Build the Best PC for Flight Simulator 2020! CPUs, RAM and GPUs tested for the Perfect Sim PC
Build the Best PC for Flight Simulator 2020! CPUs, RAM and GPUs tested for the Perfect Sim PC
View our recommended flight simulator builds here: https://buildpicker.com/
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has a reputation as being hard on hardware: so how should you allocate your budget if you want this Sim to run well but can’t out-bid Bezos?
In this video we break down the factors that contribute to excellent performance in Flight Simulator, controlling the variables to work out the best value CPUs, RAM configurations and GPUs. We use this information to recommend three PC Configurations at entry level, mid range, and the high end. You don’t need the most expensive parts to get fantastic performance: In fact you can achieve it with a pretty modest budget!
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Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction
2: 20 – The Benchmarks we run
4:25 – CPU testing
5:26 – CPUs: Testing for core count scaling
6:38 – Can DirectX 12 help?
6:57 – Key factors affecting CPU performance: Core speed and L3 Cache
7:09 – The difference between Intel and AMD product segmentation
8:17 – CPU Conclusions
9:38 – CPU Recommendations
10:49 – RAM Testing
11:15 – RAM Capacities 8GB-64GB tested
13:29 – RAM Speed on AMD Ryzen CPUs
14:35 – RAM Speed on Intel 12th generation CPUs
15:26 – RAM Speed Conclusions and Recommendations
16:43 – RAM Configuration conclusions: inconclusive
17:15 – SSD Testing
18:33 – GPU tests 1080p
20:08 – GPU tests 1440p
20:45 – GPU tests 1440p Ultrawide
21:13 – GPU tests 4K
21:35 – GPU Conclusions
22:29 – Notes on VR Performance/Requirements
23:10 – Overall conclusions
24:08 – Recommended Entry Level (1080p) PC Configuration
25:37 – Recommended Mid Range (1440p) PC Configuration
27:19 – Recommended High End (4k, VR) PC Configuration
29:16 – An invitation to BuildPicker.com – A Site that helps you configure your perfect PC.
30:35 – Testing Methodology
34:46 – Phew! It’s over.
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See our recommended builds at https://buildpicker.com/
Great work using data and not just opinion, usually I would say a Nvidia GPU is better and a CPU can start with either AMD or Intel but if you building a new system I would say the i5 12400f is the best one.
I appreciate the work you have put into testing, however I have been playing with the Sim Update 9 beta and have seen some big multi-thread improvements on my system (12700k + 3080 Ti) that may mean you have to re-visit this sooner than you anticipated. I’m seeing ~30% FPS improvements in demanding senarios at 1440p at full Ultra settings.
very cool info – I am making some changes to my system to get the best possible performance in MSFS VR specifically – your video helped me confirm some upgrade plans
thank you for putting this together!
Well done 👍🏼
The 5800X3D has a huge performance lead in MSFS vs all other CPU’s from other benchmarks I’ve seen elsewhere. That VCache must make a huge difference
Amazing job on the video!
Thanks, shared on twitter and my discord
your website is very well made and very useful
the best cpu for flight simulator is the 5800x3d, but it’s useless, i mean, in vr i’m always gpu bonded, by a lot, and i have a 3090ti, i think my 11900k will be good for sometime, at least until 4090ti or more
on the ram, 4×8 is better, at xmp speed, but with 2 x 16 you can push ram overclock a lot higher, and in flight simulator, in the cocpit, tighting the thertiary and the refresh rate of the ram can help a lot with minimum fps, always when you are not gpu limited by too much
What I learned from this video is that I already have a computer that has a chance at 1080p, and I should give this sim a try. Cool!
I have a ASRock H510M/ac motherboard intel core i7 10th gen, 16gb XLR8 Ram, and Asus Rog Strix RTX 2060 6Gb. I get easily 60fps and up on ultra/high settings. It would help if they improve the render latency.
Can you make some h610 mobo reviews?
You should update the video or pin a comment with update on the 5800X3D
Thanks, this a super informative video. I have a 10850k, 32 GB of 3200 mhz ram and a 3090. I only fly in VR, using a Reverb G2. I was thinking of getting a 4090 when they release at the end of the year, but now I’m not sure if my CPU will hold me back. I didn’t realise the 10850k was so much slower than the latest AMD and Intel lines. Running at VR/4K would the CPU difference matter? I mean if the 3090 can only get to 60 fps at 4K, would that bottleneck my performance anyway so that a faster CPU wouldn’t make a difference or would a 12900k set up really improve performance overall?
MSFS is pretty much all I use my PC for these days so it’s my only factor to consider when upgrading.
Wow! You really put a lot of work in this! Thanks a lot 💪💪💪😃
I play MSFS on a 2600X with 16GB RAM, and a 2070S at 1400p 30fps, with no issues whatsoever. I use high settings, and turn off ‘silly’ things like lens flare, motion blur (can’t recall if that’s an option…haven’t played for a while), etc. At worse I may get some mild stuttering at busy airports using live traffic, such as JKF or Heathrow, for example, but otherwise, and as I fly GA exclusively, it’s not an issue for me.
