Processor · Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K Desktop Processor
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MSFS Performance Score
- CPU Performance100% 72
Solid mid-range CPU (72/100) scores 72.0/100 — adequate for most simulator workloads. How we score
Verdict for MSFS
The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K suits simmers who fly and stream, edit or render on one PC, with 24 cores feeding MSFS 2024's AI traffic and terrain streaming. Chips with big gaming cache still edge it when you only fly, and it needs an LGA 1851 board, DDR5 and a cooler bought separately.
Updated October 2026
Pros & Cons for MSFS
Strengths
- 24 cores and strong single-core speed keep a heavy airliner arrival moving while live weather, AI traffic and terrain tiles all stream in at once.
- It drops into a current LGA 1851 board with DDR5 memory, so you can fit the 32 GB MSFS 2024 wants for photogrammetry cities without an awkward memory setup.
- 24 threads mean you can record a long-haul leg and render the video the same evening on one machine.
Trade-offs
- For pure flying — a full-traffic arrival into a dense hub — processors built around extra gaming cache hold smoother frame pacing, so this isn't the strongest choice if the sim is all you run.
- No cooler is included for a 125 W chip and the LGA 1851 board plus DDR5 are new purchases, so the total outlay lands near what a step up in pure gaming performance would cost you.
Full Specifications
- Processor
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Gaming rating
- 72 of 100
- Socket
- Intel LGA 1851 (800-series boards, DDR5)
- Cores / threads
- 24 / 24
- 3D V-Cache
- No
- Base power
- 125 W
- Cooler in the box
- No
- Released
- 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this good for MSFS?
Yes, particularly if one PC has to fly and also stream, edit or render, and it scores 72.0/100 for MSFS 2024. Its single-core speed and 24 cores keep terrain streaming, live weather and AI traffic flowing over big photogrammetry cities. Pure flying is where it shows limits against cache-heavy gaming chips, so trim AI traffic density and terrain level of detail if a busy hub feels choppy.
Can I use a VR headset with this PC?
This is a processor on its own, with no graphics card rating and no graphics memory (VRAM) figure here, so your VR experience depends entirely on the card you pair with it. On the processor side it is comfortable for Quest 3-class headsets and will not be the part holding you back; high-resolution headsets lean far harder on the graphics card and its graphics memory. Over photogrammetry cities expect to lower building detail and render scaling, or lean on reprojection, where the headset fills in extra frames to keep the view steady.
Is it worth the price for MSFS?
For the money it buys core count rather than extra gaming cache, which is the right trade only if the same machine also streams, edits or renders. If you only fly, that money does more in a cache-heavy gaming processor or in a stronger graphics card, since MSFS 2024 leans on both.
Is MSFS more CPU or GPU demanding?
It is scored on raw processor performance alone at 72.0/100, but our MSFS 2024 PC scores weight the processor at 45% and the graphics card at 40%, so a strong chip like this still needs a capable card beside it to show what it can do. Processor strength pays off most with dense AI traffic, live weather and terrain streaming into busy hubs, while resolution, cloud quality and VR load fall on the graphics card.
What graphics settings should I use?
Start at 1440p High with DLSS or FSR set to Quality, and only move to 4K if your graphics card has room to spare. When the processor is the limit — stutter on approach into a packed airport — lower AI traffic density first, then terrain level of detail and photogrammetry building detail.