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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Can Your PC Run This Aviation Adventure?

Get your rig ready for takeoff on Nov. 19 with these minimum and recommended requirements.

 & Jordan Minor Principal Writer, Software

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(Credit: Microsoft)

Four years after its triumphant revival, the ultimate aircraft simulation series returns with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The painstakingly realistic aviation title puts you behind the stick of more than 65 aircraft and lets you take off from more than 50 handcrafted airports. So, are you ready to cruise the skies on Nov. 19? Check out the game's minimum and recommended system specs to see if your gaming PC can take you airborne.



Why the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Hype?

The Microsoft Flight Simulator series has taught gamers how to fly since 1982. However, it saw a big boost with the critically acclaimed Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. The beautiful visuals, real-world weather data, and gameplay that reflects actual aeronautics made it the perfect escape during the Covid-19 lockdowns, much like Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 looks to build on that success. This next-gen installment introduces new missions, aircraft, league challenges, photo challenges, and environmental features like animal migration and tornadoes. DLC from the previous game also carries over in an extremely consumer-friendly move.


Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Price and Release Date

Microsoft is in the game's title, so it's no surprise that Flight Simulator 2024 is launching on PC and Xbox Series X/S. The game lands on Nov. 19, and you can add the $69.99 game to your Steam Wishlist right now. Several premium versions add more planes and airports, up to the $199.99 Aviator Edition. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 hits Xbox Game Pass on release day like many other Xbox games.


Minimum System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel Core i7-6800K
  • Memory: 16GB of RAM
  • GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 970
  • Available Storage: 50GB
(Credit: Microsoft)

Recommended System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X or Intel Core i7-10700K
  • Memory: 32GB of RAM
  • GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
  • Available Storage: 50GB 


How Do You Play Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 features full controller support. However, consider investing in a flight stick to live the pilot life. Steam Deck compatibility is still uncertain, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the title were too much for Valve’s handheld gaming PC to handle.


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About Our Expert

Jordan Minor

Jordan Minor

Principal Writer, Software

My PCMag career began in 2013 as an intern. Now, I'm a senior writer, using the skills I acquired at Northwestern University to write about dating apps, meal kits, programming software, website builders, video streaming services, and video games. I was previously a senior editor at Geek.com and have written for The A.V. Club, Kotaku, and Paste Magazine. I'm the author of the gaming history book Video Game of the Year: A Year-by-Year Guide to the Best, Boldest, and Most Bizarre Games from Every Year Since 1977, and the reason everything you know about Street Sharks is a lie.

The Technology I Use

I use the newest Android and iOS smartphones for testing, but I currently use an iPhone 14 as my personal phone. I just hate that we gave up headphone jacks.

I've always favored gaming laptops over desktops. On that note, I have a 16-inch HP Envy with an Intel Core i9-13900H CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. No matter what machine I’m working on, an alarming amount of my personal and professional life revolves around cloud-synced Google Drive files.

For food subscriptions, my household sticks with CookUnity and HelloFresh for meals. Video streaming is a bit more complicated. While there are too many services to list, we're subscribed to most of the major ones. These days, I find myself drawn to HBO Max's movies and shows, as well as Peacock's reality trash.

I've been a lifelong Nintendo fan, and I sincerely believe the Nintendo Switch will go down as one of the best gaming consoles of all time. It has an unbelievable library of new and old games from Nintendo and third-party companies. The handheld/console hybrid approach makes playing games so much more flexible, a legacy that continues with the Nintendo Switch 2 and Valve’s Steam Deck.

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