Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a platform that aims to provide enhanced visuals and immersion in flight simulation. However, achieving this balance between graphical fidelity and optimal performance can be daunting due to the extensive graphical settings. Fortunately, YouTube channel Dwindling FPS has created a comprehensive guide to help users make informed decisions.
The video breaks down the most interesting findings from tweaking various settings. Terrain Level of Detail (LOD) is a crucial setting that governs how far the sim draws detailed terrain. While LOD 400 offers significant performance gains, the visual difference between LOD 200 and 300 is subtle. Scaling back this setting can save precious frames without compromising the experience.
Vegetation settings for trees, shrubs, and other greenery have a more noticeable impact on both visuals and performance than expected. The sweet spot for most simmers seems to be High for tree settings. However, plants at the Ultra setting come with a significant performance penalty of around 14%.
Terrain Shadows are another setting that can significantly impact visuals and FPS. Choosing values from OFF to 256 offers substantial improvements without substantial FPS hit.
Texture resolution is a relatively light setting in terms of performance impact. Whether you’re on Low, Medium, High, or Ultra, the FPS difference is minimal. Downloading the latest DLSS version for NVIDIA users can also enhance their experience.
Dwindling FPS provides a helpful table summarizing the FPS cost of each setting from lowest to highest value. This guide concludes with recommended “optimized settings” that balance performance and graphical fidelity. However, keep in mind that results may vary depending on your hardware configuration. Tweaking graphics is a process that requires experimentation, so be sure to try out different settings and find what works best for you.
Source: https://msfsaddons.com/2024/11/29/unlock-the-best-visuals-and-fps-in-msfs-2024-with-this-guide