The conversation started with the simulator, not a shopping basket. Richard discussed what he wanted from DCS and how a more capable system could support his future plans. Steve, Marcel and Dave worked through options before the final specification was agreed in March. The completed machine was tested, configured and collected later that month.
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A specification chosen for DCS
Richard's early brief was for a high-end DCS PC that would stay useful as his simulator setup developed. The team compared configurations before he chose the final March specification. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D was paired with a Zotac GeForce RTX 5080 Solid Core OC 16 GB, 64 GB of DDR5 memory and a 2 TB NVMe SSD. These are the ordered build parts, not a claim about a particular in-game frame rate or a guarantee that every future simulator setting will run at a fixed level.
The MSI PRO B850-S WIFI6E motherboard and a 1000 W be quiet! Pure Power 13 M supply completed the core platform. Richard initially questioned whether water cooling was necessary. The finished design used a Thermalright 360 mm all-in-one CPU cooler with a small status display; it is not a custom CPU-and-GPU water loop.
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D |
|---|---|
| Graphics | Zotac GeForce RTX 5080 Solid Core OC 16 GB |
| Memory | 64 GB DDR5 6000 MHz CL30 (2 × 32 GB) |
| Storage | TeamGroup Z44A7 2 TB M.2 NVMe SSD |
| Motherboard | MSI PRO B850-S WIFI6E |
| Case | Jonsbo D400 black panoramic mid-tower |
| Cooling | Thermalright FW 360 Black ARGB all-in-one CPU cooler and Phanteks M25 Gen2 case fans |
| Power and OS | be quiet! Pure Power 13 M 1000 W; Windows 11 Home |
This is a record of one customer's 2026 build, not a current fixed-price Elements configuration. We check component compatibility, availability and value again for every commission.
Making the hardware work as a whole
The D400's glass panels let the internal layout be seen from more than one angle. The build used regular and reverse-airflow Phanteks fans so the visible sides could suit the intended airflow path. A GPU support bracket and secured power cabling were part of the final assembly. These practical details matter in a large graphics-card build, especially when the finished PC has to be moved from the workshop to its owner.
Before collection, the team reported that the machine had been fully tested, Windows 11 Home was activated and updated, and the drivers were installed. The cooler's display was configured through its control application. The handover included guidance on moving the machine safely; Richard collected it on 25 March.
Planning your own flight-sim PC
Two flight-sim customers can need very different machines. Tell us which simulator and add-ons you use, your display resolution, whether VR is in the plan, how much storage you need and the space available for the case. We can then balance the platform, graphics, cooling and setup around that brief. Richard's DCS machine is a different project from David's compact, custom-loop flight-sim PC; both show why the conversation has to start with the person who will use it.
Explore our fully custom PC approach and buying guide. We serve Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, with collection by arrangement and no shipping of completed PCs.