Can I Run X-Plane 11?
Laminar Research · 2017
Our verdict
Needs a mid-range graphics card
A budget GTX 1650 or RX 6500 XT averages about 53 FPS at 1080p; 60 FPS needs about a GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600.
Check your own PC ↓Estimated FPS at 1080p
GAMERSPECS ESTIMATEOn a mid-range RTX 4060 or RX 7600, X-Plane 11 averages about 136 FPS at 1080p; a budget GTX 1650 or RX 6500 XT averages about 53 FPS, and a high-end RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX averages 300+ FPS.
The publisher states no target settings for X-Plane 11, so figures assume High, the usual target of a recommended spec.
Budget GPU
GTX 1650 / RX 6500 XT
~50–60 FPS
High (assumed from the recommended spec) · native
Low Performance
Mid-range GPU
RTX 4060 / RX 7600
~120–150 FPS
High (assumed from the recommended spec) · native
Great
High-end GPU
RTX 4080 / RX 7900 XTX
300+ FPS
Graphics card's limit
High (assumed from the recommended spec) · native
Excellent
300+ FPS: This is the graphics card's limit. The game's own frame cap or your CPU will often set the real number.
Want your exact FPS? Enter your CPU, GPU and resolution.
Check My PC →What limits performance in X-Plane 11
The graphics card: frame rates in X-Plane 11 rise with GPU speed.
Graphics card (GPU)
Main limit
60 FPS at 1080p needs about a GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600; a budget GTX 1650 or RX 6500 XT averages about 53 FPS.
Processor (CPU)
No measured limit
X-Plane 11 recommends a Core i5-6600K or equivalent; a Ryzen 5 3600 or anything faster clears that. We have no measured processor limit for X-Plane 11, so the frame rates on this page assume your processor isn't holding the graphics card back.
Video memory (VRAM)
512 MB min · 4 GB rec
The minimum spec lists 512 MB of video memory and the recommended spec 4 GB. On a card with less, lower texture quality first: running out of video memory shows up as stutter or blurry textures, not as a lower average.
Settings to lower first in X-Plane 11
- 1Resolution or render scale, or upscaling (DLSS, FSR or XeSS) where X-Plane 11 offers it. Rendering fewer pixels is the biggest single saving.
- 2Then shadows, volumetric effects (fog, clouds, lighting) and ambient occlusion: in most games these cost the most frame rate for the least visible difference.
- 3Texture quality only if your card has less than 4 GB of video memory. With enough memory, textures cost little frame rate, so keep them high.
Can I run X-Plane 11 on my graphics card?
Pick your GPU for a straight yes-or-no, an FPS estimate at every resolution, and the settings to run.
Check your GPU against X-Plane 11
Pick your graphics card to see the verdict and estimated frame rates.
Can You Run X-Plane 11?
Pick your CPU, GPU, RAM and OS — we check each one against X-Plane 11’s official minimum and recommended requirements.
Your PC
You can run X-Plane 11 — and then some
Your PC meets the recommended requirements. Expect a great experience.
Wrong result? Tell us| Component | Your PC | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | GeForce RTX 4060 | DirectX 11-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD w/512 MB VRAM | DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD w/4 GB VRAM |
| CPU | Core i5-13400 | Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 CPU with 2 or more cores, or AMD equivalent | Intel Core i5 6600K at 3.5 ghz or faster |
| RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| OS | Windows 11 | Windows 7, 8.1, or 10, 64-bit | Windows 7, 8.1, or 10, 64-bit |
Verdict compares your components against the game’s published requirements using our GPU/CPU benchmark database. Estimates — real performance varies with drivers, settings and cooling.
Join the squadNot sure? Ask our community.Join our Discord →X-Plane 11 System Requirements
The official minimum and recommended PC specs for X-Plane 11, component by component.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7, 8.1, or 10, 64-bit | Windows 7, 8.1, or 10, 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 CPU with 2 or more cores, or AMD equivalent | Intel Core i5 6600K at 3.5 ghz or faster |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | DirectX 11-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD w/512 MB VRAM | DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD w/4 GB VRAM |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 20 GB available space | 65 GB available space |
Show the full Steam listingHide the full Steam listing
Minimum
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS *: Windows 7, 8.1, or 10, 64-bit Processor: Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 CPU with 2 or more cores, or AMD equivalent Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 11-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD w/512 MB VRAM DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 20 GB available space Sound Card: Default VR Support: SteamVR or Oculus PC Additional Notes: The disk requirements are based on how many world scenery areas are downloaded. Minimum with one scenery area is 20 GB . Additional scenery areas can be downloaded at no charge at any time after purchase
Recommended
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS *: Windows 7, 8.1, or 10, 64-bit Processor: Intel Core i5 6600K at 3.5 ghz or faster Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD w/4 GB VRAM DirectX: Version 12 Network: Broadband Internet connection Storage: 65 GB available space Sound Card: Default Additional Notes: The disk requirements are based on how many world scenery areas are downloaded. Minimum with one scenery area is 20 GB . Additional scenery areas can be downloaded at no charge at any time after purchase
Source: Steam
X-Plane 11 — FAQ
Can I run X-Plane 11?+
Needs a mid-range graphics card. A budget GTX 1650 or RX 6500 XT averages about 53 FPS at 1080p; 60 FPS needs about a GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600. Use the checker on this page to test your exact CPU, GPU, RAM and OS against the official requirements.
What are the minimum system requirements for X-Plane 11?+
X-Plane 11 needs at least a Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 CPU with 2 or more cores, or AMD equivalent processor, a DirectX 11-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD w/512 MB VRAM graphics card, 8 GB of RAM, 20 GB available space of storage, running Windows 7, 8.1, or 10, 64-bit.
Can X-Plane 11 run without a graphics card?+
Only on the strongest integrated graphics: AMD's Radeon 780M averages about 39 FPS at 1080p, while Iris Xe averages about 24 FPS. A budget dedicated card is the safer choice.
How much RAM does X-Plane 11 need?+
X-Plane 11 officially requires a minimum of 8 GB of RAM, with 16 GB recommended for smooth performance. 16GB is a comfortable amount for modern gaming overall.
More games to check
FPS values displayed on GamerSpecs are estimates. Actual game performance may vary depending on hardware configuration, drivers, cooling, power limits, background applications, and game updates.