Best Laptop for X-Plane 11

As a flight simulation enthusiast, I understand the challenge of finding the best laptop for X-Plane 11 that can handle the game's demanding requirements while providing a smooth and immersive experience. X-Plane 11's realistic aircraft models, detailed scenery, and accurate flight physics demand a capable machine that can keep up with the game's ever-evolving updates and addons. This guide will help you navigate the world of laptops to find the perfect fit for your virtual aviation endeavors.

In my quest to find the best laptop for X-Plane 11, I have reviewed an extensive laptop spreadsheet of recent releases, comparing specs and analyzing both professional and user-generated reviews. I have considered the specific requirements of X-Plane 11, such as the need for a powerful GPU to handle the game's high-quality graphics, a fast processor to ensure smooth performance, and ample RAM to accommodate addons like orthophoto scenery and aircraft models. Additionally, I've taken into account various price ranges, ensuring that there are options suitable for every budget.

As a member of the X-Plane community, I am familiar with the discussions on forums, the X-Plane.org website, and the preferences of popular YouTube and Twitch streamers. I understand the importance of factors like frame rate stability, load times, and the benefits of a high-resolution display for an enhanced flying experience. With these considerations in mind, this guide will present you with the top laptops that can take your X-Plane 11 experience to new heights, whether you're a casual simmer or an aspiring virtual airline pilot.

My processor recommendations for playing X-Plane 11

One of the biggest factors for a smooth gameplay is your CPU. But how do you pick the best one? It all depends on your laptop's budget and performance needs. That's why I'm outlining all the options to help you choose the best CPU for X-Plane 11.

Requirements

The game doesn't specify any particular processor, but that doesn't mean you should take any risks. I recommend an Intel Core i5 CPU or AMD Ryzen 3, both with an option for high performance – it's worth the extra money.

Recommendations

Choosing the best CPU for X-Plane 11 is tough given so many different options. But I'll give you my suggestions for picking up a new processor:

Intel Core i5-10310U – minimum required to play X-Plane 11; powerful enough to enjoy the game on high graphics settings without noticing any slowdowns; perfect for 1080p resolution screens; good for VR; not well optimized for AMD processors; pricey.
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U – less expensive than Intel's counterparts, but still powerful enough to enjoy X-Plane 11 on high graphics settings; well optimized for AMD processors; subpar VR performance; subpar at higher resolutions (above 1080p).

TL;DR

any processor will do, but Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen 3 are the best choices
Intel Core i5-10310U is the minimum required to play X-Plane 11
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U is cheaper than Intel's counterparts, but still powerful enough to enjoy X-Plane 11 on high graphics settings

Graphics card

Minimum graphics (under $1000)

As the minimum graphics card for playing X-Plane 11, we should ideally aim for a DirectX 11-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with 4 GB VRAM.

Recommended graphics ($1000 – $2000)

For a recommended GPU, we're looking at the DirectX 12-capable GPUs from NVIDIA or AMD with 4 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 1070 or better or similar from AMD).

Best graphics ($2000 and up)

Finally, for the best possible video card, we'll need to reach for Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti and AMD Radeon VII. Both these cards come with 8 GB VRAM and should be more than enough to run X-Plane 11 on its highest settings.

TL;DR

if you're playing X-Plane 11, aim for a 4 GB GPU from NVIDIA or AMD with DirectX 11 support
a GeForce GTX 1070 or better is a good start for a GPU, and Radeon VII or RTX 2080 Ti is best

Memory for X-Plane 11

Minimum (8-16 GB)

First of all, I should mention that you could get away buying an 8GB RAM laptop. Though that's acceptable in a single situation – you're on an uncomfortably tight budget, and you could upgrade the 8GB laptop with an extra RAM stick.

Recommended (16 GB)

If you aren't in this situation – stick with 16 GB. That's the sweet spot for gaming, work, and everything in-between. I might consider 32 GB to be more future-oriented than 16 GB, but if you don't particularly care whether you're ahead of the pack or not – 16 GB is still a considerable amount of memory for most.

Best (32 GB)

Let me ask you a couple of questions. Do you care about streaming your gameplay, keeping multiple games open, or using Chrome 100 tabs open? If that sounds like you – consider paying a premium for a 32GB model. Is there a benefit going beyond that? Sure, the more, the merrier, but it's not necessary by any standard, and I'd instead invest in other components, such as CPU or GPU.

How to choose the right storage for playing X-Plane 11?

Is HDD an option?

