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Customer Ratings & Reviews

Customer reviews

Rating 4 out of 5 stars with 100 reviews

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78%
would recommend
to a friend

Customers are saying

Customers regard the Flight Simulator Game of the Year highly for its beautiful graphics and realism. Many appreciate the scenery and aircraft options, especially with the Premium Deluxe Edition. Some customers mention the game's performance and RAM requirements. However, a few customers have noted long load times.

This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.

The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 100 reviews
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    It's AS REAL AS IT GETS!

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    Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This is more than a game, it's an invigorating simulation that keeps you glued to your seat, submerged into the information your instruments are reflecting, and reactions to the varied weather conditions, to make that perfect landing. Satellite perspectives make it even more realistic.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Amazing simulator

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    Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Such an amazing game. Ive played for hours on end. Great job microsoft.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Please insert disk

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    Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I have been trying for hours and hours to run this game with no use. It keeps asking me to insert disk. This is a digital download. My computer is powerful enough to run it. I read every blog online since I can’t get anything from Microsoft since they don’t have a help line. I have been waiting for this game for so many years. Please Help. Anyone.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics
    Cons mentioned:
    Load times

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Requires a ROBUST PC System

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    Posted . Owned for 5 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    As a long time Microsoft Flight Simulator user I had to get this one. The graphics and features are amazing. The rendered earthing is mind-blowing. I can see my own house / town clearly. The interface and load times take some getting used to. For those familiar with the interface of older versions, this version is nothing like it..at all. Think Xbox game interface now. Also, switching aircraft while in flight is no longer possible it seems. I use an HP Z440 workstation with RAID 0 drives and 32GB ram and Nvidia Quadro M2000 video card. LOAD TIMES: I use the product way less than I did previous versions. Why? Load times are very long. From when the app is started to when you're read to fly can take at least 15 minutes or more. FRAME RATE: When resolution is set to 4K, the frame rates I get are not good...enough. I usually use 1080 for smoother frame rates. CONTROLLER: Plan on buying a newer compatible controller or spending LOTS of time tediously setting up your old controller. PROBLEMS: There is a camera mode called "smart camera". When I switch to this camera mode, ALL functions of my flight stick cease to work. DELUXE EDITION: I spent the extra money for the deluxe edition for the additional airports etc. I've used the product so little that I've seen no benefit from the extra money spent on the deluxe version. XBOX: I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the Xbox version which is included with the PC version purchase. Hoping for better 4K performance from the Xbox 1X console version. RECOMMENDED? Only if you've got a super-powerful system to get smooth frame rates at 4K

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Best Simulator you don’t control

    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I bought this flight simulator not to control it myself, but to simply watch the A.I. fly the planes. I enjoy watching it, this simulator makes me feel like I’m a passenger on a real flight. The sound of the Airbus 320 engine is so smooth I even sometimes fall asleep on long flight out of the country. The graphics are beautiful also, I’d definitely recommend this simulator to anyone who wants to smiply watch the planes fly or manually control the jets themselves you’ll really enjoy it.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Excellent experience, just watch the hardware spec

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I was drawn to this game by how detailed the flying is. I first installed it on an HP AIO that I got earlier this year which has an i7 and RTX 2060. It played but I had to lower the resolution. I went to my older desktop running an older i7-6600x and gtx 1070, 64gb and it runs on 4K and the high level for detail with no problem. The game runs well, but I use that machine for a plex server other things so I did not want to push it. I bought an HP Omen laptop with an RTX 2070 Super MaxQ and 4K screen which runs this in 4K and the Ultra detail level. The game runs with no issues and is excellent to fly around with such a great level of detail. This top level of the games comes with the most airplane selection and enhanced airports. So far I have found that as long as I look up by the four letter international airport code that any airport that I have tried is available. It uses Bing to match current weather conditions so you get additional enhancements like that to game play. I would highly recommend this game but make sure you meet the hardware requirements so that you can get the best experience without sacrificing some aspects of the game.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Aircraft, Graphics, Realism

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Worth the wait

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    Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    It's been a long 10 years but finally we have an out of this world upgrade from FS X to FS 2020. Just beware that you will need to thoroughly check your PC to ensure it can handle the software and intense almost photographic graphics. Very realistic with real-time conditions for flights. Complete with flight training. I recommend the Premium Deluxe Edition for the additional aircraft. Worth price difference from the base Edition.

    I would recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from MicrosoftOutreachTeam
      Posted .

      Hey there,

      Thank you for recommending Microsoft Flight Simulator Premium Deluxe Edition to flight sim buffs. We're thrilled that you're enjoying its realistic graphics and authentic controls. We hope you continue to have a lot of fun playing it.

      Happy flying,
      Chuck
      Xbox Customer Care Microsoft

  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Overall very good.

