’s OBS that’s crashing, freezing and encoding overloaded. Only happens with 2024.

So by turning everything on the very very lowest setting and lock at 20fps as I mentioned from two post above, and that’s with OBS not even running.

[Empire9943]

Nope, did not resolve it, OBS still freeze on me

Even on the LOWEST setting, I find that the CPU and GPU are high. I mean, 10% of the CPU is being used for the Fenix, even so, shouldn’t I see it that high?

I can’t fly like this for now on?? COME ON

[wcc96387]

Do you still have issues with other aircraft? Something simple like a 6 pack 172?

[Empire9943]

Whatever aircraft I’m in, it’s the same, and yet CPU is high at 30%, and that’s very odd. 2020 is never like that!

[wcc96387]

30% isn’t that high. I’m currently on a flight in the SWS PC12 and I’m at 20% CPU, 60% GPU everything on ultra at 1080p. If my CPU was at 30% I wouldn’t think anything of it

[Empire9943]

You get 20% CPU on Ultra, that’s better than me - I’m on all low settings, everything down to nothing, and CPU is at 30% in a C172 XD