Microsoft Flight Simulator Update 5 Improves Performance Tremendously, Available July 27th

[Raevenlord]

The upcoming Update 5 for the Asobo Studio-developed Microsoft Flight Simulator will be a welcome boon to any and all players of the simulator. The development studio has issued an update via YouTube describing the performance improvements they've seen with their latest work into the game engine, which has integrated DX 12 capability - taking advantage of its "closer to the metal" capabilities so as to improve performance.

The update is dropping on July 27th, the same time that the game will be made available on the Xbox family of consoles. One can easily construe a scenario where Update 5's DX 12 and performance optimizations were made mostly as a way to make the game perform better on Xbox console hardware - the game is absolutely capable of bringing the most powerful graphics cards in the world to their knees at high resolutions and highest quality settings. With the same hardware, quality settings and playable scenario, average performance went from 32-40 FPS before the update up to the 55-60 interval post Update 5 optimizations. The update sees CPU utilization dropping by 25%; memory usage drop by 50%; and GPU utilization climbs from 75% up to 100%. Look for the break for a video showcasing the latest version of Microsoft Flight Simulator - with Update 5 applied.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[wolf]

If this is true, it's huge for FS2020 performance across the board, it's so damn CPU heavy. Granted, this is a game where around the 30fps mark certainly appears smooth, but wouldn't any enthusiast prefer that to be much more like 60 (+)

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

If this is true, it's huge for FS2020 performance across the board, it's so damn CPU heavy. Granted, this is a game where around the 30fps mark certainly appears smooth, but wouldn't any enthusiast prefer that to be much more like 60 (+)

Indeed, crying out for another go after the 27th, can't wait.

 

[wolf]

Indeed, crying out for another go after the 27th, can't wait.

Last I tried it was at 2560x1080, with a GTX 1080 and 3700X, all 3 of those factors have had large increases, plus the software update....keeeeen!

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Last I tried it was at 2560x1080, with a GTX 1080 and 3700X, all 3 of those factors have had large increases, plus the software update....keeeeen!

Yeah I gave 4k ago on the Vega and 2060 laptop, I wasn't taken with the FPS, but now, well we will see.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Im surprised they didnt say that you needed to update to Windows 11 to unlock the extra performance.

 

[ThrashZone]

Im surprised they didnt say that you needed to update to Windows 11 to unlock the extra performance.

Hi,
Yep must have new direct storage lol

 

[Shazamy]

THIS much of a performance increase just means the game was horribly optimized to begin with and now they're admitting it

 

[RedelZaVedno]

THIS much of a performance increase just means the game was horribly optimized to begin with and now they're admitting it

I'd rather interpret it as ASOBO doing more miracles. Have you seen how many polygons sim needs to render over large cities plus add all the background calculations of plane instruments, flight physics, weather...? No current game comes close to what MS Flight simulator 2020 has achieved in very short development period. Not even highly complex sims like XPlane and DCS. Parallel programming is very hard, especially in such complex games as FS 2020, but if anyone can do it right, it's Asobo. They're one of the best developers in the world atm. That's why MS chose them in the first place.

 

[Franzen4Real]

Granted, this is a game where around the 30fps mark certainly appears smooth, but wouldn't any enthusiast prefer that to be much more like 60 (+)

True, it is not too bad currently playing on a monitor. VR users on the other hand will probably get the greatest benefit from the FPS boost.

 

[Tomorrow]

I'd rather interpret it as ASOBO doing more miracles. Have you seen how many polygons sim needs to render over large cities plus add all the background calculations of plane instruments, flight physics, weather...? No current game comes close to what MS Flight simulator 2020 has achieved in very short development period. Not even highly complex sims like XPlane and DCS. Parallel programming is very hard, especially in such complex games as FS 2020, but if anyone can do it right, it's Asobo. They're one of the best developers in the world atm. That's why MS chose them in the first place.

What is inexcusable however is launching without DX12 support. Considering the type of game and MS support they had then launching only with DX11 was a really bad decision.
I still remember back in the day FS being showcase for new DX version. 10.0 if i recall correctly.

 

[Octopuss]

I wonder what they did during the years of development (and what the hell did they even develop the game on anyway) that they didn't notice the performance was shit.

 

[watzupken]

I agree. Given how visually challenging the game is, the developers would have already known about the low performance in their testing. Midway, they should have address this DX 11 limitation, instead of waiting for a year to do so where interest in the game may have waned. While the game don't need high FPS to enjoy, it doesn't hurt that it can run at 60 FPS or higher for a better experience.

 

[simlife]

Im surprised they didnt say that you needed to update to Windows 11 to unlock the extra performance.

why (other then u being anti windows..) the article you read it for the future...and well moving forward... and you are anti windows the last one was free to upgrade too this one is as well... yeah free ...a 299 system that crushes the switch.. they have never been anti consumer or low income ppl i remember getting word ect with a student discount.

 

[Chomiq]

Im surprised they didnt say that you needed to update to Windows 11 to unlock the extra performance.

That will probably happen at some point since they'll probably want to use DirectStorage for this.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

That will probably happen at some point since they'll probably want to use DirectStorage for this.

They probably will. But i was being sarcastic as Microsoft locked DX12 to Windows 10 in the past to get people to transfer over. Microsoft later changed their tune from telling people that DX12 on Windows 7 'wasn't possible' to porting DX12 over to Windows 7 albeit only a few games were supported

 

[95Viper]

Stay on topic.
Stop the insults,

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