Facts first, then my (sob) story...

I'm finally ready to purchase the MSFS 2020 Premium Deluxe, but after reading so much negativity in reviews (mainly Amazon), I'm reluctant to chance it. Seems too many virtual pilots had probs with no recourse. I'd love some sage advice. I REALLY want to fly again. I'm also at a loss as from whom do I purchase from. Seems the consensus on this forum is Steam. I've never purchased anything from them and MSFS 2020 would probably be it. My wife trusts Amazon and she'll most likely steer me there.

I'm only adding the following, so you'll know I'm an old dude who isn't up to snuff on all the latest tech. Hankies ready? When I was six (1941), a childhood accident robbed me of vision in my left eye. Now, in my latter eighties, a cataract in the right eye had worsened over time. An earlier operation was not advisable, as. if it went south, I could be without any usable vision, so we waited until I could barely see at all. Couldn't read instrument panels for several years so had to give up flight-simming, although I did keep up with this forum and its latest files. This past Monday I had the cataract removed. My, what a difference. I'm aching to see MSFS 2020 on the following new puter...parts selected by me but assembled (excellently) by my wife. Before Monday past, she has been my eyes for close-up tasks. Thanks in advance for any assistance:

Mobo----MSI MPG Z690 Edge WiFi DDR4 12th Gen Intel Core, LGA 1700 Socket

Processor----Intel i5-12600K (37GHz) LGA 1700

RAM----Crucial 3200MHZ 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 DRAM

Video Card----MSI Gaming X NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060

OS----Windows 11 Home (USB)

Monitor----ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM 27” HDR

P.S.----Corsair RMX White Series (2018), RM750x, 750 Watt, 80+ Gold Certified, Fully Modular

SSD (C & A drives)----Samsung MZ-V7S1T0B...AM 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 SSD 1TB (2-Pack)

SSD (B & J drives)----Samsung MZ-V7S2T0B...AM 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 SSD 2TB (2 Pack)

Cooler FanTower----Noctua NH-U9S Chromax.Black)

Aux. Cooler Fan-----Noctua NF-A9 PWM chromax.Black

...and other essentials

Agreed.

This is a great product. Yes, there has been some moaning and groaning, but all in all in terms of scenery, a thousand times better than FSX. I doubt you would be disappointed.

It looks like your equipment meets, more likely exceeds MS's stated minimum specs.

Good luck!

I've had it almost exactly 1 year, having built my MSFS dedicated PC over Labor Day weekend last year and installing the sim. I made the mistake of buying the disc version (all 10 discs) and it was a bigger pain than just going to the MS store and downloading overnight.

That said, I have had my complaints early on (random PC crashes and service updates breaking things), but the last six months or so all has been smooth through several updates. You are going to have complainers out there (and here specifically) who will just berate you and try and deflate you for whatever reason if you express that it works fine for you (some of us have been accused of working for Asobo). Do not listen to them.

Get it and your life will never be the same. I still have my FSX rig and I'll never go back. Your rig looks great except I will say that unlike all previous versions, a powerful GPU really means something in MSFS unlike FSX and previous versions were it was more important to have a high clocked CPU. However, your monitor being a 1080p should not be much of a performance issue with that RTX 3060 unlike say if you wanted to run it at 4K (see a PC hardware test review from last year here: https://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/ms_flight_simulator_(2020)_the_2021_pc_graphics_performance_benchmark_review,6.html)

Just get it!

I concur with everything that's been said, and will add that MSFS is not just a better simulator than everything that preceded it (and I was a great fan of FSX for 15 years); it offers an entirely new experience in fight simming that allows you to explore the world in detail with an unprecedented level of realism and sense of immersion. And it is getting better all the time. Also there is an abundance of excellent add-ons available for MSFS, many of them freeware.

A couple of caveats. You need a decent internet connection, required for streaming of satellite data, and you need to recognize that this is not a finished product, but a work in progress which entails frequent mandatory updates. You also need patience, because there will be glitches from time to time that need to be dealt with. But the rewards are great. Come aboard and your simming life will never be the same!

Hi there,

Welcome to the world of us octogetarians. I 'm 80 and have similar but not as sever eyesight issues. Personally I bought from MS store and was pleased. My advice wuold be to get the biggest damm monitor (42")and a second one. In fs2020 you can put the PFD on a second montior which is easier to see. Love to fly with you sometime

pck42

I also agree with everyone here. MSFS 2020 is fantastic. The best sim we’ve ever had.

Your specs look fine & I would recommend buying it direct from the Microsoft Store.. https://www.flightsimulator.com/store/

Regards

Steve

Thanks a bunch, and I mean that. After reading your responses yesterday evening, the wife and I decided to DL from Microsoft. Seems they could simplify the DL for us dummies but we wrangled through it. After you select "Windows Version" they need to quit mentioning X-box as it kept making us wonder if we were buying the X-box version. Maybe it's just us. Anyway, it took about 2 hours, 30 mins to DL, which was less than expected. It was late and only had time to enjoy some scenery around Corcovado.

