About X-Plane 12
X-Plane 12 was released on December 17, 2022. Steam files it under Simulation. It needs 23 GB of free storage.
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X-Plane 12 system requirements
Can your PC run it? Pick your hardware below for a verdict and estimated fps.
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X-Plane 12 needs at least A Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel Arc GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM and Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9., 8 GB of RAM and 23 GB of free storage. For 60 fps on High at 1080p, aim for a Radeon RX 470 or better.
Updated October 3, 2026
What it takes to run X-Plane 12
| Target | Graphics card | Processor | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | A Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel Arc GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM | Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9. | 8 GB |
| Recommended | A DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 4 GB VRAM | Intel Core i5 8600k or Ryzen 5 3500 or better | 16 GB |
| 60 fps, 1080p High | Radeon RX 470 or better | Core i3-13100F or better | 16 GB |
| 60 fps, 1440p High | GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or better | Core i3-13100F or better | 16 GB |
| 60 fps, 4K High | GeForce RTX 2060 or better | Core i3-13100F or better | 16 GB |
The first two rows are the publisher's numbers. The rows below are our own estimates from the scoring model.
How to get the best frame rate in X-Plane 12
The publisher's minimum for X-Plane 12 is A Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel Arc GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM with Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9., and the recommended hardware is A DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 4 GB VRAM. We treat the recommended hardware as the setup that holds about 60 fps at 1080p on High.
In our estimates a Radeon RX 470 is about the weakest card that holds 60 fps on High at 1080p, a GeForce GTX 1060 6GB does the same at 1440p, and a GeForce RTX 2060 at 4K. Cards below that can still play the game, at Medium or Low.
Strategy and simulation games lean on the processor, especially late in a game when there is a lot to calculate. A faster graphics card will not fix a slow late game, but a faster CPU and more RAM will.
Best graphics card for X-Plane 12
Estimated fps at 1080p on High by graphics card, and the best 60 fps preset at each resolution.
90+ great60+ smooth40+ playable30+ low settingsbelow 30
| Graphics card | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 5090 | Ultra 300+ fps | Ultra 300+ fps | Ultra 256 fps |
| GeForce RTX 5070 | Ultra 286 fps | Ultra 206 fps | Ultra 114 fps |
| GeForce RTX 4090 | Ultra 300+ fps | Ultra 300+ fps | Ultra 202 fps |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Super | Ultra 290 fps | Ultra 209 fps | Ultra 116 fps |
| GeForce RTX 4060 | Ultra 171 fps | Ultra 123 fps | Ultra 68 fps |
| GeForce RTX 3080 | Ultra 281 fps | Ultra 202 fps | Ultra 112 fps |
| GeForce RTX 3060 | Ultra 140 fps | Ultra 101 fps | High 78 fps |
| GeForce RTX 3050 | Ultra 103 fps | Ultra 74 fps | Medium 80 fps |
| GeForce RTX 2060 | Ultra 108 fps | Ultra 78 fps | High 60 fps |
| GeForce GTX 1660 Super | Ultra 81 fps | High 81 fps | Medium 63 fps |
| GeForce GTX 1650 | High 72 fps | Medium 73 fps | Under 60 fps |
| GeForce GTX 1060 6GB | Ultra 61 fps | High 61 fps | Low 64 fps |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT | Ultra 300+ fps | Ultra 254 fps | Ultra 141 fps |
| Radeon RX 7800 XT | Ultra 271 fps | Ultra 195 fps | Ultra 108 fps |
| Radeon RX 6600 | Ultra 129 fps | Ultra 93 fps | High 72 fps |
| Radeon RX 580 | High 80 fps | Medium 81 fps | Low 61 fps |
| Arc B580 | Ultra 186 fps | Ultra 134 fps | Ultra 75 fps |
The highest quality preset that still holds 60 fps. Estimates with a processor that does not limit the card.
Memory and processor
Memory
Minimum 8 GB, recommended 16 GB. 16 GB is the comfortable amount for current games.
Processor
A processor like the Core i3-13100F meets the recommended CPU level. For many fps in fast games, a quick CPU matters as much as the graphics card. Check your pairing.
Questions about X-Plane 12
What are the minimum system requirements for X-Plane 12?
Minimum: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9., A Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel Arc GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM, 8 GB of memory, 23 GB of free storage.
What are the recommended system requirements for X-Plane 12?
Recommended: Intel Core i5 8600k or Ryzen 5 3500 or better, A DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 4 GB VRAM, 16 GB of memory.
What graphics card do I need to run X-Plane 12 at 60 fps?
In our estimate a Radeon RX 470 is about the weakest card that holds 60 fps on High at 1080p, and a GeForce GTX 1060 6GB for 1440p.
How much RAM does X-Plane 12 need?
The minimum is 8 GB and the recommendation is 16 GB. With less than the minimum the game may not start or will stutter badly.
How much storage does X-Plane 12 need?
About 23 GB of free space, plus room for updates.
Can an RTX 3060 run X-Plane 12?
Our estimate for the GeForce RTX 3060 is about 194 fps on High at 1080p. Verdict: Yes, runs great.
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Requirements from the game's Steam page. Powered by Steam. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Valve or the publisher.