Can I run Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?

Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition (2026) is a simulation game and a medium game for a PC. A mid-range graphics card such as a GTX 1650 or RX 580 class card plays it well.

Medium2026SimulationPC (Windows)

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Choose the graphics card, processor and memory closest to yours. Not sure? On Windows press Win + R, type dxdiag and look at "Processor", "Memory" and the Display tab.

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Full check (laptops, consoles, more parts) →See the requirements

Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition system requirements

	Minimum	Recommended
OS	Windows 10	Windows 10
Processor	Intel i5-4460 \| AMD Ryzen 3 1200	Intel i5-8400 \| AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory	8 GB RAM	16 GB RAM
Graphics	NVIDIA GTX 770 \| AMD Radeon RX 570	NVIDIA GTX 970 \| AMD Radeon RX 590
Storage	150 GB available space	150 GB available space

Source: the official Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Steam page, checked October 2026.

Which PC runs Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?

To play it you need at least a Radeon RX 570 class graphics card, an Intel Core i5-4460 class processor and 8 GB of RAM. For the recommended (high) settings: a GeForce GTX 1650 or faster, an Intel Core i5-8400 class processor and 16 GB of RAM.

Graphics card: minimum

Radeon RX 570
GeForce GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1060 6GB

Graphics card: high settings

GeForce GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Radeon RX 580

Processor: minimum

Intel Core i5-4460
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
Intel Core i3-10100

Processor: high settings

Intel Core i5-8400
AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Intel Core i7-8700

How common PCs do: GTX 1650 + Core i5-8400 + 16 GB: 100%, high settings; RTX 3060 + Ryzen 5 5600 + 16 GB: 100%, high settings; Laptop with integrated graphics + 8 GB: 40%, below the minimum, not playable well.

Parts with the same speed (and newer, faster ones) work too. Laptop versions of a graphics card are usually a little slower.

Upgrade picks for Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition

Parts from our product guides that reach the recommended specs.

Graphics card for the recommended settingsIntel Arc B580

Budget / 1080p-1440p

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Graphics card for the recommended settingsAMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB

Mid-range / 1440p

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Graphics card for the recommended settingsAMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB

Mainstream / 1080p

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Processor for the recommended settingsAMD Ryzen 5 5500F

1080p budget gaming rigs

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Processor for the recommended settingsIntel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is a desktop processor from Intel. See the full specifications and the current price on

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Memory (16 GB or more)Samsung DDR5-4800 32GB

The Samsung DDR5-4800 32GB is a memory kit from Samsung. Key details: DDR5, 4800 MT/s, 32GB. See the full specifications

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Memory (16 GB or more)Corsair Vengeance DDR5-5200 64GB

High-capacity gaming rigs

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Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition: questions

What are the minimum system requirements for Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?

Minimum: OS Windows 10; processor Intel i5-4460 | AMD Ryzen 3 1200; 8 GB RAM; graphics NVIDIA GTX 770 | AMD Radeon RX 570; 150 GB available space.

What are the recommended requirements for Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?

Recommended: processor Intel i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 1500X; 16 GB RAM; graphics NVIDIA GTX 970 | AMD Radeon RX 590; 150 GB available space.

What graphics card do I need for Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?

At least a Radeon RX 570, GeForce GTX 1650, GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or a card of the same speed for the minimum settings; for the recommended settings a GeForce GTX 1650, GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, Radeon RX 580 or faster.

Can a GTX 1650 run Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?

Yes. The GTX 1650 reaches the minimum graphics and the recommended graphics too. A whole PC with a GTX 1650, a Core i5-8400 and 16 GB of RAM gets 100% in our checker (high settings).

Can Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition run without a graphics card (integrated graphics)?

Not well. The minimum is a dedicated graphics card (Radeon RX 570 class); with integrated graphics our checker gives 40% (below the minimum, not playable well).

Is 8 GB of RAM enough for Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition?

Yes for the minimum settings; 16 GB is recommended for smooth play.

How much storage does Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition need?

Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition needs 150 GB of free space. An SSD is a good idea for faster loading.

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