MSFS or X-Plane

[Garry Morrison]

I am in a predicament. I need to decide which FS to keep on my dedicated PC and fly. 

Can someone give me some insight of which FS I should use, MSFS or X-Plane (these are what I have to chose from)

Your counsel will be much appreciated.

[Ross Carlson]

Nobody can answer this for you. It all depends on what's important to you, because both sims have their strengths and weaknesses.

[Evan Reiter]

A lot of people (32%, to be exact) regularly use more than one. You might consider grabbing both to see what you like. As Ross points out, a lot of it depends on what's important in your simulation and the types of aircraft you're looking to fly. 

My opinions on the matter are here: https://flightsimassociation.com/guides/getting-started/simulator-setup, which also includes a short comparison video of the three simulators. Full disclosure, I'm one of the co-founders of FSA.

If you'd like to share some thoughts on the type of simming you plan to do, what aircraft types you want to fly, and your objectives, I can give you an idea of how the two sims you mentioned might compare. 

[Garry Morrison]

On FSX I have generally flown GA Cessna 208 in the Caribbean, b738 in the US, and b747F or b787 across the pond.

[Evan Reiter]

You'll read lots of opinions but for me...

If you're interested in pretty visuals, don't mind a few glitches and hiccups as software is updated, and you're okay with somewhat limited support on SIDs/STARs for now, MSFS is a great option. The visual experience is currently the best of the major sims. However, some of the systems and functionality are still being worked on. In the coming months, you'll see a Boeing 737 from PMDG for MSFS, and other "study-level add-ons" are in the works. At that time, I expect more people who are currently thinking MSFS is "not ready" may make a switch. Several of the aircraft you mentioned from FSX are available in MSFS (see list here), though they may not be of the same quality as a QualityWings 787 or a PMDG 737 NGX. At least, not yet. If you go MSFS, check out the Salty 747 mod and probably you'll want to wait on PMDG before flying a 737.

In X-Plane land, you'll get a payware-quality Boeing 737 for free (Zibo mod), and several other high-quality aircraft add-ons are available. Most of the aircraft functionality like SIDs/STARs and built-in GPS add-ons are readily available in the sim, with limited need to purchase add-ons by comparison to the other sims. They are actively working on an X-Plane 12 and, although no release date has been officially announced, I think most people are expecting late this year, early next. The few previews they have shown are quite impressive. It's unclear at the moment if X-Plane 12 will be a free or paid upgrade. 

There are huge freeware and payware add-on communities so in my mind either sim is great. If you're not in a rush to buy, there are frequent sales on Steam for X-Plane. One just ended that offered about 50% off the sticker price.

[Garry Morrison]

That was a great read Evan. Much appreciated!

I have tried MSFS but I have found that there is too much adaptation for me. I am going to try X-Plane and see how it works for me.

[Nathaniel Miller]

uh thinks people NEED to stand up against microshaft and let 2020 die.

 

i dont like their motive and their bullying of the universe methods...

 

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2021 at 05:53 PM by Nathaniel Miller

[Jim Rish]

On 7/14/2021 at 9:57 PM, Nathaniel Miller said:

uh thinks people NEED to stand up against microshaft and let 2020 die.

 

i dont like their motive and their bullying of the universe methods...

 

 

 

 

 Oh, sure. If I was just starting out with this thing, flying and so forth, I would go to X-Plane, no problem. It's taken alot of work, trial and error, and everything else, to get all the stuff, the add-ons, resolve connection failures, you name it, just to get all of this the way I want it.  I really don't want to go through it again with MSFS. I was at a point, more than once with this deal, where I just about gave up on this thing completely. Don't want to go through it all again.

[John Stockton]

On 7/14/2021 at 7:32 PM, Evan Reiter said:

It's unclear at the moment if X-Plane 12 will be a free or paid upgrade. 

From experience, you'll have to purchase it. I've been an X-Planer since ver 9. Ver 10 we had to pay. Ver 11 we had to pay. Upgrades within a version, ie 11.0, 11.3, 11.55 are all free. When X-Plane switches to an all new series (next will be 12) you'll have to purchase it. 

My feeling is if you're wanting to learn/fly FAA procedures (IFR) X-Plane is the way to go. If your focus is visuals (VFR) MSFS is the better simulator (currently). 

MSFS requires a stronger computer than X-Plane for comparable frame rates. I have both loaded in my PC (specs in signature).

Edited August 17, 2021 at 10:57 PM by John Stockton

[Nathaniel Miller]

Microsoft = Bullying and dominating the industry....  Telling what you need when it is clearly free choice to embrace or deny what they want to push.... The end users have say in this don't forget your rights...  to just say NO.... (Nancy Regan and Drugs./.. it applies to the I.T market and the end user)

 

 

[Spender Vondel]

I restarted my flight simming hobby with the release of MSFS2020. I liked it a lot but after 9 months of MSFS I switched to X-Plane 11 because of the availability of well established third-party airliners (such as Toliss A319/A321 or Flight Factor A320 or the free Zibo, etc...). Furthermore I have yet to discover a bug in X-Plane while I've had many frustrating bugs in MSFS the past year that stood in the way of proper VATsimming.

Of course this will all change in the future when Fenix Sims has their A320 out and who knows what other companies will come up with. MSFS bugs/features will also improve over time, so in the long run I'll probably switch back to MSFS. But for the time being X-Plane is what I prefer for VATsim.

This is just my experience and opinion. It's fine to have a different opinion.

Edited August 17, 2021 at 02:55 PM by Spender Vondel

[Bas Pennings]

If you want to stare out of the window or maybe external views, go with Flight Simufaxor. If you want to learn how to fly a plane, go with X-plane.

When I'm flying a plane I'm spending 90% of the time looking at the instruments, making sure the indicate what I expect them to indicate. I'm usually on autopilot as well because I will not be hand flying an airplane for 3 hours. In this regard, X-Plane has given me more satisfaction than MSFS ever will. Even though I started out with MSFS, once I switched to XP there was no way back. Sure, I can't do the cool youtube "look at me VFR'ing over catalina" videos but I sure as hell can fly every published approach I ever wanted to with 60fps. The instruments are accurate to the notch and that is what counts for me.