Xbox Series X is struggling to run MSFS 2024 compared to PC

crazyfrogface · November 24, 2024, 1:45pm

So recently I have done an anlysis of the performance of the Xbox consoles (Series X, at least), as compared to my PC. Over the past few days, I’ve been trying to play MSFS 2024 on my Series X but unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that at the momnent, the game doesn’t play as smoothly and well as MSFS 2020. Previously I though that the blurriness, stuttering, freezing and crashing was the result of the wide-spread server issues. However upon testing MSFS 2024 on my PC, it seems the servers are not the problem. My PC (which is mid-range), isn’t experiencing any of those problems. I have an i5-10600K with a GTX 1660 and 16GB RAM, I can barely run medium settings at 30FPS. Yet it looks better than on console. I also have 1GB download speed, both on my console and PC.

I have therefore made a comparison post of the visuals between my Xbox and PC. Here is a screenshot of EGSS, in the same season and timing, from the same point of view. On the Series X:

It looks awful. Notice the missing pink texture glitch and the blurry emptiness in the far distance. At first I though this was due to the poor streaming.

And now, I show you the PC version of same extact screenshot. Same location, same circumstances, same point of view:

Looks way better, right?

This genuinely brings me to the conclusion that servers are not the problem. I am based in the UK, and I’d assume that if servers were the problem, the PC version would be struggling as well to stream all this data. But this just isn’t the case.

This is proof that Xbox Series X is struggling to run MSFS 2024, and clearly doesn’t look the same as PC.

3 reasons why that may be:

The hardware of the Series X just isn’t powerful enough to run MSFS 2024 as harsh as it may sound
The sim just isn’t utlising the console’s resources efficiently, and the game isn’t optimised very well
Lastly, there is a streaming problem but only related to Xbox consoles.

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EDIT #1: So after looking and doing some research, the console version of the sim may have something called “dynamic settings” enabled. What this means is, it affects the LODs in the sim and in order to maintain a stable frame rate, especially when the sim is struggling, the game will try to reduce LODs. That means a lower distance for details, and if LODs are really low, it could be the explanation for the blurries and lack of objects in the far distance.

msfs-2024

GIEI · November 24, 2024, 1:54pm

The pink texture does not necessarily have to be associated with Xbox.
I have the same problem in Italy over Bologna on PC.

TTVCaiTowers · November 24, 2024, 2:28pm

Im still getting the loading unusually long message

crazyfrogface · November 24, 2024, 2:48pm

Ahh, I guess it depends on the user. Personally I haven’t had that pink texture glitch on PC, neither experienced it on MSFS 2020 either. FS2024 is the first time I came across even it personally.

crazyfrogface · November 24, 2024, 2:49pm

Yea, it’s pretty clear that issue isn’t fixed

gazzalin0 · November 24, 2024, 6:48pm

I agree … 2024 is abolutely not fit for purpose on Series X and looks terrible, particularly when you consider the promised graphical upgrades. I think I’m gonna uninstall it for now and revert to 2020. Maybe I’ll come back to it at some stage

twenty4fan9O · November 24, 2024, 6:54pm

I’m on Xbox x and don’t get those pink issues

RealVillain01 · November 25, 2024, 9:20am

I had similar issues on my Xbox Series X as well. the game would crash on certain points especially in the menu and other parts of the flight. At first i thought it was the servers so i waited it out for a few days, then tried again still crashing and performance issues, with some similar to what you said. It’s really disappointing and it’s probably going to take them months to fix the game where as on that point i’d probably lose interest and forget about it.

Nikita · November 25, 2024, 11:21am

It would improve your comparison here if you shared you Rolling Cache settings. While I do not have a PC to compare to, I have a 32GB Rolling cache set-up for both 2020 and 2024. What are your Rolling Cache settings for your PC and Series X?

MetmanJeff · November 25, 2024, 11:51am

Really excited to get started on my XBox S - but I’ve tried many times per day since its release and haven’t managed a single flight without it crashing (I mean the software not my terrible aircraft handling). It’s just not usable. I’m seriously thinking of just giving up and going back to 2020. So glad I didn’t spend £200 on this like I nearly did. It’s like the developers never even tried running it on an Xbox to see if it works! Any suggestions would be welcome.

ForcedHeart8393 · November 25, 2024, 1:37pm

Yeap same here in UK, managed once to fly but last 2 days still stuck at loading 98%…

DanDaredum · November 25, 2024, 1:55pm

The planes aren’t optimized yet. I can fly a discovery flight and have smooth flights because I think everything is baked into the flight. However, if I fly the same plane in free flight, it’s not so smooth. Why that is, I don’t know. I can only fly Xplane with the controller. A mouse will put me into spinning cockpit. They have a lot of work to do. And we hear nothing.

FLYHiAL · November 25, 2024, 2:55pm

X Box Series X over here. Was only able to make it to the settings menu once since release date. Everyday Im hopeful I can get a flight in, but Im giving up. This release was a disaster waiting to happen since day 1. 150$ and I can’t even play the game. Everyday I’m stuck at 97%.

crazyfrogface · November 25, 2024, 3:02pm

That’s what I’m planning to do as well. I launched up MSFS 2020 on the Series X and the difference in visuals/graphics is unreal compared to FS2024. I heard there’s a trick to keep reinstalling FS2024 and eventually that might fix some problems, however I tested it and that isn’t really the case.

crazyfrogface · November 25, 2024, 3:03pm

Yup, just depends on the server I guess

crazyfrogface · November 25, 2024, 3:12pm

Not only that but I also noticed my Series X getting quite hot. I read in another review how some guy ended up having GPU issues after trying to play MSFS 2024 on their PC.

crazyfrogface · November 25, 2024, 3:13pm

Yup, especially the large/commercial jets. However the support team posted an update on Zendesk about a possible upcoming fix for FS2024 crashing when using those planes. That was early Monday morning.

crazyfrogface · November 25, 2024, 3:16pm

I had 8GB rolling cache on my PC and 16GB rolling cache on my Series X. I’ve tried increasing to 64GB cache on the console and I’m not sure whether it’s helped or if it’s a placebo effect, but the textures look slightly clearer

DanDaredum · November 25, 2024, 3:25pm

Just fix the fricken mouse first. It’s unplayable with a mouse on Xbox. Hopefully a patch soon. I’ts been nearly a week.

CalUKGR · November 25, 2024, 3:28pm

It’s taken MSFS 2020 4-5 years to get to where it is now on XBSX, which is in a good place, performing well, looking magnificent. I expect a similar (perhaps shorter) trajectory for MSFS 2024 on XBSX. This gigantic sim is a beast, after all, attempting to do a multiplicity of complex tasks simultaneously. It’s a minor miracle 2024 runs at all on XBSX (it does, but it’s plain to see there is much work ahead).

My approach is: I’ve bought 2024 for XBSX (Standard Edition - £70 is quite enough at this early stage). Now I’ll wait for incremental updates, playing on and off as it goes, but 2020 remains my flight sim of choice because it feels ‘complete’ (it isn’t, but that’s a whole other story) - i.e. 2020 on XBSX is highly functional and delivers, mostly, on its core promise.

2024 is a long-term investment. Things will take a while to improve. But that’s something to look forward to, rather than get too upset about.