Computers that run a home sim, as people actually buy them

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Lenovo

Lenovo Legion 5i / Legion Pro 5i / Legion Pro 7i gaming laptops (and LOQ 15 budget sibling)

Centerpiece

$1,100 list

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra 7 / Ultra 9 275HX; AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX on Legion 5 Pro
Gpu: RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB (Legion 5i, 105W); RTX 5070 Ti Laptop 12GB (Pro 5i, up to 140W); RTX 5080 Laptop 16GB (Pro 7i, 175W)
Ram: 16 to 32GB DDR5 (32GB recommended by forum members)
Tier: qualified

It is the laptop forum regulars name first when someone asks, because the cooling holds up through a full round and the RTX 4060 or 5060 trim sits right on GSPro's official 1080p laptop line.

ASUS

ASUS TUF Gaming A15 / F15 / TUF 16 and ROG Strix G16 / G18 gaming laptops

Cpu: Intel i7-14650HX or Ryzen 7 260 (TUF 16); i7-13650HX (Strix G16 2024)
Gpu: TUF 16 (2026): up to RTX 5070 Laptop 85W; Strix G16/G18 (2026): RTX 5060 to RTX 5080 Laptop
Ram: 2x DDR5 SO-DIMM, user upgradeable to 64GB (TUF 16); one roundup notes a 16GB ceiling on the Strix G18
Tier: qualified

The TUF is the 'durable budget gaming laptop' that forum members link when someone needs a sub-$1,000 answer, and the Strix is the step up when they want 4K later.

$1,540 list

ASUS

ASUS TUF Gaming A15 / F15 / TUF 16 and ROG Strix G16 / G18 gaming laptops

$1,540 list

Cpu: Intel i7-14650HX or Ryzen 7 260 (TUF 16); i7-13650HX (Strix G16 2024)
Gpu: TUF 16 (2026): up to RTX 5070 Laptop 85W; Strix G16/G18 (2026): RTX 5060 to RTX 5080 Laptop
Ram: 2x DDR5 SO-DIMM, user upgradeable to 64GB (TUF 16); one roundup notes a 16GB ceiling on the Strix G18
Tier: qualified

The TUF is the 'durable budget gaming laptop' that forum members link when someone needs a sub-$1,000 answer, and the Strix is the step up when they want 4K later.

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MSI

MSI Thin 15 / Katana 15 gaming laptops

Cpu: Intel i5-13420H or i7 13th gen (Thin); Ryzen 9 8945HS (Katana A15)
Gpu: RTX 2050 / 3050 / 4050 / 4060 (Thin 15 trims); RTX 4070 105W (Katana A15)
Ram: 16GB (Thin); 32GB upgradable to 64GB (Katana A15)
Tier: qualified

Price. It is the laptop that shows up at $1,000 with an RTX 4060, and for a 1080p projector that is the whole requirement.

$1,015 list

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MSI

MSI Thin 15 / Katana 15 gaming laptops

$1,015 list

Cpu: Intel i5-13420H or i7 13th gen (Thin); Ryzen 9 8945HS (Katana A15)
Gpu: RTX 2050 / 3050 / 4050 / 4060 (Thin 15 trims); RTX 4070 105W (Katana A15)
Ram: 16GB (Thin); 32GB upgradable to 64GB (Katana A15)
Tier: qualified

Price. It is the laptop that shows up at $1,000 with an RTX 4060, and for a 1080p projector that is the whole requirement.

Dell

Dell G15 / G16 gaming laptops (now succeeded by Alienware 15 / 16 Aurora)

Cpu: Ryzen 7 7840HS or 13th gen Intel (G15); Intel or AMD (Alienware 15)
Gpu: RTX 4060 (G15 trims cited); up to RTX 5060 (Alienware 15) / RTX 5070 (Alienware 16 Aurora)
Ram: 16GB
Tier: qualified

It is the safe mid-price pick that review sites keep at the top of the list, and the RTX 4060 trim matches the GSPro laptop floor without paying for a 4K-class card.

$1,200 list

Dell

Dell G15 / G16 gaming laptops (now succeeded by Alienware 15 / 16 Aurora)

$1,200 list

Cpu: Ryzen 7 7840HS or 13th gen Intel (G15); Intel or AMD (Alienware 15)
Gpu: RTX 4060 (G15 trims cited); up to RTX 5060 (Alienware 15) / RTX 5070 (Alienware 16 Aurora)
Ram: 16GB
Tier: qualified

It is the safe mid-price pick that review sites keep at the top of the list, and the RTX 4060 trim matches the GSPro laptop floor without paying for a 4K-class card.

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Acer

Acer Nitro V 15 / Nitro V 16 / Nitro 16 (and Predator Helios / Triton) gaming laptops

Cpu: Ryzen 7 7840HS / Ryzen 7 260; i7-11800H on the older Helios
Gpu: RTX 4050 / 4060 (Nitro V 15, Nitro 16); RTX 5060 (Nitro V 2025); RTX 3060 (Predator Helios 300)
Ram: 16GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

It is the sale-price laptop that lands at the GSPro laptop floor, and for a packed-away garage bay that is enough.

