Microsoft Flight Simulator

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded performance for Microsoft Flight Simulator with the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 shows a clear progression across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combination delivers consistently high frame rates. The Low preset averages 134.9 FPS, while Medium reaches 125.7 FPS. High settings produce 98.6 FPS, and the Ultra preset still maintains 93.9 FPS. All four presets at this resolution surpass the 60 FPS playability threshold by a substantial margin.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but steps down in a predictable pattern. Low settings average 123.4 FPS, Medium hits 102.6 FPS, and High settles at 79.6 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 74.8 FPS, which is still comfortably above the 60 FPS line. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a moderate reduction in frame rates, with the Ultra preset falling from 93.9 FPS to 74.8 FPS, a difference of roughly 19 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes more noticeably. Low settings still deliver a playable 97.4 FPS average, and Medium manages 75.3 FPS. However, High settings dip to 57 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra drops further to 53 FPS. The data shows that 4K resolution requires a settings compromise for this hardware combination. The gap between Medium and High at 4K is 18.3 FPS, indicating a steep performance cost for the higher preset.

The measured FPS values recorded in the database include only average frame rates, with minimum and maximum values not available for these runs. The average figures alone, however, provide a clear picture of the system's behavior across the tested matrix of resolutions and presets.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database places the Intel Core i5-10400F in a specific performance tier based on its average benchmark score of 14185. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6756E with an average score of 14163, which is 0.2% lower. The Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14232, sitting 0.3% higher. The AMD EPYC 7552 records 14115, a 0.5% deficit, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C reaches 14277, 0.6% above the i5-10400F. These deltas are all within a narrow band, meaning the CPU performance is essentially interchangeable with these alternatives for gaming workloads. A user swapping to any of these processors would see virtually identical frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator, assuming the GPU remains unchanged.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P4 at 37628, just 0.1% behind, and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 at 37507, which is 0.4% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, landing 1.3% higher, while the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 records 37157, a 1.3% deficit. These close margins indicate that the RTX 4070's graphics performance is closely matched by these alternatives. In practice, the measured FPS for this combo would shift by only a frame or two if any of these GPUs replaced the RTX 4070, assuming the same CPU and game settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The recorded average FPS at 1920x1080 with the Ultra preset is 93.9 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS playability threshold by over 30 FPS.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the most demanding setting that stays playable, with an average of 75.3 FPS. The High preset falls to 57 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more responsible for performance at 1440p?

A: The data shows the system maintains high frame rates at 2560x1440 across all presets, with Ultra averaging 74.8 FPS. The CPU's benchmark score places it near several rivals, while the GPU ranks in the 81st percentile among all tested GPUs, suggesting the GPU has headroom while the CPU keeps pace.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested combinations in the database?

A: This specific pairing ranks 1023 out of 3714 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the upper third of the database.

Q: What happens to performance when moving from 1440p to 4K?

A: The Ultra preset drops from 74.8 FPS at 2560x1440 to 53 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 21.8 FPS. The High preset similarly falls from 79.6 FPS to 57 FPS, showing that 4K imposes a significant load on the GPU.

Q: Are there any settings at 4K that exceed 100 FPS?

A: Yes, the Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 97.4 FPS, but no preset at this resolution reaches 100 FPS. The Medium preset is the highest playable option at 75.3 FPS.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination can run Microsoft Flight Simulator with playable frame rates at all three tested resolutions, but with caveats at 4K. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold, with the Ultra preset recording 93.9 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets also remain playable, and the Ultra preset achieves 74.8 FPS, making this resolution a sweet spot for maximizing visual quality without sacrificing smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more nuanced. The Low and Medium presets are playable, with averages of 97.4 FPS and 75.3 FPS respectively. The High preset, however, drops to 57 FPS, which fails the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset falls further to 53 FPS. Based on the verdictByResolution data, the system can handle 4K gaming only if the user accepts Medium settings or lower. For users prioritizing higher visual fidelity at 4K, this combination will not maintain a consistent 60 FPS experience.

Overall, this PC is fully capable of running Microsoft Flight Simulator at high frame rates for 1080p and 1440p displays, while 4K users must temper their expectations and choose Medium settings to stay within playable bounds.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals how the workload shifts between the Intel Core i5-10400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. At 1920x1080, the CPU has a more prominent role because the GPU is not fully stressed at lower pixel counts. The frame rate differences between presets are relatively modest, with Low at 134.9 FPS and Ultra at 93.9 FPS. This 41 FPS spread indicates that even at Ultra, the system is not entirely GPU-bound at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on a larger share of the workload. The Ultra preset drops to 74.8 FPS, and the spread between Low and Ultra widens to 48.6 FPS. This suggests the RTX 4070 is being pushed harder, while the CPU still delivers enough throughput to avoid becoming the limiting factor. The i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, maintains sufficient headroom for the flight simulator's simulated physics and scenery streaming.

At 3840x2160, the GPU dominates the performance equation. The Low preset records 97.4 FPS, but Ultra falls to 53 FPS, a 44.4 FPS gap. The High preset at 57 FPS and Ultra at 53 FPS both sit below the 60 FPS threshold, confirming that the RTX 4070's rendering capacity is the primary constraint at 4K. The CPU's role diminishes at this resolution because the pixel throughput demands outpace the processor's influence. The data shows that users targeting 4K should prioritize GPU settings, while 1080p users benefit from a balance of both components.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the database identifies the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, recording 93.9 FPS. This setting provides the highest visual quality while still delivering well above the playability threshold. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also qualifies, with an average of 74.8 FPS. Users at this resolution can run the game at maximum settings without concern.

At 3840x2160, the situation requires a compromise. The Medium preset is the most demanding option that stays playable, achieving 75.3 FPS. The High preset at 57 FPS and Ultra at 53 FPS both fall short of 60 FPS. Therefore, 4K users should select Medium settings to maintain smooth performance. The Low preset at 97.4 FPS offers a higher frame rate but at a significant visual quality cost. The recommendation is clear: Medium at 4K balances fidelity and performance for this hardware combination.

How This Combo Ranks

The database ranks this Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 pairing at 1023 out of 3714 tested combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places the combo in the top 27.5% of all tested systems, a solid position for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The rank reflects the measured FPS data across all resolutions and presets, weighted by the game's performance demands.

The CPU's percentile ranking among all tested processors is 68%, while the GPU sits at 81% among all tested GPUs. This disparity suggests the RTX 4070 carries more of the performance burden in this pairing. The CPU's nearest rivals all have average benchmark scores within 0.6% of the i5-10400F, meaning the processor is not a standout bottleneck. The GPU's rivals are similarly close, with deltas under 1.3%. The combination's overall rank of 1023 indicates that many other systems outperform it, primarily those with more powerful CPUs or additional GPU headroom, but it also outranks roughly 72% of the tested database, confirming that this is a capable setup for Microsoft Flight Simulator.