X plane is one of the most accurate flight simulators of the century. Laminar Research has done a commendable job, especially with the new X Plane 11.
This beta version is the most detailed and realistic flight simulator you’ve ever laid your eyes on.
The X Plane 11 offers an intuitive user interface that allows you to edit your flight a walk in the park.
You will also enjoy the usable 3D cockpits and stunning exterior models that are included in all aircraft.
Before you go ahead and install this flight simulator on your laptop, it is good to know that not all systems are supported.
We have compiled and reviewed the best laptops for X Plane 11 so that you have an easy time purchasing.
A powerful MacBook that can handle X Plane 11 easily.
The perfect balance in terms of performance, weight and battery life.
A very powerful budget laptop.
A powerful MacBook that can handle X Plane 11 easily.
The perfect balance in terms of performance, weight and battery life.
A very powerful budget laptop.
Last update on 2022-06-21 at 02:42 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
X Plane 11 System Requirements
As we said earlier, not all laptops have the capability of running the new X Plane 11. For any laptop to run this flight simulator, it has to meet the following requirements:
Processor
The laptops should at least have an Intel or AMD CPU that has two or more cores.
Experts recommend that you get a notebook with an intel core i5 or higher, and it should have at least four cores and 3.5 GHz clock speed.
RAM
The base requirement is 8GB of RAM, but the recommended RAM should be 16GB for better performance.
Graphics
The minimum requirement is a video card with at least 1GB of video RAM. However, it is best to have a laptop that comes with a high-performance video card and 4GB of dedicated video RAM.
Does X Plane 11 Work On A Laptop?
Yes, it sure does work on any laptop that has fulfilled the above requirements. Laptops that fall short of the base requirements might not support X Plane 11.
Best Laptop For X Plane 11 Buyer’s Guide
Before you purchase any random laptop, it is important to check whether the laptop is well-equipped to handle X Plane 11.
Choosing a good gaming laptop for X Plane 11 should be a breeze as long as you consider the following factors.
CPU/Processor
When getting your laptop, check what kind of processor it has. An Intel Core i5 should do the trick, but you can chuck out some extra cash and get an Intel Core i7 processor.
When it comes to AMD. You should go with AMD Ryzen 5 or higher.
Having a strong CPU is the key to getting enough power to run graphic-intensive games.
Graphics Card
Graphics are so important in X Plane 11, and if you want to enjoy the game, then you have to pick a laptop that has a high-performance graphics card.
Choose a GPU that can deliver a smooth 60 FPS gameplay.
RAM
The other most important factor is the RAM of your laptop.
As you can see from the system requirements, a good laptop should have at least 8GB of RAM to facilitate faster response times.
The higher the RAM the better!
- 6 Best Tablets For Pilots & Aviation Reviews
- 6 Best Laptops For FSX (Flight Simulator X)
- IPad Buying Guide For Pilots
Best Laptops For X Plane 11 Reviewed & Rated
➕ Pros
- Impressive audio quality
- High-resolution retina panel
- Revamped keyboard
- Roomier storage options
- Long battery life
- Powerful CPU & GPU
➖ Cons
- It is quite expensive
- Lacks USB Type-A ports
CPU: M1 Pro | Graphics: Integrated | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 14-inch IPS Retina Display | Storage: 512GB SSD
The new MacBook Pro is the perfect laptop for running X Plane 11 and other graphic-intensive games that exist.
This is the most powerful notebook that has ever been made by Apple. So you can imagine that it is souped up with the best features.
This MacBook Pro flashes a 16-inch Retina display that boasts of a P3 wide color gamut and 500 nits of brightness. With this screen, you’ll view spectacular images and videos as well.
The display is absolutely gorgeous, mainly because of the slimmer bezels and logical resolution.
As we mentioned earlier, the MacBook Pro is a performance powerhouse. Under its hood lies an M1 Pro processor and 16GB of system RAM.