$1,450 list

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Acer

Acer Nitro V 15 / Nitro V 16 / Nitro 16 (and Predator Helios / Triton) gaming laptops

$1,450 list

Cpu: Ryzen 7 7840HS / Ryzen 7 260; i7-11800H on the older Helios
Gpu: RTX 4050 / 4060 (Nitro V 15, Nitro 16); RTX 5060 (Nitro V 2025); RTX 3060 (Predator Helios 300)
Ram: 16GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

It is the sale-price laptop that lands at the GSPro laptop floor, and for a packed-away garage bay that is enough.

prebuilt-desktop

5 items

$7,657

SurfThing

SurfThing SG3 series simulator desktops (SG3-5602, SG3-5702, SG3-5702Ti, SG3-5802) and M3H laptop

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra 5 225F (5602 to 5702Ti); Core Ultra 7 265F liquid cooled (5802); Core Ultra 9 275HX (M3H)
Gpu: RTX 5060 8GB (5602); RTX 5070 12GB (5702); RTX 5070 Ti 16GB (5702Ti); RTX 5080 16GB (5802); RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB (M3H)
Ram: 16GB DDR5 4800 (5602); 32GB DDR5 6000 (others)
Tier: core

Forum members who bought one say they paid about $3,300 all-in and 'could have done it for less', but got the courses loaded and someone to call. It is the turnkey answer for people who do not want to spec a PC.

$2,249 list

SurfThing

SurfThing SG3 series simulator desktops (SG3-5602, SG3-5702, SG3-5702Ti, SG3-5802) and M3H laptop

$2,249 list

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra 5 225F (5602 to 5702Ti); Core Ultra 7 265F liquid cooled (5802); Core Ultra 9 275HX (M3H)
Gpu: RTX 5060 8GB (5602); RTX 5070 12GB (5702); RTX 5070 Ti 16GB (5702Ti); RTX 5080 16GB (5802); RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB (M3H)
Ram: 16GB DDR5 4800 (5602); 32GB DDR5 6000 (others)
Tier: core

iBUYPOWER / CyberPowerPC / Skytech

iBUYPOWER / CyberPowerPC / Skytech Costco and Amazon RTX 4060 to 5070 class towers (iBUYPOWER Slate Mesh and Element, CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme, Skytech Azure 3 and Blaze 3)

Cpu: i5-13400F / i5-14400F, i7-13700F / 14700F, Ryzen 9 7700X / 7900X
Gpu: RTX 4060 8GB (the Costco staple), RTX 4060 Ti, RTX 5060 / 5060 Ti, RTX 5070 12GB, RTX 4070 Super
Ram: 16 to 32GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

'Costco has sometimes sold desktops with an RTX 4060 for about $899, which works well at 1080p' is the single most repeated piece of PC advice on the forum.

$899 list

iBUYPOWER / CyberPowerPC / Skytech

iBUYPOWER / CyberPowerPC / Skytech Costco and Amazon RTX 4060 to 5070 class towers (iBUYPOWER Slate Mesh and Element, CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme, Skytech Azure 3 and Blaze 3)

$899 list

Cpu: i5-13400F / i5-14400F, i7-13700F / 14700F, Ryzen 9 7700X / 7900X
Gpu: RTX 4060 8GB (the Costco staple), RTX 4060 Ti, RTX 5060 / 5060 Ti, RTX 5070 12GB, RTX 4070 Super
Ram: 16 to 32GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

'Costco has sometimes sold desktops with an RTX 4060 for about $899, which works well at 1080p' is the single most repeated piece of PC advice on the forum.

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HP OMEN 35L desktop and OMEN / Victus gaming laptops

Cpu: Intel or AMD, configurable
Gpu: OMEN 35L: RTX 3060 and up; owner build: OMEN with RTX 4070
Ram: 16 to 32GB
Tier: qualified

It is the tower people already have or can buy on sale this weekend, and an RTX 4070 OMEN has been shown running GSPro outdoors at 1080p without fuss.

$1,779 list

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HP OMEN 35L desktop and OMEN / Victus gaming laptops

$1,779 list

Cpu: Intel or AMD, configurable
Gpu: OMEN 35L: RTX 3060 and up; owner build: OMEN with RTX 4070
Ram: 16 to 32GB
Tier: qualified

It is the tower people already have or can buy on sale this weekend, and an RTX 4070 OMEN has been shown running GSPro outdoors at 1080p without fuss.

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Dell / generic

Dell / generic Refurbished office tower plus a used GPU (Dell OptiPlex class, or a used gaming PC)

Cpu: 4th gen i5 was judged 'fine because GSPro does not use much CPU' (2023)
Gpu: Whatever you add: RTX 3060 12GB is the forum's used-card sweet spot; GT 1030 / 1050 that ships in 'gaming OptiPlex' listings is below every tier
Ram: 16 to 32GB
Tier: qualified

Because GSPro mostly needs a GPU, and a $400 used RTX 3060 in a $200 tower gets a budget bay to 1080p Ultra.

$400 list

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Dell / generic

Dell / generic Refurbished office tower plus a used GPU (Dell OptiPlex class, or a used gaming PC)

$400 list

Cpu: 4th gen i5 was judged 'fine because GSPro does not use much CPU' (2023)
Gpu: Whatever you add: RTX 3060 12GB is the forum's used-card sweet spot; GT 1030 / 1050 that ships in 'gaming OptiPlex' listings is below every tier
Ram: 16 to 32GB
Tier: qualified

Because GSPro mostly needs a GPU, and a $400 used RTX 3060 in a $200 tower gets a budget bay to 1080p Ultra.

Alienware (Dell)

Alienware (Dell) Aurora desktop and Alienware 15 / 16 / m15 / m18 laptops

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra (Aurora ACT1250)
Gpu: Aurora: up to RTX 5080 (450W GPU power budget); laptops up to RTX 5080 Laptop at 240 to 280W
Ram: 16 to 64GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

Brand comfort. It is what shows up at Best Buy and Dell with a payment plan, and the laptops are the premium pick in every roundup.

