Aerofly FS4 on a Mac

I can write from my own experience that FS 4 on MacBooks works with INTEL, M1 Pro and M4 Pro. Therefore, I don't see any problems with a Mac mini M4 - but I certainly don't know.

Regarding STEAM, I feel like you, that I actually didn't want to use STEAM. Nevertheless, I decided on the STEAM version because it is more flexible and extensive for me. Normally I start the FS 4 locally and only use the internet connection for the global data. From time to time I start via STEAM and see if there are updates.

Quote from Lotus

A few questions from someone seriously interested in Aerofly FS4 on a Mac:

1. Will a Mac mini M4 be sufficient to run Aerofly FS4 well? Or do I have to step up to the Mac mini M4 Pro, at more than twice the cost?

2. Is there any disadvantage to downloading Aerofly FS4 from the Apple Store, as opposed to Steam? I am not a gamer and have no other reason to open a Steam account.

3. Does streamed scenery offer the same visual quality as downloaded scenery DLCs? I have 600 Mbps internet service, so streaming is not a problem.

Specs: Mac mini M4 -- 16GB unified memory, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 256GB storage, list price USD 600

Mac mini M4 Pro -- 24GB unified memory, 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 512GB storage, list price USD 1400

I have been interested in flying for a long time, but have been reading the FAA Handbooks to prepare for using a flight simulator instead. Much cheaper and safer, with the ability to fly anywhere! Was attracted to Aerofly FS4 by its reputation for working well on lesser computers, and have been impressed by online photos and videos. A nice balance of features chosen by the developers, concentrating on the right things.

I have used a Mac since its inception in 1984, now own an Intel-based Mac mini, and will upgrade to an Apple Silicon-based Mac shortly. I rejected other options such as an XBox or PC running Microsoft Flight Simulator, and would prefer not to buy a more-expensive Mac just to run X-Plane, which appears more computationally intensive or poorly optimized compared to Aerofly.

IPACS team (Torsten/Marc/Jan/others), please accept my thanks for the intelligent choices you made while developing Aerofly FS4. I greatly appreciate any advice from you and other forum members!

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1) I run it on a base Mac Mini M4 and it runs like a charm! 100 fps+ on ultra, dipping below 60 on bigger airports and below 30 in LA or London with all its buildings. The pro would be an overkill, maybe useful if Mac ever supports VR headsets.

2) Download via Steam! That is the most up to date version and I had some issues with a plane missing on the Apple Store version. You can make a steam account in 5 minutes, and I also only use it for that.

3) The streaming is the same as the DLC options, so even the 256GB Mac mini is more than sufficient. It’s quite the powerhouse, even running that other sim quite well. Though I only use Aerofly as it is just so good and enjoyable.

Good to know; most controllers work as well. I use the turtle beach flight stick, and the Logitech yoke and pedals. But I heard the Thrustmaster and Honeycomb accessoires seem to work as well. Not so sure about the Turtle Beach flight yoke.

It works like a charm in 60 fps even on M1 with 16 gb so M4 would be fine for Aerofly.

I can also vouch for the fact that Aerofly FS4 runs well on an M1 Mac. In fact, it ran so well that it became a "gateway drug" that led me to purchase a Quest 3 headset and a 4080 gaming PC for the incredible VR experience. What the M1 Mac could do with Aerofly without a dedicated GPU was incredible.

Just to reinforce the M4 purchase decision, let me add that I ran Aerofly on my M1 Mac at 4k resolution and it still gave great smooth frame rates (well above 30-40 if I remember). The fact that X-Plane 12 ran at about 7 fps at the same resolution also credits the Aerofly software team. The M4 should be significantly better.