To optimize Windows 11 for X-Plane 12 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, you need to focus on system performance, latency reduction, and stability.

1. Windows 11 Optimization

The best way to get rid of system bloatware by default is to install the pro for workstations version, it’s clean as it should be.

1. Disable Unnecessary Background Processes

• Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) > Startup Apps and disable anything unnecessary.
• Use MSConfig (Win + R > “msconfig”) > Services, check Hide all Microsoft services, then disable unnecessary third-party services (e.g., Adobe, Google Update, etc.).
• Run powercfg -h off in Command Prompt (Admin) to disable hibernation and free up disk space.

2. Set High-Performance Power Plan

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options and select High Performance or Ultimate Performance (use powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61 to enable it if missing).

3. Disable Core Isolation & Virtualization-Based Security (VBS)

Unsecure setup! only use on dedicated simulation computer!

• Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Device Security
• Disable Memory Integrity and Virtual Machine Platform (reboot required).

4. Turn Off Windows Game Mode & Xbox Services

• Settings > Gaming > Game Mode, turn OFF.
• Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for Xbox-related apps and uninstall or disable background activity.

5. Disable Windows Automatic Updates While Playing

• Use Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc):
  • Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
  • Enable “Do not include drivers with Windows Updates” and “Configure Automatic Updates” > Disabled

2. GPU & Display Optimization

6. AMD Radeon 7900 XTX Optimization

6.1. 1. BIOS & System-Level Optimizations

6.1.1. Enable Resizable BAR (ReBAR)

• BIOS > Advanced > PCIe Settings
• Enable Above 4G Decoding & Resizable BAR (SAM - Smart Access Memory).
• Check activation in AMD Adrenalin > Performance > Tuning > Advanced View.

6.1.2. Set PCIe to Gen4 (If Needed)

• If experiencing stutters, ensure PCIe Slot Mode is Gen4 (not Auto).

6.2. 2. AMD Adrenalin Settings

Open AMD Adrenalin (Right-click Desktop > AMD Software).

6.2.1. Graphics Settings

• Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) → Disabled (Unless GPU-Bound)
• Anti-Lag+ → Enabled (Lowers input delay)
• Chill → Disabled
• Boost → Disabled
• Radeon Image Sharpening (RIS) → Enabled (50-80% for clarity)
• Wait for Vertical Refresh (V-Sync) → Always OFF (Use in-game settings if needed)
• Frame Rate Target Control → Off (Unless using VRR, then match refresh rate)

6.2.2. Advanced Settings

• Tessellation Mode → Override Application → x8 (Balanced Performance/Visuals)
• Texture Filtering Quality → Performance
• Anisotropic Filtering → 16x (Improves clarity in flight sims)

6.3. 3. GPU Undervolting (Lower Temps, More Stable FPS)

Step 1: Find Stable Voltage

1. Open AMD Adrenalin > Performance > Tuning > Manual.
2. Under Voltage Control, lower voltage from 1150mV to 975-1050mV.
3. Apply & test stability in 3DMark Timespy / X-Plane 12 / MSFS 2024.

Step 2: Optimize Power Limit

1. Increase Power Limit to +10% (allows better boost clocks).
2. Adjust GPU Clock to 2700-2850MHz (depends on silicon quality).

Step 3: Fine-Tune VRAM

1. Set VRAM Clock to 2750-2850MHz.
2. Test Stable Timing by enabling Fast Timing Mode (only for Samsung/Good VRAM chips).

6.4. 4. Cooling & Thermal Optimization

6.4.1. Adjust Fan Curve for Better Temps

• Open AMD Adrenalin > Performance > Tuning > Fan Curve
• Set:
  • 0-50°C → 30% Fan Speed
  • 50-70°C → 60% Fan Speed
  • 70-85°C → 80%+ Fan Speed (Keep GPU under 85°C for best stability).

6.4.2. Replace Stock Thermal Pads (If Needed)

• The 7900 XTX Reference Model has bad hotspot issues.
• If hotspot temps exceed 110°C, replace VRAM thermal pads (1.5mm, 2.0mm on backplate).

6.5. 5. Windows & DirectX Optimizations

6.5.1. Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)

• Settings > System > Display > Graphics
• Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling.

6.5.2. Disable MPO (Multiplane Overlay) to Prevent Stutters

1. Open Regedit (Win + R > regedit)
2. Go to:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Dwm
3. Create a DWORD (32-bit) Value named OverlayTestMode
4. Set its value to 00000005 and restart.

6.6. 6. VR Optimization (For Meta Quest 3 / OpenXR)

7. Enable OpenXR for Better VR Performance

1. Open AMD Adrenalin > Gaming > Global Graphics
2. Enable “Radeon Enhanced Sync” (Helps with frame pacing in VR).
3. Use OpenXR Toolkit:
   • Fixed Foveated Rendering → Enabled
   • Turbo Mode → Enabled
   • FSR 2.1 Upscaling → Set 80-90% render scale for better performance.

