Released in 2020, Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the most iconic PC games of all time and undoubtedly the most popular flight simulator title ever.
This 40th-anniversary version of the game is currently still enjoying plenty of success on the PC well after its first release on MS-DOS back in 1982. All it takes is one look at the game and the realism defies what you know about computer titles as it’s easy to mistake gameplay videos for real-world planes.
Let’s jump right into the 7 best gaming PCs to play Microsoft Flight Simulator!
Microsoft Flight Simulator PC Requirements
While you might think that a game with such a heightened sense of realism requires a very demanding computer, that is not the case. According to Microsoft, the following minimum requirements are necessary, and the good news is that these requirements are already 3 years out of date, so any new(er) gaming PC should be able to run this game well.
| Minimum Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 (v. 1909 and above) |
| Processor | Intel i5-4460, Ryzen 3 1200 |
| GPU | NVIDIA GTX 770, Radeon RX 570 |
| Memory | 8GB RAM, 2GB VRAM |
| Storage | 150GB |
| DirectX | Direct X 11 |
Just take a look at our roundup of the 7 best gaming PCs for Microsoft flight simulator:
- #1 Best Overall: Skytech Nebula
- Best Runner-Up: HP OMEN 25L
- Best Laptop: ASUS ROG Strix G15
- Best Budget-Friendly: HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop
- Best Design: Acer Predator Orion 3000
- Best Splurge: Corsair ONE a200
- Best Compact: ACEMAGICIAN Mini Gaming PC
#1 Best Overall: Skytech Nebula
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7GHz
- NVIDIA RTX 4070
- 1TB NVMe SSD
- 16GB DDR4 RAM 3200
- 600W Gold PSU
- 11AC Wi-Fi
- Windows 11 Home
- 64-bit
- Black
When it comes to outstanding performance for a price that won’t break the bank, the Skytech Nebula is the best gaming PC for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, the Skytech Nebula easily exceeds the minimum requirements for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is especially true when you factor in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with its own 12GB of dedicated GDDR6X RAM. Combining all of this power with Windows 11 should allow you to run Flight Simulator at its highest settings with very smooth performance, including the delivery of ray tracing graphics.
Keeping things going while you’re flying around the world will be 4 RGB fans, all of which help provide maximum airflow. Even as the Nebula offers more than enough power, you’ll still be thankful for plenty of fan power to ensure longevity with your purchase.
Should you want to connect any gaming accessories, you’ll have multiple USB-C and USB-A ports, plus headphone and mic inputs on the rear of the Nebula PC case.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent overall performance | It isn’t a well-known brand name. |
| Lots of RGB choices to personalize the computer |
Check out the Skytech Nebula on Amazon.
Best Runner-Up: HP OMEN 25L
- 12th Generation Intel 12-core i7-12700 processor
- 16GB RAM
- 1TB SSD
- GeForce RTX 3070 8GB graphics
- LHR USB-C Display Port
- Liquid Cooler
- Windows 11
- White
- Includes an HDMI cable
If you’d prefer more of a well-known brand name for your Microsoft Flight Simulator PC, the HP OMEN 25L is a terrific option.
Running a 12th generation Intel Core i7 processor with a clock boost speed of up to 4.8 GHz, there is plenty of power available with the HP OMEN 25L to power through just about any PC game you’d want to try.
Add in 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD and you have more than enough capacity for the 150GB file size that makes up Flight Simulator. Capacity aside, where you will really see strong performance is with the NVIDIA RTX 3070 GPU with 8GB of dedicated RAM. When combined, the RAM from both the GPU and CPU should make Flight Simulator fly on the HP OMEN 25L, which further validates how it’s one of the best options around for most PC gamers.
Other highlights for the 25L include dual USB-C ports enabling up to 10 Gbps data transfers along with 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 HDMI port, and 1 DisplayPort for connecting to a monitor you choose. Of course, you can always connect headphones via Bluetooth or through the dedicated headphone/microphone input to talk to flight towers.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Includes the latest Intel i7 processor | Only includes one USB-C port |
| Terrific performance | Bland PC case |
Check out the HP OMEN 25L on Amazon.
