Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 For Mac Osx
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Ian Stephens is a flight simulation industry expert with over 20 years of experience and also has a keen interest in aviation and technology. Ian spends a lot of his time experimenting with various simulator packages but has a love for Microsoft Flight Simulator X because of the huge selection of add-ons available. Microsoft Flight Simulator (often abbreviated as MSFS or FS) is a series of amateur flight simulator programs for Microsoft Windows operating systems, and earlier for MS-DOS and Classic Mac OS. It is one of the longest-running, best-known, and most comprehensive home flight simulator programs on the market.

Get prepared for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 with our guide to PC and internet requirements.

Microsoft Flight Simulator returns on a ground-breaking scale later this year, leveraging real-world mapping data to construct a digital replica of the globe. The wild undertaking comes from Microsoft and partner Asobo Studio, debuting new real-time weather systems, improved aerodynamics, and other highly-detailed refinements, delivering its most authentic simulation yet.

With Microsoft Flight Simulator set to release over the months ahead, we've rounded up the PC requirements, suggested internet speeds, and recommended hardware to get you airborne.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 PC requirements
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 internet requirements
Can my PC run Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020?
Best CPUs for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
- Budget: AMD Ryzen 3 3100
- Balanced: Intel Core i5-9600K
- Performance: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
Best GPUs for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
- Budget: AMD Radeon RX 570
- Balanced: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super
- Performance: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super

List of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 PC requirements

The concept of Microsoft's global cloud-powered simulator is overwhelming, let alone the demand on your PC to run it. With the ability to travel anywhere on the planet, it sounds like you'll need a top-end supercomputer — but it's not too different from your average PC game. With Microsoft Flight Simulator handing its backdrop to cloud, your PC only needs to stream map data in real-time, while displaying it on-screen.

With early Microsoft Flight Simulator tests now underway among select participants, we've also received an overview of current system requirements. Microsoft has provided three suggested PC hardware tiers, divided across the entry-level minimum, recommended, and ideal. While it hasn't discussed the expected performance from each tier, the 'recommended' specification seemingly balances performance and visual fidelity, while 'ideal' represents its world in its fullest in 4K.

Below follows the full Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 system requirements ahead of release, as provided by Microsoft. Boxhead for mac os.

Minimum Spec	Recommended Spec	Ideal Spec
CPU	AMD Ryzen 3 1200 Intel i5-4460	Ryzen 5 1500X Intel i5-8400	AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 2700X Intel i7-9800X
GPU	Radeon RX 570 Nvidia GTX 700	Radeon RX 590 Nvidia GTX 970	Radeon VII Nvidia RTX 2080
VRAM	2GB	4GB	8GB
RAM	8GB	16GB	32GB
Storage	150 GB	150 GB	150 GB (SSD)
Minimum OS version	Windows 10 Nov 2019 update (1909)	Windows 10 Nov 2019 update (1909)	Windows 10 Nov 2019 update (1909)

If Microsoft makes any further refinements to its recommended hardware for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, we'll also update this table of requirements.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 internet speed requirements

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 also features firm internet speed requirements, with streaming essential to delivering the virtual world. The studio has previously discussed the two petabytes of mapping data that feeds its simulation — far from feasible when over 2000 times the size of your 1TB hard drive. The game instead streams the world detail from Microsoft's cloud data centers, requiring a stable internet connection.

We already know Microsoft Flight Simulator's internet bandwidth requirements, broken down into the same minimum, recommended, and ideal tiers, akin to PC specifications. To compare your internet speed with Microsoft's suggestions, find your download speed via an online speed test.

Specification	Minimum	Recommended	Ideal
Internet requirement	5 Mbps	20 Mbps	50 Mbps

The bandwidth requirements for Microsoft Flight Simulator aren't crazy, provided you're fine to stream some HD videos or experience online gaming. The best-available 'ideal' assets equate to your average 4K video stream, meaning the faster your connection, the better the result.

While Microsoft Flight Simulator embraces streaming, it's likely not fully mandated. The developer has previously discussed cooking up a solution to pre-load certain areas of the world for those with slow connections or without internet entirely. While we haven't received an update on that feature's status for some time, it has considerations planned.

Will my PC run Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 sets the bar for virtual aviation, but with requirements now in the wild, you might be thinking — can I run it? With Microsoft previously outlining its PC requirements, it's relatively simple to cross-reference your existing hardware with the recommended setup.

The best way to compare your existing PC with Microsoft's specifications sheet is the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, which provides additional insight into your video and sound hardware. Running this integrated Windows tool will break down your components, providing an immediate point of reference. Here's how to pull your PC specifications, through the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.

Press the Windows key on your PC.
Type dxdiag.
Click dxdiag from the list of results. Windows will present your PC specifications.
Navigate to the System tab for details on your CPU, RAM, and Windows version.
Navigate to Display tab for details on your GPU and VRAM.

These tabs will detail the exact specifications for your device, for comparison with the requirements outlined above.

Best CPUs for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020

With the next Microsoft Flight Simulator rendition marking a sizeable visual leap, there's no better time to ensure your PC hits the mark. The game will support an extensive spectrum of hardware, providing equally varied results. We've rounded up the best CPUs across various price points, in accordance with Microsoft's own pre-release recommendations.

Best Budget CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3100

For an entry-level CPU balancing affordability and performance, the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 hits that sweet spot. That includes the latest Zen 2 microarchitecture and the efficiency of its 7nm process. You can expect four cores and eight threads, delivering speeds from 3.6GHz, boosting up to 3.9GHz, with a TDP of 65W. While pairing with a B550 or X570 motherboard enables PCIe 4.0 and Wi-Fi 6, B450 and X470 offerings also suffice.

While the 3100 won't push Microsoft Flight Simulator to the extreme, you're still falling comfortably above the demanded specifications. If you're not the type to examine the seat leather grain or admire individual trees, you'll have a smooth flight with this CPU onboard.

Best Budget CPU

AMD Ryzen 3 3100

If taking to the skies on a budget, the latest entry-level offerings from AMD

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 For Mac Os