Best pre-built PCs for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2023
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a big hit for simulator games. The title uses satellite data streamed from the cloud to create one of the most realistic virtual worlds in gaming. It’s demanding on PCs, and while you don’t need the best GPU, having a capable gaming rig will take the game to new heights.
Choosing the suitable PC for Flight Simulator can make or break the experience, which is where these pre-built desktop PCs come into play. Here are our top choices for the best pre-built computer and how they compare to the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2022 system requirements.
Skytech Chronos
Ideal spec (NVIDIA)
Microsoft initially recommended an Intel i7-9800X CPU and RTX 2080 GPU for the ideal specs, updated here with an i5-12600K and RTX 3070 as a pre-build from Skytech. 32GB RAM still matches, and the 1TB SSD helps loading times.
Skytech Prism II
Ideal spec (AMD)
The original ideal Flight Sim AMD specs were a Ryzen 7 2700X and a Radeon VII. Skytech offers modern replacements with a Ryzen 7 5800X and Radeon 6900 XT with 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD.
Alienware M15 R6
Ideal laptop
If you’re aiming for Microsoft’s recommended ideal specs but want to play anywhere, this ultra-capable Alienware M15 R6 laptop is a perfect fit with an Intel i7-11800H CPU, RTX 3070 GPU, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD.
Skytech Archangel
Mid-range (NVIDIA)
Recommended NVIDIA specs originally called for an Intel i5-8400 CPU and GTX 970 GPU alongside 16GB RAM.
Pick up a modern alternative from Skytech with an i5-12400F, RTX 3060, plus a sizeable 1TB SSD and the appropriate 16GB RAM.
Allied Gaming Patriot
Mid-range (AMD)
AMD recommended specs were a Ryzen 5 1500X and Radeon RX 590 paired with 16GB RAM. Allied Gaming’s Patriot model features a Ryzen 5 5600X CPU, RX 6700 XT GPU, 16GB RAM, and a 500GB SSD as modern replacements.
Razer Blade 15
Laptop alternative
The Razer Blade 15 is a slim laptop available in various configurations, ranging from a decent Intel i7-11800H CPU with an RTX 3060 GPU to a beefy i9-12900H with an RTX 3080 Ti. Any option will easily handle Flight Simulator without issue.
AVGPC Quiet
Budget spec (NVIDIA)
This modern pre-build from AVGPC will hit the minimum recommended NVIDIA specs if you’re aiming for entry-level on a budget.
Why you can trust Windows Central
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is an ambitious game. Still, it doesn’t have seriously high system requirements for playing on anything but the best gaming desktop PC. All you needed for the original minimum specs at launch was an AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or Intel i5-4460 CPU, Radeon RX 570 or NVIDIA GTX 700 GPU, and 8GB. My recommended PCs in this collection meet these requirements with refreshed modern counterparts.
But cooking up the best Microsoft Flight Simulator experience isn’t solely about processing power. We also recommend finding room in the budget for extra gear for Flight Simulator, with accessories like yokes and joysticks adding that missing piece of the puzzle for virtual pilots, if you can stretch.
If we were to offer a single recommendation for PCs, we’d go with the CyberPowerPC Skytech Chronos.
Not only does it look sleek with loads of RGB, but it’s also got everything packed inside that you’ll need, including an RTX 3070 NVIDIA GPU and Core i5-12600K Intel CPU at a reasonable price to enjoy some RTX features like DLSS.
Get the best of Windows Central in your inbox, every day!
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He’s been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.
Windows Central Newsletter
Get the best of Windows Central in your inbox, every day!
