I’m considering picking up a PC XT for a nostalgic trip down memory lane with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2. I wasn’t around when it first came out, but I got to play it on my grandfather’s PC when I was about 7. I’m curious about how it performs on the XT, especially since I know that CGA composite graphics will be involved.
I originally played the game on an HP Vectra, which is nearly impossible to find now. I’ve also got the HP HIL keyboard for it, but honestly, it’s one of the least comfortable keyboards I’ve ever used. If the XT doesn’t deliver a great experience, I might consider saving up for a 286 instead.
3 Answers
You might want to consider that there are DOS emulators available now for modern PCs if you want to experience those early games at lower speeds. They can mimic that old-school feel, but it feels a bit different than using original hardware.
Running Microsoft Flight Simulator 2 on a PC XT is going to be pretty rough by today’s standards. You’re looking at around 5 to 6 frames per second with the 4.77 MHz 8088 processor. Back when it was released in ’84, it was still pretty amazing that such a program could even run on a home computer! If you really want a better frame rate, going for a 286 AT machine could get you closer to double that, but those were super pricey back in the day—upwards of $6000. So, the XT will definitely give you that authentic vintage experience that everyone remembers.
If you’re set on using an XT, I’d recommend at least an 8MHz 8088. I played a lot of Flight Simulator 3 on something similar, and I think it should run fairly well on any x86 hardware. Plus, I always liked how those old XT keyboards had the function keys on the left side, which is kinda neat for flight sims!
Yeah, I get that, but using an emulator just isn’t the same vibe for me. There’s something about that old keyboard and monitor setup that really adds to the experience!