The computer turned out great. We’re having a hard time getting the VR goggles to connect to Steam VR so we can use them. I was able to install an RC simulator and it runs perfect on the 55" Samsung, but the goggles are driving us nuts.
What VR headset?
I have a Quest 3 and connecting at first with Airlink was a bear.
I bought Virtual Desktop and MUCH better.
I bought both the Quest 3 and the 3S so I would be in a better position to compare value. Sorry to all who hate Apple but everything I install on my laptop or iPhone just works. No looking for drivers for every single thing and then hoping it’ll work. I’m very frustrated with this.
I’m torn and need some advice. The whole tariff situation has me panicked. I’m toying with the notion of getting the 14900k / 4090 combo right now. It’s down to HP and Alienware as that is all I can find. Alienware also has a 285k / 4090 combo that I’m considering. I’m considering that since the Alienware thermals are OK (good for Alienware) but not great and the 285K is much more forgiving on thermals than the 14900k. The 14900k is NOT forgiving at all of less than stellar thermals in more ways that one. So it’s likely an HP 14900 / 4090 or Alienware 285K / 4090.
I had wanted to wait until Black Friday to see if Nvidia releases a true 5080 S or TI with at least 20 GB and try to pair with AMD X3D or 385K if Intel delivers, but I’m a bit concerned that it may be many years before Gaming PCs return to reasonable prices due to the tariffs. Call it FOMO, but I’m concerned.
Advice is welcome.
Keep in mind that since Nvidia’s 5000 series gpu’s have been released the 4090’s are out of production so they will most likely not be around come black Friday.
Absolutely - I’m keenly aware of this, hence I’m considering getting this now, while 4090 systems are still available and affordable.
I have no doubt a AMD 9800X3D with RTX 5080 may play the game at slightly higher fps for 80% of the time than a 285k with RTX 4090, but the 1% low and VRAM limits would make the 5080 unplayable at certain moments, that I"m thinking the 4090 system would avoid. I could settle for 40 fps with ~30 fps playable lows vs. 50 fps normal and 7 fps unplayable slideshow due to VRAM limits.
FWIW I recently bought a 9800x3D and 4090 and couldn’t be happier. The 4090 is a much stronger card than the 5080, you will miss that VRAM at your peril! You will find the 9800x3D / 4090 combo for sale, that’s where you should be looking. 64GB of RAM is crucial too.
Honestly, in 2025, I wouldn’t touch a GPU with less than 24GB of VRAM. The 5080 is a complete nonsense in this regard & I genuinely don’t know what Nvidia were thinking.
I also have the 9800x3D / 4090 combo – my first time building a computer 
I’m a happy camper!
Disclaimer: I’m only using 2020 for now and only in VR (just noticed the '24 tag below your thread title).
FWIW I think you’ll be seriously impressed with 2024, bugs aside. Using 3rd party traffic, beyond ATC and free flight mode it is a brilliant experience.
I took this to show a mate last night.
This is IniBuilds KLAX Enhanced for 2024, the full AIG package injected at 100% with countless programs running in the background, including BeyondATC & the TDS GTNXi. The sim is in 4K, DLSS 4 (Profile K) Quality, FG on and every setting is max or beyond where possible (I have a TLOD 200 on the ground up to 800 at 1500ft). FPS is capped at 60.
The numbers in the top left speak for themselves. ~40% CPU utilisation, ~50% GPU utilisation but crucially, 19.2GB VRAM (which upped to 20GB in the cockpit) and 39GB of RAM in use.
Unless you use VR (where really only a 5090 is going to better it) this is the best combo you will get for this sim and it has chewed through everything I’ve thrown at it without missing a beat. It goes without saying that if you’re buying a ‘future proof’ machine, 16GB VRAM simply isn’t enough.
Hey, I totally understand your concerns about the i9 14900K’s thermals. However, these temperatures can be tamed with proper undervolting and BIOS adjustments. I’ve had experience with the 13900K myself - it was cooled with an NZXT Kraken Z63 and later the Z73, so I speak from experience. With the right approach in the BIOS (like undervolting, adjusting power limits), even the 14900K can perform within safe temperatures. Plus, a well-ventilated PC case is key; airflow plays a huge role in overall cooling efficiency.
If you’re leaning toward the HP 14900K/4090 combo, it’s definitely doable from a thermal standpoint when you fine-tune BIOS, Windows, game and Nvidia drivers settings.