Best Laptop: ASUS ROG Strix G15
- 15.6" IPS FHD display
- 144Hz
- AMD Ryzen 7 4800H
- 32GB RAM
- 1TB PCIe SSD
- Backlit keyboard
- GeForce RTX 3060
- Wi-Fi 6
- Windows 10 Pro
- Gray
If you’re looking for the best laptop around to power through long sessions of Flight Simulator, the ASUS ROG Strix G15 continues to be a top recommendation.
The immediate highlight of the ASUS ROG Strix G15 is the power it can bring to bear when playing your favorite PC games. Everything centers around an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The 7nm fabrication on the Ryzen 7 processor enables up to 8 cores and 16 threads, so you can handily push through Microsoft Flight Simulator and any other productivity tasks you might want to tackle during non-gaming sessions.
Also supporting the ROG’s strong performance is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, which includes its own RAM for handling any number of AA and AAA games.
Along with its power, the ASUS also excels with its 4-zone RGB keyboard, a touchpad that doubles as a calculator with glowing buttons, and liquid air cooling to ensure long-term play doesn’t damage the computer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best cost-to-performance laptop choice | A little heavy at 4.4 pounds |
| Fun RGB colors around the hardware |
Check out the ASUS ROG Strix G15 on Amazon.
Best Budget-Friendly: HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 16GB RAM
- 1TB SSD
- Windows 11 Pro
- Shadow Black
If you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly but still powerful enough to handle Microsoft Flight Simulator with performance to spare, the HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop will answer the call.
With 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and an AMD Ryzen 7 5700G processor, you can safely expect to power through Microsoft Flight Simulator with power to spare. Better yet, you’re going to surpass the minimum requirements with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, which is a great mid-range graphics card. It’s even capable of providing real-time ray tracing, which adds to the viability of how strong the graphics will be with Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Beyond performance, the HP Pavilion is full of other niceties including more ports than you know what to do with. This includes 4 SuperSpeed USB-A ports, 1 USB-C port, as well as 4 more USB 2.0 ports, and this is before you even get to the DisplayPort for connecting to a monitor.
While the back of the computer may be focused on ports, it’s also the home of the fan where HP included an enhanced thermal solution to keep the Pavilion quiet even while it’s running demanding game titles.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ray-tracing ready | A little loud when playing for long sessions |
| Includes 4 SuperSpeed USB ports | Only includes one DisplayPort |
Check out the HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop on Amazon.
Best Design: Acer Predator Orion 3000
- Powerful Intel Core i7-11700F 8 processor
- Expandable 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, 1TB HDD storage
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Graphics with 8GB Video Memory
- USB 3.2 (Type C), USB 2.0, and Gen 2 ports
- Predator RGB Gaming Keyboard and mouse included
For those who value good looks as part of the gaming PC purchase, the Acer Predator Orion 3000 is sure to satisfy even the most demanding gamer.
The real highlight of the Acer Predator Orion 3000 is its case, which offers a traditional black design but does so with 16.7 million RGB colors to help personalize it. There are also RGB stripes across the front and interior of the PC case so you can add a full rainbow or just a couple of colors. It’s completely up to you how this PC case should look. Colors or no colors, another notable addition to the case is a hidden door for a variety of ports on the front of the PC, including support for USB-C, USB 3.2, and dual audio inputs.
With the case grabbing your attention, it’s time for the rest of the computer to steal the show. Powered by an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, you also have 16GB of DDR4 RAM at your disposal with the ability to upgrade up to 64GB down the road. Along with RAM, the Acer also includes both a 512GB SSD and a 1TB HDD for 1.5GB of total storage space.
Last but not least, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU pairs with DTS X: Ultra Audio, so you not only get solid gaming performance but excellent sound as well.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Includes DTS X: Ultra Audio for great sound | Limited SSD drive space when new |
| RGB stripes for personalization |
Check out the Acer Predator Orion 3000 on Amazon.
