What PC specs do Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 need?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 requires at least 8 GB RAM and a GTX 770 or RX 570; Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 raises that to 16 GB and a GTX 970 or RX 5700. We recommend 32 GB RAM, a modern six-core CPU, an SSD and a graphics card with 8 GB or more VRAM.

Official Microsoft Flight Simulator system requirements

The official requirements describe minimum, recommended and ideal hardware tiers, but they do not guarantee a particular frame rate at every airport or graphics preset. Large hubs, detailed airliners, traffic, high-resolution displays and third-party scenery can demand substantially more.

Both simulators require 64-bit Windows. MSFS 2020 supports DirectX 11 and DirectX 12, while MSFS 2024 uses DirectX 12. Although the original specification charts list Windows 10, we would use Windows 11 on a new PC.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 specifications

MSFS 2020's official recommended tier has 16 GB RAM, a GTX 970 or RX 590, and an Intel Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 1500X.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 specifications

MSFS 2024's official recommended tier doubles the memory target to 32 GB and specifies an RTX 2080 or RX 5700 XT with 8 GB VRAM.

Do not treat components listed in the same row as exact performance equivalents. The official chart is a compatibility reference, and its minimum tier means low settings and compromises rather than consistently smooth performance in demanding locations.

What PC specifications do we recommend in practice?

For a new system intended to run either simulator comfortably, 32 GB RAM, a fast six- or eight-core gaming CPU, an NVMe SSD and a discrete GPU with at least 8 GB VRAM form a sensible baseline.

Resolution, aircraft and airport complexity matter more than a generic preset name. Our balanced MSFS settings recommendations explain which options can be reduced without making the simulator look poor. For headsets, use the more demanding hardware and graphics guidance for MSFS 2024 VR.

Which component matters most for MSFS?

The CPU and graphics card must be balanced, but the limiting component changes with the aircraft, location, resolution and settings.

• CPU: Dense airports, AI or multiplayer traffic, glass-cockpit aircraft and complex scenery commonly create a main-thread limit. A faster gaming CPU can help more than adding extra cores beyond what the simulator can use effectively.
• GPU: Higher resolution, render scaling, clouds, shadows and VR increase graphics load. If the GPU is already near full utilisation, a faster CPU will not fix the resulting frame-rate limit.
• VRAM: Insufficient video memory can cause stutters, texture reductions or unstable performance with detailed aircraft and scenery. Shared system memory is not a substitute for dedicated VRAM.
• System RAM: 32 GB is the practical sweet spot. Moving to 64 GB helps heavy MSFS 2024 sessions, background applications and large add-on collections, but it will not rescue a weak CPU or GPU.

Frame generation can improve displayed smoothness on supported graphics cards, but it does not remove a severe main-thread bottleneck or insufficient VRAM. We explain the limitations in our guide to enabling frame generation in MSFS.

How much storage and internet speed do you really need?

An SSD and a stable broadband connection are practical requirements even though the official charts focus on capacity and download speed. MSFS 2020 installs much of its world content locally, while MSFS 2024 streams a larger proportion of scenery and other data.

The quoted 150 GB and 50 GB figures are starting points, not comfortable drive-size recommendations. World updates, rolling cache data, Marketplace content, aircraft, scenery and community add-ons all consume additional space. Our MSFS storage breakdown covers the difference between the advertised requirement and a real installation.

Connection stability also matters. A fast service with packet loss, Wi-Fi interference or strict data caps may perform worse than a slower stable connection. MSFS 2024 benefits most from reliable bandwidth because streamed scenery forms a larger part of the experience.

Can a laptop or integrated graphics run MSFS?

A gaming laptop can run either simulator, but its CPU and GPU names do not guarantee desktop-equivalent performance. Check the laptop GPU's power limit, cooling capacity, installed RAM configuration and whether its memory can be upgraded.

We do not recommend integrated graphics for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or 2024. Some newer integrated GPUs may launch the simulator at reduced resolution and settings, but shared memory, limited bandwidth and sustained heat make performance inconsistent. A dedicated GPU meeting the official minimum is the safer threshold.

Common specification mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is checking only the graphics card and assuming the rest of the PC is adequate.

• Do not confuse VRAM on the graphics card with ordinary system RAM.
• Do not expect the official minimum specification to support high settings, complex airliners or busy third-party airports.
• Do not spend heavily on 64 GB RAM while retaining an old CPU or an underpowered graphics card.
• Do not compare desktop and laptop GPUs by model number alone; laptop power limits can produce very different results.
• Do not fill the system SSD to capacity. Leave free space for updates, rolling cache data and temporary installation files.