Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe DVD | 
| From: Microsoft
List Price: $49.95
Buy New: $39.25
You Save: $10.70 (21%)
New (29) Used (1) from $39.25
Rating:  264 reviews
Sales Rank: 251
Platform: Windows Xp
Genre: Flight Simulation Games
ESRB: Everyone
Media: DVD-ROM
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Operating System: Windows XP
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 1.2
nv:Software Type: Games
MPN: 9am-00014
UPC: 882224258043
EAN: 0882224258043
ASIN: B000GCJ6MK
Release Date: October 17, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Fly 24 different airplanes, including Ultralites for when you don't want to deal with all the knobs and dials | | • | Visit 24,000 of the world's airports, on all 7 continents | | • | Authentic road layouts - fly over your home town and navigate by the streets below | | • | Simulates advanced GPS technology | | • | Deeply immersive world to providing more structured gameplay elements |
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Product Description
Flight Simulator X will awe flight simulator fans and real pilots alike. All-new eye-popping graphics, actual missions to accomplish and a wider range of airports to visit recreate the experience of being a pilot, right down to the smallest detail. Complete point-to-point objectives and skill-based tests, or just fly around the world if you'd prefer that to ferrying passengers or cargo. Whatever you choose to do as a pilot, it's available here in Flight Simulator X Deluxe.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 259 more reviews...
 Might be worth buying in a year or two... November 5, 2006
J. Puckett (Los Angeles, CA)
144 out of 161 found this review helpful
I should preface this review with a statement:
I've been a fan of the flight sim franchise since I first played Bruce Artwicks' version on Apple II. And no other software title has inspired me to spend as much money over the years to upgrade my pc hardware as much as Flight Simulator. I know this kind of game demands the latest and greatest, and generally, I have no qualms about making this kind of investment when a new FS version comes out. And I really wanted to like this game.
However, I really believe that Microsoft has over-done it this time. What I mean is, I think it will be about a year before the hardware that is required to run this game at acceptable speed and display quality settings will even be available to the average person. Like I said, I expected to need high-end hardware to run FS X, I did not expect that the hardware required would be stuff that isn't even for sale yet. Now, if you're willing (and can afford) to go out today and buy an ultra-super-extreme-high-end gaming rig, with the very fastest core 2 duo cpu available and a water-cooled quad-SLI video subsystem, you can probably get this pig to fly, but if you don't, you won't have much fun with this "game."
Case in point- my machine has an Athlon 64 X2 4800+ cpu, 2Gig of RAM, and an ATI 1900XT video card with 512M RAM. While not quite "bleeding edge," I think by all rational standards this machine is a pretty solid gaming rig. I can play FEAR, QUAKE 4, LOCK-ON, and a half-dozen other graphics-intensive games with all the settings turned up to MAX and I still get very fast frame rates. But when I loaded up this dog, it was like watching a slide show. I am not kidding - 5 or 10fps, tops. Even after turning everything in the graphics and scenery settings way down, turing autogen OFF, it barely got up to 15-20fps. And often it would still dip below 10. This is not a playable frame rate for flight simulation- not even close.
Frankly, I almost think this version is a step backwards- I say this because if you turn down the display settings so that you get flyable frame-rates, the view out the window will look considerably worse than FS2004. By comparision I can fly FS2004, with detail and video settings at or near max, AND MegaScenery installed, and I consistently get 35-45fps. It appears that Microsoft is selling this title primarily based on the improvements in the eye candy, but in order to get that eye candy and have reasonable frame rates, you need to spend at least $3000 to $4000 on a completely new and very, VERY high-end machine. If you're OK with that, knock yourself out. Hell, for that amount of money you could almost get a real pilot's license. But for the vast majority of people out there, I would say, save your money, because FS2004 looks and flies MUCH better on today's hardware.
MAYBE, when the Vista version comes out, AND we give the hardware guys about a year to catch up, then FS X will be a playable game. Because it's sure not right now. =(
Great Looking but slow framerates October 19, 2006
Mark (San Francisco, CA)
113 out of 137 found this review helpful
This is the 3rd Flight Simulator I have owned. First one I bought in the 80s when it was fairly new. The second one I bought was Flight Simulator 2000. I bought that after trying it at Oshkosh Airshow 1999. That game runs great on my Pentium 4 3.2gigahertz Hyper threading, 1.5 gig of memory, 128 meg ATI video card. This game, which I was excited to get as I usually upgrade every 5 years or so, was a source hog! The game runs nice over areas of no populations or tree areas but go to a large city as New York or Paris and you get framerates low enough to be annoying (4-6 fps) but fly 20,000 with no clouds and it runs fine. Now I know that in a few years I'll upgrade my computer and it should run fine but this game should be able to run decently on my system. Only the most EXTREME ($5,000+ computers can handle most situations of this game). If you lower the resolution and lower the complexity it will run better but the water looks bad unless its shimmering in the sun. Maybe after Vista comes out it will run better. LET'S HOPE!
 From a pilot November 1, 2006
D. MCGUE (Mililani, Hawaii)
91 out of 95 found this review helpful
I am a general aviation pilot, flying single engine fixed wing Cessna type aircraft (4 seater). Flight Simulator X gives the feeling of actually piloting a plane. The plane responds to the controls much like "the real thing".
Like other reviewers, I must agree that you must have a great computer. I have a dual processor Pentium D 940 running 3.2 Ghz, 4 gb RAM, 512 mb NVIDIA graphic card. On my system, with maxed out graphics and scenery, it runs very well, with only an occasional slight bump in frame-rates. I am somewhat disappointed with the scenery, which is good in major cities, but still basic in the country-side. The terrain is good everywhere, but the structures lack detail in other than the cities. The detail on airport runways and taxiways is terrific! Aircraft list is extensive. I recommend it.
A big step backwards October 17, 2006
Flight Sim Fan (Massachusetts)
35 out of 51 found this review helpful
I have thoroughly enjoyed all the Flight Simulator versions, and was eagerly looking forward to this. However, with a 3GHz processor, 1GB RAM and and 512MB video card, this sim is unplayable. Frame rates average from 3-6, even with scenery turned down so much that there are about 20 buildings in all of Manhattan! Unless you have or are planning on buying a new ultra high-end PC, this is a MAJOR step backwards from Flight Simulator 2004.
 Unless you have a new state-of-the-art computer, forget it. October 20, 2006
Christopher Buckner (Syracuse, Indiana United States)
35 out of 40 found this review helpful
Microsoft has always boasted about Flight Simulator taxing the machines that are out there, but this time they have gone too far. I am running a Dell 3.6 Gig, with 3 Gig of memory, a 512 MB Nvidia card and I still have to turn down the settings to get "smooth play."
What I have is 3 times more than their recommended setup on even the lowest setting. Now some will say that it was built for the Windows Vista but that doesn't come out until November..........if they make that date!!! For Microsoft to put their "minimum" settings on the box to make everyone think that this will play well on most puters is an absolute insult!!!
And god help you if for some reason the game doesn't activate (you know like activating Windows? Oh yes they have created that for FSX) over the internet. Like me it didn't, and I literally spent 3 hours and 42 minutes on hold with tech support to get it activated and the customer service lady (from India no doubt) told me there were 62 people in line ahead of me. 62!!!!
Microsoft needs to get their act together and make some serious flight simmers happy and do it now!!!!
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