Rolling cache. Disabled, SSD or Ramdisk?

User Support Hub Hardware & Peripherals
1

Hi pilots!

Actually I have rolling cache enabled with 8Gb, set to C:/MSFS, my sim folder.

I wonder if creating a Ramdisk and assign it to the rolling cache will have any benefits.

My specs:
Ryzen 7 5800X
32Gb 3600Mhz RAM
RX6800XT 16Gb
Samsung 1Tb SSD
Win 11

2

Rolling cache does not provide any benefit if your internet connection is fast enough (50 Mbit/s+). Most times it will cause more trouble than a benefit (extra computing needed for the cache to be build, outdated tiles, issues after updates…)

The way you cache is also not really worth thinking about as the limiting thing will anyway your CPU/GPU likely :wink:

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3

I have a symmetrical 600Mbps fiber connection, but my PC is over WiFi at the moment because I can’t go wired for now. So it’s like 100-200 Mbps.

4

Should be perfectly fine without any rolling cache :slight_smile:

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5

Thanks you! Will disable it tomorrow and do a flight.

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6

I use a SSD fro the Rolling cache … (all my drives on my gaming machine are SSDs) … only the NAS is BIG and Rotary

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7

I think one should also consider where you fly when trying to answer this question. This because the rolling cache stores data on a first in, first out basis. As you fly over a new area, the system overwrites the oldest data once you reach the rolling cache limit. I do not know how quickly this happens as I suspect it would be subject to a number of variables (possibly quality settings and resolution for instance?). With my settings (4K, ultra) I suspect 8GB would likely start getting overwritten pretty quickly. For example: if 20Mb/sec is a reasonable data rate to assume, in 1 hour you would accumulate 20 Mb/sec x 3,600 sec/hour / 8 bits/byte / 1,000 Meg/Gig = 9GB. And I really have no idea how accurate this is but the only real variable in this is the data rate of 20Mb/sec, which is the Microsoft requirement for a “Recommended system”.

But I must say I do not know at what rate the game normally consumed data over the internet while playing. The other numbers in the above calc. are all constants.

If you have an iffy internet connection and you fly the same area repeatedly (on an hourly basis?), I suspect an 8GB rolling cache would be worth considering as you are unlikely to overwrite the data for the area you are flying in. If you normally fly in different places then I think it soon becomes pointless: by the time you re-fly (is there such a word? :grin: ) an area that you had flown before but not recently, the rolling cache data for that area has likely been overwritten long ago, unless you have a massive rolling cache.

I would have to assume that creating and saving the loading cache while playing would have some kind of performance hit. So if you are continuously creating a “new” rolling cache without frequently using it, I suspect you are actually worse off than not having it.

In my own case:

  • I rarely fly the same area twice (and definitely not shortly after),
  • my system is set at 4K resolution and essentially all ultra quality,
  • I have a very fast (gigabit) internet connection and
  • I am very happy with the frame rates I get in any case. I fly mostly low level GA aircraft and typically get mid 40’s FPS. I just flew two 5 hour flights in the Citation at 32,000ft and there I get high 50’s FPS, capped at 60.

So I do not bother with a rolling cache

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8

I was getting CTDs in flight a few months ago, so tried turning rolling cache off and haven’t had one like that since. I’m only on a 50Mbps connection too and it has no problems keeping up with scenery changes, even when others are streaming movies at the same time.

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