X Plane 12 vs MSFS2024 WHICH IS BETTER for VR? A RENEWED OPINION in 2025!

About this video

• Video Title: X Plane 12 vs MSFS2024 WHICH IS BETTER for VR? A RENEWED OPINION in 2025!
• Channel: VR Flight Sim Guy
• Speakers: The VR Flight Sim Guy
• Duration: 14:35

Overview

This video provides a renewed opinion on which flight simulator, X Plane 12 or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, is better for VR in 2025. The presenter compares various aspects of both simulators, including visual fidelity, flight modeling, weather, user interface, performance, and developer practices, to help viewers decide which might be the best fit for their VR flight simulation experience.

Key takeaways

• Visual Fidelity: MSFS 2024 excels in visual fidelity, particularly with its use of photogrammetry and satellite imagery for realistic ground textures and world representation, making it a strong choice for virtual exploration.
• Flight Modeling and Atmosphere: X Plane 12 is praised for its "feeling of flight," fluid dynamics, and immersive lighting and atmosphere, especially for general aviation and in VR, offering a more realistic sense of being in the air.
• Weather Systems: While X Plane 12 has improved volumetric clouds, MSFS 2024 is considered superior in handling dynamic weather, such as frontal systems and rain shafts, providing a more visually compelling weather experience.
• User Interface (UI): X Plane 12 has a significantly simpler and more intuitive UI compared to MSFS 2024, which is described as cumbersome and complicated, especially concerning VR settings and controller bindings.
• Performance in VR: MSFS 2024 offers substantially better VR performance due to features like fixed and dynamic foveated rendering, making it more scalable across different hardware setups compared to X Plane 12.
• Developer Practices and Updates: Laminar Research (X Plane) is seen as having more stable updates and a more user-friendly update system, allowing users to opt-out of new versions, while Asobo (MSFS) is noted for occasional bugs and mandatory updates.
• Conclusion: While MSFS 2024 is recommended as the overall best for most users due to its visual appeal, performance, and ease of use, X Plane 12 is a strong contender, particularly for those prioritizing flight modeling, atmosphere, and VR immersion, with both developers offering unique strengths.