$2,330 list

Alienware (Dell)

Alienware (Dell) Aurora desktop and Alienware 15 / 16 / m15 / m18 laptops

$2,330 list

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra (Aurora ACT1250)
Gpu: Aurora: up to RTX 5080 (450W GPU power budget); laptops up to RTX 5080 Laptop at 240 to 280W
Ram: 16 to 64GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

Brand comfort. It is what shows up at Best Buy and Dell with a payment plan, and the laptops are the premium pick in every roundup.

no-pc

4 items

$2,249from 3 of 4 priced

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Garmin

Garmin Approach R10 run from a phone or iPad (Garmin Golf app, Home Tee Hero, E6 Connect iOS, Awesome Golf)

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none (phone or tablet renders)
Ram: n/a
Tier: core

It is the cheapest honest simulator: R10, iPad, adapter, projector, done. Owners accept the dated app because the price is right.

$600 list

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Garmin

Garmin Approach R10 run from a phone or iPad (Garmin Golf app, Home Tee Hero, E6 Connect iOS, Awesome Golf)

$600 list

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none (phone or tablet renders)
Ram: n/a
Tier: core

It is the cheapest honest simulator: R10, iPad, adapter, projector, done. Owners accept the dated app because the price is right.

Rapsodo

Rapsodo MLM2PRO run from a phone or iPad (Rapsodo app, Awesome Golf, E6 Apex/Connect); GSPro needs a PC

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none for the Rapsodo app; the phone or tablet renders
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

It is the launch monitor people buy for the range app and then discover they need a Windows PC for the sim they actually wanted.

$550 list

Rapsodo

Rapsodo MLM2PRO run from a phone or iPad (Rapsodo app, Awesome Golf, E6 Apex/Connect); GSPro needs a PC

$550 list

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none for the Rapsodo app; the phone or tablet renders
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

It is the launch monitor people buy for the range app and then discover they need a Windows PC for the sim they actually wanted.

FlightScope

FlightScope Mevo+ run from an iPad (FS Golf, E6 Connect iOS 12-course license, Awesome Golf)

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none on the no-PC path; FS Golf PC app also exists (Windows 10/11)
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

Owners say the iPad E6 path is 'pretty amazing for lag' and good enough that several never bought a PC.

$1,099 list

FlightScope

FlightScope Mevo+ run from an iPad (FS Golf, E6 Connect iOS 12-course license, Awesome Golf)

$1,099 list

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none on the no-PC path; FS Golf PC app also exists (Windows 10/11)
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

Owners say the iPad E6 path is 'pretty amazing for lag' and good enough that several never bought a PC.

Apple

Apple iPad plus Apple TV 4K (AirPlay) or a Lightning / USB-C to HDMI adapter as the no-PC display bridge

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: n/a (iPad renders; E6 wants iPad Pro 1st gen+ or iPad 5th gen+; SkyTrak course play wants M1 or newer)
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

Because a working sim on an iPad through an Apple TV costs less than a graphics card, and for E6 courses at 1080p it is good enough that many never add a PC.

–

Apple

Apple iPad plus Apple TV 4K (AirPlay) or a Lightning / USB-C to HDMI adapter as the no-PC display bridge

–

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: n/a (iPad renders; E6 wants iPad Pro 1st gen+ or iPad 5th gen+; SkyTrak course play wants M1 or newer)
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

Because a working sim on an iPad through an Apple TV costs less than a graphics card, and for E6 courses at 1080p it is good enough that many never add a PC.

Software

9 items

$410 a year

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GSPro

GSPro GSPro

Os: Windows 10 or 11 only; no macOS or iOS
Tier: core
Notes: Each course download is about 1GB. Integrated graphics are below the floor. The knowledge base is the only official place that gives a separate laptop table.
Section: Software

$250 a year

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GSPro

GSPro GSPro

$250 a year

Os: Windows 10 or 11 only; no macOS or iOS
Tier: core
Notes: Each course download is about 1GB. Integrated graphics are below the floor. The knowledge base is the only official place that gives a separate laptop table.
Section: Software

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HB Studios / ProTee distribution

HB Studios / ProTee distribution The Golf Club 2019 (TGC 2019)

Os: Windows 7/8.1/10 64-bit (ProTee page: Windows 10 minimum, Windows 11 recommended)
Tier: core
Notes: Lightest of the course-play PC titles; a GTX 1650 class laptop runs it at max settings per 2021 forum advice.
Minimum: {"gpu":"GTX 650 / Radeon HD 5770 (1GB) per Steam; GTX 670 per ProTee","cpu":"Intel i5-760 2.8GHz","ram_gb":4,"storage_gb":12}

–

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HB Studios / ProTee distribution

HB Studios / ProTee distribution The Golf Club 2019 (TGC 2019)

–

Os: Windows 7/8.1/10 64-bit (ProTee page: Windows 10 minimum, Windows 11 recommended)
Tier: core
Notes: Lightest of the course-play PC titles; a GTX 1650 class laptop runs it at max settings per 2021 forum advice.
Minimum: {"gpu":"GTX 650 / Radeon HD 5770 (1GB) per Steam; GTX 670 per ProTee","cpu":"Intel i5-760 2.8GHz","ram_gb":4,"storage_gb":12}

