Best gaming PC for Flight Simulator: Budget and 4K gaming options (2024)

Best gaming PC for Flight Simulator: Budget and 4K gaming options (2024)
Rosa Fryer Updated on by

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With the best prebuilt gaming PC for Flight Simulator, you’ll be able to have the best flight experience.

Flight Simulator 2020 is a very resource-hungry game. After all, to make such realistic physics possible, along with extremely detailed visuals, the game is going to need a capable PC. The recommended PC specs for MSFS 2020 suggest an i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 1500X, 16GB RAM, a GTX 970 or RX 590, and 150GB of free storage. However, if you truly want to play the game like it’s meant to be played, you’re going to need a way better system than that.

To help you out, we have rounded up the best gaming PCs and chosen the top ones compatible with Flight Simulator 2020. Our primary focus was on both the CPU and the GPU, as MSFS 2020 relies heavily on both. After quite a lot of research and spending time with our in-house prebuilt PC expert, Shaun Conroy, we were able to narrow down our recommendation to the top 3 picks. We have included both high-end and budget options, but if you want to explore more budget options, you can check our guide on the best gaming PC under $800.

Best prebuilt gaming PC for Flight Simulator

For those who are prioritising affordability, we have included a budget-friendly PC that still supports fast, high quality gameplay. If you are seeking a cheaper option then we’d recommend taking a look at the best gaming PCs under $1000. If you are updating your system but on a budget why not check out the best budget GPUs, best budget 4K monitor or best budget CPU? This way you can have a revamp of your equipment but don’t have to break the bank.

1. Skytech Gaming Azure PC Desktop – Best gaming PC for Flight Simulator

Skytech Gaming Azure PC Desktop (RTX 4080)

GPU

NVIDIA RTX 4080

CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D

RAM

32GB DDR5 RGB

Storage

1TB NVME Gen4 SSD

Pros
  • Top-notch performance
  • High-quality PSU
  • Great cooling solution
Cons
  • A bit pricey

The best gaming PC for Flight Simulator 2020 has to be this Skytech Gaming Azure PC Desktop. Thanks to its latest-gen components, the PC packs an extreme amount of gaming performance that is just perfect for Flight Simulator 2020.

The main reason behind its performance is the ultimate duo of an RTX 4080 with the Ryzen 9 7900X3D. This combo can even handle 4K gaming without any issues because the RTX 4080 is known for its 4K gaming performance. Take a look at the comparison of the RTX 4070 vs RTX 4080 to see in more detail why the 4080 is a gaming beast. Similarly, the Ryzen 9 7900X3D makes the most out of its extra L3 cache to bring high FPS to the table.

To maintain the optimal temperatures during gaming, you even get a 360mm AIO, which is very impressive. On top of that, the 1000W GOLD PSU is ATX 3.0 compatible to power the RTX 4080 without any adapters. You also get 32GB of DDR5 RAM for unparalleled performance, and its RGB heat spreader adds to the aesthetic. All in all, sure, the PC is a bit pricey, but it is undoubtedly the best gaming PC for Flight Simulator 2020.

2. ABS Stratos Aqua Gaming PC – Best budget gaming PC for Flight Simulator

 ABS Stratos Aqua Gaming PC

A black computer case with vibrant fans.

GPU

NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti

CPU

Intel Core i5-13400F

RAM

16GB DDR5 5600MHz

Storage

1TB M.2 NVMe

Pros
  • Pocket-friendly
  • Beautiful white chassis
  • Perfect for 1080p gaming
Cons
  • Only 8GB VRAM

When it comes to the best budget gaming PC for Flight Simulator 2020, the ABS Stratos Aqua Gaming PC takes the crown. It not only costs way less than other prebuilt PCs currently on the market, but it has both the performance and the looks to be your next gaming rig. It comes with no shock that it’s listed as one of WePC’s best gaming PC under $1000.

For starters, the PC comes with an RTX 4060 Ti + i5-13400F combo. The RTX 4060 Ti is an 8GB graphics card that supports DLSS 3 for solid performance, even at high resolutions. Sure, the VRAM could be more, but it doesn’t cause any major issues. Plus, the i5-13400F packs 10 cores clocking at up to 4.60GHz, making it more than capable of carrying out all the complex calculations for Flight Simulator.

You also get 16GB of DDR5 RAM to iron out any memory-related issues, and the air cooler does an adequate job of preventing the i5-13400F from thermal throttling. In short, for the price, this ABS Stratos Aqua Gaming PC is really hard to beat, and if you want to play Flight Simulator 2020 without spending too much on a PC, you should definitely go for it.

