Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the Intel Arc B580 is a desktop combination aimed at 1080p and 1440p gaming. For Microsoft Flight Simulator, the database records measured frame rates across three resolutions and four preset levels, along with synthetic benchmark scores for both components. This analysis interprets those results to determine where the combo succeeds and where it falls short.

FAQ

Q: What is the CPU's multi-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F scores 14340 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2024 in single-core. Its average benchmark score is 17177, placing it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Arc B580 has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its FP32 throughput is 13.67 TFLOPS.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo achieve 60 FPS or higher?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium settings average 61 FPS. At 1920x1080, Medium settings average 76 FPS. Low settings also exceed 60 FPS at both resolutions (78 FPS at 1440p, 97 FPS at 1080p). No preset at 3840x2160 reaches 60 FPS.

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

A: No preset at 3840x2160 is playable at 60 FPS. The highest average is 58 FPS on Low, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-11400F's average benchmark score is 17177. Its closest rival, the AMD EPYC 7H12, scores 17120 (0.3% higher), while the Intel Core i5-12450H scores 17239 (0.4% lower). The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G is 0.6% lower and the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U is 0.6% higher.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B580's average benchmark score is 23021. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23061 (0.2% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895 (0.6% higher), the RTX 3080 scores 23172 (0.7% lower), and the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249 (1% lower).

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured frame rates reveal a consistent pattern: the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck as resolution and preset level increase. At 1920x1080, the combo starts with 97 FPS on Low, then drops to 76 FPS on Medium, 57 FPS on High, and 54 FPS on Ultra. This steep decline across presets indicates that the Arc B580 is the limiting factor once the graphical load rises, while the i5-11400F is able to feed the GPU adequately at lower settings.

At 2560x1440, the same trend appears: Low delivers 78 FPS, Medium 61 FPS, High 46 FPS, and Ultra 44 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 17 FPS, and from Medium to High is 15 FPS, showing that the GPU's headroom shrinks quickly. At 3840x2160, even Low only produces 58 FPS, and Medium falls to 45 FPS, High to 34 FPS, and Ultra to 32 FPS. The 4K results are uniformly below the 60 FPS playable threshold, confirming that the GPU is simply not powerful enough for 4K in this title.

The CPU's synthetic scores are respectable for a 6-core, 12-thread processor: 14340 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2024 in single-core. However, the game's scaling with resolution and preset suggests that the CPU is not the primary constraint at any tested configuration. At 1080p Low, the 97 FPS result is likely near the CPU's practical limit, but the GPU still manages to keep up. As resolution increases, the GPU workload expands faster than the CPU's, making the Arc B580 the clear limiting factor at 1440p and 4K. The data indicates that for this game, the GPU role grows with resolution, while the CPU role remains secondary even at the lowest preset.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The i5-11400F's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark score, are all within 0.6% of its 17177 score. The AMD EPYC 7H12 (17120, 0.3% higher), Intel Core i5-12450H (17239, 0.4% lower), AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G (17278, 0.6% lower), and Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17074, 0.6% higher) would all deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Since the game's frame rates at 1080p and 1440p are more dependent on the GPU, swapping to any of these CPUs would likely produce similar results, assuming the same GPU is used.

For the GPU, the Arc B580's nearest rivals are also very close in average score: the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23061, 0.2% lower), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22895, 0.6% higher), RTX 3080 (23172, 0.7% lower), and NVIDIA P106-100 (23249, 1% lower). These GPUs would be expected to deliver comparable frame rates in this game, though driver optimization and memory bandwidth differences could shift results. The RTX 2080 and RTX 3080 are older architectures but have similar synthetic scores; in practice, the Arc B580's 12 GB memory and 456 GB/s bandwidth may help in high-texture scenarios, but the overall performance envelope is close.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-11400F and Intel Arc B580 combination can run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 60 FPS or higher, but only at 1080p and 1440p with lower presets. The database's verdictByResolution shows that at 3840x2160, no preset is playable; the best average is 58 FPS on Low, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 2560x1440, Low and Medium are playable, with Medium being the best setting at 61 FPS average. At 1920x1080, Low and Medium are playable, with Medium at 76 FPS average. High and Ultra presets fail to reach 60 FPS at any resolution: at 1080p High averages 57 FPS and Ultra 54 FPS; at 1440p High 46 FPS and Ultra 44 FPS. For a smooth experience, users should stick to Medium settings at 1080p or 1440p, or drop to Low if they prefer a higher frame rate margin.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, there is no preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, so the best playable setting is none. At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that remains at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 61 FPS. At 1920x1080, the best playable preset is also Medium, averaging 76 FPS. Low settings offer higher frame rates (78 FPS at 1440p, 97 FPS at 1080p) but are less demanding visually. High and Ultra are not viable at any resolution, as they all fall below 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

Among all tested CPU and GPU combinations in the database for Microsoft Flight Simulator, this pairing ranks 2788th out of 3714. That places it in the lower half of tested systems. The CPU alone sits in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU in the 68th percentile, but the game-specific rank is considerably lower, indicating that Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding title that stresses both components heavily. The gap between the component percentiles and the combo rank suggests that the game's performance is not fully explained by synthetic benchmarks, and that the Arc B580's driver maturity and the CPU's memory bandwidth (51.2 GB/s) may contribute to the lower standing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists the exact average frame rates recorded for each resolution and preset. Minimum and maximum values were recorded only for Medium settings.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 34 | N/A | N/A |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 58 | N/A | N/A |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 45 | 38 | 52 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 32 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | High | 46 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 78 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 61 | 52 | 70 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 44 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | High | 57 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 97 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 76 | 64 | 87 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 54 | N/A | N/A |

The Medium preset at 1920x1080 shows a minimum of 64 FPS, which stays above the 60 FPS threshold, while the 1440p Medium minimum is 52 FPS, indicating occasional dips below 60 despite an average of 61. The 4K Medium range (38 to 52 FPS) confirms that this resolution is not viable for smooth play. The data makes clear that the Intel Core i5-11400F and Intel Arc B580 are best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming with Medium settings, and that 4K is beyond the reach of this combination.