Graphics Settings Explained
Estimated Lesson Time: 15–20 minutes
Lesson Overview
Welcome to Module 3 of the Performance Academy.
In Module 1, we learnt how Microsoft Flight Simulator uses your PC hardware.
In Module 2, we prepared Windows, drivers, power plans, storage, background applications and monitoring tools.
Now we are ready to move into one of the most important parts of the entire course:
Microsoft Flight Simulator graphics settings.
This is the module where we begin adjusting the simulator itself.
Many users open the graphics menu and feel overwhelmed. There are dozens of settings, and it is not always clear what each one does.
Some settings affect the CPU.
Some affect the GPU.
Some affect VRAM.
Some affect RAM.
Some mainly affect visual quality.
Some barely affect performance at all.
The goal of this module is to explain every major graphics setting clearly, so you understand what each one does, what hardware it affects, and how to choose the right balance for your own PC.
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will understand:
- Why graphics settings matter.
- The relationship between graphics quality and performance.
- The difference between CPU-bound and GPU-bound settings.
- Why every PC needs different settings.
- How we will optimise step by step throughout this module.
1. Why Graphics Settings Matter
Graphics settings control how Microsoft Flight Simulator looks and performs.
They affect:
- Visual clarity
- Smoothness
- FPS
- Frame pacing
- Texture quality
- Draw distance
- Cloud quality
- Lighting
- Shadows
- Reflections
- Cockpit readability
- Airport detail
- Scenery density
Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the most visually impressive simulators available, but that realism comes at a performance cost.
Every extra building, cloud, shadow, reflection, tree, texture and aircraft detail must be processed by your PC.
That means graphics settings are not just about making the simulator look better.
They also determine how hard your hardware has to work.
Example
If you increase cloud quality, the sky may look more realistic.
However, your GPU has to render more complex volumetric clouds.
If you increase Terrain LOD, the world may look detailed further into the distance.
However, your CPU has to process more terrain and scenery data.
If you increase texture resolution, aircraft and airports may look sharper.
However, your GPU may use more VRAM.
Every setting has a trade-off.
That is what this module is designed to teach.
2. Graphics Quality vs Performance
Optimisation is not about turning everything to Low.
It is also not about forcing everything to Ultra.
Good optimisation is about balance.
The best settings are the ones that give you the best combination of:
- Visual quality
- Smoothness
- Stability
- FPS
- Frame pacing
- Hardware temperature
- Long-term reliability
A simulator running at Ultra settings but constantly stuttering is not properly optimised.
A simulator running at Low settings with high FPS but poor visuals may also not be enjoyable.
The goal is to create a simulator that looks good, feels smooth, and remains stable.
The Balance Question
For every graphics setting, we ask:
- Does this setting improve visual quality?
- How noticeable is the difference?
- Does it affect CPU, GPU, VRAM or RAM?
- How much performance does it cost?
- Is the visual improvement worth the performance cost?
- Does this setting matter for the type of flying I do?
That final question is important.
A low-altitude VFR pilot may care more about terrain and scenery detail.
An airline pilot may care more about airports, cockpit smoothness and performance on approach.
A VR user may care more about frame consistency and reduced latency.
A 4K user may care more about GPU load and anti-aliasing.
There is no single perfect setup for everyone.
3. Understanding CPU-Bound Settings
A CPU-bound setting is a setting that mainly increases workload on the processor.
The CPU handles the simulation side of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
It calculates:
- Terrain loading
- Object placement
- AI traffic
- Ground traffic
- Glass cockpit updates
- Aircraft systems
- Physics
- Weather logic
- Airport activity
When a setting increases the amount of world data or simulation activity, it usually affects the CPU.
Examples of CPU-heavy settings
Common CPU-heavy areas include:
- Terrain Level of Detail
- Object Level of Detail
- AI Traffic
- Ground Aircraft Density
- Airport Vehicle Density
- Road Traffic
- Glass Cockpit Refresh Rate
- Photogrammetry-heavy areas
- Large handcrafted or payware airports
These settings can increase Main Thread workload.
If your simulator is MainThread limited, reducing certain CPU-heavy settings may improve smoothness.
CPU-bound Example
Imagine you are parked at Heathrow in a complex airliner.
There are:
- AI aircraft
- Ground vehicles
- Terminal buildings
- Jetways
- Glass cockpit displays
- Weather calculations
- Navigation systems
- Scenery objects
Your CPU must calculate all of that before the GPU can render the next frame.
If the CPU becomes overloaded, the GPU may sit waiting.
That is why you can sometimes have low FPS even when your GPU usage is not at 100%.
4. Understanding GPU-Bound Settings
A GPU-bound setting is a setting that mainly increases workload on the graphics card.
The GPU renders what you see on screen.
