Flight Simulator 2020 on XPS 9500

Thanks for the heads-up on the release.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1250410/Microsoft_Flight_Simulator/

No. Looks like it requires a powerful dedicated GPU (no surprise there).

And in general ... I've never heard of trying to run a flight-simulator on a laptop (especially, not with multiple monitors).

Most use a nice desktop with a "gaming-class" video card.

I'm running FS2020 on an XPS 9500, medium settings give 12 - 15 FPS on 4K, 25 - 30 1440 and 55 - 59 on 1080.

I'm using the TH Airbus edition side stick. Seems to work well, no complaints but I do need a bigger screen.

I'm researching external screens at the moment and really not sure what to get at this stage. If anyone has good monitor recommendations please let me know. 

@Thumbpilot  If you want it primarily for gaming, then get a big 1080p display so that you can keep the load on your GPU low without having to run a higher resolution display at a lower resolution, which can introduce scaling issues.  But if you'll be also be using it for work, the latter solution might be preferable because for example a 27" 1080p display has a noticeably grainy presentation of text since 1080p on a 27" canvas simply results in a relatively low pixel density.  And I wouldn't bother too much with gaming-oriented features like high refresh rates or G-Sync, at least not if you'll be using it with the XPS 15.  Running a high refresh rate only makes sense if you have a GPU that can sustain a high frame rate, and the XPS 15 can't use G-Sync at all because all of the display outputs are wired to the Intel GPU.  The NVIDIA GPU operates purely as a render-only device that passes completed video frames to the Intel GPU for output to the display(s).  This technology is called NVIDAI Optimus.  However, G-Sync requires that the NVIDIA GPU have direct control of the display output, which isn't the case in an Optimus design.

You maybe right. I just find the design of the G series and Alienware not that great... I’m looking for something clean. My current Inspiron 7559 is not that thin, but also not that big... But it has a simple design and not fully colored.

I’m currently looking for a laptop to run FS 2020.

I currently own an Inspiron 7559 with GTX 960m, but it’s not enough.

Do you think Dell will release new XPS with RTX 3000 series?

I know desktop would be better, but I don’t have space for that.

@Nic727  I wouldn't count on seeing the new RTX GPUs in the XPS 15.  The XPS 15 has gotten pretty mid-range GPUs for its lifecycle simply because it's a thin and light chassis design, which limits the effectiveness of the cooling system and therefore the allowable temperatures.  And even with its mid-range GPUs, it can still enter some pretty severe thermal performance throttling under sustained heavy load.  The only XPS system available with an RTX GPU right now is the XPS 17, where I suspect it's possible because that system has a lot more interior space to work with.  But that system can thermally throttle as well, AND Dell shipped it with a 130W power adapter even though it requires more than 130W under load, so that system will actually drain the battery while connected to AC power to make up the power shortfall when needed.  Dell considers this a feature called "Hybrid Power".  I call it "shipping a system with an undersized power adapter and expecting users to accept unnecessary battery wear and tear and severe throttling when the battery drops too low to continue operating this way."

If you want a gaming laptop, you should look at the Inspiron G(aming) Series or Alienware lineups that are actually designed for that purpose.  They're larger and heavier, but that's because they have the appropriate design to support higher-end GPUs and keep them running optimally under sustained heavy loads.

@Nic727  True, I'm not sure why so many vendors seem to feel that gaming laptops need to be flashy.  But maybe that's what most of the gaming market demands.  It's not my thing either, though.  In any case, the XPS systems really aren't meant to be used for gaming workloads.  They just don't have that kind of horsepower in the first place or cooling capacity to deal with even the hardware they have when it's running on prolonged workloads.  The brand new XPS 17 may be an exception there -- I'd suggest reading reviews -- but the XPS 15 isn't.  And the XPS 13 doesn't even have discrete graphics.  The latest 9310 model does have Intel's newer GPU that's a significant improvement, but that's not saying a whole lot given what Intel GPUs of the past were like, and it definitely won't be enough for something like Flight Simulator 2020 at typical resolutions and detail levels even before thermal throttling kicks in.