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TruGolf

TruGolf E6 Connect

Os: Windows 10/11 64-bit; iOS (iPad Pro 1st gen+, iPad 5th gen+, iPad Air 3rd gen+, iPad mini 5th gen+, iPhone 8+)
Tier: core
Notes: iOS version renders in 4:3 and at lower detail than the PC version (forum reports). App Store listing warns it may not run well on iPad Air or iPad mini.
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA GTX 1070 or equivalent, dedicated, DirectX 11","cpu":"Intel i5","ram_gb":8,"storage_gb":25}

–

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TruGolf

TruGolf E6 Connect

–

Os: Windows 10/11 64-bit; iOS (iPad Pro 1st gen+, iPad 5th gen+, iPad Air 3rd gen+, iPad mini 5th gen+, iPhone 8+)
Tier: core
Notes: iOS version renders in 4:3 and at lower detail than the PC version (forum reports). App Store listing warns it may not run well on iPad Air or iPad mini.
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA GTX 1070 or equivalent, dedicated, DirectX 11","cpu":"Intel i5","ram_gb":8,"storage_gb":25}

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TruGolf

TruGolf E6 (2026)

Os: Windows 10 64-bit minimum; PC only, no iPad
Tier: core
Notes: Listed alongside E6 Connect on trugolf.com; sold standard with TruGolf launch monitors. The 12GB VRAM floor rules out 8GB RTX 4060 / 5060 cards.
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA RTX 3060 with 12GB VRAM","cpu":"Intel i7 10th gen or newer","ram_gb":24,"storage":"NVMe SSD"}

–

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TruGolf

TruGolf E6 (2026)

–

Os: Windows 10 64-bit minimum; PC only, no iPad
Tier: core
Notes: Listed alongside E6 Connect on trugolf.com; sold standard with TruGolf launch monitors. The 12GB VRAM floor rules out 8GB RTX 4060 / 5060 cards.
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA RTX 3060 with 12GB VRAM","cpu":"Intel i7 10th gen or newer","ram_gb":24,"storage":"NVMe SSD"}

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Awesome Golf

Awesome Golf Awesome Golf Simulator

Os: Windows 10+, iPadOS/iOS 15+, Android for some monitors, Apple Silicon Mac
Tier: qualified
Notes: The only major sim title whose published floor is integrated graphics. Supports Garmin R10/R50, Rapsodo MLM2PRO, Mevo Gen2/Mevo+, Bushnell Launch Pro, Foresight GC3/GCQuad, Square, Uneekor EYE MINI.
Minimum: {"gpu":"Integrated graphics","cpu":"2.2 GHz dual core (7th gen 2017+ Intel i3/i5/i7 runs it smoothly)","ram_gb":4,"storage_gb":2}

$160 a year

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Awesome Golf

Awesome Golf Awesome Golf Simulator

$160 a year

Os: Windows 10+, iPadOS/iOS 15+, Android for some monitors, Apple Silicon Mac
Tier: qualified
Notes: The only major sim title whose published floor is integrated graphics. Supports Garmin R10/R50, Rapsodo MLM2PRO, Mevo Gen2/Mevo+, Bushnell Launch Pro, Foresight GC3/GCQuad, Square, Uneekor EYE MINI.
Minimum: {"gpu":"Integrated graphics","cpu":"2.2 GHz dual core (7th gen 2017+ Intel i3/i5/i7 runs it smoothly)","ram_gb":4,"storage_gb":2}

#component:computers #golf-sim #reference

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Foresight Sports

Foresight Sports FSX Play

Os: Windows 10 64-bit or later; no Mac, iPad, Android
Tier: qualified
Notes: Foresight says Foresight+ and Premier replace FSX; new FSX Play licenses are no longer issued and the title gets only critical fixes (per Foresight guidance summarized by Home Performance Lab and Northcourse, Sept 2026).
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA RTX 3060 or better; AMD and Quadro not supported","cpu":"Intel 7th gen or newer i5/i7/i9; AMD not recommended","ram_gb":8}

–

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Foresight Sports

Foresight Sports FSX Play

–

Os: Windows 10 64-bit or later; no Mac, iPad, Android
Tier: qualified
Notes: Foresight says Foresight+ and Premier replace FSX; new FSX Play licenses are no longer issued and the title gets only critical fixes (per Foresight guidance summarized by Home Performance Lab and Northcourse, Sept 2026).
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA RTX 3060 or better; AMD and Quadro not supported","cpu":"Intel 7th gen or newer i5/i7/i9; AMD not recommended","ram_gb":8}

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Uneekor

Uneekor Uneekor software (Refine / Refine+ / View, third-party at 4K)

Os: Windows 10 (1803+) / Windows 11; Ethernet port required (two for EYE XO)
Tier: qualified
Notes: Wired launch monitor; wants a desktop with spare Ethernet ports.
Minimum: {"gpu":"GTX 1060","cpu":"Intel i5-8400","ram_gb":8}

–

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Uneekor

Uneekor Uneekor software (Refine / Refine+ / View, third-party at 4K)

–

Os: Windows 10 (1803+) / Windows 11; Ethernet port required (two for EYE XO)
Tier: qualified
Notes: Wired launch monitor; wants a desktop with spare Ethernet ports.
Minimum: {"gpu":"GTX 1060","cpu":"Intel i5-8400","ram_gb":8}

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Foresight Sports

Foresight Sports Foresight Premier

Os: Windows 10/11 64-bit
Tier: qualified
Notes: Premier now lists AMD GPUs, which FSX Play never did. The Foresight help article (RTX 4060 8GB + i5-12500 + 16GB for Medium/High) could not be fetched (403) and conflicts slightly with the Premier page.
Ultra: {"gpu":"RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX (16GB) for 4K High","ram_gb":32}

