Microsoft Flight Simulator

This combo places 718th out of 3,714 tested combinations specifically for Microsoft Flight Simulator, putting it in the top fifth of all systems evaluated for this title. The CPU holds a 72nd percentile ranking against all processors, while the GPU sits at the 82nd percentile against all graphics cards, suggesting a well-balanced pairing where neither component dramatically bottlenecks the other in this flight sim workload. The data indicates this is a strong but not elite configuration for the game, with the measured frame rates showing it can handle the sim comfortably at most settings, though the absolute highest preset at 4K sits right at the edge of the playable threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

The 718th position out of 3,714 combos places this system in the 80th percentile of all tested configurations for Microsoft Flight Simulator. That is a strong result, reflecting the combination of a solid six-core processor and a high-end Blackwell GPU. The ranking suggests that for the vast majority of users, this system will deliver a smooth experience, but it also indicates there is headroom above it for those chasing maximum fidelity at 4K.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 18,683 places it just 0.1% behind the AMD EPYC 7643, a server-class chip, and 0.3% behind the Intel Core i7-1355U. More relevantly, it is 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i3-14100F, which shows that the i5-12400 is not leaving much performance on the table compared to newer budget options. With a multi-threaded score of 15,989 in Cinebench R23 and a single-thread score of 2,257, the processor provides sufficient grunt for the simulation’s physics and AI calculations, which often rely on a few heavily loaded threads.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5070’s average benchmark score of 40,377 puts it 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580 and 0.8% ahead of the Radeon Pro WX 7100, though it trails the Radeon Pro 5300 by 1.2%. The graphics card’s 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for the high-resolution textures that Microsoft Flight Simulator streams in. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support means it can handle the sim’s most advanced rendering features, and the data confirms it does so without major compromise until you push to 4K Ultra.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in benchmark scores are all within a 1% performance band. The AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18,697, which is effectively identical to the i5-12400’s 18,683. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18,730, just 0.3% higher, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18,811, 0.7% higher. The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18,519, 0.9% lower. This means if you were to swap the i5-12400 for any of these chips, you would see almost no difference in Microsoft Flight Simulator’s frame rates. The i3-14100F is particularly notable as a lower-core-count alternative that still matches the i5’s overall score in this workload.

On the GPU side, the situation is similar. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 scores 40,318, just 0.1% lower than the RTX 5070’s 40,377. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 scores 40,063, 0.8% lower, and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile scores 39,568, 2% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro 5300 scores 40,870, which is 1.2% higher. These are all professional or mobile workstation cards that would deliver comparable frame rates in this sim, though they may lack the consumer-oriented driver optimizations that the RTX 5070 receives for gaming titles. For practical purposes, the measured FPS data for this combo would be a close approximation for any of those GPU alternatives.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but with limitations. The measured data shows 4K High averages 59.2 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS playable threshold. 4K Medium averages 80.6 FPS, and 4K Low averages 102.2 FPS, both comfortably above 60 FPS. 4K Ultra averages 58.3 FPS, which is also below the threshold.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gaming?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 76.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. The data shows High averages 81.9 FPS, Medium averages 110.8 FPS, and Low averages 140.7 FPS. Ultra is the most demanding preset that still clears the playable bar.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to its closest GPU rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5070’s average benchmark score of 40,377 is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 580’s 40,318, 0.8% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100’s 40,063, and 2% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile’s 39,568. It is 1.2% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro 5300’s 40,870.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The data does not indicate a significant bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 72nd percentile of all processors, and the GPU in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. The measured FPS scales consistently with resolution and settings, suggesting the pairing is balanced for this title.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with the Ultra preset?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 100.2 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold, leaving substantial headroom for demanding scenarios like dense city flyovers or complex weather systems.

Q: Is the 4K High preset playable?

A: The measured average is 59.2 FPS, which is 0.8 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold used in this database. While it is very close, the data classifies it as not playable. You would need to drop to Medium settings, which average 80.6 FPS, to secure a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

The Verdict

This system can run Microsoft Flight Simulator at playable frame rates across all tested resolutions, provided you select the right settings. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 100.2 FPS. At 2560x1440, the same is true: all four presets average above 60 FPS, with Ultra at 76.6 FPS. The situation changes at 3840x2160, where the High preset averages 59.2 FPS and Ultra averages 58.3 FPS, both missing the 60 FPS target. The playable presets at 4K are Low at 102.2 FPS and Medium at 80.6 FPS.

The verdict by resolution is clear: at 1080p and 1440p, you can max out the settings and still have a smooth experience. At 4K, you must compromise on visual fidelity, choosing between Medium for a solid 80.6 FPS or High if you accept a marginal dip to 59.2 FPS. For most players, the Medium preset at 4K represents the sweet spot, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining a comfortable frame rate buffer.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four quality presets each, for a total of twelve data points. All figures are average FPS; no minimum or maximum values were recorded.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 102.2 FPS, Medium averages 80.6 FPS, High averages 59.2 FPS, and Ultra averages 58.3 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 21.4 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 0.9 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset adds little performance cost over High but also provides marginal benefit in this sim at 4K.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 140.7 FPS, Medium averages 110.8 FPS, High averages 81.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 76.6 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra here is 5.3 FPS, which is more substantial than at 4K, suggesting the GPU has more headroom at this resolution to handle the extra effects.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 178.6 FPS, Medium averages 140.3 FPS, High averages 106.4 FPS, and Ultra averages 100.2 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is relatively linear, with each step up in quality costing roughly 20-35 FPS. This resolution is clearly where this combo shines, as even the most demanding preset leaves a 40 FPS buffer above the 60 FPS threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average FPS of 80.6. The High preset falls short at 59.2 FPS, so Medium is the recommended choice for 4K gaming. This gives you a 20.6 FPS buffer over the playable threshold, which is useful for the occasional frame drops that can occur when flying over dense scenery or during complex weather.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that clears 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average FPS of 76.6. This is the ideal resolution for this combo, as it allows you to enable every visual feature without sacrificing smoothness. The 16.6 FPS buffer above the threshold provides reasonable headroom, though it is not as generous as the 1080p result.

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that clears 60 FPS is also Ultra, with an average FPS of 100.2. This represents the best balance of visual quality and performance for this system. The 40.2 FPS buffer above the threshold means you are unlikely to encounter stutter even in the most demanding scenarios, such as landing at a highly detailed airport with multiple aircraft visible. For players with standard 1080p monitors, this is the definitive way to run Microsoft Flight Simulator on this hardware.