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The game is very good, and I enjoy playing it. However, the installation was stressful and lengthy, but this is because my windows version was out of date. Except for that, the game runs smooth and is fun and relaxing. The game does crash occasionally, but this is likely because my computer.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Cons mentioned:
    Load times

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    phenomenal, but still buggy a year later

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    Posted . Owned for 9 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Flight Simulator 2020 is a spectacular achievement. Being able to take off from the little regional airport I regularly drive past, or fly over the small town in Austria where my mom lives, or over remote villages anywhere from Africa to Iceland is truly amazing. BUT. Every update that adds cool new features - and fixes some existing bugs - seems to introduce MAJOR new ones that make me wonder if they test these things at all. Last time, there were huge visual glitches with terrain that rose up in huge plateaus for no reason. This time, elevator trim is totally broken on many aircraft. Even still... In spite of the frustration with bugs, the interminable load times, and the staggering hardware demands, it's an amazing experience (with real flight sim controls - do yourself a favor and don't use keyboard/mouse or a gamepad) that I come back to again and again, to the point where I'm now signing up for IRL flying lessons.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    No problems

    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Running a 8750 processor long install but everything worked great with only one hiccup during install. I had to restart the installer but after that ran and played great.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Overall excellent!

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    Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I have always loved the MSFS games, and this one is not a let down. The only issue was with installation, which was fairly awful, but I believe they have worked out most of those bugs. I ended up having to turn off my firewall and antivirus to download the game, and then unplug my USB yoke to start it the first time. Since then, all good!

    I would recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from MicrosoftOutreachTeam
      Posted .

      Hey there,

      Thank you for sharing your feedback on Microsoft Flight Simulator! We're sorry that you had a rocky start with it, but glad to hear that everything has worked out. We hope you have a lot of fun playing it.

      Happy flying,
      Chuck
      Xbox Customer Care Microsoft

  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    It's the long awaited MSFS!!!

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Graphics are amazing and the setup is super easy. Peripherals work well. This game will tax a older pc but if you have a fairly new build pc this game runs like butter. The only issue is I wish the default commercial jets were more realistic in terms of realistic flight systems. I like how they incorporated the third party addons straight into the store. This game should last at least 10 years.

    I would recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from MicrosoftOutreachTeam
      Posted .

      Hey Jazz,

      Thank you for sharing how much you're enjoying Microsoft Flight Simulator! It's great to hear that setting it up was easy and that your peripherals work well with it. We hope you continue to have fun flying around the world.

      Happy flying,
      Chuck
      Xbox Customer Care Microsoft

  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics

    Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    This Sim not ready for the market !

    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    After pre-purchase there was a bottle neck that would not the purchase to advance to the load screen. Three visits with Microsoft techs . The third guy admitted to a systemic problem with the program. Spent an hour and a half on phone. In the end, he took control of my PC so the program could be downloaded. The download took 10+ hours on a fast connection. Once loaded the program allowed choosing various settings. It recognized my hardware but would allow it to work. Only saw a 172 on runway once, but even using the mouse it would not fly. In subsequent fresh starts "press any key" screen that was as far as you were going to get. When pressing ANY key it took you to a screen that instructed you to "insert a disc"... Disc sets are not available in the USA, plus I had the digital download. BTW, I have a very powerful Alien ware computer with a 1080TI graphics card and lot of Vram. Totally fed up with this experience after months of watching propaganda videos. I am sticking with Xplane 11 which has been very reliable and enjoyable. I am seeking a refund on the 2020 purchase. Robert: Ronan Montana

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    FS2020 review.

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    Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Waited for an upgrade to FS since the last version came out in 2014. This version is not really an upgrade, but a totally new program. Graphics quality is amazing, flying experience is excellent. But, you better have a pretty powerful gaming computer and excellent monitor and flight stick to enjoy the full experience. It will work on lower powered systems, but the experience is not as rich.

    I would recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from MicrosoftOutreachTeam
      Posted .

      Hey there,

      We're glad that you're enjoying the beautiful graphics and realistic flying experience of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Thank you for sharing your thoughts; we hope you have a lot of playing it.

      Happy flying,
      Chuck
      Xbox Customer Care Microsoft

  • Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Flight Simulator

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I enjoy it! This game can keep you going for hours!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Truly realistic

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    Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I remember playing this game many years ago-it was great then, given the technology at the time. With the massive changes in tech since then it is now really amazing! A word to the wise: have your pc jacked up with ram, graphics and a really fast ssd to handle this game. Also check the web for recommended game settings. This can be really helpful. Good luck!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics, Performance

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    RTX 2060 friendly

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Graphics on this game is amazing! Easy install and runs great with a rtx 2060.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Scenery

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Good improvements but over-priced

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    Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Good scenery altho most small airports and cities generic. I live in Dallas and downtown buildings are not at all like Dallas skyline. Be careful with buying optional planes by other vendors; if less than 4 stars many fly terribly!

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Aircraft

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    MSFS 2020 DELUXE

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    Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    MSFS2020 is AWESOME. I started with the 1982 MSFS and have stayed with it through the versions leading to this. It is the reason for the monster computer I now own. Fly, take lessons, see other places around the world, fly planes you never have seen before, wallk away from a crash, you exercise your imagination - from your favorite chair. So repeating myself, AWESOME.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Realism

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    If you liked the FS series, you will LOVE THIS!!!!

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    Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    What can I say that have not been said, this is by far the best Flight Simulator so far, even better than X-PLANE! The down side is, if you want extreme realism and ULTRA settings at 4K you will need an extreme rig to run it! Like a i7 or i9 8-core and a NVIDIA RTX 2080 and a very good internet connection! this game uses massive bandwidth and data transmission not to mention at least 150GB of storage.

    I would recommend this to a friend
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