–

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Foresight Sports

Foresight Sports Foresight Premier

–

Os: Windows 10/11 64-bit
Tier: qualified
Notes: Premier now lists AMD GPUs, which FSX Play never did. The Foresight help article (RTX 4060 8GB + i5-12500 + 16GB for Medium/High) could not be fetched (403) and conflicts slightly with the Premier page.
Ultra: {"gpu":"RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX (16GB) for 4K High","ram_gb":32}

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Datacrea (sold via Carl's Place, Foresight, FlightScope)

Datacrea (sold via Carl's Place, Foresight, FlightScope) Creative Golf 3D

Os: Windows 7 to 11 64-bit
Tier: qualified
Notes: No single current official spec page found; figures differ between the 2021 manual, retailer tables, and the 2025 review.
Minimum: {"gpu":"Dedicated GPU with 1GB VRAM (older versions); 4GB VRAM for the 2025 Advanced build","cpu":"2.5 GHz / Intel i3 or better","ram_gb":2,"storage_gb":42}

–

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Datacrea (sold via Carl's Place, Foresight, FlightScope)

Datacrea (sold via Carl's Place, Foresight, FlightScope) Creative Golf 3D

–

Os: Windows 7 to 11 64-bit
Tier: qualified
Notes: No single current official spec page found; figures differ between the 2021 manual, retailer tables, and the 2025 review.
Minimum: {"gpu":"Dedicated GPU with 1GB VRAM (older versions); 4GB VRAM for the 2025 Advanced build","cpu":"2.5 GHz / Intel i3 or better","ram_gb":2,"storage_gb":42}

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Computers that run a home sim, as people actually buy them

23 itemsTotal listed $16,211 · 13 of 21 priced · $410 a yearNewcurated by @teed

gaming-laptop

5 items

$6,305

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Lenovo

Lenovo Legion 5i / Legion Pro 5i / Legion Pro 7i gaming laptops (and LOQ 15 budget sibling)

Centerpiece

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra 7 / Ultra 9 275HX; AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX on Legion 5 Pro
Gpu: RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB (Legion 5i, 105W); RTX 5070 Ti Laptop 12GB (Pro 5i, up to 140W); RTX 5080 Laptop 16GB (Pro 7i, 175W)
Ram: 16 to 32GB DDR5 (32GB recommended by forum members)
Tier: qualified

It is the laptop forum regulars name first when someone asks, because the cooling holds up through a full round and the RTX 4060 or 5060 trim sits right on GSPro's official 1080p laptop line.

$1,100 list

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Lenovo

Lenovo Legion 5i / Legion Pro 5i / Legion Pro 7i gaming laptops (and LOQ 15 budget sibling)

Centerpiece

$1,100 list

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra 7 / Ultra 9 275HX; AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX on Legion 5 Pro
Gpu: RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB (Legion 5i, 105W); RTX 5070 Ti Laptop 12GB (Pro 5i, up to 140W); RTX 5080 Laptop 16GB (Pro 7i, 175W)
Ram: 16 to 32GB DDR5 (32GB recommended by forum members)
Tier: qualified

It is the laptop forum regulars name first when someone asks, because the cooling holds up through a full round and the RTX 4060 or 5060 trim sits right on GSPro's official 1080p laptop line.

ASUS

ASUS TUF Gaming A15 / F15 / TUF 16 and ROG Strix G16 / G18 gaming laptops

Cpu: Intel i7-14650HX or Ryzen 7 260 (TUF 16); i7-13650HX (Strix G16 2024)
Gpu: TUF 16 (2026): up to RTX 5070 Laptop 85W; Strix G16/G18 (2026): RTX 5060 to RTX 5080 Laptop
Ram: 2x DDR5 SO-DIMM, user upgradeable to 64GB (TUF 16); one roundup notes a 16GB ceiling on the Strix G18
Tier: qualified

The TUF is the 'durable budget gaming laptop' that forum members link when someone needs a sub-$1,000 answer, and the Strix is the step up when they want 4K later.

$1,540 list

ASUS

ASUS TUF Gaming A15 / F15 / TUF 16 and ROG Strix G16 / G18 gaming laptops

$1,540 list

Cpu: Intel i7-14650HX or Ryzen 7 260 (TUF 16); i7-13650HX (Strix G16 2024)
Gpu: TUF 16 (2026): up to RTX 5070 Laptop 85W; Strix G16/G18 (2026): RTX 5060 to RTX 5080 Laptop
Ram: 2x DDR5 SO-DIMM, user upgradeable to 64GB (TUF 16); one roundup notes a 16GB ceiling on the Strix G18
Tier: qualified

The TUF is the 'durable budget gaming laptop' that forum members link when someone needs a sub-$1,000 answer, and the Strix is the step up when they want 4K later.

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MSI

MSI Thin 15 / Katana 15 gaming laptops

Cpu: Intel i5-13420H or i7 13th gen (Thin); Ryzen 9 8945HS (Katana A15)
Gpu: RTX 2050 / 3050 / 4050 / 4060 (Thin 15 trims); RTX 4070 105W (Katana A15)
Ram: 16GB (Thin); 32GB upgradable to 64GB (Katana A15)
Tier: qualified

Price. It is the laptop that shows up at $1,000 with an RTX 4060, and for a 1080p projector that is the whole requirement.

$1,015 list

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MSI

MSI Thin 15 / Katana 15 gaming laptops

$1,015 list

Cpu: Intel i5-13420H or i7 13th gen (Thin); Ryzen 9 8945HS (Katana A15)
Gpu: RTX 2050 / 3050 / 4050 / 4060 (Thin 15 trims); RTX 4070 105W (Katana A15)
Ram: 16GB (Thin); 32GB upgradable to 64GB (Katana A15)
Tier: qualified

Price. It is the laptop that shows up at $1,000 with an RTX 4060, and for a 1080p projector that is the whole requirement.

