Spoilt for choice

I only discovered MSFS2020 last month, immediately thought I can now carry on my pilot training under VFR after it was brought to a halt by Windows belligerent attitude to FS2004. Obviously I will need a state of the art PC to run MSFS2020, I don't think I need a top of the range job as I am 75 and only want to poodle about in light aircraft, I shan't be doing aerobatics or joining a display team. After lots of research I am seriously considering a Dell XPS the latest has Intel core i5-1265000K, Nvidia GTX 1650 super 4GB GDD R6 and 8GB Ram which I would think needs doubling. Does anybody think this a good idea? Also is 3 years Premium support for £122 good value for money? I have always found Dell equipment ultra reliable. Look forward to any comments.

Hi 'P O Prune'. Given your simple needs, if you have already FS2004 perhaps that suffices. What is/was the problem with it re Windows? (I use FS2002, and recently when my PC had issues, I moved the hard drive into another PC and rejigged the registration thingy so that it works fine for me now, with a little work-around which is simple).

You should stick with FS2004. Go back to Win 7 (Restore Point?). I don't recomend MSFS (or Win 10 / 11). That combo needs years of work to function well. The best PC in the world won't fix THAT. I have a i9 9900k to 5.0 Ghz, and a GTX-1080 with Win 10 Home on it. But you can't PAY me to get MSFS. Maybe next year? I fly FS9 @ 60 fps and FSX @ 30 fps. What more could one want? Go fly.

Chuck B

Napamule

You should stick with FS2004. Go back to Win 7 (Restore Point?). I don't recomend MSFS (or Win 10 / 11). That combo needs years of work to function well. The best PC in the world won't fix THAT. I have a i9 9900k to 5.0 Ghz, and a GTX-1080 with Win 10 Home on it. But you can't PAY me to get MSFS. Maybe next year? I fly FS9 @ 60 fps and FSX @ 30 fps. What more could one want? Go fly.

Chuck B

Napamule

 

I have P3d as an ideal follow-on to FS2004/FSX. Works at least as well on lesser hardware - and make no mistake you list `Lesser` hardware - and yes, you could probably do with double the RAM.

I echo napamule regarding MSFS, and I have had previous versions TWICE thinking it would be better than it was. I shant't be buying it again for at least a couple of years until they've finished messing about with the core program and even then, ONLY if simmers confirm it is now `fit for purpose`

Many thanks for your replies and comments. At the back of my mind something was telling me FS2004 was really good. I only stopped as Windows 10 would not support it and I could not use a yoke on my PC. I still have that PC with Windows XP installed, it has never been online as I kept it clean to store Pictures and family history documents. I'll give it another try. Best regards, Percy

P O Prune,

 

You don't have to believe the post above.

 

I like many millions of others have been running MSFS 2020 on Windows 10 and 11 since it was released. I also run FSX on Win10 and 11 with no problems.

 

Before I got the computer in my signature, long story, I ran MSFS and FSX on a Dell Alienware close to the specs you mention above without any major issues. I would go for 32g memory if you can.

 

Hal

As you can see ' P O Prune', the jury is still out re MSFS, some have no probs, others do. Given you've got your trusty WinXP box with FS2004 on it, why not just continue to use it. I do. And no need or point to be connected to the Internet, my box isn't (of course you might wish to so you can get live weather etc. but I never have bothered. My needs are simple, I have limitied time to fly, so have contented myself with the built-in stuff in my FS2002 (WinXP): the tutorials are good, got internal ATC and traffic (pretend but it does the job, helps me to learn how to interact with it). Just get yourself a yoke, makes a big difference (I got mine from my local recycling shop, cleaned it up, works fine, cost $15!). Suggest you 'get back in the saddle' with 04 and see if you're that interested before you spend big pounds and much time (and perhaps anguish) modernising. As I and others say, for us, our interest is to fly, not fiddle with the technology endlessly (and I've had to do a fair bit of the latter, what a headache, much of what I've tried hasn't worked and not what I want to spend my precious free time on). Good luck.