Wow! …thanks for all the info and hard work you guys put into making this video. Great stuff.
Would certainly be interested in your VR test findings and certainly interested in your own in sim/game settings.
Thanks again
Super great Video.
Take note that the 5800X3D should do super well in such a cache heavy game.
I’ve see some benchmarks that shows the 5800X3D in a league of it own.
It’s by far the best cpu for this game.
Fantastic video. Very comprehensive and useful for those of us looking for a FS2020 gaming rig. Thank you.
Fantastic work. would love to see 5800x3d numbers once/if you can get your hands on one!
I’m currently running an old system that I’m slowly starting to upgrade. It has a 1060 3 GB gpu and I had thought about going all out with a 3080ti (possibly a hybrid version) to run on my native 4k60 monitor. Stock is improving, but now I’m wondering if it’s worth the extra $300-400 over a regular 3080 based on your video. I was tired of seeing year old and outdated videos, so thanks for making one running the current version of the game so the numbers are more relevant.
Really helpful as XBox X is great but limiting especially wanting VR
Just awesome, very informative, comprehensive and right on the spot. 👍
5800X3D will really help these builds
Super informative. glad i found this
Very nice video and presentation! Thanks!
was the testing done with SAM on or off?
Video cards not ready for VR prime time yet will wait for 40 series.
Outstanding video. Thank you for sharing your testing results with the flight sim community. I look forward to checking g out Build Picker too.
Do you think I should get the ryzen 5 5600x or the cheaper 5 5600 instead? Lower clock speed but I don’t know if that will make the difference! I would love your thoughts on which cpu i should buy!
I think this review was a few days early – it looks like 5800X3D completely dominates MS Flight Simulator (per Linus Tech Tips review)
Very much appreciated your detailed work! Thanks a lot for all these recommendations.
For VR with Oculus Quest 2 – imo – at least an rtx 3080 (my config) / rx6800xt is necessary, 3080ti will bring noticably better immersion. Personally, I am going to stick to the rtx 3080 for now and will wait for next gen GPUs rtx 4080 (ti) / 7800/7850xt which should outperform even an rtx 3090ti by around 20-30% in flight simulator (maybe even 30-40% in low 0,1% FPS). Finally, next gen GPUs will bring excellent immersion for VR headsets like Proverb G2 and Oculus Quest 2. Concerning 1440p (ultra) and 4k (high settings) an rtx 4060 (ti) might be the sweet spot.
good vid
Good video. No one seems to cover this topic. I built my system in 2020 just for FS 2020…
Great informative video! Do you have any recommendations for a prebuilt pc I could order from Amazon, dell, or HP etc with an under $3500 budget? I’m pretty computer dumb so just looking for best ready to go solution to use with a G2 and preflight puma for VR Sim. Thanks!
One lesson I learned is never use an AMD video card due to their poor driver support when it comes to using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
Thank You Very Much! … No one really ever talks MS Flight Sim, Game or Not it is my Favorite and I am starting to Buy for a New Computer!
I just got a RTX 3080 and now need to upgrade my CPU (from Ryzen 1600x) as I’m getting stuttering in VR with Quest 2. I can either stick with my motherboard and get a 5600x or save and get a B660 and i5 12600K. What should I get and is extra expense worth it ? How much better would the i5 be? I plan on using the 16MB 3200 MHz RAM I already have. Cheers
I truly appreciate your hard work, Mate! Keep at it, I am confident that this channel will get the proper recognition it deserves very soon! Cheers!
amazing
I’ve got a ryzen 7 5800x and it seems to do pretty terrible being mostly above 70% utilisation and often jumping up to 100% causing regular stutters. Very very annoying. I use quite a few mods in game which makes your test make my cpu look better than it has been treating me. But I have seen plenty or people running worse CPUs (and sometimes the exact same) with no stuttering. Got a liquid cooler, temps are always fine, so I’m really at a loss. Anyone know why my CPU is doing this?
PS the stuttering happens mostly when looking around in the cockpit or external camera. When still, the cpu is fine.
PPS, I’ve got 32gigs or ram and a 3070 Ti OC. And yes, I’m one of those super serious dedicated flight simmers.
5800x3D changes the game for MSF. The more cache the better.
Great video! Did you have any performance issues when you were running the sim on Win 11?
i9 12900ks, 3090 Ti, 32GB DDR4
Work hard, save hard, you got yourself a hard earned FS2022 machine. None of this budget pc bs
What a great wisdom for pc building especially in msfs2020 context… thanks for the comprehensive explanation 👍👍
5 5600x!!!!!!!!
Such an underrated channel, well done and thank you for such an intensive test.
i have no idea how you got the fps you did. i’ve never battled harder with a game/sim before to find a balance between graphics and performance. can i clarify what settings you had. photogrammetry? ai traffic? render scaling? terrain and objects lod? also, what impact did panning the camera have on fps? i can almost halve my fps by looking around. cheers!
Best ever video on MSFS I’ve seen but like all other content creators video’s, GPU prices are still $100,- to $ 300,- over what you show here……