Dell

Dell G15 / G16 gaming laptops (now succeeded by Alienware 15 / 16 Aurora)

Cpu: Ryzen 7 7840HS or 13th gen Intel (G15); Intel or AMD (Alienware 15)
Gpu: RTX 4060 (G15 trims cited); up to RTX 5060 (Alienware 15) / RTX 5070 (Alienware 16 Aurora)
Ram: 16GB
Tier: qualified

It is the safe mid-price pick that review sites keep at the top of the list, and the RTX 4060 trim matches the GSPro laptop floor without paying for a 4K-class card.

$1,200 list

Dell

Dell G15 / G16 gaming laptops (now succeeded by Alienware 15 / 16 Aurora)

$1,200 list

Cpu: Ryzen 7 7840HS or 13th gen Intel (G15); Intel or AMD (Alienware 15)
Gpu: RTX 4060 (G15 trims cited); up to RTX 5060 (Alienware 15) / RTX 5070 (Alienware 16 Aurora)
Ram: 16GB
Tier: qualified

It is the safe mid-price pick that review sites keep at the top of the list, and the RTX 4060 trim matches the GSPro laptop floor without paying for a 4K-class card.

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Acer

Acer Nitro V 15 / Nitro V 16 / Nitro 16 (and Predator Helios / Triton) gaming laptops

Cpu: Ryzen 7 7840HS / Ryzen 7 260; i7-11800H on the older Helios
Gpu: RTX 4050 / 4060 (Nitro V 15, Nitro 16); RTX 5060 (Nitro V 2025); RTX 3060 (Predator Helios 300)
Ram: 16GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

It is the sale-price laptop that lands at the GSPro laptop floor, and for a packed-away garage bay that is enough.

$1,450 list

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Acer

Acer Nitro V 15 / Nitro V 16 / Nitro 16 (and Predator Helios / Triton) gaming laptops

$1,450 list

Cpu: Ryzen 7 7840HS / Ryzen 7 260; i7-11800H on the older Helios
Gpu: RTX 4050 / 4060 (Nitro V 15, Nitro 16); RTX 5060 (Nitro V 2025); RTX 3060 (Predator Helios 300)
Ram: 16GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

It is the sale-price laptop that lands at the GSPro laptop floor, and for a packed-away garage bay that is enough.

prebuilt-desktop

5 items

$7,657

SurfThing

SurfThing SG3 series simulator desktops (SG3-5602, SG3-5702, SG3-5702Ti, SG3-5802) and M3H laptop

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra 5 225F (5602 to 5702Ti); Core Ultra 7 265F liquid cooled (5802); Core Ultra 9 275HX (M3H)
Gpu: RTX 5060 8GB (5602); RTX 5070 12GB (5702); RTX 5070 Ti 16GB (5702Ti); RTX 5080 16GB (5802); RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB (M3H)
Ram: 16GB DDR5 4800 (5602); 32GB DDR5 6000 (others)
Tier: core

$2,249 list

SurfThing

SurfThing SG3 series simulator desktops (SG3-5602, SG3-5702, SG3-5702Ti, SG3-5802) and M3H laptop

$2,249 list

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra 5 225F (5602 to 5702Ti); Core Ultra 7 265F liquid cooled (5802); Core Ultra 9 275HX (M3H)
Gpu: RTX 5060 8GB (5602); RTX 5070 12GB (5702); RTX 5070 Ti 16GB (5702Ti); RTX 5080 16GB (5802); RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB (M3H)
Ram: 16GB DDR5 4800 (5602); 32GB DDR5 6000 (others)
Tier: core

iBUYPOWER / CyberPowerPC / Skytech

iBUYPOWER / CyberPowerPC / Skytech Costco and Amazon RTX 4060 to 5070 class towers (iBUYPOWER Slate Mesh and Element, CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme, Skytech Azure 3 and Blaze 3)

Cpu: i5-13400F / i5-14400F, i7-13700F / 14700F, Ryzen 9 7700X / 7900X
Gpu: RTX 4060 8GB (the Costco staple), RTX 4060 Ti, RTX 5060 / 5060 Ti, RTX 5070 12GB, RTX 4070 Super
Ram: 16 to 32GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

'Costco has sometimes sold desktops with an RTX 4060 for about $899, which works well at 1080p' is the single most repeated piece of PC advice on the forum.

$899 list

iBUYPOWER / CyberPowerPC / Skytech

iBUYPOWER / CyberPowerPC / Skytech Costco and Amazon RTX 4060 to 5070 class towers (iBUYPOWER Slate Mesh and Element, CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme, Skytech Azure 3 and Blaze 3)

$899 list

Cpu: i5-13400F / i5-14400F, i7-13700F / 14700F, Ryzen 9 7700X / 7900X
Gpu: RTX 4060 8GB (the Costco staple), RTX 4060 Ti, RTX 5060 / 5060 Ti, RTX 5070 12GB, RTX 4070 Super
Ram: 16 to 32GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

'Costco has sometimes sold desktops with an RTX 4060 for about $899, which works well at 1080p' is the single most repeated piece of PC advice on the forum.

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HP OMEN 35L desktop and OMEN / Victus gaming laptops

Cpu: Intel or AMD, configurable
Gpu: OMEN 35L: RTX 3060 and up; owner build: OMEN with RTX 4070
Ram: 16 to 32GB
Tier: qualified

It is the tower people already have or can buy on sale this weekend, and an RTX 4070 OMEN has been shown running GSPro outdoors at 1080p without fuss.

