Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, a new installment of the flight simulation video game series from Asobo Studio and Xbox Game Studios that will allow players to pursue their dreams of an aviation career, featuring the latest technologies in simulation, cloud, machine learning, graphics, and gaming to create what is said to be the most sophisticated, immersive, and awe-inspiring flight simulator of all time, will require 64 GB of memory for the ideal experience, according to a list of PC specifications for the game that Microsoft shared today. The new game, which releases on November 19, 2024, will be available day one on Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Windows 10/11, and Steam.
The PC specs for MSFS 2024 include:
| Min Spec | Recommended Spec | Ideal Spec | |
| MIN OS VERSION | Windows 10 With Latest Update | Windows 10 With Latest Update | Windows 10 With Latest Update |
| DIRECT X VERSION | DX12 | DX12 | DX12 |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 2600X or Intel Core i7-6800K | AMD Ryzen 7 2700X or Intel Core i7-10700K | AMD Ryzen 9 7900X or Intel it-14700K |
| GPU | Radeon RX 5700 or GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 5700 XT or GeForce RTX 2080 | Radeon RX 7900 XT or GeForce RTX 4080 |
| VRAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | 64 GB |
| STORAGE | 50 GB | 50 GB | 50 GB |
Minimum, recommended, and ideal specs echoed via X:
Are you planning to fly on PC? Here are the minimum, recommended, and ideal system requirements for #MicrosoftFlightSimulator2024. 🖥️
— Microsoft Flight Simulator ✈️ (@MSFSofficial) September 19, 2024
🔗 https://t.co/pBmUKmFXgP pic.twitter.com/yDdsDaxutR
Some promos for the game:
From a FAQ:
With very few exceptions, virtually all add-ons that work in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) today will function in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Add-ons that were purchased from the in-simulator Marketplace will not need to be re-purchased in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
One of the biggest priorities for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is to improve the simulator’s data management. One of the major changes to the simulator’s architecture being made is using Cloud streaming to help ensure that the client becomes thin. When users load into the sim, only the textures, meshes, and map data that they need will be downloaded to avoid unnecessary bandwidth and disk space usage.
The missions and activities that are being included in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are authentic re-creations of those performed in real-live aviation fields. We are working with a variety of organizations — such as firefighting, search and rescue, and coast guard organizations — across the planet to make these activities as accurate as possible.
Join the discussion in The FPS Review Forums...
Discussion (10 replies)
Join Discussion →
It's funny.
I've had 64GB in my main machine since ~2014.
That was when I decommissioned my old consumer hardware based server (AMD FX 8350). It was maxed out with 32GB of DDR3 RAM.
When I decommissioned it, I had all of this RAM I didn't know what to do with until I remembered that my workstation board (which already had 32GB of RAM in it) had four empty RAM slots in it.
Through random luck the RAM in the server was the same manufacturer (and very close timings) as compared to what was already in the workstation, so I was able to just pop it in. (X79 was quad channel, and mytt board had 8 slots in total)
These days using two sticks of RAM per channel may cause heartache, but apparently it didn't back then (or I was just lucky).
Anyway, the result was that I had 64GB of RAM in the desktop back in 2014, which was a pretty insane amount a decade ago. Most "gamer" machines had 4GB or 8GB if memory serves.
And since I al allergic to downgrades, I mimicked the 64GB when I upgraded to the Threadripper in 2019. By then it was way less exotic, but still kind of a lot, and way more than I really needed.
Now, 5 years later maybe 64GB will finally be useful? :p
I am actually considering getting rid of the workstation, and just running it as a VM on my server. If I do, I am going to build a special purpose PC just for games. My very early phase plans included going with 48GB of DDR5 RAM in that machine (2x24GB) but maybe I am going to have to change it up a little :p
Definitely time to go 64GB I guess. Maybe even time to stay ahead of the curve and go up to 96GB?
I have been impressed with the latest MS FS, what was it, 2020 it launched? This is the best one yet they've ever made, and it is impressive, and pretty awe-inspiring in scope. The updates have equally been impressive, and this one is looking amazing.
From a review perspective, they make great CPU benchmarks.
To think I started with Flight simulator 1 on the Apple II in glorious green monochrome and later FSII on the C64 in full color. It was sublogic back then.
"Stoly, post: 89578, member: 1474" wrote:To think I started with Flight simulator 1 on the Apple II in glorious green monochrome and later FSII on the C64 in full color. It was sublogic back then.
I, too, started with Flight Simulator 1 on an Apple II ... but mine was in more glorious amber monochrome. ?
"Ditchinit, post: 89579, member: 4253" wrote:I, too, started with Flight Simulator 1 on an Apple II ... but mine was in more glorious amber monochrome. ?
I recall there was a WAR mode.
Thankfully, kits of 64GB 6000C30 DDR5 aren't that expensive!
I have to say if I didn't already have 64GB for other reasons, then MSFS would not be the game I'd upgrade for.
The graphics is great, but the game is so boring, even FS98 which was the first one I had back in the day had lots of in situ scenarios that you could just fire up and have fun with. But FS2020 wants to be reality, which is OK, there is room for that, but there are some parts of reality (the boring bits) that should be left out or at least made optional.