SSDs are best, but if you're on a budget, HDDs are the way to go. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on laptops with SSDs.

Picking an SSD

We've sorted through specs and picked out our favorite SSDs for X-Plane 11. But don't worry – it's not as hard as it sounds. We've checked for NVMe support and made sure that there is an expansion slot for upgrades. On top of that, some benchmarks just for kicks – read/write speeds, data rates, IOPS – all that good stuff. If you're still unsure about what to get – check out our shortlist below:

A 256 GB SSD is entry-level and will fill up quickly
512 GB is a lot more (yes, I know, twice as more) and a good starting point
1 TB SSD is plenty for most people
2 TB SSD and more is perfect for comprehensive collection of games, movies, and what have you.

TL;DR

don't get a HDD – get an SSD instead
get a 256 GB SSD if you're on a budget and you'll need plenty of space
get a 512 GB SSD if you need a lot of space and/or you don't want to upgrade in the future
get a 1 TB SSD if you need even more space and/or you want to store all your games on one drive (in case your other drives fail)

Choosing a display

What should you look for in a laptop display for playing X-Plane 11? Honestly, I can't say. The game is visually unimpressive, and the quality of the display is not what makes it worth playing. There are other factors that you might be more interested in – framerate, response time, adaptive sync. But if you're an aviation fanatic who wants to fly this game at home – anything will do.

TL;DR

X-Plane 11 is not particularly demanding, so any laptop display will do. If you're an aviation fanatic who wants to fly this game at home, you can use anything. I can't say.

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Table of Best Laptops for {topic}

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X-Plane 11 FAQs

What laptop should I buy for X-Plane 11?

That depends on your budget and expectations. For example, the GIGABYTE A5 K1 is an excellent value for money at $790, whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 has much higher specs and is priced at $4,230. We recommend taking a look at the recommendations table to find a laptop that fits your needs.

What specs do I need to run X-Plane 11?

We recommend having a GTX 1650 or better graphics card, at least 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB HDD or 256 GB SSD storage, FHD, TN or better display, and a Ryzen 5 3500U or better processor to get the best experience out of X-Plane 11.

Can you play X-Plane 11 on a laptop?

Absolutely. X-Plane 11 can be run on most laptops, depending on their specs.

Is RTX 2070 good for X-Plane 11?

Yes, the RTX 2070 is a great graphics card for X-Plane 11. You'll be able to play with excellent graphics settings and have a smooth gameplay experience.

What is the minimum RAM for X-Plane 11 on a laptop?

We recommend having at least 8 GB of RAM to get the best performance from X-Plane 11.

Is Core i7 required for X-Plane 11?

It's not required, but it would certainly provide better performance and better frame rates.

Can X-Plane 11 run on a 4GB RAM laptop?

X-Plane 11 can technically be run on a laptop with 4GB of RAM, but we recommend having at least 8GB to get the best performance out of the game.

What is the best processor for X-Plane 11?

It really depends on your budget and your expectations, but we recommend at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor.

What graphics card do I need to run X-Plane 11?

We recommend having a GTX 1650 or better for the best performance and graphics settings.

Is an SSD necessary to run X-Plane 11 on a laptop?

It is not necessary, but an SSD will certainly improve the loading times and make the game run more smoothly.

4 Best Laptops for X-Plane 11

$700

1.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16

X-Plane 11 laptop

Pros

Excellent processor (Ryzen 9 6900HX)
Very good graphics card (RTX 3070 Ti)
Solid display (16)
Awesome memory amount (64GB)

Cons

No IPS Panel (limited viewing angles)

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Alternatives

$640

ASUS Zenbook

Pros

Excellent battery life
Compact and lightweight design

Cons

Soldered RAM cannot be expanded
Fan can be noisy at times

$1,140

2.MSI Summit E13

MSI Summit E13 is a powerful and visually stunning laptop that offers excellent battery life and PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD support.

Pros

Excellent battery life and PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD support
Great CPU and GPU performance
Sleek and luxurious design
Bright display with high contrast and 120 Hz native refresh rate

Cons

Slow display response times and noticeable ghosting
Relatively loud fans when under load
High core temperatures when under load
Servicing

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Summary

The MSI Summit E13 is a stunning laptop with excellent battery life and high-end CPU and GPU performance. Although it has slow display response times and noticeable ghosting, it makes up for it with a bright display, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 3x USB-C, and a sleek luxurious design.

Reviews

Notebookcheck

87%/100

MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo Convertible Review: A Timeless Design

DigitalTrends

DigitalTrends review