$1,779 list

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HP OMEN 35L desktop and OMEN / Victus gaming laptops

$1,779 list

Cpu: Intel or AMD, configurable
Gpu: OMEN 35L: RTX 3060 and up; owner build: OMEN with RTX 4070
Ram: 16 to 32GB
Tier: qualified

It is the tower people already have or can buy on sale this weekend, and an RTX 4070 OMEN has been shown running GSPro outdoors at 1080p without fuss.

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Dell / generic

Dell / generic Refurbished office tower plus a used GPU (Dell OptiPlex class, or a used gaming PC)

Cpu: 4th gen i5 was judged 'fine because GSPro does not use much CPU' (2023)
Gpu: Whatever you add: RTX 3060 12GB is the forum's used-card sweet spot; GT 1030 / 1050 that ships in 'gaming OptiPlex' listings is below every tier
Ram: 16 to 32GB
Tier: qualified

Because GSPro mostly needs a GPU, and a $400 used RTX 3060 in a $200 tower gets a budget bay to 1080p Ultra.

$400 list

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Dell / generic

Dell / generic Refurbished office tower plus a used GPU (Dell OptiPlex class, or a used gaming PC)

$400 list

Cpu: 4th gen i5 was judged 'fine because GSPro does not use much CPU' (2023)
Gpu: Whatever you add: RTX 3060 12GB is the forum's used-card sweet spot; GT 1030 / 1050 that ships in 'gaming OptiPlex' listings is below every tier
Ram: 16 to 32GB
Tier: qualified

Because GSPro mostly needs a GPU, and a $400 used RTX 3060 in a $200 tower gets a budget bay to 1080p Ultra.

Alienware (Dell)

Alienware (Dell) Aurora desktop and Alienware 15 / 16 / m15 / m18 laptops

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra (Aurora ACT1250)
Gpu: Aurora: up to RTX 5080 (450W GPU power budget); laptops up to RTX 5080 Laptop at 240 to 280W
Ram: 16 to 64GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

Brand comfort. It is what shows up at Best Buy and Dell with a payment plan, and the laptops are the premium pick in every roundup.

$2,330 list

Alienware (Dell)

Alienware (Dell) Aurora desktop and Alienware 15 / 16 / m15 / m18 laptops

$2,330 list

Cpu: Intel Core Ultra (Aurora ACT1250)
Gpu: Aurora: up to RTX 5080 (450W GPU power budget); laptops up to RTX 5080 Laptop at 240 to 280W
Ram: 16 to 64GB DDR5
Tier: qualified

Brand comfort. It is what shows up at Best Buy and Dell with a payment plan, and the laptops are the premium pick in every roundup.

no-pc

4 items

$2,249from 3 of 4 priced

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Garmin

Garmin Approach R10 run from a phone or iPad (Garmin Golf app, Home Tee Hero, E6 Connect iOS, Awesome Golf)

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none (phone or tablet renders)
Ram: n/a
Tier: core

It is the cheapest honest simulator: R10, iPad, adapter, projector, done. Owners accept the dated app because the price is right.

$600 list

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Garmin

Garmin Approach R10 run from a phone or iPad (Garmin Golf app, Home Tee Hero, E6 Connect iOS, Awesome Golf)

$600 list

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none (phone or tablet renders)
Ram: n/a
Tier: core

It is the cheapest honest simulator: R10, iPad, adapter, projector, done. Owners accept the dated app because the price is right.

Rapsodo

Rapsodo MLM2PRO run from a phone or iPad (Rapsodo app, Awesome Golf, E6 Apex/Connect); GSPro needs a PC

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none for the Rapsodo app; the phone or tablet renders
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

It is the launch monitor people buy for the range app and then discover they need a Windows PC for the sim they actually wanted.

$550 list

Rapsodo

Rapsodo MLM2PRO run from a phone or iPad (Rapsodo app, Awesome Golf, E6 Apex/Connect); GSPro needs a PC

$550 list

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none for the Rapsodo app; the phone or tablet renders
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

It is the launch monitor people buy for the range app and then discover they need a Windows PC for the sim they actually wanted.

FlightScope

FlightScope Mevo+ run from an iPad (FS Golf, E6 Connect iOS 12-course license, Awesome Golf)

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none on the no-PC path; FS Golf PC app also exists (Windows 10/11)
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

Owners say the iPad E6 path is 'pretty amazing for lag' and good enough that several never bought a PC.

$1,099 list

FlightScope

FlightScope Mevo+ run from an iPad (FS Golf, E6 Connect iOS 12-course license, Awesome Golf)

$1,099 list

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: none on the no-PC path; FS Golf PC app also exists (Windows 10/11)
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

Owners say the iPad E6 path is 'pretty amazing for lag' and good enough that several never bought a PC.

Apple

Apple iPad plus Apple TV 4K (AirPlay) or a Lightning / USB-C to HDMI adapter as the no-PC display bridge

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: n/a (iPad renders; E6 wants iPad Pro 1st gen+ or iPad 5th gen+; SkyTrak course play wants M1 or newer)
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

Because a working sim on an iPad through an Apple TV costs less than a graphics card, and for E6 courses at 1080p it is good enough that many never add a PC.

