Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers a dominant performance profile in Microsoft Flight Simulator, clearing the 60 FPS playability threshold at every resolution and preset combination tested. The data shows a system that is not merely capable but offers substantial headroom, with the most demanding Ultra preset averaging 115.5 FPS at 1080p, 91.3 FPS at 1440p, and 69.2 FPS at 4K. This combination ranks in the 92nd percentile among all tested configurations, indicating that it outperforms the vast majority of setups in the database for this specific title.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data confirms it is fully playable at 3840x2160 across all settings. The Ultra preset averages 69.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold, while High averages 74.1 FPS, Medium 97 FPS, and Low 120.8 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The verdict data identifies Ultra as the best settings at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 91.3 FPS. This provides a significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold, allowing for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the standard RTX 4080 in this context?

A: In the GPU benchmark database, the RTX 4080 SUPER has an average score of 54209, which is 0.1% lower than the RTX 4080's score of 54247. This indicates they are effectively performance peers in synthetic testing, with the SUPER variant showing a negligible delta.

Q: Is the Core i5-12400 a bottleneck for this GPU in Flight Simulator?

A: The benchmark results suggest the CPU handles the load well. The i5-12400's average benchmark score is 18683, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7643, scores nearly identically at 18697 with a delta of -0.1%. The high FPS figures across all resolutions indicate the combo is well-balanced.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with the High preset?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the measured average FPS is 124.8. This is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating exceptional performance for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: Does the game run better at Low settings compared to Ultra at 4K?

A: Yes, the performance scaling is substantial. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 120.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 69.2 FPS. This represents a performance uplift of approximately 74% when moving from Ultra to Low, showcasing the heavy GPU load of the Ultra preset at 4K.

Best Settings per Resolution

The benchmark data identifies the most demanding preset that maintains an average at or above 60 FPS for each resolution. In all three cases, the Ultra preset is the optimal choice, as it provides the highest visual quality while still exceeding the playability threshold.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 115.5 FPS. This is the highest fidelity option available and leaves ample performance headroom, suggesting the system is not stressed at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 91.3 FPS. This is a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS floor, indicating that users can enjoy the game's maximum settings with smooth performance.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 69.2 FPS. While this is the lowest average FPS among the three resolutions, it still clears the 60 FPS threshold by a meaningful margin, confirming that 4K Ultra is a viable option for this hardware combination.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals how the workload shifts between the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER across different resolutions. By examining the scaling of frame rates from 1080p to 4K, the GPU's increasing dominance becomes apparent.

At 1920x1080, the average FPS for the Ultra preset is 115.5. This is the highest frame rate of the three resolutions, and the gap between settings is pronounced: Low averages 182.6 FPS, Medium 163.1 FPS, and High 124.8 FPS. The substantial spread suggests that at this resolution, the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU, allowing the graphics card to be the primary limiter. The i5-12400's single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3dmark_single_thread score of 910, is likely sufficient to keep up.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset average drops to 91.3 FPS. The relative performance deltas between settings compress slightly, with Low at 165.2 FPS and Medium at 129.9 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is starting to work harder, as the increased pixel count demands more from the rendering pipeline. The CPU's role diminishes as the GPU becomes the more significant factor in determining the final frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the trend continues. The Ultra preset averages 69.2 FPS, and the performance gap between settings narrows further: Low averages 120.8 FPS, Medium 97 FPS, and High 74.1 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K for the Ultra preset shows a drop of approximately 24%, which aligns with the increased pixel workload. The GPU's compute capabilities, such as its 52.22 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 736.3 GB/s memory bandwidth, become the critical resources. The CPU's influence is minimal at this point, as the RTX 4080 SUPER is fully saturated.

The data suggests that the GPU is the dominant component across all resolutions, but its supremacy grows as resolution increases. The CPU provides a solid foundation, but the frame rate is primarily dictated by the graphics card's ability to process the scene.

The Verdict

This PC can unequivocally run Microsoft Flight Simulator with high performance. The verdict data confirms that all four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, and Ultra) are playable at every tested resolution, with average FPS figures consistently above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance. The Ultra preset averages 115.5 FPS, which is nearly double the threshold, allowing for smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors. Even the most demanding settings are easily handled.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 91.3 FPS. This is a strong result that provides a significant buffer above 60 FPS, ensuring a fluid experience with maximum visual detail. The system is not struggling at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 69.2 FPS. This is the only scenario where the frame rate approaches the threshold, but it still clears it by over 9 FPS. This confirms that 4K gaming with the highest settings is achievable, making this combination a top-tier choice for flight simulation enthusiasts.

The overall verdict is clear: this hardware combo is more than sufficient for Microsoft Flight Simulator, offering playable performance at all resolutions and settings, with the Ultra preset being the recommended choice for the best visual experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset combination. All scores are from the provided benchmark results.

1920x1080

• Low: 182.6 FPS
• Medium: 163.1 FPS
• High: 124.8 FPS
• Ultra: 115.5 FPS

At 1080p, the system shows remarkable strength. The difference between Low and Ultra is 67.1 FPS, indicating that the GPU scales well with graphical demands. The High preset's 124.8 FPS is a solid result, while Ultra's 115.5 FPS shows that even the most intensive settings remain highly playable.

2560x1440

• Low: 165.2 FPS
• Medium: 129.9 FPS
• High: 98.2 FPS
• Ultra: 91.3 FPS

At 1440p, the frame rates remain robust. The Low preset averages 165.2 FPS, a mere 10% drop from the 1080p Low result. The Ultra preset's 91.3 FPS is a 21% reduction from its 1080p counterpart, reflecting the increased GPU load. The High preset at 98.2 FPS shows a similar trend. All settings remain well above the 60 FPS threshold.

3840x2160

• Low: 120.8 FPS
• Medium: 97 FPS
• High: 74.1 FPS
• Ultra: 69.2 FPS

At 4K, the GPU's workload is at its peak. The Low preset still delivers 120.8 FPS, which is impressive for this resolution. The Medium preset drops to 97 FPS, and High falls to 74.1 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 69.2 FPS, which is the lowest score in the entire dataset but still clears the playability threshold. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 51.6 FPS reduction, highlighting the significant cost of the Ultra preset at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination holds a rank of 315 out of 3714 tested combos in the database for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the top 8.5% of all configurations, a strong showing that underscores its high-end positioning.

In the CPU benchmark context, the i5-12400 has an average score of 18683, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18697 (-0.1%), the Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18730 (-0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18811 (-0.7%). The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18519, which is 0.9% lower. This indicates the i5-12400 is a capable processor that performs on par with much more expensive server and mobile chips.

For the GPU, the RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest competitor is the standard RTX 4080, which scores 54247 with a delta of -0.1%, making them effectively identical in performance. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (-1.1%), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (-2.7%). This shows the RTX 4080 SUPER is a top-tier graphics card, with its performance only slightly below the very best options.

The combination's rank of 315 out of 3714 reflects its balanced power. The high GPU percentile and solid CPU performance work in tandem to deliver the excellent frame rates seen in the measured data, confirming that this is a premium configuration for Microsoft Flight Simulator.