Wow. Looks like HP recently sold out of the 14900k / 4090 combo. That is sad. Alienware is still available in either intel combo with the 4090.
If I were simply looking to play MSFS 2020 at 4K Ultra, I’d get a 9800 X3D with RTX 5080 and call it a day. But the MSFS 2024 VRAM.
I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that Nvidia left a cavernous gulf of performance between the 5080 and 5090. I don’t need 5090 performance. I’d love 4090 performance and would be happy with 5080 performance with at least 20 GB VRAM. I actually don’t wan’t a 5090 - it is too good and will cause a CPU limit, which is bad in MSFS. A 4090 equivalent would be ideal as it would still GPU limit in 4K Ultra but better than 5080, especially with VRAM.
I’m down to: 1) Get Alienware 14900k / 4090 NOW, 2) Get Alienware 285k / 4090 NOW, 3) Get a non-Alienware 9800 X3D and 5080 soon, and hope MS fixes the VRAM bug, 4) Wait til at least Black Friday and hope the tariff issue resolves AND Nvidia offers RTX 5080 Super and/or TI options, one with at least 20 GB VRAM or more.
I’m disappointed that MS/Asobo listed 12GB VRAM as the “ideal” spec, which it very clearly is not. If the Sim uses up to 18GB VRAM in 4K Ultra, then 20GB should have been “ideal”. Given the popularity of the game, that may have forced RTX 5080 to have higher VRAM and/or encouraged AMD to have a 9000 series XTX card with the higher VRAM.
What would you recommend?
GlobalFlyer2020
I would opt for the 9800x3d/5080 combo.
Newer gen cpu AND GPU.
Mark on Simhangar just did a review of the 5080/9800x3d combo with MSFS2024.
Check it out!
The 5080 simply doesn’t have enough VRAM for modern games if you wish to game in 4K with all bells and whistles. It is a weaker card than the 4090 and significantly less VRAM. In other words it is a duff card and a waste of money as a result.
To the OP, why are you only looking at branded PC’s? There are loads of sellers out there and you will definitely be able to find a 9800x3D/4090 combo for sale at a decent price
Yep.
I have a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, DDR5 64GB 6000 CL26 G.Skill and an RTX 4090. I take to the skies in MSFS 2024 at 2K resolution on ultra settings and my VRAM usage slightly exceeds 12GB. Their recommendation of 12GB might actually be a bit on the low side.
It’s miles out tbh. There’s just no way on this planet that this sim will never always use less than 12GB VRAM in 4K
I showed above in that screenshot that I hit 20GB in 4K at LAX. The system is obviously using it because it can, but if you play in 4K and have less than that amount then your system is compromising and you’ll suffer lower FPS and/or stutters etc as a result
I waited for ages for the 50series to release to buy a new machine and just couldn’t believe it when that range dropped. The 5090 is far too expensive (nor does it offer a big enough jump from the 4090) then there is what can only be described as a gaping chasm between that and the 5080, why the 5080 only has 16GB VRAM is something only Nvidia can answer. You have to assume it’s aimed at 4K gamers which makes it utterly pointless as a proposition based on its available VRAM.
It’s a bit cheaper than the 4090, and the 4090 is becoming more scarce, but if you can find one in a pre build with a 9800x3D it’s an absolute slam dunk. If one were to go for the 5080 I’m absolute certain you would end up regretting it massively.
Yes, I wish I could get a 9800X3D in a reputable pre-build with a 4090, but I haven’t been able to find it where it’s not marked up to nearly $5k.
I’m able to get an Alienware Aurora R16 with 14900k and RTX 4090 64 GB RAM at a very reasonable price - their sale plus stacking a good corporate discount I have, where it’s essentially $100 from the Black Friday price low. I"m actually able to get the Alienware with 14900k RTX 4090 slightly cheaper than I can get a 9800X3d with a 5080 right now.
I can pull the trigger on that now, while I still can, or wait until I can get an 9800 X3D with an RTX 50 series that has at least 20 GB RAM, whenever that will happen.
However if the Alienware is rubbish, then I’ll have to wait. Which is OK if it is rubbish. I’m not able to get a 9800X3D with a GPU that I need that I can afford at this time. I cannot find it - I’ve spent far too long trying to find one without success.
I have a DIY build PC with a 13900 KS S and RTX 4090, 64GB RAM & M2 SSD’s, so very similar to the Alienware prebuild you’re looking at.