3. Skytech Pro Eclipse Gaming PC Desktop – Best high-end gaming PC for Flight Simulator

Skytech Pro Eclipse Gaming PC Desktop

Skytech Pro Eclipse Gaming PC Desktop

CPU

Intel Core i9 13900K

GPU

NVIDIA RTX 4090 24GB

RAM

32GB DDR5

Storage

1TB NVME GEN4 SSD

Pros
  • Excellent 4K gaming performance
  • 420mm AIO cooling
  • Future-proof
Cons
  • Only 1TB SSD

Looking for the best high-end gaming PC for Flight Simulator 2020? This Skytech Pro Eclipse Gaming PC has got you covered. It boasts a jaw-dropping combo of the mighty i9-13900K paired with the ultimate NVIDIA RTX 4090, both flagship components. As a result, its gaming performance is through the roof.

The PC offers the most high-end gaming experience you can expect. In fact, it will leave you blown away by just how flawlessly it runs Flight Simulator, even at 4K. After all, the i9-13900K has 24 cores, with its P-cores clocking at up to 5.80GHz. Take a look at the comparison of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D vs i9-13900K, to appreciate how well Intel’s CPU performs and outranks the opposition. In addition to that, the RTX 4090 is a 24GB monster that packs 16,384 CUDA cores for unmatched performance. It’s no surprise that this PC is listed as one of the best RTX 4090 gaming PCs.

You also get a top-notch 420mm AIO, which is simply perfect for a high-end CPU like the i9-13900K. The only downside is the lack of SSD, which is only 1TB, even at such a high price point. But if you can look past that, there is no reason to skip this Skytech Pro Eclipse Gaming PC.

4. Skytech Gaming Nebula Gaming PC – Best cheap gaming PC for Microsoft Flight Simulator

Skytech Gaming Nebula Gaming PC

The Skytech Gaming Nebula Gaming PC is equipped with a stunning computer case featuring colorful lights and fans.

GPU

NVIDIA RTX 4060

CPU

Intel Core i5 13400F

RAM

16GB DDR4

Internal storage

1TB NVME SSD

Pros
  • Lovelace architecture
  • Great price for performance
  • Lots of connectivity options
Cons
  • A bit bulky

Skytech is renowned for its affordable pre-build gaming PCs and this specific Nebula is a serious bit of kit. This thing is highly specced, especially if you consider its price point. We’re talking 16GB of RAM, an RTX 40-series card, and an i5 13400F chip.

The crucial thing here is really the GPU. While it is the least powerful of the RTX 40-series range, it nonetheless comes with that all-important Lovelac architecture. This means you’ve got the latest and most up-to-date raytracing and tensor cores. These themselves bring with them incredibly impressive ray tracing performance and some of the most impressive frame generation technology out there.

There’s also a great range of connectivity options with HDMI, USB (2.0 and 3.0) and 3.2 Gen1 ports. On top of this, the cooling solutions are suitable to keep your desktop under wraps even under intensive workloads, though the fans can sometimes run loud.

5. MINISFORUM Venus UM790 Pro Mini PC – Best mini gaming PC for Microsoft Flight Simulator

MINISFORUM Venus UM790 Pro Mini PC

The MINISFORUM Venus UM790 Pro Mini PC, a sleek black device, stands out on the white background.

GPU

AMD Radeon 780M

CPU

9 7940HS

RAM

32 GBDDR5

Storage

1TB SSD

Pros
  • DDR5 RAM
  • Good price for performance
  • Superfast SSD storage
Cons
  • No dedicated GPU

Mini PC technology progressing at a breakneck speed, especially in relation to gaming. If you’re in the market for a cool and compact PC that will also excel at Microsoft Flight Simulator, this is certainly one to consider.

This Minisforum PC finds a great balance point between price and performance. It’s got a tonne of gaming prowess beneath its miniature hood. For example, there’s the 8 core and 16 thread Ryzen 9 7940HS, which boasts clock speeds of up to 5.2GHz. As well as that you could practically drown in its 32GB RAM count, while the 1TB or SSD storage leaves little to be desired too.

The POC AMD Radeon graphics, which does mean you are missing out on having a dedicated GPU. This is undeniably a drawback, but also par for the course with mini form factor computers. Because of the lack of cooling space, a GPU would be unable to cool down, potentially damaging itself as well as the components around it.

Do you need a powerful PC for Microsoft Flight Simulator?

Microsoft Flight Simulator needs at least an i5-8400, GTX 960, 16GB RAM, and 150GB of free space to run at its recommended settings. However, for the best experience, you need an even more powerful gaming PC.

How to pick the best gaming PC for Microsoft Flight Simulator?

The best gaming PC for MSFS should have a capable CPU + GPU combo, ideally at least a 6-core CPU paired with 8GB VRAM latest GPU. Plus, it should also have 16GB RAM to run properly. All of our recommendations do an excellent job of running the game without any hiccups.