Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 delivers a mixed experience in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This combination sits near the lower end of the database’s tested configurations, ranking 2902 out of 3714 combos. The game is demanding, and the recorded frame rates show that only specific settings and resolutions cross the 60 FPS threshold. Below is a breakdown of what this system can actually deliver.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS. The closest option is Low, which averages 56.2 FPS, but that still falls short of the playable threshold. High, Medium, and Ultra all land below 45 FPS, with Ultra at 31.2 FPS and High at 30.3 FPS. For 4K users, the data indicates that even the lowest settings cannot maintain a smooth 60 FPS, so this resolution is effectively not viable for this combo.

At 2560x1440, the only setting that clears 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 71.3 FPS. Medium comes close at 54.7 FPS, but it does not meet the 60 FPS target. High and Ultra are further behind at 44.9 FPS and 44.1 FPS respectively. The best playable experience at this resolution is Low, which provides a comfortable margin above the threshold.

At 1920x1080, two presets clear 60 FPS: Low and Medium. Low averages 92.2 FPS, while Medium averages 72 FPS. High sits just below the line at 55.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 48.5 FPS. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, making it the recommended choice for 1080p gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of 3714 tested combinations, this CPU and GPU pairing ranks 2902nd for Microsoft Flight Simulator. That places it in the bottom 22 percent of all recorded configurations. The percentile data supports this: the CPU sits at the 83rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU is at the 58th percentile among all graphics cards. The gap between those two percentiles is telling. The processor is a relatively strong component, but the graphics card holds the system back in this title.

The rank reflects the overall balance of the pair. Many other combos tested in the database achieve higher frame rates, often because they pair a similar CPU with a faster GPU. The RTX 2060 is an older, end-of-life product, and its performance in this flight simulator is the limiting factor. The CPU’s higher percentile does not translate into a high combo rank, because the game’s frame rate at the tested presets is heavily dependent on GPU throughput.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded measurements cover three resolutions and four settings each. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are as follows: Low hits 56.2 FPS, Medium drops to 44.2 FPS, High falls to 30.3 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 31.2 FPS. Note that High and Ultra are nearly identical, which suggests that the GPU is saturated and additional settings do not change the load much.

At 2560x1440, the numbers improve across the board. Low averages 71.3 FPS, Medium reaches 54.7 FPS, High comes in at 44.9 FPS, and Ultra is close at 44.1 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs about 16.6 FPS, while the step from Medium to High costs another 9.8 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal, only 0.8 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the system performs best. Low averages 92.2 FPS, Medium reaches 72 FPS, High drops to 55.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 48.5 FPS. The scaling here is steeper: moving from Low to Medium loses 20.2 FPS, and moving from Medium to High loses another 16.7 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is 6.8 FPS.

The data shows no recorded minimum or maximum frame rate values, so the averages are the only metrics available. The absence of min and max figures means we cannot assess frame pacing or stutter risk. However, the averages alone are enough to identify clear patterns.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the CPU’s closest matches include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, the Intel Core i9-11900, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS, and the Intel Core i7-12800H. The average benchmark scores for these chips are all within a tight band: the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores 32233, the Core i9-11900 scores 32226, the Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354, and the Core i7-12800H scores 32121. The i5-14400F itself has an average benchmark score of 32279. The delta percentages range from 0.5 percent ahead of the i7-12800H to 0.2 percent behind the Ryzen 7 6800HS. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in this game when paired with the same GPU.

On the GPU side, the RTX 2060’s nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, the AMD Radeon 680M, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600. Their average benchmark scores are 15283, 15270, 15199, and 15171 respectively. The RTX 2060 scores 15290. The deltas are tiny: the GTX 580 matches it within 0 percent, the Radeon 680M is 0.1 percent behind, the RTX 3050 OEM is 0.6 percent behind, and the RX 7600 is 0.8 percent behind. This means that swapping the GPU for any of these cards would produce very similar results in Microsoft Flight Simulator, assuming the same CPU and settings.

For a builder looking at alternatives, the data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck. A system with a Ryzen 7 6800HS or a Core i7-12800H would behave almost identically. Likewise, the GPU’s performance class is well established; the RX 7600 and RTX 3050 OEM are near equivalents, so upgrading to either would not dramatically change the frame rates at the tested presets.

CPU and GPU Roles

The interaction between the CPU and GPU becomes clear when comparing frame rates across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the CPU has more headroom, so the GPU is the primary constraint. The difference between Low and Medium is 20.2 FPS, and the difference between Medium and High is another 16.7 FPS. This steep drop-off as settings increase points to the GPU struggling with higher graphical loads.

At 2560x1440, the GPU is still the main factor, but the scaling is less dramatic. The gap between Low and Medium is 16.6 FPS, and the gap between Medium and High is 9.8 FPS. The smaller differences suggest that the GPU is approaching its limits more consistently. At 3840x2160, the GPU is fully saturated. Low averages 56.2 FPS, but High and Ultra both fall to around 30 to 31 FPS. The tiny difference between High and Ultra, only 0.9 FPS, indicates that the GPU cannot handle the increased load and the frame rate is bound by raw pixel throughput.

The CPU’s role is more constant. The i5-14400F has strong single-thread and multi-thread benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055. In a simulation-heavy game like this, the CPU handles world simulation, traffic, and physics. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, the system reaches 92.2 FPS, which implies the CPU is not holding the GPU back at that setting. At higher resolutions, the frame rate drops further, and the CPU becomes less relevant because the GPU is the limiting factor.

The scaling between resolutions confirms this. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 92.2 at 1080p to 71.3 at 1440p and then to 56.2 at 4K. That is a 35.8 percent reduction from 1080p to 1440p and another 21.2 percent reduction from 1440p to 4K. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. At Ultra settings, the drop is even sharper: 48.5 FPS at 1080p, 44.1 FPS at 1440p, and 31.2 FPS at 4K. The GPU is clearly the component that dictates performance at the higher presets.

The Verdict

This system can run Microsoft Flight Simulator, but only within narrow parameters. At 1920x1080, the playable settings are Low and Medium. Medium averages 72 FPS, which is 12 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. Low averages 92.2 FPS, providing a very smooth experience. High falls short at 55.3 FPS, and Ultra is not playable at 48.5 FPS. For 1080p users, the recommended setup is Medium, as it balances visual quality with a solid frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the only playable setting is Low, with an average of 71.3 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS. Medium at 54.7 FPS is close but still misses the target. For 1440p users, the choice is clear: stick to Low or drop to 1080p for higher quality settings.

At 3840x2160, no setting is playable. The best average is 56.2 FPS on Low, which is just under the 60 FPS line. Medium, High, and Ultra are all well below, with averages between 30.3 and 44.2 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not a realistic option for this hardware in this game.

The overall verdict is that this combo works for 1080p gaming with medium settings and for 1440p gaming only on low settings. It cannot handle 4K at any preset. The GPU is the limiting factor, and the CPU has enough headroom to support faster graphics cards. If a user wants higher settings or higher resolutions, the data suggests upgrading the GPU first. The RTX 2060’s nearest rivals all perform within a fraction of a percent, so any of those cards would provide a similar experience. The i5-14400F is a capable processor, and its benchmark scores place it well above the GPU in relative performance, but the combination’s overall rank of 2902 out of 3714 reflects the GPU’s age and limitations in this demanding title.