Get the best MSFS 2024 graphics settings for an RTX 4070 at 1080p, 1440p and 4K, including DLSS, Frame Generation, LOD and texture values.
On a desktop RTX 4070, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is best balanced at 1440p using the High-End preset, DLSS Quality or DLAA, Frame Generation on, Ultra textures, High clouds, Terrain LOD 150 and Object LOD 100. For 4K, use DLSS Quality and reduce clouds, shadows and terrain detail before textures.
Recommended RTX 4070 settings for MSFS 2024
For a desktop RTX 4070, 2560×1440 is the sweet spot for cockpit clarity, detailed scenery and stable frame times. Start with the High-End preset at your monitor's native resolution, switch to Custom, and then apply the settings below.
| Monitor resolution | Anti-aliasing or upscaling | Frame Generation | Main adjustments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920×1080 | DLAA, or TAA at 100% scaling | Optional | Ultra textures, High or Ultra clouds, Terrain LOD 150–200 |
| 2560×1440 | DLSS Quality; use DLAA when performance permits | On | Ultra textures, High clouds, Terrain LOD 150, Object LOD 100 |
| 3840×2160 | DLSS Quality; Balanced only when necessary | On | High textures, High clouds, Terrain LOD 100–150, Medium reflections |
Keep the output resolution native on a 4K display rather than selecting 1440p in Windows or the simulator. DLSS produces a cleaner result by rendering internally at a lower resolution and reconstructing the native 4K image.
1440p custom preset
At 1440p, these settings provide the best starting balance for the standard 12 GB desktop RTX 4070.
| Setting | Recommended value | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
| Global rendering quality | High-End, then Custom | Use only as the starting preset |
| Anti-aliasing | DLSS Quality | Change to DLAA for sharper instruments if the rendered frame rate remains smooth |
| DLSS Frame Generation | On | Turn off if interface or propeller artefacts are distracting |
| NVIDIA Reflex | On, when available | Useful for controlling latency with Frame Generation |
| Render scaling | 100 when selectable | Do not combine DLSS with an unnecessarily low render scale |
| Texture resolution | Ultra | Use High if complex airports cause VRAM-related stuttering |
| Anisotropic filtering | 16× | Leave at 16×; its cost on an RTX 4070 is small |
| Terrain Level of Detail | 150 | Lower towards 100 when limited by the CPU main thread |
| Objects Level of Detail | 100 | Reduce before lowering texture resolution |
| Buildings, trees, grass and bushes | High | Reduce grass first when flying low over dense areas |
| Volumetric clouds | High | Clouds are one of the first GPU settings to lower in heavy weather |
| Off-screen terrain pre-caching | Ultra | High can reduce memory use, but lower settings may cause scenery loading while panning |
| Ray-traced shadows | Medium | Disable or lower when GPU-limited |
| Shadow maps | One step below maximum | Maximum shadows cost more than their visual improvement usually justifies |
| Ambient occlusion | High | Use Medium at 4K |
| Cubemap reflections | Medium | Higher values have a noticeable GPU cost around reflective aircraft |
| Windshield effects | High | Retain unless poor weather is causing a GPU bottleneck |
| Glass cockpit refresh rate | Medium | High is suitable for lighter aircraft; Medium helps CPU-heavy airliners |
| Traffic and airport activity | Medium | Use Low at large hubs if the main thread is limiting performance |
Motion blur, depth of field, bloom and lens flare are largely matters of taste. We normally disable motion blur and depth of field for a clearer cockpit view; they are not the first settings to change when chasing frame rate.
Should I use DLSS, DLAA or TAA?
Use DLAA at 1080p, DLSS Quality or DLAA at 1440p, and DLSS Quality at 4K. DLSS Balanced is a fallback for 4K heavy weather and complex airports, not the default choice, because its lower internal resolution makes glass displays, power lines and distant buildings less stable.
- DLAA gives the clearest cockpit text but renders at native resolution, so it carries the highest GPU cost.
- DLSS Quality is the best overall 1440p and 4K setting for an RTX 4070.
- TAA is useful if DLSS produces distracting ghosting around displays, propellers or moving aircraft. Run it at 100% render scaling.
Keep driver-level anti-aliasing and sharpening application-controlled rather than stacking them over the simulator. Our recommended NVIDIA profile settings for MSFS cover the few driver options that are useful without overriding DLSS.
Should DLSS Frame Generation be enabled?
DLSS Frame Generation should normally be enabled on an RTX 4070 once MSFS 2024 can maintain a stable rendered frame rate of roughly 35–40 FPS or better. It improves displayed fluidity, but it does not remove a CPU main-thread bottleneck or make aircraft systems respond faster.
Frame Generation may produce artefacts around propellers, rapidly changing glass displays and interface elements. If its option is missing, check that hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling is enabled in Windows and that the NVIDIA driver is suitable; our Frame Generation requirements and setup checks cover the full process.
Which MSFS 2024 settings should I lower first?
Lower settings according to the active bottleneck rather than reducing everything together. The simulator's developer FPS display identifies a main-thread or GPU limitation and is far more useful than judging by GPU utilisation alone.
| Problem | Lower first | Avoid changing first |
|---|---|---|
Limited by MainThread | Traffic, airport activity, Terrain LOD, Object LOD and glass cockpit refresh rate | DLSS mode and texture resolution |
Limited by GPU | Clouds, ray-traced shadows, reflections, ambient occlusion, then DLSS mode | Traffic unless it is unusually dense |
| Stuttering at detailed airports | Texture resolution from Ultra to High, traffic and airport activity | Anisotropic filtering |
| Blurry cockpit displays | Change DLSS Quality to DLAA or TAA | Increasing shadows or textures |
A common mistake we see is lowering textures, buildings and resolution while leaving Terrain LOD and dense traffic untouched. That sacrifices image quality without fixing a CPU bottleneck. Use our main-thread and GPU performance diagnosis if the limitation is unclear.
Can an RTX 4070 run MSFS 2024 at 4K?
An RTX 4070 can run MSFS 2024 at 4K with DLSS Quality and Frame Generation, but it is not a sensible native-4K Ultra card for demanding airports and weather. Keep clouds and textures at High, Terrain LOD between 100 and 150, reflections at Medium and ray-traced shadows at Low or Medium.
The card's 12 GB of VRAM is usually sufficient with those settings. If stutters appear only at large detailed airports, reduce texture resolution to High before moving from DLSS Quality to Balanced; the latter improves GPU performance but does not solve VRAM pressure.
What changes for an RTX 4070 laptop or VR?
An RTX 4070 Laptop GPU needs lower settings than the desktop card, while VR requires a separate profile. Laptop performance varies substantially with power limits and cooling, so begin at 1440p with DLSS Quality, High textures, Medium-to-High clouds and both LOD sliders around 100.
Do not copy these flat-screen values into a headset: VR renders two views and is much more sensitive to resolution, reprojection and frame-time spikes. Use our dedicated RTX 4070 VR settings for Microsoft Flight Simulator instead.
How should I fine-tune the settings?
Fine-tune the RTX 4070 profile in a demanding but repeatable flight rather than an empty rural location.
- Set native resolution and apply the High-End preset before entering the recommended custom values.
- Load a demanding scenario using the aircraft, airport, weather and traffic level you normally fly.
- Check the bottleneck with the developer FPS display before enabling Frame Generation.
- Adjust one group at a time: traffic and LOD for a main-thread limit, or clouds, shadows and reflections for a GPU limit.
- Enable Frame Generation last and confirm that the underlying rendered frame rate remains stable during taxi, take-off and cockpit camera movement.