Up to 64 GB RAM required for the "ideal" recommended configuration!
While Flight Simulator X was released in 2006, Microsoft surprised everyone when, duringE3 2019 in Los Angeles, it announced the development of a new opus to its franchise. Flight Simulator 2020 was logically released in August 2020 on PC and a year later on the Xbox Series console, with an impressive technical revolution and an equally impressive commercial success: Flight Simulator X took over 16 years to reach 5 million players, while Flight Simulator 2020 passed the 15 million mark in less than four years!
Asobo/Microsoft
A feat that could not leave Microsoft and its developer partner, French studio Asobo, indifferent. The two companies therefore decided to embark on a sequel, which was announced at the Xbox Showcase 2023 on June 11, 2023, and is now scheduled for release on November 19. A date that's still a long way off, but one that should give you plenty of time to prepare your machine - if you're interested in flight simulation, of course. Why " prepare your machine "? Quite simply because, even more than Flight Simulator 2020, the 2024 version is going to be demanding.
© Asobo/Microsoft
In terms of recommended minimum configuration, processor requirements will be limited to a simple Intel Core i7-6800K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X. On the other hand, you'll need at least 16 GB of RAM. The amount of RAM increases with the level of recommendation and, for the so-called " ideal " configuration, you should aim for 64 GB of RAM, no less! For the rest, the elements are also top-of-the-range, with an Intel Core i7-14700K or AMD Ryzen 9 7900X processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT graphics card.
Asobo/Microsoft
Why such exacting requirements? To give life to the career mode, which should be the main new feature of Flight Simulator 2024. This would mean " choosing any airport in the world to start flying ", and Microsoft explains that " the Career system introduces new elements to the simulation, such as pre-flight procedures, flight plan recording and a wide choice of mission objectives ". That said, for our PCs, the most demanding aspect will be the level of graphical detail. Microsoft talks of a " digital twin " of our planet, with " a 4,000-fold increase in the level of detail of the virtual environment "!
© Asobo/Microsoft
The French company Asobo Studios are not shy when they say that " the ground will no longer be limited to a simple relief map; it will include pebbles, rocks, gravel and grass modeled in 3D. These details will have an impact on your take-offs and landings, depending on the surface. The sky and atmospheric lighting effects, especially at dawn and dusk, have also been reworked, with realistic color variations according to cloud composition, ensuring accurate light temperatures for each light source. New cloud types, such as cirrus, will more accurately simulate the upper layers of the atmosphere. Dynamic weather has also been enhanced, making storms and other weather phenomena even more impressive and realistic. Quite a program!
