Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel i5-4460 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200. Both are roughly a decade old and fall into FrameScope's very old or entry-level band. The minimum GPU is a GTX 770 or Radeon RX 570, which sits around the level of an entry-level GTX 1050 2GB. The minimum asks for 8 GB of RAM and 150 GB of storage, and the publisher does not require an SSD.
The recommended CPU is an Intel i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, which lands at the boundary between very old entry-level and early mid-range parts, roughly comparable to a Ryzen 5 1400. The recommended GPU is a GTX 970 or RX 590, near the upper end of the early entry band. RAM goes up to 16 GB, while storage stays at 150 GB. For a simulator that leans heavily on the processor, the gap in RAM and CPU headroom matters more than the GPU gap alone.
This game is often limited by the CPU rather than the graphics card. A GPU that meets the recommended tier can still struggle later in a session if the processor is only at minimum-tier level, because unit simulation and AI load grow over time. The publisher does not list anything above the recommended tier, so the builds below are our own estimates based on how similar parts are positioned.
In short, the minimum suits players who want to try the game on older hardware, and the recommended tier is a more comfortable starting point. If your budget allows, upgrading the CPU and RAM usually improves the experience more than swapping the GPU alone.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players with a tight budget who mainly aim for 1080p. A GTX 1650 4GB, GTX 1660 or RTX 3050 6GB are reasonable GPU choices, paired with a Ryzen 5 3500X or Core i5-10400F. We recommend 16 GB of RAM, because flight simulators draw more on system memory than many people expect, and 8 GB makes multitasking and large scenery loads more prone to stutter.
The mainstream build is the choice most players should consider. A GTX 1660 Super, RTX 3050 8GB or Intel Arc A580 can be paired with a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400. This combination should sit comfortably above the official recommended tier and leaves room to adjust graphics for long sessions.
The high build is for players who want higher resolution or more graphics options. Options such as an RTX 3060 Ti, RX 6700 XT or RX 7600 XT can be paired with a Ryzen 7 5700X or Ryzen 5 5600X. We recommend 32 GB of RAM so large scenes and background programs run without strain. All of these are estimates from how the parts are positioned, and real results depend on settings and the rest of the system.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a simulator like this, the most expensive settings are usually shadows, volumetric lighting and clouds, and view distance with terrain detail. Volumetrics and cloud effects put a heavy load on the GPU, yet their visual benefit is often modest, so they are a good first thing to reduce. Shadow quality is another major GPU cost and can usually be set to medium without much loss.
Crowd density, unit counts and physics simulation detail mainly affect the processor. If performance drops, adjust these CPU-related options before simply lowering resolution. View distance affects both the CPU and GPU, so trimming it is often one of the more effective changes.
Ray tracing is an expensive option in this game, and unless your graphics card is clearly above the recommended tier, it is best left off. DLSS, FSR and XeSS are upscaling technologies that render at a lower resolution and reconstruct a sharper image. They generally reduce GPU load with only a small loss in image quality, so use the one that matches your graphics card brand.
Laptops and handheld PCs
A laptop GPU is not equivalent to a desktop card with the same name. Laptop versions are usually limited by power limits and cooling space, so they run noticeably slower than their desktop counterparts. When evaluating a laptop, check the GPU's power rating and cooling design rather than just the model name. Sustained heavy play can also trigger throttling if cooling is inadequate.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally are portable platforms with tight power and thermal budgets. For this game's load, you will generally need to lower graphics and resolution considerably and rely on upscaling. We have no Steam Deck verification data, so we cannot give a specific compatibility rating. Use the official requirements and your own knowledge of handheld performance as your guide.
If you mainly plan to play on a laptop or handheld, test it first at low settings and a lower resolution to see whether the processor and cooling can sustain long flights before buying or upgrading.
Storage and memory
For memory, the official minimum is 8 GB and the recommended amount is 16 GB. We suggest at least 16 GB, ideally in dual-channel configuration, since dual-channel gives better memory bandwidth and helps with the constant data reads this game performs. If you run other programs at the same time, 32 GB gives more breathing room.
For storage, the official requirement is 150 GB, but after updates and cached data you should leave more free space than that. The publisher does not require an SSD, yet an SSD noticeably shortens load and streaming times, which matters a lot for a game that constantly loads large areas of scenery. A hard disk drive will still run the game, but loading and streaming will be slower.
We recommend installing the game on an SSD and clearing out unneeded files regularly, so that low free space does not interfere with updates or performance.