–

Apple

Apple iPad plus Apple TV 4K (AirPlay) or a Lightning / USB-C to HDMI adapter as the no-PC display bridge

–

Cpu: n/a
Gpu: n/a (iPad renders; E6 wants iPad Pro 1st gen+ or iPad 5th gen+; SkyTrak course play wants M1 or newer)
Ram: n/a
Tier: qualified

Because a working sim on an iPad through an Apple TV costs less than a graphics card, and for E6 courses at 1080p it is good enough that many never add a PC.

Software

9 items

$410 a year

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GSPro

GSPro GSPro

Os: Windows 10 or 11 only; no macOS or iOS
Tier: core
Notes: Each course download is about 1GB. Integrated graphics are below the floor. The knowledge base is the only official place that gives a separate laptop table.
Section: Software

$250 a year

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GSPro

GSPro GSPro

$250 a year

Os: Windows 10 or 11 only; no macOS or iOS
Tier: core
Notes: Each course download is about 1GB. Integrated graphics are below the floor. The knowledge base is the only official place that gives a separate laptop table.
Section: Software

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HB Studios / ProTee distribution

HB Studios / ProTee distribution The Golf Club 2019 (TGC 2019)

Os: Windows 7/8.1/10 64-bit (ProTee page: Windows 10 minimum, Windows 11 recommended)
Tier: core
Notes: Lightest of the course-play PC titles; a GTX 1650 class laptop runs it at max settings per 2021 forum advice.
Minimum: {"gpu":"GTX 650 / Radeon HD 5770 (1GB) per Steam; GTX 670 per ProTee","cpu":"Intel i5-760 2.8GHz","ram_gb":4,"storage_gb":12}

–

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HB Studios / ProTee distribution

HB Studios / ProTee distribution The Golf Club 2019 (TGC 2019)

–

Os: Windows 7/8.1/10 64-bit (ProTee page: Windows 10 minimum, Windows 11 recommended)
Tier: core
Notes: Lightest of the course-play PC titles; a GTX 1650 class laptop runs it at max settings per 2021 forum advice.
Minimum: {"gpu":"GTX 650 / Radeon HD 5770 (1GB) per Steam; GTX 670 per ProTee","cpu":"Intel i5-760 2.8GHz","ram_gb":4,"storage_gb":12}

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TruGolf

TruGolf E6 Connect

Os: Windows 10/11 64-bit; iOS (iPad Pro 1st gen+, iPad 5th gen+, iPad Air 3rd gen+, iPad mini 5th gen+, iPhone 8+)
Tier: core
Notes: iOS version renders in 4:3 and at lower detail than the PC version (forum reports). App Store listing warns it may not run well on iPad Air or iPad mini.
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA GTX 1070 or equivalent, dedicated, DirectX 11","cpu":"Intel i5","ram_gb":8,"storage_gb":25}

–

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TruGolf

TruGolf E6 Connect

–

Os: Windows 10/11 64-bit; iOS (iPad Pro 1st gen+, iPad 5th gen+, iPad Air 3rd gen+, iPad mini 5th gen+, iPhone 8+)
Tier: core
Notes: iOS version renders in 4:3 and at lower detail than the PC version (forum reports). App Store listing warns it may not run well on iPad Air or iPad mini.
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA GTX 1070 or equivalent, dedicated, DirectX 11","cpu":"Intel i5","ram_gb":8,"storage_gb":25}

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TruGolf

TruGolf E6 (2026)

Os: Windows 10 64-bit minimum; PC only, no iPad
Tier: core
Notes: Listed alongside E6 Connect on trugolf.com; sold standard with TruGolf launch monitors. The 12GB VRAM floor rules out 8GB RTX 4060 / 5060 cards.
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA RTX 3060 with 12GB VRAM","cpu":"Intel i7 10th gen or newer","ram_gb":24,"storage":"NVMe SSD"}

–

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TruGolf

TruGolf E6 (2026)

–

Os: Windows 10 64-bit minimum; PC only, no iPad
Tier: core
Notes: Listed alongside E6 Connect on trugolf.com; sold standard with TruGolf launch monitors. The 12GB VRAM floor rules out 8GB RTX 4060 / 5060 cards.
Minimum: {"gpu":"NVIDIA RTX 3060 with 12GB VRAM","cpu":"Intel i7 10th gen or newer","ram_gb":24,"storage":"NVMe SSD"}

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Awesome Golf

Awesome Golf Awesome Golf Simulator

Os: Windows 10+, iPadOS/iOS 15+, Android for some monitors, Apple Silicon Mac
Tier: qualified
Notes: The only major sim title whose published floor is integrated graphics. Supports Garmin R10/R50, Rapsodo MLM2PRO, Mevo Gen2/Mevo+, Bushnell Launch Pro, Foresight GC3/GCQuad, Square, Uneekor EYE MINI.
Minimum: {"gpu":"Integrated graphics","cpu":"2.2 GHz dual core (7th gen 2017+ Intel i3/i5/i7 runs it smoothly)","ram_gb":4,"storage_gb":2}

$160 a year

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Awesome Golf

Awesome Golf Awesome Golf Simulator

$160 a year

Os: Windows 10+, iPadOS/iOS 15+, Android for some monitors, Apple Silicon Mac
Tier: qualified
Notes: The only major sim title whose published floor is integrated graphics. Supports Garmin R10/R50, Rapsodo MLM2PRO, Mevo Gen2/Mevo+, Bushnell Launch Pro, Foresight GC3/GCQuad, Square, Uneekor EYE MINI.
Minimum: {"gpu":"Integrated graphics","cpu":"2.2 GHz dual core (7th gen 2017+ Intel i3/i5/i7 runs it smoothly)","ram_gb":4,"storage_gb":2}