Get the best Pimax Crystal settings for MSFS 2020, covering OpenXR, render scale, TAA/DLSS, LOD, smoothing, blur and stutter fixes.
For the original Pimax Crystal in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, start with 72 or 90 Hz, Pimax render quality 1.0, MSFS VR render scaling 100, TAA, Terrain LOD 100–150, Object LOD 100, High clouds and Low traffic. Reduce one resolution control only, then tune for GPU or MainThread limits.
Recommended Pimax Crystal settings for MSFS 2020
This balanced baseline prioritises readable instruments without placing every setting at Ultra. Apply the MSFS values under VR Graphics; the separate PC graphics profile does not control what you see inside the headset.
| Setting | Recommended starting point | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
| OpenXR runtime | Direct Pimax-compatible runtime | Use SteamVR only when an add-on or compatibility problem requires it |
| Refresh rate | 72 Hz for performance; 90 Hz for smoother motion | Avoid 120 Hz as the initial target because it demands substantially more performance |
| Pimax render quality | 1.0 | Lower one step when consistently GPU-limited |
| Field of view | Normal or default | Use a wider mode only if the extra peripheral view justifies its rendering cost |
| Parallel projection | Off | Enable only to correct a confirmed compatibility problem |
| Smart Smoothing | Off while tuning | Enable later if the simulator can maintain exactly half the headset refresh rate |
| Foveated rendering | Off initially | Test after establishing a stable, sharp baseline |
| MSFS VR render scaling | 100 | Keep at 100 if resolution is already being controlled through Pimax software |
| Anti-aliasing | TAA | Use DLSS Quality when GPU performance matters more than maximum cockpit sharpness |
| DirectX mode | DX11 | Test DX12 separately if DX11 is stable but performance remains unsatisfactory |
At Crystal resolution, render quality 1.0 is a clarity target rather than a guarantee of native-refresh performance. A mistake we see constantly is reducing Pimax quality, an OpenXR resolution override and MSFS render scaling together. The resulting cockpit looks soft, yet it becomes difficult to identify which layer caused the loss.
Which MSFS 2020 VR graphics settings should I use?
| MSFS VR setting | Starting value | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Terrain Level of Detail | 100; raise towards 150 with CPU headroom | MainThread |
| Objects Level of Detail | 100 | MainThread |
| Volumetric Clouds | High | GPU |
| Texture Resolution | Ultra if VRAM remains available; otherwise High | VRAM |
| Anisotropic Filtering | 16x | Usually minor |
| Shadow Maps | 1024 | GPU |
| Ambient Occlusion | Low | GPU |
| Reflections | Low | GPU |
| Contact Shadows | Low | GPU |
| Glass Cockpit Refresh Rate | Medium | MainThread |
| Offscreen Terrain Pre-Caching | Ultra if VRAM permits | VRAM |
| Road, boat and airport traffic | Low or Off | MainThread |
| AI or live aircraft traffic | Low while tuning | MainThread |
| Motion Blur and Depth of Field | Off | Clarity |
These are starting values, not settings that must remain fixed. Our setting-by-setting CPU, GPU and VRAM impact guide explains which options to sacrifice without making the whole simulator look worse.
How should OpenXR be configured for the Pimax Crystal?
The cleanest configuration uses one active OpenXR runtime and one primary resolution control. Extra compositor and scaling layers can introduce overhead, confusing resolution figures or an unexpectedly soft image.
- Select the intended OpenXR runtime. Use the direct Pimax-compatible runtime supplied or supported by your Pimax installation. Older configurations may expose this through PimaxXR. Check that SteamVR has not silently become the active runtime unless you intend to use it.
- Choose 72 or 90 Hz. Start at 72 Hz for demanding airliners, detailed airports or weaker GPUs. Choose 90 Hz when you can sustain either 90 fps natively or a stable 45 fps with smoothing.
- Reset competing resolution overrides. Begin with Pimax render quality 1.0, MSFS VR render scaling 100 and no additional OpenXR resolution override. If SteamVR is not the active runtime, its supersampling value is irrelevant.