Performance in both MFS 2020 & 2024 with this configuration is very good indeed - I’ve slightly reduced the TLOD and OLOD from absolute maximum to eliminate occasional micro-stutters, but everything else is at Ultra and it runs smoothly & well and looks superb on my 4K QD-OLED, with no need for Frame Generation or DLSS. The only way to get noticeably better performance would be a shift to one of the top three AMD X3D chips.
Note that these Intel CPU’s can get quite hot with sustained heavy use, and there were compounding issues with the BIOS allowing excessively high peak power at launch, so you want to ensure you have the latest BIOS and a healthy cooling setup to keep this in check. I have a 420mm AIO cooler that keeps the CPU under 80 degrees in even the busiest areas.
If the Alienware is what’s available, check what cooling solution is used and what support / warranty is available. This is not suggesting it might be flaky (I don’t have any experience with Alienware personally, although my Dell laptop for work is great), but just to ensure it has the latest updates and also that you won’t invalidate the warranty or lose their support if you make any software or hardware changes in time.
I have read that brands like Alienware can sometimes use non-standard sized parts or connectors, or have a physical configuration that doesn’t lend itself to easy upgrades in the future, so check out this aspect of the model you’re looking at too. But on paper it should run 2024 very well indeed.
So I revisited this. Right now, I can get an Alienware Aurora R16 with 14900K, RTX 4090, and 64 GB RAM (but only DDR5 5200) prebuilt with 3 year full warranty, including all the surge protection stuff, for the same exact price as I can get a prebuilt PC with AMD 9800X3D, RTX 5080, and 32 GB (Not 64) DDR 5600 RAM prebuilt with 3 year Geek Squad warranty.
Both are the exact same price out-the-door. The Alienware is on sale plus I have additional corporate discount. The other AMD/5080 prebuilt is MSRP with no discounts.
Which would you get, if any? All other suggestions are just not in the cards at this time, so it’s either those two, or wait. Thank you!
I’m really torn if I should get either or wait. My current machine just doesn’t cut the mustard in MSFS 2020 when in cities. I get A LOT of micro-stutters. I’m limited by mainthread and not the GPU in MSFS2020 DX11 Ultra. I have to turn off all weather except for clear skies when in dense PG cities.
I’m in the process of testing my current system in MSFS 2024. On my current system I can run Ultra on both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024, but am stuck at 100 TLOD and OLOD on both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024. Will being able to max out TLOD and OLOD on both sims noticeably improve the experience?
Here are my thoughts on the following systems - right now both cost exactly the same - advice is welcome:
I know if I wait 9-18 months, I probably COULD get a 9800X3D with a 5080 S/ TI or future AMD card with 24GB VRAM, but I suspect with everything going on I’d be looking at spending $1-2k more than what these systems cost today, so I’m really torn on this and stuck in analysis paralysis. Please help.
Alienware Aurora R16 14900K, RTX 4090, 64 GB DDR5 5200 RAM:
Alienware Pros:
Stronger overall system. I suspect this will perform better out of the box. Will likely work much better on MSFS2024 due to GPU VRAM. Will be more than good enough on MSFS2020.
Better value for money, as long as the RAM won’t be a severe bottleneck.
Cons:
Not practically upgradeable. Alienware uses proprietary motherboard, so only RAM upgrade is to Dell 64 GB DDR5 5600 “black” Ram priced at $900 for a 2x32GB pair, so that will not happen. While it has 64GB RAM stock, it is DDR5 5200 “green”, not sure if that is a big deal.
14900K longevity. This will be new system and have full 3-year warranty, however.
AMD Prebuilt System: AMD 9800X3D, RTX 5080, 32GB DDR5 5600 RAM:
Systems Pros:
Looks to be an MSFS 2020 Powerhouse - will have no limits maxing out that sim.
Seems to be more practical for future upgrades, but after spending this amount, I want something to work out of the box for a number of years, save for maybe an upgrade to better 64 GB RAM compatible with the motherboard.
System Cons:
Less value for money. Likely won’t run MSFS 2024 as good as the Alienware system.
Only has 32GB RAM, but that is upgradeable, and motherboard has much more future RAM upgrade compatibility.
Upgrading GPU may require upgrading power supplies, and that won’t happen, as I’m not comfortable with that degree of system change and will probably violate warranty.