Best Splurge: Corsair ONE a200
- AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics
- 32GB Vengeance LPX DDR4 memory
- 1TB
- Windows 10 Home
When you are looking for a gaming PC that you can go all-in on for Microsoft Flight Simulator, the Corsair ONE a200 is the way to go.
Packed to the brim with high-performing hardware, the Corsair ONE a200 kicks things off with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU, one of the best CPUs in the AMD lineup. Add to the hardware 32GB of DDR4 RAM plus 1TB of storage, and the Corsair is more than ready to run Microsoft Flight Simulator many times over.
Along with the top hardware, the Corsair ONE a200 also includes an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, which, when paired with the rest of the PC’s internals, will handle AAA games with ease. Best of all, the GPU, CPU, and the rest of the internals are all packed into Corsair’s unique vertical tower design, which takes up even less desk space than a laptop.
Even with its vertical design, the Corsair offers a patented convection-assisted liquid cooling system that helps ensure the CPU and GPU are always running at optimal temperatures. Along with cooling excellence, it also shines with multiple USB ports on both the front and rear of the hardware.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent PC case | Pricey |
| Best-in-class performance | Not enough USB-C ports |
Check out the Corsair ONE a200 on Amazon.
Best Compact: ACEMAGICIAN Mini Gaming PC
- Ryzen 9 6900HX (up to 4.9GHz)
- 32GB DDR5 512GB NVMe SSD
- AMD Radeon 680M
- RGB lights
- Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
- Dual channel
- 3 modes
If you want a gaming PC that takes up as little space as possible, even less space than the Corsair, the ACEMAGICIAN Mini Gaming PC is full of surprises.
With its unique design, the ACEMAGICIAN offers 3 different modes to help you get the absolute best performance out of the hardware. One mode, Performance Mode, helps make the best use of the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. For graphically intensive games like Microsoft Flight Simulator, the ACEMAGICIAN will bring all of its hardware together to help you get the best performance you can out of the computer.
While it’s a small package for demanding gamers, ACEMAGICIAN has thought of everything and built a stand-out cooling system with 2 fans that help dissipate heat during gaming sessions regardless of length.
Also giving the ACEMAGICIAN a boost is the AMD Radeon 680M GPU, which delivers 8x more performance than previous generation GPUs. Last but not least, you can also expect Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and a 2.5Gbps LAN port for strong online connectivity.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Small size hides big performance | Difficult to upgrade |
| 3 different performance modes | Limited port selection |
Check out the ACEMAGICIAN Mini Gaming PC on Amazon.
What to Know Before Buying a Gaming PC for Microsoft Flight Simulator
When the time comes for you to buy a new PC to play Microsoft Flight Simulator, the most important thing to know is that you want to exceed the minimum game requirements. However, what you really want to do is far exceed them so you can play the game with the best possible graphics performance.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a game that helps you take to the skies and enjoy the world of flight without ever actually leaving the ground. To really take advantage of the game’s incredible graphics, you want a computer that helps you make the absolute most of the visuals, so exceeding the CPU and GPU minimum requirements is absolutely the way to go.
To truly make use of the 37,000 airports, 2 million cities, and 1.5 billion buildings, trees, rivers, animals, traffic, and more you can find in this game, choosing one of the best gaming PCs on this list will help you experience the best Flight Simulator experience ever.
Using the Best Gaming PCs for Microsoft Flight Simulator: What It’s Like
No matter which direction you go with the best gaming PCs on this list, you’re going to have a great experience with Microsoft Flight Simulator. Every computer chosen here not only well outpaces the minimum requirements as suggested by Microsoft, but each computer has been carefully selected to help you see the Flight Simulator world as realistically as possible.
With so much to see and do in the game, choosing any of these computers will quickly help you fall in love with flying around the world, even if you have never tried this genre before.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©vaalaa/Shutterstock.com.
