I’m Kayla. I fly fake planes a lot. Too much, if you ask my sister. I test rigs, swap parts, and run long-haul routes while I fold laundry. I’ve flown Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane 12, and DCS on real machines I own or borrowed. Here’s the one that felt right, plus a few that came close, and one that let me down.
For a deeper dive into the lab-vs-desk debate, check out my separate write-up on the best flight sim computer I’ve used from my desk.
By the way, I’ll share exact flights, settings, temps, and a few “oops” moments too. That stuff matters.
What really matters (short and sweet)
- A fast CPU with big cache helps a ton (I love the AMD 7800X3D).
Need proof? TechSpot’s review of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D shows just how much that extra cache helps flight sims that are often CPU-bound. - A strong GPU brings the pretty (RTX 4080 or 4090).
- 32 GB RAM is a must; 64 GB stops little stutters with heavy add-ons.
- A big NVMe SSD (2 TB) keeps loads fast.
- Good airflow keeps the fans calm and your head clear.
You know what? Ports matter too. A yoke, throttle, pedals, headset—these eat USB like snacks.
My Top Rig: The “I Can Breathe” Build
- Case: Fractal North (good airflow, looks grown-up)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4090 (MSI Gaming Trio)
- RAM: 64 GB DDR5-6000 (EXPO on)
- Storage: 2 TB NVMe (OS) + 2 TB NVMe (sims)
- Cooling: 360 mm AIO
- PSU: 1000 W, 80+ Gold
If you’re curious about how this chip stacks up beyond flight-sim workloads, TechPowerUp’s comprehensive Ryzen 7 7800X3D review is a great reference for latency numbers, power draw, and head-to-head game testing.
How it felt: smooth like buttered toast.
Real flight test 1: PMDG 737, KLAX to KSFO in MSFS
- 4K, mostly Ultra
- DLSS Quality + Frame Generation
- Terrain LOD 250, Objects 200
- FSLTL traffic at 60
- FPS: 60–80 at LAX gates; 70–120 in cruise; 55–70 on final
- CPU: 68–75°C; GPU: 62–70°C
- Noise: a low whoosh, not a jet engine in my room
Real flight test 2: DCS F-16 over Persian Gulf
- 1440p, High
- FPS: 120+ in the air, 80–100 near cities
- TrackIR felt crisp; no queasy wobble
VR check: Quest 3 with OpenXR
- 72 Hz, fixed foveated
- Mix of High/Medium
- 40–55 “real” fps; feels smooth with reprojection
- Yes, I did a night landing at Innsbruck in snow. I grinned like a weirdo.
Little annoyances: mild coil whine when menus sit at 300+ fps. I capped frames at 120 and it went away. Also, the 4090 is huge. My first riser cable was junk and caused stutters. Swapped it—fixed.
If you’re curious how I squeezed every frame out of the build, I broke down the process step-by-step in my piece on building my best flight-sim PC—real flights, real frames.
Why this one’s “best”: the 7800X3D keeps the main thread happy. The 4090 carries clouds, glass cockpits, and traffic without wheezing. It just lets me fly.
Prebuilt That Made Me Smile: HP Omen 45L (i7-13700KF + RTX 4080)
I used this for a month while I waited on parts. That “cryo” chamber thing? It kept temps tame.
Real flight test: MSFS, LOWI approach in snow, Fenix A320
- 1440p, Ultra
- DLSS Quality (no Frame Gen on that build)
- FPS: 55–70 on approach
- CPU around 70°C; GPU 65–72°C
- Fans stayed steady, not shrill
X-Plane 12, Zibo 737 at SEA
- High + Vulkan
- 70–90 fps in cruise; 45–60 with heavy weather
Quirks: came with bloat apps. I removed most. Two front USB ports dropped my Honeycomb Bravo once. A BIOS update fixed it. RGB was stuck red after sleep a few times. It’s silly, but it bugged me.
This machine is easy to live with and fast. If you want to plug in and fly, it’s a solid pick.
Best Mid-Range Box: Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (Ryzen 7 7700 + RTX 4070 Super)
Price made me nod. Performance made me nod again.
Real flight test: FBW A32NX, JFK to LAX
- 1440p, High mix
- TAA
- Terrain LOD 180; Objects 160
- FSLTL at 40
- FPS: 45–60 most of the way; 38–45 near JFK with storms
- Smooth enough to enjoy ATC on VATSIM
X-Plane 12 GA flying in Oregon
- Mostly High
- 60–90 fps, even with rain
VR note: It can do VR, but I had to drop clouds and traffic. If VR is your main thing, step up the GPU.
Upgrades I did: added 32 GB RAM (so 64 total) and a second 2 TB NVMe. That killed micro stutters when Navigraph Charts, GSX, and FSLTL all ran at once. Stock 1 TB filled fast with scenery and liveries.
The One That Struggled: Small Box, Big Dreams
I tried a Minisforum UM790 Pro with the 7840HS and its 780M graphics. It’s cute. It’s not a flight sim tower.
MSFS at 1080p, Medium
- 30–40 fps at best; drops to mid 20s on approach
- After 20 minutes, it got hot and loud; then it throttled
Laptop try: ROG Zephyrus G14 (RTX 4060)
- 1080p, High
- 40–55 fps… until heat built up
- Fans blew like a hair dryer; my pedals vibrated on the floor
Great for travel. Not my desk pilot.
If you’re hunting for something portable, I documented what actually works in a real-world flight-sim laptop so you can avoid the hotter, louder misfires.
Settings That Actually Worked For Me
These came from lots of trial, a little error, and one long night over the Atlantic.
- MSFS: DLSS Quality + Frame Gen (on 40-series)
- Terrain LOD 200–300 on the 4090; 150–200 on 4070/4080
- Objects LOD 150–200
- Clouds High (Ultra looks pretty but costs frames)
- Anisotropic 16x; Texture 2048 or 4096
- Rolling cache off; manual scenery only when needed
- Cap fps at 60 or 120 to cut heat and coil whine
- Nvidia driver 552.44 has been rock solid for me
- Game Mode on; HAGS on
- EXPO/XMP on in BIOS (memory speed matters)
Add-ons note: FSLTL traffic at 50–60 is my sweet spot. Going 100 looks busy but can hitch. GSX is fine. Navigraph Charts pops open on my iPad to keep the PC lighter.
If you want even more tweak guides and classic utility add-ons, swing by Abacus Publishing—they’ve been curating flight-sim know-how for decades.
Speaking of high-resolution eye candy, if you ever need a break from sky views and virtual cockpits, you can browse some undeniably captivating photos of thick girls—the page is packed with confident, curvy models and offers a fun change of scenery when you’re not busy trimming for cruise.
And if your virtual flight plan ever lands you (literally or figuratively) near Cumbria and you fancy some real-world companionship that’s as welcoming as it is discreet, a quick look at the listings for a trans escort in Carlisle will reveal up-to-date profiles, clear availability info, and verified reviews—everything you need