When it comes to storage, the new MacBook Pro 16 is quite endowed. You can get storage options that range from 512GB SSD to 8TB SSD.
The model we are reviewing comes with a 1TB capacity. At least you will have enough space for large files, movies, and your game collection as well.
The MacBook Pro carries a 100 WHr battery that can serve you for an average of 19 hours before required to be charged.
This is quite impressive considering the presence of a powerful CPU, graphics card, and high-resolution panel.
➕ Pros
- Decent battery life
- Beautiful and portable design
- Excellent performance
- Fast screen
➖ Cons
- No webcam
- Speakers could be better
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Max-Q | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 14″ LCD IPS 120 Hz 1920 x 1080 | Storage: 1TB SSD
The Asus Zephyrus G14 is an incredible gaming laptop that can run X Plane 11 without a problem.
Unlike most gaming rigs, the Zephrus G14 is sleek, compact, and portable. You can carry it around as it doesn’t weigh much.
As you’d expect of any highly rated gaming laptop, the G14 packs a lot of power under its hood.
We are talking about an AMD Ryzen 9 processor with a 3.0 GHz clock speed, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 with Max-Q graphics card and 16GB of memory.
Amazingly, the G14 allows you to install more RAM. So this means you can tune it up to 40GB of memory. Besides, this beast comes with 1TB of SSD storage.
With all these specs, you’ll be getting one of the best gaming laptops for X Plane 11. What’s better, this laptop can deliver high fps on not only X Plane 11 but other demanding games too.
This gaming rig comes with a 14-inch HD display that has a refresh rate of 120 Hz, and relatively thin bezels surround it.
The screen has a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution, which should offer a superior gaming and media experience.
You’ll definitely like the general aesthetic of the G14 as it has a nicely done lid, a ton of vents, an awesome logo, and a very angular look.
The keyboard on this laptop is nice and comfortable to use. Its keys have a softer feel, and they are not as clicky as most gaming laptops.
Besides, the keyboard has RGB lighting, which is a plus for gamers.
The battery life of the ASUS Zephyrus G14 is estimated to be 10 hours, but the numbers might fall short of that depending on your level of usage.
Where To Buy
➕ Pros
● Overclockable graphics chip
● It is affordable
● Decent 1080p display
● Upgradable storage and memory
➖ Cons
- Poor battery life
- Loud fans
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch full HD 144Hz IPS display | Storage: 512GB SSD
If you are budget-strapped and still want a decent computer for X Plane 11, then the Acer Predator Helios 300 is the right choice.
This laptop provides one of the best gaming performances at the push of the turbo button.
The Helios 300 is an absolute powerhouse that is concealed by its entry-level pricing.
It is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6GB of dedicated VRAM.
One unique feature of this laptop is that you can overclock the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060. You just need to press the Turbo button for the graphics chip to deliver more power.
Once you overclock the GPU, the dual fans will go full throttle to keep the system cool.
Moving on, this gaming rig comes with a 16GB DDR dual-channel memory and a 512GB NVMe SSD. You will also get an extra PCle NVMe SSD slot for easy upgrades
If you are an avid gamer, you will fall in love with the 15.6-inch full HD 144Hz IPS display. It delivers crisp and clear frames to ensure you are enjoying smooth gameplay.
Apart from the screen, the Helios 300 flashes a backlit 4-zone RGB Keyboard. This awesome keyboard carries see-through WASD keycaps that have a concave shape.
You should also know that the keyboard has two integral keys (Turbo & PredatorSense).
Surprisingly, this laptop has a full range of ports where you can plug in all your peripherals.
The battery on this laptop is not that great, but it should last you long enough to enjoy a movie.
Where To Buy
➕ Pros
- Has a sleek design
- Full-size backlit keyboard
- Decent gaming performance
- Bright display
➖ Cons
- The clickpad is awful
- Battery life could be better
CPU: Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 15.6-inch full HD IPS display | Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i is yet another budget gaming laptop that made it to our list. It is an excellent choice for anyone who prefers to have a laptop that has less to no gamer-centric branding.
