How well does MSFS work over Remote Desktop?

User Support Hub Hardware & Peripherals
1

My (physical) desktop and room space is limited, so I wonder, if I get a nice new powerful Windows PC to run MSFS on, will it work well to use the Microsoft Remote Desktop client on my iMac to connect to it?

Only the display part is what I am wondering about. Sound and USB peripheral connections are not an issue here (if they don’t work well enough over Remote Desktop I can simply longer cables and connect to the PC).

(No Mac vs PC discussion please; I do use Windows all the time, so far not games though, over Remote Desktop.)

2

if you have two PCs (or Laptops) simply run a Youtube-Video in FullHD and watch it through Remote-Desktop.
See if you’re happy with it (I doubt it).

The other question of course is, if 3d-rendered Windows will at all be displayed in Remote Desktop…(I personally never tested a Game through Remote Desktop).

But is the space really that limited that no PC-Case fits in?

1 Like
3

Yep, good point, I will try with a HD video from my current PC and see how well that comes through.

Fitting a new PC case is not a problem, fitting a big monitor (in addition to the 27" iMac) is.

4

Can’t yoru 27" take a second Input from a other PC?

Or is it a Screen-MAC-Computer combined like the old iMacs 15 years ago? (do they still produce screen-computer combined devices??)

5

You should use a dedicated game streaming app like Rainway or Parsec. Remote Desktop isn’t really meant for 3D apps.

2 Likes
6

Yes, an iMac is a combined display and computer.

7

Thanks, will look into those.

8

aka a “All-in-one” chassis design.

To answer your core question, if you do this over a LAN Portal of a remote desktop and are using a good gigabit LAN, with minimal WAN activity outside of FS, with windows RDP, you will be heavily disappointed, Windows RDP ( Remote Desktop Protocol ) does not allow for high level graphics and will undoubtedly restrict the visual clarity of the rendering of the sim down to 10 generations ago graphics capability.

you will need a third party remote access software.

Ive already tested this theory using my server and my gaming PC, and the results were very-very unwelcomed with using Windows RDP. i have not tested any of the other third party RD software providers, but, Windows RDP , i would avoid at all costs.

9

I use a shadow PC it is a subscription based virtual gaming PC means I can run MSFS on my 5 yr old HP laptop. May not be for everyone but works for me.

1 Like
10

Try parsec. Frames and quality are much better than Remote Desktop. I played msfs ALOT with parsec in the spring

2 Likes
11

Thanks. Will try Parsec once I have a machine to play on;)

1 Like
12

Late follow-up: Yes, Parsec works great, and I have used it successfully the way I wanted.

13

How would you play if there is no keyboard or mouse? I wondered