Thank you for signing up to Windows Central. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
-
1
How to use an astronomy table in Hogwarts Legacy
-
2
Destiny 2 Lightfall launch time: When you can play, preload, download size, and more
-
3
Surface Laptop Studio 2 with Intel 13th-Gen and NVIDIA RTX 4060 appears on Geekbench
-
4
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s RPG progression system will be just as experimental as past games
-
5
Destiny 2 Lightfall: Release date, Strand, raid, ViDoc trailer, and more
VR for Flight Simulation – Get the Highest-Fidelity Experience with Varjo
Advanced ergonomics and true-to-life visual fidelity make Varjo Aero a flight simmer’s dream VR headset. See what passionate flight sim enthusiasts say about it and learn how to get the most out of your flight sim setup.
Buy now
Explore Varjo Aero
The most immersive flight sim experience in VR
“I can say that this is categorically the best VR experience I’ve ever had.”
“The Aero from Varjo is hands down the best VR headset I’ve ever seen.
It is a complete game changer and, honestly speaking, it’s a revolution in the VR scene.” – Pie In The Sky Tours
Watch more reviews
With variable-resolution aspheric lenses, the difference is crystal clear.
Varjo Aero features a cutting-edge optical design that propels users to a new level of visual fidelity, pushing the pixels tighter together directly in front of you. The variable resolution lenses create an ultra-sharp peak resolution of 35 PPD, right at the center of focus where it matters most – mimicking the way the human eye works. Alternative commercially available headsets max out closer to 20 PPD.
Compared to the murky experience of consumer-grade Fresnel lenses, the lenses in Varjo Aero are aspheric, offering an incredible true-to-life visual experience that makes god rays and the screen-door effect a thing of the past.
Learn more about using best-in-class VR in flight simulation
Webinar on Demand: From Contract to Deployment – Building an XR Air Refueling Simulator for the USAF
Webinar
Nov 9, 2022
Community Session: VR Flight Sim Guy and the Art of Virtual Flying
Webinar
Oct 27, 2022
Best PCVR Flight Sim Setup – Tips and Tricks
Varjo Labs Article
Oct 19, 2022
The MS-21 aircraft was 6 years late
The MS-21 medium-haul narrow-body aircraft is the main project of the modern Russian aviation industry, a potential competitor to the world’s most common Boeing 737 and Airbus 320/321 / Evgeny Razumny / Vedomosti
The newest Russian aircraft MS-21 received a basic type certificate, Denis Manturov, head of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, told reporters on December 28.
But, according to him, flights to expand the certificate will continue until 2024.
The type certificate is a fundamental document in civil aviation, which means the possibility of safe operation of an aircraft, engine and the possibility of its commercial sale.
Changes to the type certificate that allow the use of Russian engines and a domestic composite wing are scheduled for 2022. Now the aircraft is certified with imported Pratt & Whitney engines and wings made of foreign composites, the Ministry of Industry and Trade specified.
MS-21 medium-haul narrow-body passenger aircraft is the main project of the modern Russian aviation industry, a potential competitor to the world’s most common Boeing 737 and Airbus 320/321. Research and design work on the project started in 2008. The first MS-21 took off in May 2017. Then flight tests of the aircraft began. It was powered by Pratt & Whitney engines and the wings were made from foreign composite materials.
The supplier of composites for the project is the Aerocomposite holding, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation.
But at the end of 2018, US sanctions were imposed on Aerocomposite, and the company lost the opportunity to buy imported raw materials for the wing. Because of this, domestic materials were required, their development was entrusted to the structures of Rosatom. The certification of the MS-21 was moved to the end of 2020, and the start of deliveries to Aeroflot to the beginning of 2021. As a result, the first test flight of the MS-21 with a wing made of Russian materials took place only on December 25, 2021. In addition, in the future, the aircraft should be equipped with domestic PD-14 engines.
“Rosaviatsia is ready to continue work on expanding the operating conditions of the aircraft and optimizing structures, including remotorization for the PD-14 engine,” said Alexander Neradko, head of Rosaviatsia, in a press release.
In December, Andrey Boginsky, the newly appointed CEO of the Irkut Corporation (manufacturer of the MS-21), said that Aeroflot’s subsidiary Rossiya Airlines would receive the first MS-21s in the second half of 2022.
