FS2020 Machine

[dnimigon]

So it may already be on the forum here but I am looking at buying a machine that will run this new sim properly. I am used to flight sim and have all of them from the original. Need a new machine though as my old one is outdated. I live in Canada and not buying from the US as shipping etc. I've looked at Staples and Best Buy. I'm not that familiar with all the specs as they boggle my brain. The staff at the 2 stores seem to talk like they know they're stuff but when i got home and then went online and found tomshardware.com and read what he had to say it makes me wonder did the staff have any idea. They all said oh yes this machine will be fine for that sim but Tom says different. Prices varied from $1000 to $1700. I don't mind spending the money if its warranted but just don't want to spend a lot when its not needed. But I don't want to buy a $1000 machine that the sales girl said would be fine and is above the requirements that Microsoft recommends. (I printed a copy to take to them) to find out later its not enough machine. Tom says there's not a machine capable yet to handle full sim. He's saying maybe next year. He also says there's no game out there that requires more power than the new MS 2020 If you gurus could direct me on a decision here. I know there are some of you who are right on top of things tech wise. That's why I thought I'd post my help me here. You guys if you could look at the machines they have and tell me the better one. Not interested in having one built. I'm not expecting miracles from a machine as I know there are limit to everything, just a machine that one of these guys have that works good for this sim. Hoping you can direct me.

[plainsman]

The answer to your question requires a lot more information. What screen resolution do you plan to run, and do you plan to upgrade in the future? It isn't terribly difficult to run the program well at 1980x1080p at medium and high settings. An I5-8600K and a GTX 1660 super will suffice. If you might upgrade to a 1440 monitor, then I would go with an RTX 2070super or better for the graphics card. Ultra settings at 1080p can be obtained with an RTX 2060super. If you run Ultra and 1440 then you probably need an RTX 2080super (very expensive). If you plan to run 4K, then Tom's Hardware advice applies, as 4K is very demanding. You can run it with super expensive hardware, but it will still be at fps that may not satisfy everyone. I tend to run Intel/Nvidia. There are AMD products that will run the program well, particularly at 1440 or less. At 1080p a Ryzen 7 3700X or better should be fine combined with a 5600XT or better.

The program will benefit from faster memory, I would get at least 16 gb of 2800 ddr4 or better, up to 3200 (32gb is better). The program will generate a lot of heat, so you really need a well cooled case and a good cooler. If you go with one of the better video cards, you will need a very robust power supply. For that reason, most pre-built systems are not the best choice, they typically use a cheap less stable PSU.

Edited December 11, 2020 by plainsman

[Raven Flight]

Please pardon any typos. I didn't mean to write so long and right now don't have the patience to edit it. Post if you don't understand anything and I'll have a go it fixing it.

 

First off I spend months researching computers to run this which for me was part of the fun. There is no answer except that if you want to build or buy a truly up to date computer right now then you are pretty much out of luck. The latest graphics cards are not available and that is pushing the price of the older GPUs up. Some older models are actually being sold for more than their MSRP price of last year. Things are only better on the CPU side. Both AMD and Intel CPUs are available and in fact the price has dropped some. I had intended to build but found that I would be unlikely to find a current GPU bought as parts before late spring.

 

Two: The Best of the Best Buy computer's are toys with rbg look cool lighting. They will come with a GTX 1060 card at bests and if it's a Intel CPU it will be locked 99% of the time. An Intel CPU with a F after the model number is locked. You want a K model. Warehouse stores tend to run even slower and lower classed AMD CPUs. You can only trust their people if you already know what you are looking for. Their job is to sell computers. They may be generally knowledgeable or just know the lingo.

 

It's probably true that there is no computer on the market that fill take full advantage of everything about the sims but it has something like a 100 settings the effect performance and people have published lists of things that can be turned down or off with little negative effect. Current top of the line graphic cards and processors can't maintain 60 FPS under all conditions. Still it's a sim not a game. The FPS of a movie is 24 FPS and YouTube is limited to 30 FPS and nobody walks out of the movie theater because they aren't showing the film at 250 FPS.

 

I would suggest that you just browse the forum posts. You don't have to read them. Most people post their rig in the signature at the bottom. I am amazed at the differences of what works. As for YouTube. I follow several different channels of by people who review hardware and build computers. Being mostly gamer they seldom mention flight sims but you can interrelate. A fast computer is better than a slow one no matter what game/sim you are running. Basically you get into a cost trade offs both on budget and cost.