Because I can only entertain myself for so long by aimlessly flying around. And in the process realizing that the world of FS2020 outside of the hand crafted areas they deemed important looks like absolute @ss. And I doubt that will change for the 2024 version despite their boasts of petabytes of data and 1000 times more detail.
"MadMummy76, post: 89585, member: 1298" wrote:I have to say if I didn't already have 64GB for other reasons, then MSFS would not be the game I'd upgrade for.
The graphics is great, but the game is so boring, even FS98 which was the first one I had back in the day had lots of in situ scenarios that you could just fire up and have fun with. But FS2020 wants to be reality, which is OK, there is room for that, but there are some parts of reality (the boring bits) that should be left out or at least made optional.
Because I can only entertain myself for so long by aimlessly flying around. And in the process realizing that the world of FS2020 outside of the hand crafted areas they deemed important looks like absolute @ss. And I doubt that will change for the 2024 version despite their boasts of petabytes of data and 1000 times more detail.
It's a simulator, not a game. And it's gotten REALLY good at being a simulator.
"Riccochet, post: 89589, member: 4" wrote:It's a simulator, not a game. And it's gotten REALLY good at being a simulator.
Having scenarios would not affect its quality as a simulation. Some of us don't want to spend hours in a game to get to the interesting bits.
I mean you don't spend months in practice and development in a racing sim either, you get straight to the races. Unless it is something pretentious like iracing. Some people want that, no problem, but there is a large market that would be very easy to tap just by adding fun scenarios to FS, that take only 20-30 minutes. It can still be the same to those who want to complete an entire London - NY, from running checklists, pushback, taxiing dealing with ATC, and doing the entire flight over the Ocean real time.
[embedded media]
Discussion (10 replies)
Join Discussion →It's funny.
I've had 64GB in my main machine since ~2014.
That was when I decommissioned my old consumer hardware based server (AMD FX 8350). It was maxed out with 32GB of DDR3 RAM.
When I decommissioned it, I had all of this RAM I didn't know what to do with until I remembered that my workstation board (which already had 32GB of RAM in it) had four empty RAM slots in it.
Through random luck the RAM in the server was the same manufacturer (and very close timings) as compared to what was already in the workstation, so I was able to just pop it in. (X79 was quad channel, and mytt board had 8 slots in total)
These days using two sticks of RAM per channel may cause heartache, but apparently it didn't back then (or I was just lucky).
Anyway, the result was that I had 64GB of RAM in the desktop back in 2014, which was a pretty insane amount a decade ago. Most "gamer" machines had 4GB or 8GB if memory serves.
And since I al allergic to downgrades, I mimicked the 64GB when I upgraded to the Threadripper in 2019. By then it was way less exotic, but still kind of a lot, and way more than I really needed.
Now, 5 years later maybe 64GB will finally be useful? :p
I am actually considering getting rid of the workstation, and just running it as a VM on my server. If I do, I am going to build a special purpose PC just for games. My very early phase plans included going with 48GB of DDR5 RAM in that machine (2x24GB) but maybe I am going to have to change it up a little :p
Definitely time to go 64GB I guess. Maybe even time to stay ahead of the curve and go up to 96GB?
I have been impressed with the latest MS FS, what was it, 2020 it launched? This is the best one yet they've ever made, and it is impressive, and pretty awe-inspiring in scope. The updates have equally been impressive, and this one is looking amazing.
From a review perspective, they make great CPU benchmarks.
To think I started with Flight simulator 1 on the Apple II in glorious green monochrome and later FSII on the C64 in full color. It was sublogic back then.
I, too, started with Flight Simulator 1 on an Apple II ... but mine was in more glorious amber monochrome. ?
I recall there was a WAR mode.
Thankfully, kits of 64GB 6000C30 DDR5 aren't that expensive!
I have to say if I didn't already have 64GB for other reasons, then MSFS would not be the game I'd upgrade for.
The graphics is great, but the game is so boring, even FS98 which was the first one I had back in the day had lots of in situ scenarios that you could just fire up and have fun with. But FS2020 wants to be reality, which is OK, there is room for that, but there are some parts of reality (the boring bits) that should be left out or at least made optional.
Because I can only entertain myself for so long by aimlessly flying around. And in the process realizing that the world of FS2020 outside of the hand crafted areas they deemed important looks like absolute @ss. And I doubt that will change for the 2024 version despite their boasts of petabytes of data and 1000 times more detail.
It's a simulator, not a game. And it's gotten REALLY good at being a simulator.
Having scenarios would not affect its quality as a simulation. Some of us don't want to spend hours in a game to get to the interesting bits.
I mean you don't spend months in practice and development in a racing sim either, you get straight to the races. Unless it is something pretentious like iracing. Some people want that, no problem, but there is a large market that would be very easy to tap just by adding fun scenarios to FS, that take only 20-30 minutes. It can still be the same to those who want to complete an entire London - NY, from running checklists, pushback, taxiing dealing with ATC, and doing the entire flight over the Ocean real time.
[embedded media]