According to an Interfax source , next year, four such liners will be delivered to the Rossiya fleet: the first of them is expected only in September, the second — in November, two more — in December 2022. Earlier, Rossiya announced the start of acceptance of the MS-21 in the spring of 2022 .
Rossiya aircraft will be delivered in a two-class layout — 16 business class seats and 153 economy class seats. According to Boginsky, all production aircraft will be supplied with a wing made of Russian composite materials. Rossiya also ordered a new LED aircraft cabin lighting system that will simulate any time of day.
According to Roman Gusarov, editor-in-chief of the industry portal avia.ru, the creation of a new aircraft from scratch now takes about 10 years, taking into account the development, production of prototypes, factory flight and certification tests, as well as preparation for mass production. Considering that the MS-21 made its first flight in May 2017, four years for certification is a good time, the expert told Vedomosti.
Director of the Aviaport industry agency Oleg Panteleev recalled that at the beginning of the MS-21 project, the first deliveries were scheduled for 2016. Thus, the estimated period from the launch of the program to the start of deliveries of the MS-21 will be 15 years, and the delay in terms of six years. Since then, the basic version of the aircraft has also changed: at first, the MS-21-200 was considered as such, then Irkut switched to a more spacious version of the MS-21-300, Panteleev emphasized.
“The history of the aviation industry shows that Western aircraft manufacturers, having extensive and continuous experience in creating new aircraft, created and brought their products to the market faster than Russian or Chinese aircraft manufacturers. But it should also be noted that American and Canadian aircraft manufacturers faced problems,” Panteleev said.
In an interview with Vedomosti, the expert noted that the manufacturer has yet to certify the MS-21 with Russian wing materials, and here aircraft manufacturers are in the unknown zone — the material is new and has not been used on other aircraft.
“In the meantime, the aircraft is not certified, it makes no sense to transfer it to the operator. So by the beginning of deliveries the certificate will be in any case. Another thing is that by September (2022 — Vedomosti), Irkut should have time to assemble not one aircraft, but several, ”Panteleev emphasizes.
Media news2
Do you want to hide ads? Subscribe
and read without distraction
Dream Aero simulator in Novosibirsk
We are glad to present you the simulator of the famous Boeing 737 NG airliner on a dynamic platform in the city of Novosibirsk.
FULL FLIGHT SIMULATOR
We are pleased to present you the simulators of the famous passenger airliners Boeing 737 NG and Airbus A320 on a mobile platform. Test yourself as a pilot! On the basis of a simulator similar to those used for training and education of pilots, a complete aircraft cockpit simulator has been created. More
SOME FACTS ABOUT US
-
Dynamic Platform
The device is a mobile system that allows you to convey the physical sensations of a person while flying an airliner as close to reality as possible.
-
visualization and sensations
Panoramic cab glass is a high-tech 3D video system that allows you to reproduce images of any real-life landscape in various weather conditions.
-
Equipment and devices
All instruments in the flight simulator cabin are real. This is how real planes are equipped. We use only new and certified pilot equipment.
-
Individual approach
An employee of Dream Aero responds very quickly to user requests, answers all questions that arise when booking a flight. If you arrive at the location of the flight simulator in advance, you can spend waiting for the flight with a cup of coffee or tea.
FLIGHT OPTIONS
The Dream Aero team can offer you any flight option. From a simple takeoff and landing at a familiar airfield, to a trip to another hemisphere, made in difficult weather conditions.
Choose any route, day or night flight, predict difficulties and trials while moving. DETAILS
land the plane among the Austrian mountains of Innsbruck
enjoy the picturesque scenery of the Cote d’Azur in Cannes, Nice, Monaco
take a turn around the tallest skyscraper in the world — the Burj Khalifa in Dubai
choose any route and enjoy the flight
fly over the majestic skyscrapers of New York at night
shares
-
On the Birthday (as well as 3 days before and 3 days after) a discount of -20% is provided (ATTENTION! The discount does not apply to gift certificates, it is provided ONLY upon presentation of an identity document, the promotion is not cumulative with other offers)
-
From Monday to Thursday from 10.00 to 13.00 we offer you an additional 15 minutes absolutely free of charge!
