Gaming Laptop · Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 · RTX 4090
Frame rates marked "estimated" are expectations from the hardware scores, not measurements. How we write summaries
MSFS Performance Score
- GPU Performance60% 72
- GPU VRAM20% 100
- CPU Performance10% 79
- System RAM10% 75
Solid GPU performance contributes 43.2 pts (60% weight), with a combined score of 78.6. How we score
Verdict for MSFS
Estimated at 75–85fps at 1440p Ultra, the SCAR 18 scores 78.1/100 for MSFS 2024, making it a capable flagship laptop for high-fidelity sessions. Best suited for sim pilots who need desktop-tier VR performance on the move, accepting that thermal headroom limits sustained 4K loads.
Updated March 2026
Pros & Cons for MSFS
Strengths
- RTX 4090 Laptop GPU's 16GB VRAM means photogrammetry-heavy corridors like New York or Tokyo at Ultra LOD should stay above 60fps estimated without VRAM compression artifacts that plague 8GB cards at this resolution tier.
- The Ryzen 9 8945HX's high single-core boost handles MSFS's main thread load — AI traffic, live weather parsing, and terrain streaming at EGLL with 100% traffic density — better than most mid-range laptop CPUs at this tier that top out at lower IPC.
- 32GB DDR5 at launch means no upgrade needed as MSFS 2024's memory footprint grows with world updates — long cross-country VFR legs with high-res ortho scenery and live traffic should stay fully cached without hitting swap.
Trade-offs
- Laptop thermal limits cap sustained GPU clocks during extended VR city flyovers — estimated GPU performance during 30-minute continuous VR sessions over photogrammetry London may throttle 10–15% below peak, pushing frames into ASW territory on Reverb G2-class headsets.
- At flagship pricing, the RTX 4090 Laptop GPU scores 72/100 on GPU tier — meaningful gap below a desktop RTX 4090 that costs comparably; sim pilots who fly primarily at a fixed desk will see higher sustained frame rates from a desktop build at the same spend.
Full Specifications
- CPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX
- GPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
- VRAM
- 16 GB
- RAM
- 32 GB
- Storage
- 2 TB NVMe SSD
- Cooling
- Air
- Form factor
- Laptop
- VR ready
- Yes
- Released
- 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this good for MSFS?
The SCAR 18 scores 78.1/100 for MSFS 2024, placing it firmly in the upper tier of laptop options for the sim. It excels during dense EGLL approaches at 1440p Ultra with 100% AI traffic, where the high single-core CPU speed and 16GB VRAM estimated keep frames above 60fps without DLSS intervention. Its limits show during extended 4K VR sessions over photogrammetry cities, where sustained thermal throttling compresses the GPU's headroom.
What framerate can I expect at 1080p?
No direct benchmarks are available; estimated at 90–110fps at 1080p Ultra based on the RTX 4090 Laptop GPU and Ryzen 9 8945HX tier. Dropping terrain LOD one step and enabling DLSS Quality should push estimates comfortably past 120fps for high-refresh use.
What framerate can I expect at 1440p?
No direct benchmarks are available; estimated at 75–85fps at 1440p Ultra based on hardware tier. DLSS Quality at 1440p is well-supported by the RTX 4090 Laptop GPU and should add an estimated 15–20fps headroom for dense photogrammetry zones without visible sharpness loss.
Is 4K gaming viable?
No direct benchmarks are available; estimated at 45–55fps at 4K Ultra based on the Laptop GPU's thermal ceiling. DLSS Quality is strongly recommended at 4K — native TAA at 4K Ultra will likely pull estimates below 45fps during heavy AI traffic loads at major hubs.
Can I use a VR headset with this PC?
VR is viable; estimated baseline of 45–55fps at high VR settings before ASW engagement, based on the RTX 4090 Laptop GPU's tier. This targets Reverb G2-class and Quest 3 via Air Link at high-fidelity settings, with enough headroom for most IFR approaches. Photogrammetry city flyovers — particularly New York and Sydney — will likely trigger ASW during peaks, so reducing photogrammetry quality one step is advisable for clean VR frame pacing.
Is it worth the price for MSFS?
With a value score of 26.0 per unit of composite performance, the SCAR 18 sits at the lower end of value efficiency for MSFS relative to what mid-range desktop builds return at equivalent spend — you are paying the portability premium. If fixed-location flying is the primary use case, a desktop RTX 4090 platform at this price tier will return higher sustained frame rates; the SCAR 18 justifies itself specifically when you need that GPU tier untethered.
Is MSFS more CPU or GPU demanding?
MSFS 2024 weights CPU at 45% and GPU at 40% of its composite score, meaning the Ryzen 9 8945HX's strong single-core IPC contributes heavily to the 78.1/100 result — it carries the sim's main thread load for AI traffic and weather effectively. The RTX 4090 Laptop GPU at 72/100 on GPU tier is the relative bottleneck here, particularly at 4K or in VR, where its thermal-constrained clocks mean the CPU score advantage can't fully compensate; 16GB VRAM, however, keeps that from becoming a critical ceiling at 1440p.
What graphics settings should I use?
For a 60fps locked target at 1440p, set MSFS 2024 to High-End preset with render scaling at 100 TAA or DLSS Quality — Ultra at native 1440p will dip below 60fps estimated at dense hubs like KLAX or EGLL. For VR at 72fps, target the High preset with DLSS Quality enabled and reduce photogrammetry density one step to keep frame pacing consistent through ASW boundaries.