8. Enable DX12 + FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR)

• In MSFS 2024:
  • Set DirectX 12 Mode
  • Enable FSR 2.1 Quality Mode for better VR performance.

8.1. 7. In-Game Optimization

8.1.1. X-Plane 12 (Vulkan Mode)

• Rendering API → Vulkan (Not OpenGL)
• Cloud Detail → Medium (Avoid Ultra for FPS stability)
• Reflection Detail → Low (Major FPS gain in flight sims)
• Anti-Aliasing → FXAA or 2x MSAA (Higher settings hit FPS hard in VR)

8.1.2. MSFS 2024 (DX12 + AMD Optimized Settings)

• TAA (Not DLSS, Since Radeon GPUs Don’t Support It)
• Texture Resolution → High
• Volumetric Clouds → Medium (Ultra Kills FPS in VR)
• LOD Scaling → 100-150 (Avoid 200+ in VR)

9. NVIDIA Users

• Power Management Mode → Prefer maximum performance
• Low Latency Mode → On (or Ultra for lowest latency, but test for stability)
• Threaded Optimization → On
• Vertical Sync → Off (unless using G-Sync/Freesync)
• Texture Filtering - Quality → High Performance
• Max Frame Rate → Set if using VR to match headset refresh rate

10. Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)

• Settings > System > Display > Graphics
• Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling

11. Disable Fullscreen Optimizations & Enable High DPI Scaling

• Locate X-Plane.exe and FlightSimulator.exe, right-click → Properties > Compatibility
• Disable fullscreen optimizations
• Change High DPI Settings → Override high DPI scaling behavior → Set to Application

3. CPU & RAM Optimization

12. Disable CPU Parking & SMT (if needed)

• Use ParkControl (by Bitsum) to disable CPU core parking.
• If using an AMD CPU, test disabling SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading) in BIOS for better latency.

13. Enable ReBAR (Resizable BAR)

• Ensure Resizable BAR is enabled in BIOS for better GPU performance.

14. Overclock & Tune RAM

• If using EXPO/XMP, enable it in BIOS to maximize memory speed.
• If comfortable with overclocking, tighten RAM timings using DRAM Calculator for Ryzen (if AMD) or Intel XTU.

4. Storage Optimization

15. Use an NVMe SSD for the Games

• Ensure X-Plane 12 and MSFS 2024 are installed on a fast NVMe SSD to reduce loading times.
• Defragment HDDs, but do not defragment SSDs.

15.1. Increase Pagefile Size (Virtual Memory)

• Settings > System > About > Advanced system settings
• Performance > Advanced > Virtual Memory
• Set Custom Size:
  • Minimum: 1.5x your RAM size
  • Maximum: 3x your RAM size
• If using an NVMe SSD, set the pagefile there for best performance.

5. VR Optimization (For Quest 3 or Other Headsets)

Since you’re using VR with MSFS 2024 and X-Plane 12:

16. Oculus/Meta Quest 3

• Use Air Link with H.265 enabled (if using wireless).
• Oculus Debug Tool (ODT): Set Encode Bitrate (Mbps) to 300+ for high-quality visuals.
• Set Encode Resolution Width to 1.3x or 1.5x native resolution for better clarity.

17. SteamVR Settings

• Set Motion Smoothing to Disabled (can cause stutters).
• Render Resolution: Keep close to native resolution to avoid GPU bottlenecks.

18. OpenXR Toolkit

• Install OpenXR Toolkit to tweak render scale and enable foveated rendering for extra FPS.

6. Network & Online Performance

19. Disable Network Throttling

• Open Regedit (Win + R > regedit)
• Navigate to:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile
  • Set NetworkThrottlingIndex to FFFFFFFF (disable throttling).
• Navigate to:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile\Tasks\Games
  • Set GPU Priority to 8 and Priority to 6.

20. Prioritize Flight Sim Traffic (QoS)

• If using a high-end router with QoS (like Ubiquiti), prioritize MSFS & X-Plane traffic.

7. In-Game Settings Optimization

21. X-Plane 12

• CPU-Bound Users: Lower Objects Density & Shadows.
• GPU-Bound Users: Lower Anti-Aliasing (SSAO) & Volumetric Clouds.
• Disable Vulkan Debugging (in settings.txt) to reduce stutters.

22. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

• Turn off AI Traffic & Multiplayer Traffic for better FPS.
• Reduce Terrain Level of Detail (LOD) to 100-150 for CPU gains.
• Set Texture Resolution to High (not Ultra) for VR.
• Use DX12 + DLSS/FSR for better GPU performance.

I recommend You to monitor FPS with CapFrameX and fine-tuning VR settings with OpenXR Toolkit.