Reviews
So far, I haven’t been at the helm of a Boeing! The control was in the hands of my beloved people.
Special thanks to Dmitry. After two flights, I wish to sit down at the controls myself
Natalia | Moscow
Sent: 01/26/2023
I flew to Dubai! It was great! Dmitry taught and supervised perfectly. Video that he is a great pilot and commander! A great desire to fly again.
Yuri | Moscow
Sent: 01/26/2023
I really liked the work of the dream aero company, especially the pilot-instructor Yuri, who helped me during the flight, the simulator perfectly conveys the feeling of a real flight, the only negative is that some systems cannot be started by yourself, so you can turn on any weather
Zhernakov Vasily | Moscow
Sent: 01/26/2023
the problem of choosing a gift for a 12-year-old child for the New Year! He flew as a flight attendant, now retired. Eureka! Columbus shopping center … Boeing dream aero simulator. Made it to the top 10! Thanks to the instructor Georgy-Professional, clear to the child and sometimes creative! The child is delighted, I am delighted (I remembered my young years, because flight attendants from the times of the USSR are also part of the crew)! We got great pleasure! Hope for further meetings! Thanks a lot! I RECOMMEND!!!!!
Sergey.
| Moscow
Sent: 01/22/2023
An old dream came true to be a Boeing 737 pilot🥳🥳🥳 From the first steps you plunge into the atmosphere of the upcoming flight. A girl in the form of a stewardess meets, treats you to coffee like on an airplane, then acquaintance with the pilot and briefing. Pilot Dmitry was very polite, patient and clearly explained everything. Although I almost crashed the plane several times, he never lost his temper!))) I liked that you can choose the airport, time of day, flight duration and type of aircraft. If you are flying for the first time, be sure to check out the pre-flight briefing on the website. Then the instructor will spend less time explaining before takeoff. And choose a simpler airport to fully enjoy the flight. I really want to go again, but for a longer time! My sister made an unforgettable gift! I flew a month ago, but the emotions still do not leave. I found a good comparison about this in the Holy Scriptures: «From & nbsp; a prolonged expectation, the heart hurts, and a fulfilled desire & nbsp; & mdash; tree of life!» Please your loved ones and fulfill the desires of their hearts!!! I told my friends about the flight, now there are many more who want to go!
Daria | Moscow
Sent: 01/18/2023
For the new year, I was presented with a certificate for flying in this stimulator.
I would like to say a big thank you to pilot Andrey and flight attendant Maria for their attention, sensitivity and professionalism. We were met, prepared and instructed to the highest standard! The fact is that recently I began to fly often, and with the frequency of flights, interest in what is happening outside the cabin has increased. Being in the pilot’s seat, taking off, flying, emergency situations and landing on your own is a great opportunity to understand how everything works from the inside. Probably thanks to this flight, I became closer to understanding why pilots love the sky, and most importantly, I extinguished all the inner feelings and fears that arose from a misunderstanding of what was happening. I recommend!
Ivan | Samara
Sent: 01/17/2023
Many thanks to the pilot Oleg from the Columbus mall in Moscow for an excellent flight, a sea of positive and attention to our crew of DIFFERENT AGES! It was great! Let’s come again!
Edward | Moscow
Sent: 01/11/2023
From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank pilot instructor Ivan from Khabarovsk! Very professional and at the same time just explained everything) it was a pleasure to study with him!!!
Daria | Khabarovsk
Sent: 01/08/2023
We visit the simulator for the second time (and this is definitely not the last) the child is completely delighted! I especially like the briefing and the detailed story of the pilot about all the intricacies and nuances of the flight👌
Marina | Moscow
Sent: 01/08/2023
Today I visited a flight simulator on a Boeing 737 in the RIO SPb shopping center.
