AMD Radeon Users Face FSR 4 Delay in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 6

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s latest Sim Update 6 rolled out to players with a significant upgrade list, but the release carries disappointing news for those running AMD Radeon graphics cards. The update, which weighs in under 4GB, delivers new features and extensive performance refinements, yet it arrives without the promised upgrade to FSR 4 technology that AMD users were expecting.

What Happened with FSR 4

When Sim Update 6 was first announced at FlightSimExpo weeks ago, the development team planned to integrate AMD’s latest FSR 4 technology with Frame Generation capabilities. However, compatibility challenges emerged during the beta phase. The team discovered technical issues between FSR 4 Frame Gen and certain Radeon configurations that required further investigation alongside AMD engineers. Rather than release a broken feature, the decision was made to postpone the upgrade.

As a result, the update reverts to FSR 3, the same upscaling solution that appeared in the previous Sim Update 5.1. The good news is that your GPU’s control panel will continue to display the FSR version designation, so you’ll know exactly which technology your card is using. The rollback ensures stability for Radeon owners, but it does mean missing out on the performance gains that FSR 4 would have delivered.

NVIDIA Gets the Premium Update

The situation stands in contrast to NVIDIA’s experience with the same update. GeForce graphics card users face no such delays or compatibility concerns. Instead, NVIDIA users receive DLSS 4.5 as the new default upscaling technology, complete with Dynamic Frame Generation support and in-game VSync integration. This creates a noticeable gap in performance capabilities between the two major graphics card manufacturers as of this update.

What Else Comes in Sim Update 6

Despite the FSR 4 setback, Sim Update 6 brings substantial content and improvements across the board. Bush Trips, a beloved feature from the original Flight Simulator 2020, makes a return in the 2024 edition. These extended mission chains now appear directly in the Activities menu alongside guided tours, giving players more structured ways to explore the game’s expansive world.

The update also includes meaningful enhancements to the game’s lighting system, which affects how environments render and appear during different times of day and weather conditions. Career mode receives attention as well, though the patch notes don’t specify the exact nature of those changes. Developers get new tools and APIs to build custom content with improved capabilities.

Beyond headline features, the update contains an extensive list of bug fixes and tweaks that improve overall stability and performance. The patch notes are reportedly lengthy enough that reading them will take longer than downloading and installing the 4GB update itself.

What This Means for Shoppers

For consumers considering their next graphics card purchase or upgrade, this situation offers important context. If Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 performance is a priority in your buying decision, you should understand that AMD Radeon and NVIDIA GeForce cards currently receive different levels of optimization and feature support from this title. NVIDIA’s advantage in upscaling technology and frame generation represents a meaningful difference in how smoothly the game will run.

However, Radeon users shouldn’t view this as a permanent disadvantage. The FSR 4 compatibility work is ongoing, and future updates will likely resolve the current issues, bringing Radeon cards up to feature parity with their NVIDIA counterparts. This is a temporary gap rather than an indication of lasting inferiority.

When evaluating gaming monitors alongside your graphics card choice, factor in that high refresh rate panels and quality displays benefit equally from any GPU, regardless of brand. A good monitor pairs well with either solution, though the frame rates you achieve will depend partly on which card you pair it with for this particular game.

Looking Forward

The rollback of FSR 4 in Sim Update 6 represents a minor setback rather than a deal breaker for Radeon owners. The collaboration between Microsoft’s flight simulator team and AMD to resolve the underlying compatibility issues suggests both companies are committed to delivering the full feature set eventually. Meanwhile, current FSR 3 support ensures that Radeon users can still enjoy the update and play the game at solid performance levels.

Players with either graphics card brand should still download Sim Update 6 to access the new Bush Trips content and other improvements. The update is straightforward to install, and the file size won’t strain most internet connections. Those considering a new purchase should keep this FSR 4 situation in mind when comparing cards, but also recognize that this gap will likely close within the coming months as development continues.

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