BIOS Tuning

BIOS tuning can significantly improve performance, reduce stutters, and optimize CPU/GPU usage—especially for VR.

1. CPU Optimization (AMD & Intel)

23. For AMD (Ryzen 5000/7000/8000 Series)

23.1. Enable Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO)

1. Enter BIOS (Press Del or F2 during boot).
2. Navigate to Advanced > AMD Overclocking > Precision Boost Overdrive.
   • Set PBO to Advanced
   • Set PBO Scalar to 10X
   • Set Max CPU Boost Override to +200 MHz
   • Set Platform Thermal Limit to 90-95°C (lower if you want quieter cooling).
3. Curve Optimizer (Undervolting)
   • Navigate to Curve Optimizer
   • Set All Cores to Negative 15 to 30 (test stability with Cinebench).
   • If unstable, reduce to Negative 15 or 10.
4. Enable Eco Mode (Optional)
   • If temperatures are too high, set PPT/TDC/EDC to 100W/80A/120A for a balance of performance and efficiency.

23.2. Enable EXPO (For DDR5 RAM)

• Enable EXPO/XMP (DOCP for ASUS, EXPO for AMD).
• Test memory stability with TM5 (Anta777 Extreme preset) or MemTest86.
• If crashes occur, increase VSOC Voltage to 1.2V or reduce EXPO frequency.

For Intel (12th, 13th, 14th Gen)

24. Enable XMP (RAM Overclocking)

1. Go to BIOS > AI Tweaker (or Overclocking settings).
2. Enable XMP Profile 1 (or 2 if unstable).

25. Undervolt via Intel XTU / BIOS

1. Intel Adaptive Undervolt (For 13th/14th Gen)

   • Go to BIOS > CPU Core Voltage → Set Offset Mode to Adaptive.
   • Start with -0.05V, test stability, then push to -0.1V to -0.15V.

2. Disable E-Cores (For Pure Gaming)

   • If CPU bottlenecking occurs, disable Efficiency Cores (E-Cores) in BIOS > CPU Configuration.

26. Power Limits (PL1/PL2)

• Set PL1/PL2 to 253W (or limit to 150W for cooler operation).
• Disable Intel TVB (Thermal Velocity Boost) if temps exceed 90°C.

2. GPU Optimization (NVIDIA RTX 3000/4000 Series)

27. Enable Resizable BAR (ReBAR)

1. Enable Above 4G Decoding (BIOS > PCIe Settings).
2. Enable Resizable BAR (ReBAR).
3. Ensure ReBAR is active via NVIDIA Control Panel > System Information.

28. Undervolt GPU for Cooler & More Stable Performance

Using MSI Afterburner:

1. Open MSI Afterburner > Curve Editor (Ctrl+F).
2. Find your max stable frequency (e.g., 2800 MHz @ 950mV).
3. Flatten the curve above your stable voltage to reduce power draw & temperatures.
4. Save & test in Heaven Benchmark or 3DMark Timespy.

3. Storage & PCIe Optimization

29. Enable PCIe Gen4/5

1. In BIOS > Advanced > PCIe Settings, ensure:
   • PCIe Link Speed = Gen4 or Gen5 (if supported).
   • NVMe SSD Mode = High-Performance Mode (if available).

30. Enable Write Caching for NVMe SSDs

1. Device Manager > Disk Drives > NVMe SSD > Policies
2. Enable “Enable write caching on this device”

4. Cooling & Fan Curves

30.1. Custom Fan Curves (For CPU & GPU)

• Set aggressive fan curves in BIOS > Q-Fan (ASUS) / Smart Fan (Gigabyte).
• Adjust GPU Fan Curve via MSI Afterburner to keep temps below 70°C for optimal performance.

5. Low-Latency BIOS Settings (For Flight Sim VR)

• C-States → Disabled
• Global C-States → Disabled (AMD only)
• Hyperthreading (Intel) / SMT (AMD) → Enabled
• Spread Spectrum → Disabled (for better stability)
• HPET (High Precision Event Timer) → Disabled in BIOS + bcdedit /deletevalue useplatformclock

Final Steps: Test & Validate

1. Check Performance Gains

   • Use CapFrameX to log FPS & frametime stability in X-Plane 12 / MSFS 2024.
   • Compare before & after optimizations.

2. Stability Testing

   • Run Cinebench R23 (30 min loop) for CPU stability.
   • Use Heaven Benchmark (Loop 20 min) for GPU stability.

8. Monitor & Validate Performance

31. Monitor GPU Usage & Temps

• Use CapFrameX or Radeon Metrics Overlay (Ctrl+Shift+O).

32. Test for Stutter-Free VR

• Run 3DMark VRMark to test frame consistency.

Final Words

Congratulations! ✅ Higher FPS & lower frametimes
✅ Cooler temperatures & lower power draw
✅ Smoother VR performance with reduced stutters