Can I Run X-Plane 12?
Laminar Research released X-Plane 12 in 2022. It is a simulation game, self published by the studio. It offers a single player campaign and cooperative play. Its Steam review count passes 6 thousand, a large enough sample that odd hardware behaviour would be known by now. Only some of the game is mapped to a controller. It is localised into 11 languages according to the store listing. Builds exist for macOS and Linux as well as Windows.
Can your PC run it? →System requirements
Minimum requirements
| CPU | Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9. |
|---|---|
| GPU | A Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel Arc GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM |
| VRAM | 2 GB |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Storage | 23 GB |
| OS | Windows 10 or 11 |
| DirectX | 12 |
Recommended requirements
| CPU | Intel Core i5 8600k or Ryzen 5 3500 or better |
|---|---|
| GPU | A DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 4 GB VRAM |
| VRAM | 4 GB |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Storage | 23 GB |
| OS | Windows 10 or 11 |
| DirectX | 12 |
Verified from Steam · 9 Jul 2026 source
Scores are deterministic, computed by fixed rules and benchmark tables, not written by an AI. How we score. Maintained by Farhad Ali. Spotted a wrong specification? Tell us.
Setting and environment
The game is set in a military setting. Play is structured around open airspace. 41 storefront images show what the game actually looks like in motion. It is played in three dimensions.
Why X-Plane 12 is demanding
X-Plane 12 needs only 4 GB of video memory. DirectX 12 is named, so X-Plane 12 expects a graphics driver and card from the modern era rather than merely a fast one. Its 16 GB RAM requirement matches what a typical machine already has. Disk footprint is light, near 23 GB.
This reading comes from the published requirements and our own benchmark tables, not from the store listing.
Can you run X-Plane 12?
X-Plane 12 targets a mainstream modern PC: A Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel Arc GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM and 8 GB of RAM for the minimum, stepping up to A DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 4 GB VRAM for the recommended experience. No single part dominates the requirements, so a balanced mid-range build clears it.
Bottleneck: CPU
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Frequently asked questions
Can my PC run X-Plane 12?
Upload your DxDiag file to Idxdiag's free checker and get a component by component compatibility verdict for X-Plane 12 in seconds. No install required.
What are the minimum system requirements for X-Plane 12?
The minimum requirements are CPU: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9.; GPU: A Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel Arc GPU with at least 2 GB VRAM; 8 GB RAM; OS: Windows 10 or 11.
How much storage does X-Plane 12 need?
X-Plane 12 needs about 23 GB of available storage.
What is the bottleneck for X-Plane 12?
On a typical modern PC (Ryzen 5 5600, RTX 3060, 16 GB RAM), the tightest component for X-Plane 12 is the CPU.