This laptop will wow you with its sleek design and thin bezels as well. Besides, it has a compact and lightweight design that allows you to carry it around with ease.
Furthermore, it will provide you with enough power to run games as it’s equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti.
More than enough performance to run games and handle demanding tasks.
Overall, one of the best laptops for X Plane 11.
Where To Buy
➕ Pros
- It is affordable
- Comfortable keyboard
- User controllable fans
- Decent gaming performance
➖ Cons
- Thick display bezel
- Tacky trackpad
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 15.6-inch full HD IPS display | Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
The Acer Nitro 5 is yet another wallet-friendly laptop that can run most games, including X Plane 11.
Although this notebook has basic features, it handles games really well. Below are some of the features that make Acer’s Nitro 5 a good machine.
For starters, the Nitro 5 features an AMD Ryzen 5 and paired with an NVIDIA GTX 1650 graphics chip.
This variant also comes with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB PCle NVMe SSD drive. Luckily, you can upgrade the memory and storage as it has two open slots for that purpose.
Plenty of performance for X Plane 11, games and demanding tasks.
When it comes to the display, the Acer Nitro 5 features a 15.6-inch Full HD Widescreen IPS screen. This display has a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution meaning it’s sharp and clear.
With these features, this laptop should run most games without struggling. You need to adjust the settings a bit because this machine is a bit underpowered.
The keyboard on the Acer Nitro 5 is decent. You’ll find it to be comfortable when typing and gaming as well. This backlit keyboard is fast and responsive, and it has its WASD keys emboldened in red.
Surprisingly, Nitro 5’s battery is not that bad. It should give you at least 4 hours worth of juice, which is much better than most budget gaming laptops.
Where To Buy
➕ Pros
- Good battery life
- Fast processor and decent graphics card
- Ultra-thin and lightweight design
- Comfortable keyboard
- Solid build quality
➖ Cons
- Dim display
- Narrow color gamut
- Average touchpad
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 14-inch full HD IPS display | Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
Our last pick happens to be the Acer Swift 3. You won’t have to dig deep into your wallet to buy the Acer Swift 3. Plus, it offers plenty of performance at its price.
Let’s jump straight into the specs of this laptop.
To start with, this laptop features a sleek aluminum and magnesium chassis. It also has an ultra-thin profile and a high screen-to-body ratio.
Moreover, this notebook weighs 2.6 lbs, making it a good companion for those who are always on the go.
When it comes to performance, Acer Swift 3 is well capable of handling the most recent games. This can be attributed to its 8 cores AMD Ryzen 7 processor and the AMD Radeon graphics as well.
With all these cores, you’ll be getting an absolute powerhouse that delivers excellent performance in crucial tasks.
Despite being a low budget laptop, it comes with an 8GB LPDDR4 memory and a 512GB PCle NVMe SSD.
When it comes to the display, Acer Swift 3 has a 1080p 14-inch Full HD IPS screen. Apart from the body-to-screen ratio being okay, the screen’s color gamut is limited, thus making colors appear inaccurate.
This should not interfere with your gaming and media experience, but it becomes an issue when doing video edits, photography, and graphic design.
The battery life of this laptop is good, as it can last for 10 hours in light usage. This estimate might vary when playing graphic-intensive games such as X Plane 11.
Finally, Acer Swift 3 comes with so many ports, which include 2 USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a single USB-C port. The only downside is that these ports are not modern.
Final Thoughts
If you are ready to explore space and the most famous airports, X-Plane 11 has the perfect plane for you.
All you need to do is pick one of the laptops we’ve reviewed above, and you’ll be good to go.
Kelvin Wireko
As a lover of technology. Kelvin spends most of his tinkering with stuff and keeping up to date with the latest gadgets and tech.