Hi there, I wanted to upgraded my gpu but not sure which one of these cards would perform better in msfs VR.
Price wise they are in the same ballpark, there are lots of reviews but it is hard to find reviews specifically to msfs vr.
Performance in other games or tasks don’t really concern me, I’m more interested in msfs vr.
What card should I pick?
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I was faced with the same choice just over a year ago and my research revealed that AMD drivers were not known for their stability or performance in VR at the time and DLSS was not supported, so I ended up going with nVidia and am very happy with my decision.
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I had VR (Reverb G2) with a 6900. Short: It was really bad. NVIDIA fixed my issues in VR.
Calculate you maximum budget for a GPU. Then add 20%. Buy the strongest nVidia card you can get with this budget. VR is very demanding when it comes to GPU. Even 4090 doesn’t allow all settings maxed in VR/MSFS (but even with some settings reduced and DLSS Quality the VR experience on a decent nVidia GPU is incomparable to 2D simming).
I’ve always used Nvidia gpu’s but when I look at reviews now the 7900 xtx seems to be equal or in most cases surpassing the xrt4080 (specially if ray tacing is not envisioned) and also has an extra 10 GB of memory but I don’t know enough about this to know if it is a big deal for VR, every time there are reviews they are always about regular games and not in VR, msfs is rarely mentioned.
I upgraded to a 7900 XTX about 6 months ago and it’s paired with a 7900x3D cpu and MSFS looks absolutely drop dead gorgeous on my Samsung 55" Qled monitor in 4k HDR10 
. I’ve been quite happy with my sim experience/immersion as I can easily hit over 200fps with frame generation on at altitude and 120fps over NYC and other high detail areas (AI traffic set to <50% and no other add-ons and yes I get some stutters). Having said this, I’ve been intrigued by the countless simmers who swear VR is a game changer.
I was gifted a Quest 3 for Xmas and while I had not researched VR much prior to getting the Q3 for obvious reasons, I jumped in with both feet. I have a strong computer background and have been spending a lot of time tweaking and fine tuning. The conclusions that I have come to after 4 weeks is:
- As you mentioned above, you’re not going to find a wealth of info online regarding VR and a 7900 XTX or any AMD gpu in general. In the beginning, AMD had driver issues with VR (which they mostly fixed last summer) so most people went with Nvidia.
- Due to the point above, I’m still searching for my “holy grail” VR settings in MSFS that I am happy with, but my journey continues
. - In my opinion so far, if you spend the majority of your time in the cockpit flying versus using the external camera then VR is fantastic - very clear and immersive. If you spend a lot of time using the external camera enjoying the countryside/sightseeing then you might be disappointed. For me, it just doesn’t come close to my big 55" Qled in 4k HDR.
Even though the 7900 XTX is an awesome gpu, my recommendation would be to go with Nvidia if you want to do primarily VR as there is a wealth of info out there on best settings and the like. This forum is a great place to start with many experienced VR simmers who are very helpful!
Edit: I would also recommend that you make your purchases from a retailer which has a reasonable return period if you change your mind on the VR headset or gpu.
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I had the Quest 2 and struggled a lot with it, one day everything is perfect next day couldn’t get anything out of it in msfs.
The Quest 3 started getting really good reviews for msfs so I decided to give it a try, while waiting for the quest 3 to arrive I decided to try several settings that I saw online for the Quest3 and I finally got the Quest 2 to work really well once the 3 arrived everything is smooth and looks good, far from perfect but for what I was used to this was 200% better
So I’m happy with the settings and performance the only issue I’m having is with some aircraft (320 flybywire in particular) and heavy paid airports my gpu goes to 100% of usage and msfs will freeze in VR.
So I’m hoping by upgrading the gpu it can handle my current settings without going up to 100%
By the way my current gpu is a rtx3080
I would highly recommend that you determine if the issue is lack of gpu Vram so as you can ensure your new gpu will hit the mark with sufficient Vram for your needs. MSFS has always taken any gpu that I’ve ever used (including my 7900 XTX) to 100% utilization and that’s not a bad thing. Adjusting sim settings, resolution, refresh rates and using features like DLSS/FSR upscaling can fine tune gpu loading.
