What is my bottleneck?

[Napascj]

Hi guys, I'm wondering if you have any suggestions on what is holding back my frames in the following scenarios. I am using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 so be aware this is not another '4K 144Hz' application you might all be used to. I'm running at 1080p and have the following specs:

 

- Intel Core i7-10700K - stock 3.8 GHz, always boosts to 4.8 GHz

- 32 GB RAM @ 2400 MHz

- NVIDIA GTX 1070 Ti running at 2063 MHz (VRAM not overclocked)

- 850W PSU

 

Temperatures don't seem to be an issue here with the GPU reaching a maximum 70c and CPU 55c. I understand my RAM is slow and this may be a factor. The 2 situations are as follows, external/outside view and cockpit view. The issue is primarily in intensive glass cockpit display airliners. Here's the average results I have noted:

 

External views:

GPU usage 100%

CPU usage 35%

RAM usage 55% ~17GB

VRAM usage 62%

Frames: 40-55fps

 

Internal Cockpit view:

GPU usage 55-65% 

CPU usage 60%

RAM usage 55% ~17 GB

VRAM usage 60-90% (Typically more towards 60%. In one case this was nearly fully utilised, location dependant)

Frames: 35fps

 

I can see in the external view that clearly the GPU is being fully utilised and therefore the bottleneck. However, with the cockpit view, most of these processes are averaging 60% usage. Sometimes the VRAM usage is high, but the majority of the time it is also around 60-70% utilisation. So what exactly is holding back the frames in cockpit view? Do you think it could be the slower RAM speed? Would overclocking my VRAM make a significant difference? Thanks in advance.

[Skiiwee29]

Honestly, its the game. Its a very large open world so constant drawing/updates. Its a notoriously low FPS game last I checked because of this. 

[Tamesh16]

Yeah gotta agree with @Skiiwee29 this a very demanding game

[Heliian]

Sounds like it's running as it should, can you download some faster ram? 

[Entropy.]

25 minutes ago, Napascj said:

Hi guys, I'm wondering if you have any suggestions on what is holding back my frames in the following scenarios. I am using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 so be aware this is not another '4K 144Hz' application you might all be used to. I'm running at 1080p and have the following specs:

 

- Intel Core i7-10700K - stock 3.8 GHz, always boosts to 4.8 GHz

- 32 GB RAM @ 2400 MHz

- NVIDIA GTX 1070 Ti running at 2063 MHz (VRAM not overclocked)

- 850W PSU

 

Temperatures don't seem to be an issue here with the GPU reaching a maximum 70c and CPU 55c. I understand my RAM is slow and this may be a factor. The 2 situations are as follows, external/outside view and cockpit view. The issue is primarily in intensive glass cockpit display airliners. Here's the average results I have noted:

 

You're using a 1070ti- a upper mid-range card that's over 4 years old- and are playing perhaps the most demanding and unoptimized game that came out of 2020. MSFS2020 can bring a binned rtx 3090 on water to it's knees at 4k. It looks like It's running pretty well for what you have. I assume the 1070ti is a placeholder for a 3000 series GPU? 

[Entropy.]

6 minutes ago, Heliian said:

Sounds like it's running as it should, can you download some faster ram? 

i think you can do that on ebay

[camieabz]

You'll find that most flight simmers are happy with 30-50 FPS, and especially in scenery-crowded areas. Fast RAM can't hurt, but it won't be world-beating. You might get another 10% on your FPS, taking 40-55fps to 45-60fps, or taking 35fps to 39fps.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I tend to tune down my flight sim game until my average FPS is 40-50fps. 60fps isn't really required, unless you're playing something like DCS. I would look at reducing one or two key settings to see any effect on fps. Maybe it's something cockpit-specific, such as effect of weather on the window.

 

Have a tinker with some of the settings mentioned here - https://www.shacknews.com/article/119932/microsoft-flight-simulator-2020-graphics-and-settings-guide

 

(Sorry, not got MSFS myself yet. Still on X-Plane 11)

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to PC Gaming

[Napascj]

Thanks @Skiiwee29 @Tamesh16 @Brok3n But who cares? @camieabz for the responses. I suppose the sim is just very intensive indeed! I hadn't really considered my GPU being so old by now. It was a pricey investment when it was launched 3 years ago and since I primarily use this only for flight simming I struggle to justify renewing a card every couple of years when that's its only purpose. But I guess it may be showing its age already on such a new and intense application!