It handles:
- Resolution
- Clouds
- Shadows
- Reflections
- Lighting
- Textures
- Anti-aliasing
- Ambient occlusion
- Water
- Post-processing effects
When a setting increases the visual complexity of the image, it usually affects the GPU.
Examples of GPU-heavy settings
Common GPU-heavy areas include:
- Resolution
- Render Scaling
- Cloud Quality
- Shadow Maps
- Reflections
- Ambient Occlusion
- Anti-Aliasing
- Texture Resolution
- Contact Shadows
- Water Waves
- Light Shafts
- Bloom
If your GPU utilisation is near 95–100%, lowering certain GPU-heavy settings may improve FPS.
GPU-bound Example
Imagine flying through heavy clouds at 4K resolution.
Your GPU has to render:
- Millions of pixels
- Volumetric clouds
- Lighting
- Shadows
- Reflections
- Anti-aliasing
- Cockpit detail
If the GPU is fully loaded, the CPU may be ready with the next frame, but the graphics card is still busy rendering.
That is a GPU bottleneck.
5. Some Settings Affect Multiple Areas
Not every setting fits perfectly into one category.
Some settings affect several parts of the PC at once.
For example:
Texture Resolution mainly affects VRAM, but if VRAM becomes full, it can cause stutters and affect overall performance.
Photogrammetry can affect CPU, RAM, storage, and network connection.
Traffic settings can affect CPU, RAM, and sometimes GPU.
Large airports can affect CPU, GPU, VRAM, RAM, and storage all at once.
This is why performance optimisation must be measured properly.
You cannot simply guess.
You need to understand what each setting does and then test it on your own system.
6. Why Every PC Needs Different Settings
This is one of the most important lessons in the entire course.
There is no universal “best settings” preset.
Two people may both play Microsoft Flight Simulator, but their systems may be completely different.
One person may have:
- RTX 3060
- Ryzen 5
- 16GB RAM
- 1080p monitor
Another person may have:
- RTX 5080
- Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- 32GB RAM
- 4K monitor
Those two systems should not use the same settings.
Different hardware creates different limits
A weaker CPU may struggle with Terrain LOD and traffic.
A weaker GPU may struggle with clouds, shadows and high resolution.
Low VRAM may struggle with high textures and complex airports.
Low RAM may struggle with large add-on libraries.
A slow drive may cause longer loading and scenery delays.
A laptop may need more careful temperature management than a desktop.
This is why copying someone else’s settings can be misleading.
Their settings are tuned for their PC, not yours.
7. How We Will Optimise Step By Step
Throughout Module 3, we will work through the graphics settings logically.
We will not randomly change everything at once.
For each major setting, we will explain:
- What the setting does.
- What it changes visually.
- Which hardware it affects.
- Whether it is mainly CPU, GPU, VRAM or RAM intensive.
- When to increase it.
- When to reduce it.
- What type of system benefits from each option.
- How to test it properly.
This gives you control.
By the end of this module, you should understand your own settings rather than relying on someone else’s preset.
8. The Module 3 Testing Method
Before changing settings, remember your baseline from Module 1.
Use the same:
- Airport
- Aircraft
- Weather preset
- Resolution
- Camera view
- Test route
After adjusting settings, compare:
- Average FPS
- Lowest FPS
- Highest FPS
- Frame pacing
- MainThread limitation
- GPU limitation
- Stutters
- Visual quality
This allows you to see what actually improved.
9. The Golden Rule For Graphics Optimisation
Change one area at a time.
For example:
Do not change Terrain LOD, Clouds, DLSS, Shadows, Traffic and Resolution all at once.
If performance improves, you will not know which setting helped.
If performance gets worse, you will not know which setting caused it.
Instead:
Change one setting.
Test.
Record results.
Compare.
Then move on.
This is how professional optimisation works.
Student Task
Before continuing to Lesson 2, complete this short preparation task.
Write down:
- Your current graphics preset.
- Your current resolution.
- Whether you are usually MainThread limited or GPU limited.
- Your biggest issue: low FPS, stutters, poor visuals, blurry image, bad performance at airports, poor performance in clouds, or something else.
- What type of flying you do most: airliners, GA, VFR, IFR, helicopters, VR, or long-haul.
This information will help you make better choices as we move through the graphics settings.
Lesson Summary
Congratulations.
You have now started Module 3.
In this lesson, you learnt that graphics settings are not just about making the simulator look better.
They directly affect performance, smoothness, hardware load and stability.
Remember:
- Some settings mainly affect the CPU.
- Some settings mainly affect the GPU.
- Some settings affect VRAM, RAM, storage or network performance.
- Higher settings are not always better.
- Lower settings are not always necessary.
- Every PC needs different settings.
- Optimisation should be done step by step.
- Always test against your performance baseline.
In the next lesson, we will begin with the display settings, including resolution, full screen mode, refresh rate, V-Sync and monitor considerations.