I’m still early on in the VR learning curve so perhaps someone else could add some more color here.
Simple, you want no worries…
Go for a 4090 and never look back…
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I know but I refuse to give that much money for a 4090 I already feel somewhat stupid giving a $1000 for a gpu😁
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Know the feeling and had the same resistance. But I lost the battle and I happy I did 
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Same, will go for the 7900XTX probably this month. Well capable card, don’t mind some compromises if I need to…
You will be going against the consensus, that Nvidia is better tested by VR headset developers.
Yep, I already have an AMD card(6800XT) so I know what to expect. I’m pleased with my card so far, nvidia may be better but I’m enjoying VR and will still enjoy it with a 7900XTX.
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Btw - if you live in an area by a Micro Center store, they sell open box video cards (along with other items) at a discount. These are products that have been returned within their 30 return window so nothings been running in a crypto farm for 6 months.
I got my gpu for about 15% less and with the same warranty and have been very happy with it. Done the same thing with motherboards and other items and all has worked out well. Can’t buy one through the web so in-store purchase only - sales people are very good and will let you inspect it before buying.
Happy flying! 
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Micro Center now is also buying old GPUs (at a big loss) but does help lowering the price of a new card
VR in 4k is VRAM hog. A year ago I was going back and forth between a 7900xtx and the 4080. I ended up keeping the 7900xtx simply due to its VRAM generosity.
I play both MSFS and DCS so the more VRAM is the better.
In these games I’ve seen as much as close 19gb or even 20gb being walloped during the peak of the actions.
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In case it helps anyone I got the 4080 super and it was well worth it for VR, I see a big improvement, not much for desktop but I have a 1080p monitor and my old Rtx 3080 did fine with that.
I did encounter a big problem, my computer sits on top of my desk and for some reason after installing the 4080 super I started getting some interference with the quest 3 it took me some time to figure it out but with trial and error and some suggestions here in the forum I discovered by putting a wire mesh panel in front of the computer solved the problem.
You must be reading my mind. I have struggled with Quest 3 - sent it back - now PIMAX Crystal - still have my trusty HP Reverb to calm me down while AMD, OPENXR and whatever vendor I’m wearing on my face as I plow through the skies try to work together- they all work at 30,00 feet. I would like to see a helmet HMD like aircraft carrier pilots and others wear - spent 10 years launching aircraft from the decks of numerous carriers so maybe just trying to relive the past a bit…
Current rig is AMD Ryzen 9 7950 X3D 16 core with AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24 Gb. Contemplating NVIDIA GPU but unsure how it would pair with Ryzen CPU.
One day the VR visuals are stunning and the next day it looks like I’m flying over camouflaged cities no matter which msfs settings I am using or which display I have strapped to my head. I always stress test new settings over New York City and have begun to think that city actually looks burned out in reality, but I digress. Then, to relieve my frustration I fly out West - Arizona and Utah -
I put in vendor tickets from time to time just to start a finger pointing war between corporate vendors - while tech support means well and has our best interest at heart (they are on the front lines of this tech battle) nothing will be resolved as soon as we would like bc they all have their preset design and production timelines - the marketing works 100% bc we keep buying it anticipating that we receive 100% satisfaction - if they gave us NIRVANA (great name for the HMD that delivers) they would have to shut down shop bc we would all be there - Nirvana that is.
I’m a retired US Navy Chief, college instructor and chief technical analyst for Wide Area Networks (WAN) and once upon a time certified tailwheel private pilot on Kitfox 5 who suffered from a bout of vertigo - probably from working across 4 large screen LCD panels 20 hours a day configuring Cisco WAN security across our great Nation for DOVA…longing to be “in the air” again with a vertigo free environment I took up VR and while it has been a satisfying journey I keep thinking I can tweak a better experience but the long wait times for MSFS loads and holding my tongue just right by setting up all the ancillary tools of the OPEN XR variety take a toll on the overall experience…yet I trudge along as we all do.
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Works perfectly well together (in my case 7800x3D and 4090).