Best PC for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 UK
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is one of the most demanding games ever made. It doesn't care how powerful your PC is — it will use every bit of it. If you've launched it on a mid-range machine and watched your frame rate die, you're not alone.
The good news is that with the right hardware, MSFS 2024 is an absolutely jaw-dropping experience — hyper-realistic terrain, dynamic weather, real-world air traffic, and scenery so good it'll make you question whether you're looking at a game or a satellite feed. Getting there just requires knowing what you're buying.
This guide breaks down the recommended specs for every budget, explains what actually matters for flight sim performance, and points you toward the right AWD-IT prebuilt to get you airborne.
Why Is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 So Demanding?
Unlike most games where the world is loaded in chunks around a small area, MSFS 2024 streams an entire planet's worth of data in real time. The terrain, weather, and aircraft systems all run simultaneously and the sim is designed to push future hardware, not just what's on the shelf today.
This means the usual rules don't fully apply. A CPU that smashes Warzone or Cyberpunk can still struggle in MSFS because flight sims are heavily single-thread dependent — the main simulation thread does an enormous amount of work that can't easily be split across multiple cores.
RAM and fast storage also play a bigger role than in most games since the sim streams data constantly. Skimping on either will show up as stutters and pop-in even on a powerful GPU.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 System Requirements
Minimum Requirements
• CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
• GPU: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD RX 5700
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 50GB SSD
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
The minimum spec will technically load the game but expect low settings and modest frame rates. Fine for getting started, not fine for enjoying the sim properly.
The minimum spec will technically load the game but expect low settings and modest frame rates
Power Draw & UK Energy Costs
This matters more in the UK than most regions.
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GPU
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Typical Gaming Draw
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PSU Required
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RTX 5060
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~145W
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500–550W
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RTX 5060 Ti
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~160–175W
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600–650W
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RTX 4070
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~200W
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650–750W
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Best Sim Racing Setup for Beginners: Start With the Essentials
You don’t need a full cockpit immediately. A well‑chosen beginner setup helps you develop skills faster and keeps costs under control.
1. Steering Wheel and Pedals (Top Priority)
Your wheel and pedals are the most important part of any sim racing rig. Force feedback allows you to feel grip changes, kerbs, and steering resistance—crucial for learning car control.
Beginner tip: Focus on force feedback quality rather than raw power.
Your wheel and pedals are the most important part of any sim racing rig. Force feedback allows you to feel grip changes, kerbs, and steering resistance—crucial for learning car control.
This is the sweet spot for 1440p gaming with high settings. You'll get a genuinely great experience without needing to remortgage the house.
Recommended Requirements
• CPU: Intel Core i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3080 / AMD RX 6800 XT
• RAM: 32GB DDR4/DDR5
• Storage: 50GB NVMe SSD
• OS: Windows 11 64-bit
This is the sweet spot for 1440p gaming with high settings. You'll get a genuinely great experience without needing to remortgage the house.
Ultra / 4K Requirements
• CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K / AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 5080 or RTX 5090
• RAM: 64GB DDR5
• Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD (the sim updates frequently and grows)
• OS: Windows 11 64-bit
For those who want Ultra settings at 4K with DLSS enabled, this is the territory you're playing in. It's expensive, but the visual result is genuinely unlike anything else in gaming.
For those who want Ultra settings at 4K with DLSS enabled, this is the territory you're playing in
What Matters Most for MSFS 2024 Performance?
CPU — More Important Than You Think
For most games, the GPU is the star of the show. In MSFS 2024, the CPU matters enormously. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the current king for flight sim performance thanks to its huge L3 cache, which keeps the simulation thread fed with data. Intel's Core i9 range is also strong, particularly for raw clock speeds.
Don't cheap out on the CPU for this title — a weak processor will bottleneck even a top-end GPU.
GPU — Where the Visuals Come From
The GPU handles all the rendering — clouds, terrain detail, cockpit textures, and reflections. DLSS 4 on RTX 50 series cards is a genuine game-changer for MSFS, delivering near-native image quality with a significant frame rate boost. If you're playing at 1440p or 4K, an RTX 5070 Ti or above is where you want to be.
RAM — Don't Go Below 32GB
MSFS 2024 has been known to use 20GB+ of RAM during complex flights over dense cities. 16GB will cause stuttering. 32GB DDR5 is the sensible minimum for a modern MSFS build, and 64GB genuinely helps on the highest-end rigs.
Storage — NVMe Is Non-Negotiable
The sim streams data constantly from both local storage and the cloud. A slow hard drive or even a SATA SSD will create loading stutter during flight. An NVMe M.2 drive is essential — and bigger is better, as the sim's install footprint grows with every update.
