Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition

To run Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition (2014) on PC you need at least a 2.0 Ghz or higher (single core) processor and a DirectX®9 compliant video card or greater, 256 MB video RAM or higher, Shader Model 1.1 or higher (Laptop versions of these chipsets may work but are , with 2GB of RAM and 30GB of free storage. For higher settings and frame rates, the recommended specs are a Intel Core i5 and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 16GB of RAM. Check your exact PC against Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition with our free Can I Run It tool, estimate your frame rate with the FPS Estimator, or see the best GPU for Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition.

Meeting the Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition minimum requirements (a DirectX®9 compliant video card or greater, 256 MB video RAM or higher, Shader Model 1.1 or higher (Laptop versions of these chipsets may work but are ) is enough to launch the game, but it won't give you high frame rates at 1440p or 4K. The recommended NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 is a solid target, and stepping up to a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080 or Radeon RX 9070 XT gives you the headroom for ultra settings, ray tracing and high-refresh play. On mid-range cards, DLSS 4 and FSR frame generation can lift Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition's frame rate substantially, while a flagship RTX 5090 drives 4K at maximum settings.

The processor matters just as much: pairing your graphics card with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or an Intel Core Ultra, at least 16GB (ideally 32GB) of DDR5 RAM and a fast Gen5 NVMe SSD removes the stutter and long load times that can hold Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition back. For modern textures at 4K, aim for a GPU with 12–16GB of VRAM so you never run short.

The same premium components also decide whether your rig is VR ready: if you game in virtual reality on a Meta Quest 3, Valve Index or PlayStation VR2, a strong GPU and CPU are what hold a steady 90 FPS. Check your exact setup against Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition with the free Can I Run It tool, or see the best GPU for Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition.

What are the minimum requirements for Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition?
Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition needs at least a 2.0 Ghz or higher (single core) CPU and a DirectX®9 compliant video card or greater, 256 MB video RAM or higher, Shader Model 1.1 or higher (Laptop versions of these chipsets may work but are graphics card, 2GB of RAM and 30GB of storage.

What are the recommended specs for Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition?
For a smooth experience, Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition recommends a Intel Core i5 and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 16GB of RAM.

How much RAM does Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition need?
Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition requires 2GB of RAM as a minimum, with 16GB recommended.

What GPU do you need to run Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition?
The minimum graphics card for Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition is a DirectX®9 compliant video card or greater, 256 MB video RAM or higher, Shader Model 1.1 or higher (Laptop versions of these chipsets may work but are , while a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 is recommended for higher settings. Check any GPU against this game with our Can I Run It tool.