...I'd be more realistic.

I'd limit myself to just 6 study level planes and REALLY study the heck out of them and not buy a dozen other "study" level ones that I did, or buy sceneries I never use or buy HOTAS that just complicate life.

For MSFS:
...I'd still buy the Premium Deluxe store edition... and only these planes:
1. PMDG 737-800
2. Black Square Piston Duke
3. A2A  Commanche 250

(wait for a study level biz jet which can do London and New York, with Garmin glass, reversers and speed brakes).

DCS:
4. A-10c II
5. AH-64D

Same story with sceneries. Just limit myself to a few airports instead.
For MSFS 2024 Scenery:
1. San Francisco airport and a scenery
2. Washington DC airport and a scenery
3. New York airport and a scenery
4. London airport and a scenery
5. Paris airport and a scenery

For DCS Scenery:
1. Persian Gulf map

For Hardware:
1. Pre-built desktop with 9800x3D, 64 GB backup, 4 TB NVMe, and an RTX 5080
2.VKB Gladiator Evo and a SEM module
3. Red Dragon programmable keyboard
4. Edifier G1500 MAX 2.1 gaming speakers
5. Gaming mouse with 10 keys
6. Quest VR or Tobii (I'd probably get both)

Even though I don’t use MSFS this is an enjoyable thread. Waisted a lot of money loading down my sims with stuff barely used not to mention storage. That includes expensive study level birds I just fly from A to B and so many addon airports hardly ever visited. My hats off to guys like @Ray Proudfoot who can be happy specializing in a particular aircraft. I guess I lack focus discipline.

Not wasted money to me. To me, collecting scenery and planes is half the fun. To each their own...

27 minutes ago, Penzoil3 said:

To each their own...

👍👍

On 5/1/2026 at 11:42 AM, Matt Sdeel said:

For Hardware:
1. Pre-built desktop with 9800x3D, 64 GB backup, 4 TB NVMe, and an RTX 5080
 

In America BestBuy is the big warehouse with local stores from coast to coast. Here is a computer with those exact specs for $4,300

https://www.bestbuy.com/product/skytech-gaming-skytech-o11v-amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-5080-64gb-6000-mhz-ddr5-ram-850w-gold-a3-psu-black/J3GWRTRHK6

And the same one with a 5090 card for $6,800

https://www.bestbuy.com/product/skytech-gaming-skytech-o11v-amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-5090-64gb-6000-mhz-ddr5-ram-1000w-gold-a3-psu-black/J3GWRTRH47

 

Of all the computer companies that BestBuy sells, Skytech seems to me to get the best customer review ratings. 

 

On 5/2/2026 at 1:16 PM, Fielder said:

In America BestBuy is the big warehouse with local stores from coast to coast. Here is a computer with those exact specs for $4,300

https://www.bestbuy.com/product/skytech-gaming-skytech-o11v-amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-5080-64gb-6000-mhz-ddr5-ram-850w-gold-a3-psu-black/J3GWRTRHK6

And the same one with a 5090 card for $6,800

https://www.bestbuy.com/product/skytech-gaming-skytech-o11v-amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-5090-64gb-6000-mhz-ddr5-ram-1000w-gold-a3-psu-black/J3GWRTRH47

 

Of all the computer companies that BestBuy sells, Skytech seems to me to get the best customer review ratings. 

 

Wow, the 5080 unit now cost U$2000 MORE than when I bought it last November (Black Friday sale in Newegg). Incredible. I build my own over the decades but this time I just didn't feel like building them anymore. Feeling lucky and glad that I bought when I did last November and saving almost U$2000.

Hmmmm, can't seem to post pictures now with the new forum software.

Yeah. I'm just thankful I bought my 96 GB ram before the prices skyrocketed

And my 4090 I bought new for $1550 a couple of years ago -- man I'm treating that thing as well as possible, extra cooling on it and all of that, I am milking the years out of it

If I had to do it over I would have bought the base edition. I had this wild idea that I was going to fly all of those planes, but, in reality I just don't have the time. And you're right, I just can't fly anything the right way unless I specialize in a few aircraft. Ray Proudfoot certainly has more discipline / focus than I do. I'd love to be good at one plane. I mean really good. But I'm not.