 

Do you lean toward AMD or Intel is really the most basic choice. Intel has been the king of the gaming hill for several years but AMD seems to have caught up but just in their latest CPUs which of course are the most expensive. The reason Intel has been king is clock speed. Single thread clock speed to be specific. MSFS is not optimized to take advantage of cores and threads the way some games are. If you plan to primary run MSFS the clock speed and boost speed of the CPU are the most important single number. Now of course if you play other high level games and do share the processor with other computing at the same time then cores and threads come more into play.

 

On the other hand. The current Intel CPUs are on their last legs as far as future support. Intel is at the end of the rope for it's current architecture and struggling to the the next gen going. A current 10900K CPU may perform for the next ten years but it won't be supported and when the new CPUs do come out they will use a different mother board so you won't have much ability to upgrade. AMD is at the beginning of new architecture so in theory you would be able to plug in a new CPU in a few years if you want to go that route.

 

As I think I said. I planned to build. My build list included a i9-10850K, NVIDIA RTX 3070, Corsair liquid cooled, 32 GB 3200 G.Skill RAM, Corsair modular 800 maybe 1000 watt PS, M.2 2280 1TB PCIe Gen 3.0 x4, NVMe, and 1 TB SATA internal 2.5 inch SSD. The cost would have been about $2,500. That ran on the rocks when I found I couldn't buy an RTX 3070.

 

However I did order this. Looks like you may have to copy and paste it into your browser. It's the Newegg computer site. I got it on sale for $100 less which paid for about half the tax. The only diffrence is an older but comparable CPU.

 

https://www.newegg.com/abs-ali454/p/N82E16883360038?Description=ABS%20Gladiator%20Gaming%20PC%20-%20Intel%20i7%2010700K%20-%20GeForce%20RTX%203070%208GB%20-%20G.Skill%20TridentZ%20RGB%2016GB%20DDR4%203200MHz%20-%201TB%20Intel%20M.2%20NVMe%20SSD&cm_re=ABS_Gladiator%20Gaming%20PC%20-%20Intel%20i7%2010700K%20-%20GeForce%20RTX%203070%208GB%20-%20G.Skill%20TridentZ%20RGB%2016GB%20DDR4%203200MHz%20-%201TB%20Intel%20M.2%20NVMe%20SSD-_-83-360-038-_-Product

 

Unfortunately I haven't received it yet due to a shipping error. I should be here next week. The only bad side is that if you compare reviews across the board 10% of everything shipped from any company is going to arrive defective or unsuitable for it's use. I may get lucky and maybe not. Now that I've confused completely confused you. I'll go back to the beginning. I shopped all the big box stores and found it all to be junk. I did get a good deal on an open box monitor it Best Buy although the sales person had just told a customer that it wasn't a gaming monitor but I suspected it was even though it didn't specifically say so. So I had her look it up and it turned out to be a hidden jewel. The point is she thought it had to say gamer on the box somewhere or it wasn't one and if I hadn't learned the difference I wouldn't have known what I was looking at.

 

Now that's I've completely confused you. I don't know who you can order a computer from in Canada. If Amazon sells any of the good stuff it is very expensive. All their Intel processors are F models even it a premium price. Let me know if I can confuse you anymore.

[chicagorandy]

Just to add further confusion :) The suggestion to read the signature line of many posters here will give you a pretty broad spectrum of machines that ARE successfully running MSFS 2020. For example my system is relatively 'low-mid' end and runs the sim just fine, just not at High-Ultra settings. the graphics are still astounding, the sim immersion experience is very good. IMHO, any PC that meets at least the "recommended" specs and above (not just the bare minimums) will give a good experience, and leave some money for a nice wide curved monitor, and for true sim immersion a yoke, throttle quadrant and rudder pedals.

 

Just my take on it. I have come to simply accept that no matter what I buy in the PC world it will likely become "obsolete" before I can get it unboxed and plugged in - lol

[dnimigon]

Thanks. Yes I know about the being obsolete thing. Same as buying a car. Appreciate the thought and info. I do have yoke and pedals but older ones CH Products. Apparently will work with some fiddling around with things so i've read.

[dnimigon]

Hi Raven. Confusing, No, In fact you enlightened me as far as some good info. I'm not new to sims or computers as I'm past 60 yrs age but always been into flying from day one. I know its a learning curve to catch up on technology which changes daily you get a brain cramp. I just would like a machine that runs the sim fine and doesn't tick me off a few months later because some sales person said it would be fine but could care less. I don't mid spending a good dollar for this as It will be the last one I'll buy I'm sure. A new curved monitor is also in the works too.