Hi everyone,I'm trying to understand whether a Dell Precision workstation with an Intel Xeon processor would be a practical option for running Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, especially compared with a modern gaming PC.Workstations are generally built for professional workloads, but many Dell Precision systems offer powerful processors, ECC memory, and support for dedicated graphics cards. I've been looking at different workstation hardware configurations, including options available through ORM Systems: https://ormsystems.com/workstations-price.htmlMy main concern is CPU performance. Some Xeon processors have 16, 20, or even 24 cores, but their clock speeds can be lower than those of modern gaming CPUs. Since MSFS 2024 can be demanding on the main CPU thread, would a higher-clocked gaming processor provide smoother performance despite having fewer cores?I'm also wondering about GPU upgrades. If I installed an RTX 4070 or RTX 4080 in a compatible Dell Precision workstation, would the older Xeon processor become a noticeable bottleneck at busy airports or with complex aircraft?Another question is whether 64GB of ECC RAM provides any meaningful benefit for flight simulation compared with 32GB of faster non-ECC memory.Has anyone here used a Xeon-based Dell Precision or HP Z workstation for MSFS 2024 or X-Plane 12?I'd really appreciate any real-world experiences, particularly regarding frame rates, stuttering, GPU compatibility, and overall performance.Would upgrading a used workstation be worthwhile, or is building a modern gaming PC generally the better investment for flight simulation?
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Nov 10 2026