Once more, my gratitude.

Glad you managed to download it ok. I’m guessing you haven’t downloaded / installed the extra stuff yet?

From the main welcome page… click on Marketplace (bottom right of screen) then click on World. Choose the “free only” filter, and various world updates should appear, if they’re not showing already.

You can down download improved scenery! :)

Also you may find some updates in the content manager.

From the welcome screen.. click the Profile tab (top of screen) and then Content Manager. It may show if there are any scenery updates etc

Regards

Steve

Thanks a bunch, and I mean that. After reading your responses yesterday evening, the wife and I decided to DL from Microsoft. Seems they could simplify the DL for us dummies but we wrangled through it. After you select "Windows Version" they need to quit mentioning X-box as it kept making us wonder if we were buying the X-box version. Maybe it's just us. Anyway, it took about 2 hours, 30 mins to DL, which was less than expected. It was late and only had time to enjoy some scenery around Corcovado.

 

Once more, my gratitude.

They keep mentioning Xbox for a couple reasons. One is that when you buy from the MS Store you get both the Windows and Xbox console versions of the sim. So now if you were to buy a Xbox console down the road, you could just download the sim without having buy it again. Xbox consoles are really just specialized PCs these days.

The second reason is probably a bigger part of the confusion for many simmers, as Microsoft unified all of their gaming brands under the Xbox name. So now anything to do with gaming falls under the overall Xbox umbrella, whether it is for the actual Xbox console or a Windows PC title.

Isn't this forum great for help. Simmers like to help each other!!

Enjoy your travels and don't forget to report back after you have some "air miles" logged.

Isn't this forum great for help. Simmers like to help each other!!

Enjoy your travels and don't forget to report back after you have some "air miles" logged.

Agreed, this is the BEST for help. For curiosity I look at a FB page for MSFS and the insults people get for asking questions.....!!!

Thanks again. Right not I'm having some issues with 2020 mating up with my Hotas Thrustmaster. Have a few ideas to try today and if they fail, I'll be back for more help.

I'm so much younger than you, just a child of 74! I also found it difficult with my thrustmaster, I have the Airbus one. I managed to get everything sorted by searching YouTube, there are very good and easy to follow tips, that's my tip to you if you need help, but not just the throttle, for me everything, and here on this forum of course. I too got it from store the day it came out, got a rig only slightly better than yours and have not had any trouble other than very minor stuff which I've sorted with a bit of common sense. I have very little competence with PCs. If I may give advice, based on my personal experience, I recently got a 55" tv for the sim and am using the monitor just for the instruments and map. Such an increase in enjoyment.

All the best Roy.

Always the Best!!!

Even though my entry date shows Mar 2005, I joined this forum years before the turn of the century. When Nels went with some new format, a bunch of us oldies got relegated to that 2005 join date. That isn't a big deal, but what is...the fantastic help I have received over the years.

I'm spending so much time getting acquainted with my much-improved eyesight and MFSF 2020 that I failed to peek in at this forum for a few days. I am having some probs but am able to solve most. One that is giving me fits is RUDDER on my Thrustmaster T Flight Hotas X. It worked for a short period on Cessna 172 and B-737 when I took off AUTORUDDER. Now, no matter what I try It doesn't work. I'm going to look around at some more threads concerning this issue before crying for help.

Thanks to all who answered and viewed.

Always the Best!!!

Even though my entry date shows Mar 2005, I joined this forum years before the turn of the century. When Nels went with some new format, a bunch of us oldies got relegated to that 2005 join date.

I didn't realize that! I came back to FS2020 after a few years break from simming. When I saw the join date of Mar 2005 I was mystified as I thought that I had been a member for longer than that. I just shrugged my shoulders and told myself that it was just another memory lapse, but it wasn't. I feel so much better. :-)

I didn't realize that! I came back to FS2020 after a few years break from simming. When I saw the join date of Mar 2005 I was mystified as I thought that I had been a member for longer than that. I just shrugged my shoulders and told myself that it was just another memory lapse, but it wasn't. I feel so much better. :-)

Same here! I also thought I had been a member prior to March 2005 but presumed I was wrong LOL :)

Regards

Steve

Good to see there is another new 'pilot' to enjoy the world of flight simming. You will find it is a big and complicated software product. And you will not master it in one day or even one week. Your PC specs are more than adequate to run MSFS.

You might find it valuable to take the flying lessons which are built into the Activities section of the start-up menu. It will give any new pilot a way to build up their ability to control their virtual airplane. And make friends with the Cessna 172. And since I live in Arizona and have been there, I like flying around the Sedona airport on that dramatic mesa above the town.