Should I update my graphics card and RAM?

[QuietLawyer4339]

I typed in my graphics card and it come back with 650w

[nhc150]

@barbra6456

I’d like to see some support for your claim secondary claim that it will somehow “stress the memory controller”, which is utter nonsense, especially if you’re using matched pairs from the same manufacturer. “Stress the memory controller” … I actually did a search on that term and most people dismiss the claim out of hand, and with some motherboards supporting 8tb or more of ram, the idea of stressing the motherboard is utter nonsense in 2023.

integralfx/MemTestHelper/blob/oc-guide/DDR4 OC Guide.md

• As the total count of ranks in a system increases, so does the load on the memory controller. This usually means that more memory ranks will require higher voltage, especially VCCSA on Intel and SOC voltage on AMD.

• With more DIMMs and/or dual rank DIMMs, the expected frequency can be lower.

In other words, more sticks = more load on the memory controller. More sticks = lower maximum frequency. The same holds true for DDR5. This is common knowledge.

[BegottenPoet228]

Agreed. SLI is dead. Modern GPUs have multiple display ports, and can easily drive multiple displays at high resolutions. As for RAM, you are also correct - mostly. I installed an additional 32 GB of 3600 MHz /CAS 14 RAM, and had no problems keeping my XMP-2 settings the same (3600 /CAS 14, Infinity Fabric set to 1800 MHz.) While there’s no ‘direct’ benefit to 64 GB vs. 32 GB in MSFS, I now have extra RAM that I can use for a RAM disk.

[jpht1964]

You mean the one you’ve now?
Take a look at this…

Your RTX 3070 is indeed to weak for 4k when combined with your i7-11700k
But, lowering the resolution to 1440p would help a lot

Core i7-11700K and GeForce RTX 3070 build in General Tasks | Bottleneck...

[nhc150]

I provided a snippet from one the best DDR4 overclocking guides as an attempt to prove a point, but either you don’t understand or refuse to acknowledge.

Either way, this post is borderline unhinged and time to leave this thread be before it devolves even more. Best of luck.

[QuietLawyer4339]

Yeh the RTX 3070, so a better graphics card would be better, tried lowering the sims resolution getting a good 30FPS+. Tried LA and Chicago O’hare and yeh lowering the resolution has helped a lot, tried ultra settings but that was 25+FPS but medium to high is getting good FPS

[jpht1964]

Then the answer is simple, buy the 4070…. (And maybe a 850w psu)

[QuietLawyer4339]

Thanks one more thing I’m assuming this is the PSU

[nhc150]

I would recommend a Nvidia 4000 GPU as well for frame generation. It’s an easy way to double performance. Artifacting can be an issue, but frame generation gets you 90% there in terms of performance vs inage quality.

[Mooncatt3953]

@QuietLawyer4339

Still getting stuttering even with those settings think I need a better graphics card I don’t know

A better gpu does nothing when you are CPU limited (main thread in the sim fps display). When your main thread frame time is higher than the GPU, it means the GPU is waiting for the CPU to deliver the next frame info for the GPU to render. That’s why I’m sticking with my prior advice. Don’t worry about the GPU right now, because it isn’t your main problem and upgrading it would be a waste in your current configuration.

To maybe put this into perspective in time scales easier to understand, let’s say it takes the CPU 10 seconds to process a frame, but the GPU takes 2 second. That means the CPU sends a single frame of data to the GPU, which then renders the image to display on the screen. Once that image is there, the GPU sits idle for the next 8 seconds while it waits for the next frame from the CPU, with a resulting frame rate of .1 fps. 1 frame per 10 seconds, limited by the CPU.

What you want to do would be like replacing that hypothetical GPU with one that is twice as fast, capable of rendering a frame in one second, thinking this would speed up the fps. If nothing else changes, the CPU still sends a frame every 10 seconds, only the GPU now renders in 1 second and sits idle for 9 seconds. Your resulting frame rate would still be .1 fps limited by the CPU.

If instead you upgrade the CPU and optimize your settings better, let’s say that allows the CPU to send a frame of data every 2 seconds to match the original hypothetical GPU. Now the GPU is kept busy and you’ll see the frame rate jump to 2 fps. Even better if you can improve the CPU to less than 2 fps, because you tend to have less stutters when it’s the CPU waiting on the GPU and thus gives you more headroom for background processes that may interrupt the CPU now and then.

I wouldn’t worry about the RAM just yet. Upgrading it may help some, but I doubt it would be as drastic as others are saying based on my 16 GB running at 2666MHz and don’t have near the high frame times as you. Any benefit you do get from it would be minimal with the CPU being so bound up.

Btw, what is your FSLTL settings at?

[Pacific181]

@QuietLawyer4339

nvidia rtx 3070 graphics card, with 16GB of RAM would it be worth upgrading them

You will not miss much if you don’t upgrade the video card.
I have only a quite inferiour RTX 3060 in use. But it’ s more than sufficient.
With this card and all settings at maximum the sim runs perfectly smooth on my PC.

Bye, walter

[FlyerOneZero]

@QuietLawyer4339

Its mainly smoothness I’m after, sometimes I get a stable 30fps sometimes jumps high then it’ll drop down to 20-25FPS maybe even 17-18FPS. So I don’t know if it’s a case of a new cpu or just adding more ram . When on the high settings theres a lot of stuttering

Well, this thread has moved on a bit since I was last here, but I see you’re talking about thinking you need a better GPU because of stuttering. In fact, most stuttering is caused by main thread / CPU contention. Long frames are rarely down to GPU render times spiking.

My own recommendation would still be to upgrade to the fastest CPU and RAM you can afford. GPU would come later.

[Baracus250]

@ncbartschi

It’s an easy way to double performance. Artifacting can be an issue, but frame generation gets you 90% there in terms of performance vs inage quality.

This may not be the thread for this question, but can anyone please explain (or better yet, SHOW) what this artifacting actually looks like - in like a worst case example?

[nhc150]

@Baracus250

what this artifacting actually looks like - in like a worst case example?

It looks like a slight ghosting, especially when quickly panning. MSFS is relatively slow-paced, so artifacting isn’t that noticeable in my opinion.

There’s actually a MSFS example video halfway down the article:

Nvidia DLSS 3: Fake Frames or Big Gains?

[ResetXPDR]

Frame generation artificating is negligible in MSFS IMO and is a great way to double FPS of even the most CPU bound scenario with minimal noticeable visual quality degradation.

[QuietLawyer4339]

So basically look at getting a better CPU then? As far as FSTL goes just the default 90

[Mooncatt3953]

@QuietLawyer4339

So basically look at getting a better CPU then? As far as FSTL goes just the default 90

Unless you are willing to cut FSLTL down, yes. I run it at 40 and that seems to do ok. I still get to see and hear a fair bit of IRL traffic, with the added benefit of not being so crowded on the radio. Nothing worse than being given an instruction followed by a dozen b other radio messages for other aircraft before you catch a break to respond.

For CPU’s, the 5800x3d was amazing for the sim when it came out. The 7800x3d is due out in a month or so, which is expected to be the top gaming cpu this generation. I’ll either be getting that, or the 7700x (also no slouch).

[QuietLawyer4339]

Thanks for the advice, when it comes to computers I’m clueless at times, know what a majority of the parts do, but not if replacements are good, will be keeping a list of those CPU’S and I’ll try out the lower traffic thanks

[jpht1964]

You’re welcome. Succes with the upgrades…