GTA 6 GPU Comparison Table (RTX 50 Series)
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GPU Model
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Performance Tier
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Best Resolution
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VRAM (Expected)
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GTA 6 Settings
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Ideal User Type
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RTX 5060
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Entry-Level
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1080p
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8–12GB
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Medium–High
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Budget gamers looking for smooth GTA 6 gameplay
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RTX 5070
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Mid-Range
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1440p
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12–16GB
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High–Ultra
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Best value for most UK gamers
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RTX 5070 Ti
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Upper Mid-Range
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1440p / 4K
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16GB
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Ultra
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High FPS + future-proofing
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RTX 5080
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High-End
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4K
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16–20GB
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Ultra + Ray Tracing
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Enthusiasts & high-performance gaming builds
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RTX 5090
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Ultra Enthusiast
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4K+ / 8K
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24GB+
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Max Settings + Full Ray Tracing
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No-compromise, ultimate GTA 6 experience
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You'll be flying at high settings with smooth frame rates and no significant compromises.
Recommended AWD-IT Builds for MSFS 2024
Entry Level: 1080p Medium Settings
A build around the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 paired with an RX 7600 or RTX 4060 will get you airborne at 1080p with respectable settings. Pair with 32GB DDR5 and a 1TB NVMe drive. This is a solid starting point for someone coming to PC from Xbox or taking their first steps into flight simulation.
Mid Range: 1440p High Settings
This is the most popular tier for serious simmers. An AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with an RTX 5070 or RX 9070 XT, 32GB DDR5, and a 2TB NVMe SSD hits the sweet spot of price and performance. You'll be flying at high settings with smooth frame rates and no significant compromises.
High End: 4K Ultra
The AWD-IT Apollo (Ryzen 7 9800X3D + RTX 5080) or Cronus (Ryzen 7 9850X3D + RTX 5090) are purpose-built for this level. With DLSS 4 enabled, 4K Ultra in MSFS 2024 becomes genuinely achievable — and the visual result has to be seen to be believed.
All AWD-IT prebuilt gaming PCs come with Windows 11 preinstalled, a 3-year parts and labour warranty, and fast UK build times. You won't need to spend hours troubleshooting drivers before your first flight.
Why AWD-IT Still Offers Affordable Gaming PCs
Despite these industry-wide challenges, AWD-IT continues to deliver some of the best value gaming PCs in the UK.
Here’s how we keep prices competitive:
✅ Direct Partnerships with Suppliers
We work closely with top brands like NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, and Corsair to secure great deals on components.
✅ Efficient In-House Builds
All our custom gaming PCs are built and tested in-house, helping us reduce overhead costs and pass savings directly to you.
✅ Wide Range of Budget Gaming PCs
Whether you’re after an entry-level gaming PC, mid-range build, or high-end RTX gaming rig, we have options for every budget.
✅ Regular Deals and Discounts
We frequently run gaming PC deals, seasonal sales, and bundle offers, ensuring you always get maximum value for your money.
We frequently run gaming PC deals, seasonal sales, and bundle offers, ensuring you always get maximum value for your money.
find your perfect gaming PC at a price that works for you
Get the Best Gaming PC for Your Budget
While gaming PC prices may be rising across the industry, that doesn’t mean you need to overspend. At AWD-IT, we’re committed to offering:
- Affordable gaming PCs UK
- High-performance prebuilt systems
- Custom gaming PC builds
- Fast delivery and reliable support
Browse our latest deals today and find your perfect gaming PC at a price that works for you.
High-End 4K Powerhouse
- RTX 5080 / 5090
- Intel i7-14700K
- 32GB DDR5 RAM
Built for 4K ultra gaming with zero compromises
Who Should Buy in the UK (Clear Advice)
✅ Buy an RTX 5060 if you:
- Game at 1080p
- Want a quiet, efficient PC
- Have a £800–£1,000 budget
- Prefer a brand‑new UK‑built PC
✅ Buy an RTX 5060 Ti if you:
- Use or plan to move to 1440p
- Want longer lifespan
- Play larger AAA titles
❌ Skip both if you:
- Only care about 4K gaming
- Already own a strong RTX 4070‑class GPU
Tips for Getting the Most Out of MSFS 2024 on PC
• Enable DLSS 4 (RTX cards) or FSR 4 (AMD cards) — these upscaling technologies make a massive difference to frame rate with minimal visual cost
• Set your LOD (Level of Detail) sliders carefully — these have the biggest individual impact on performance
• Use an NVMe drive for the MSFS install folder specifically, even if your OS is on a different drive
• Keep your GPU drivers up to date — Nvidia and AMD both release MSFS-specific optimisations regularly
• Consider a wired internet connection — the sim streams live weather and terrain data, and Wi-Fi packet loss shows up as in-sim stutters
Final Verdict
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is one of the most rewarding gaming experiences available on PC, and one of the most demanding. The right hardware transforms it from a frustrating slideshow into something genuinely breathtaking.
Whether you're after an entry-level rig to get started or a full 4K ultra build to fly in complete fidelity, AWD-IT has a prebuilt or configurable system to match. Every machine comes assembled and tested in the UK, with a 3-year warranty and none of the faff of building it yourself.
Ready to take off? Browse AWD-IT's gaming PC range and find your perfect flight simulator build today.
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