- Test a repeatable flight. Use the same aircraft, airport, weather, cockpit view and traffic level. An empty rural flight is not a useful test for a system mainly used with airliners at large hubs.
- Identify the limiting component. The built-in developer FPS display distinguishes a GPU limit from a MainThread limit. Adjust the appropriate settings rather than lowering everything.
If the headset is not entering VR reliably or the runtime selection is unclear, follow our MSFS 2020 OpenXR setup and optimisation checklist before changing image-quality settings.
Should I use TAA or DLSS with the Pimax Crystal?
TAA provides the clearest MSFS 2020 cockpit displays on the Pimax Crystal, while DLSS Quality is the better choice when the GPU cannot meet the required frame time. Start with TAA and switch only after confirming that the GPU, rather than the CPU, is the bottleneck.
- TAA: best for small labels, glass-cockpit text and distant runway detail, but expensive at the Crystal's high render resolution.
- DLSS Quality: recovers useful GPU performance, though moving displays and small text may look softer or leave temporal trails.
- DLSS Balanced: suitable only when Quality is still too slow and lowering a few GPU settings is insufficient.
- DLSS Performance: generally too soft for a headset intended for cockpit clarity.
- DLAA: if offered by the installed GPU and simulator build, it can provide excellent anti-aliasing but requires more headroom than DLSS Quality.
Sharpening can improve perceived edges, but it cannot restore instrument detail discarded by an overly low render resolution. Our comparison of MSFS 2020 DLSS modes and their cockpit trade-offs covers the choice in more depth.
Should Pimax Smart Smoothing be enabled?
Enable Smart Smoothing only when MSFS can hold half the selected refresh rate consistently. An unstable frame rate crossing the smoothing threshold produces more visible judder and artefacts than a properly chosen fixed target.
| Headset refresh rate | Native target | Half-rate smoothing target |
|---|---|---|
| 72 Hz | 72 fps | 36 fps |
| 90 Hz | 90 fps | 45 fps |
| 120 Hz, if available | 120 fps | 60 fps |
For most MSFS 2020 Crystal configurations, 72 Hz at 36 fps or 90 Hz at 45 fps is more realistic than native refresh. Smoothing commonly creates distortions around propellers, wing edges, window frames and fast-moving scenery. Do not run two reprojection or smoothing systems simultaneously.
Why is MSFS 2020 blurry or stuttering in the Crystal?
Blur usually comes from stacked resolution reductions or DLSS, while stuttering must be separated into GPU, MainThread, VRAM and reprojection problems. The first corrective action depends on which limit the simulator reports.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| All cockpit text is soft | Low effective render resolution | Return MSFS scaling to 100 and remove duplicate resolution overrides |
| Displays blur mainly while moving the head | DLSS temporal reconstruction | Use TAA or DLSS Quality rather than lower DLSS modes |
| Performance collapses near complex airports | MainThread load | Lower Terrain LOD, Objects LOD and traffic |
| Frame rate is poor everywhere | GPU load | Lower Pimax render quality one step, clouds or expensive shadow effects |
| Stutters appear after loading detailed scenery | VRAM pressure | Lower Texture Resolution before cutting every graphics option |
| Image wobbles around propellers or window frames | Smoothing artefacts | Disable smoothing or maintain its half-refresh target more consistently |
| Head turns reveal terrain loading at the edges | Low offscreen pre-caching | Raise Offscreen Terrain Pre-Caching if sufficient VRAM is available |
Optical alignment matters as well. Set the physical lens spacing correctly, position the headset so both eyes remain clear and complete eye-tracking calibration before blaming render settings. Software sharpening cannot correct poor lens alignment.
Is eye-tracked foveated rendering worth using?
Eye-tracked foveated rendering can save GPU time, but it should be treated as an optional final optimisation rather than part of the initial baseline. Support and effectiveness depend on the active Pimax runtime, rendering mode and the foveation method being used.
Enable one foveation system at a time, calibrate eye tracking and check the side displays while looking with your eyes rather than turning your head. If the low-resolution region follows late, remains fixed or makes peripheral instruments shimmer, disable it. Fixed foveation is less suitable for airliner cockpits because pilots often read side panels through peripheral vision.