Best GPU for MSFS 2020 in 2023 – Nvidia and AMD graphics cards

If you’re looking for the best GPU for Flight Simulator 2020, we’ve got you covered with our top picks.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the best simulator games out there. It boasts cutting-edge graphics that do not shy away from detail. Once you take to the skies, the views you see are truly beautiful, whether you’re flying over the pyramids outside Cairo, or passing by the Eiffel Tower at night. With the right PC hardware, your Flight Simulator experience is nothing short of breathtaking. That’s why we enthusiastically researched the best monitors for MSFS too.

A quality graphics card for Flight Simulator is needed if you want to make the most out of the game’s visuals. The best experience will have minimal motion blur, and if you’re lucky, be enjoyed in dazzling 4K. Though finding the right monitor is important, you also need to prioritize a graphics card that can deliver your preferred resolution while maintaining high frame rates. Ideally, you’ll want a GPU capable of delivering up to 4K while maintaining at least a 30 FPS rate.

We’ve chosen a selection of graphics cards that cater to multiple screen resolutions and budget ranges. If you’re after a larger selection, we’ve covered the best GPUs for 1080p and best GPUS for 1440p so there should be something for everybody. Expect to see DLSS 3, ray tracing and other features that will enhance your gaming experience. With both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards to choose from, you’ll truly be spoilt for choice.

So, let’s see if we can help you find the best GPU for Flight Simulator 2020!

Best GPU for Flight Simulator 2020

MSI RTX 4070 TI

Base Clock

2310 MHz

Boost Clock

2775 MHz

VRAM

12 GB GDDR6X

Dimensions

337 x 140 x 62 mm

Recommended PSU

600W

How We Review

Shop on Amazon Check Price

Pros

• Good value
• Power efficient
• Support for HDMI 2.1

Cons

• Only 12GB memory
• DLSS 3 increases latency

✓ Rom Recommends

This graphics card is a favourite of ours because it stays cool and quiet

The RTX 4070 TI is undoubtedly one of the best cards in the 4000 series and perfect for the job. You can experience the stunning graphics of Flight Simulator 2020 at the highest settings, whether in 2K or 4K.

Apart from the fact that the base clock is 2310 MHz, you can increase this value up to 2775 MHz without bottlenecks. That makes this card even faster than the RTX 4090 on paper. Which is great if you want to play this gorgeous game in 4K.

You’ll see the full glory of ray tracing technology, which simulates how light behaves in the real world. You’ll understand what we mean when you see the reflections of the sun falling on the plane.

DLSS 3 and Nvidia Reflex technologies make the performance of the already good RTX 4070 TI flawless – and to ensure the best bang for your buck, you can check out all the other DLSS 3 compatible games here too. With artificial intelligence supporting 12GB of VRAM, you get many times the FPS than you normally get.

It is obvious that the MSI RTX 4070 TI is not a cheap card. But thanks to this investment, you’ll have one of the best graphics cards for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. This card is ideal for gamers who want high performance in 2K and 4K gaming. If you’re serious about flying, it’s also worth considering our selection of the best flight sticks of Flight Simulator too.

The 4080 has really come into its own since its release, finally retailing for an affordable price.

It features Nvidia’s Ada Lovelace Streaming Multiprocessors, doubling the card’s performance and power efficiency. You still might need to consider the best CPU to pair with the 4080, since it is quite demanding. However, this is definitely a worthy investment.

Like other Nvidia 40-series cards, you can take advantage of Fourth Generation Tensor Cores and Third Generation Ray Tracing Cores which will do wonders for your overall gaming experience, whether that’s in 1440p or 4K. The 4080 is really the card to go for if you want to push your PC’s performance to the next level. If you’re caught between the RTX 4080 and 4070 Ti, we’ve pitted RTX 4080 vs 4070 Ti to help you decide.

Overall though, now is a great time to invest in the 4080. Other than its slightly bulky size, it will do a superb job at rendering those insane graphics on Flight Simulator 2020. Then make sure you check out the best flight sticks for MSFS to take things to the next level.

The RTX 4090 is currently the most powerful Nvidia card money can buy. With this card, you can flawlessly play Flight Simulator 2020 at the highest settings in all resolutions, including 8K.

With a clock speed of up to 2610 MHz and 24 GB of VRAM, this card is unrivaled in terms of performance. The RTX 4090 has everything you need to experience breathtaking cityscapes in 4K without skipping a single frame.

Just like the RTX 4070 Ti, this card lets you take advantage of Nvidia’s technologies like ray tracing, DLSS 3, and Reflex. The only things you need to think about before owning this card are the other components in your computer and a good gaming monitor that supports the resolution you’ll be using.

At 4K resolution and Ultra settings, you have an average of 80 FPS. This number is incredible for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, as it is one of the most demanding graphics cards on the market.

The price of the GPU is quite high due to the fact that it is the most powerful card on the market, and it begs the question of if the RTX 4090 is overkill for gaming? However, if you consider the GPU power you will have, you will be able to play all games currently on the market at the highest level without any problems.

One of the best graphics cards you can choose for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is the RX 6800 XT. While it can not keep up with the two Nvidia graphics cards on this list, it’s still pretty strong for 1080p and 1440p gameplay.

Thanks to its dimensions, which are below industry standards, it fits into almost any case. It can reach up to speeds of up to 2360 MHz without any problems which is another bonus. In the comparison of the RTX 3080 vs the RX 6800 XT, it’s clear the main competitor is the RTX 3080, which potentially has the edge in ray tracing performance. However, we like the RX 6800 as the cheaper option.

If you want to play Flight Simulator in 4K, the RX 6800 XT might fall short. Nevertheless, you have the chance to get above 40 FPS stably by changing some graphics settings. Because with 16GB VRAM being more than enough for gaming, it is still in the upper segment of the market.

If you do not want to spend hundreds of extra dollars on the Nvidia 4000 series, but still want to roam the cities of the world, the RX 6800 XT could be a very good 1080p gaming card for you. It is quite logical, especially for users who are looking for a product with a good price-performance ratio. Thoguh of course, there’s always a better deal out there, so you may want to consider the best budget graphics card if you want truly bang for your buck.

What is the best GPU for Flight Simulator 2020?

If you’re leaning towards AMD graphics cards, go for the RX 6800 XT which is AMD’s best contender from the previous generation. From Nvidia, the RTX 3090 or 4090 both make strong contenders. The advantage of going for the 40 series card is DLSS 3 and advanced ray tracing.

What GPU do I need for Flight Simulator 2020?

The minimum system requirements for Flight Simulator 2020 require either Nvidia GTX 770 or AMD Radeon RX 570.