Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers exceptional frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator, with every tested resolution and preset combination exceeding the 60 FPS playability threshold. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily overqualified for this simulation, offering headroom that allows users to prioritize visual fidelity without compromising smoothness.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination produces triple-digit average frame rates across all settings. The Low preset yields the highest average at 226 FPS, while Medium averages 181 FPS with a minimum of 154 FPS and a maximum of 208 FPS. High settings produce an average of 136 FPS, and the Ultra preset still maintains a strong 130 FPS average. This resolution shows the RTX 4090 is barely challenged, with even the most demanding preset leaving substantial performance in reserve.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high. The Low preset averages 188 FPS, Medium averages 146 FPS with a minimum of 124 FPS and a maximum of 168 FPS, and High settings produce 110 FPS on average. The Ultra preset delivers a 105 FPS average, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold and demonstrates that 1440p gaming at maximum quality is entirely feasible.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4090 continues to impress. The Low preset averages 138 FPS, Medium averages 108 FPS with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS, and High settings produce an 81 FPS average. The Ultra preset delivers a 77 FPS average, which is the lowest figure recorded in the entire dataset but still clears the 60 FPS playability threshold by a comfortable margin. The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a predictable performance drop, but the absolute numbers remain consistently high.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates that this game is far more dependent on the GPU than the CPU at every resolution tested. The RTX 4090's raw power is the primary driver of the high frame rates observed, as evidenced by the smooth scaling between presets. At 1920x1080, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is 96 FPS (226 down to 130), which represents a 42% reduction in performance. This large delta suggests the GPU is being utilized heavily even at lower settings, while the i5-14600K's strong single-thread performance keeps the simulation logic fed without becoming a bottleneck.

At 2560x1440, the performance drop from Low to Ultra is 83 FPS (188 down to 105), a 44% reduction. The consistency of this percentage across 1080p and 1440p indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor in both cases, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom. The i5-14600K's 14 cores and 20 threads, combined with its 5.30 GHz boost clock, are more than adequate for this title's demands, which are typically more dependent on single-thread performance for flight simulation physics and AI.

At 3840x2160, the resolution scaling becomes more pronounced. The difference between Low and Ultra is 61 FPS (138 down to 77), a 44% reduction that mirrors the lower resolutions. However, the absolute frame rates at 4K are lower across the board, confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint. The RTX 4090's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are crucial here, as the higher resolution demands more memory bandwidth and capacity for textures and geometry. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming the sole performance limiter at 4K Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks 93rd out of 3714 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the top 2.5% of all systems evaluated. This high ranking is unsurprising given the RTX 4090's position as one of the most powerful consumer GPUs available, with an average benchmark score of 60347 and a percentile rank of 88 among all GPUs. The i5-14600K complements this well, with an average benchmark score of 48618 and a percentile rank of 90 among all CPUs.

The rank of 93 out of 3714 indicates that there are only a handful of combinations that outperform this setup, likely those pairing the RTX 4090 with higher-end CPUs like the Core i9 or Ryzen 9 series. However, the performance difference in this specific game is likely minimal, as the data shows the GPU is the dominant factor at all resolutions. The i5-14600K's strong single-core performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064 and Geekbench single-core score of 2491, ensures it does not hold back the RTX 4090 in this title.

The Verdict

This PC can run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 60+ FPS in every scenario tested. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 130 FPS on average, which is more than double the playability threshold. The 2560x1440 resolution also clears the bar easily, with Ultra settings producing 105 FPS on average. Even at 3840x2160, the most demanding resolution, the Ultra preset achieves 77 FPS on average, comfortably exceeding the 60 FPS requirement.

The verdict data lists all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) as playable at every resolution, with the best settings being Ultra at all three resolutions. The highest average frame rate at 4K Ultra is 77 FPS, which means users can max out the graphics settings without worrying about drops below the playability threshold. The minimum frame rate recorded across all tests is 92 FPS, which occurs at 4K Medium settings, indicating that even the worst-case dips remain well above 60 FPS.

For users with high refresh rate monitors, the 1080p and 1440p presets offer significant headroom. The Low preset at 1080p hits 226 FPS, and the Medium preset at 1440p averages 146 FPS, both of which can take advantage of 144Hz or even 165Hz displays. At 4K, the 77 FPS average at Ultra is suitable for 60Hz displays and can even work with 120Hz panels if users are willing to accept occasional dips below the refresh rate.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the i5-14600K provide insight into CPU alternatives that would perform similarly. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H has an average benchmark score of 48698, which is just 0.2% lower than the i5-14600K's 48618. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, a 0.3% difference, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, a 0.7% difference. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, which is 0.8% higher. These CPUs would all deliver nearly identical performance in this game, as the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

On the GPU side, the nearest rivals to the RTX 4090 show that there are no true equals in the tested dataset. The Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average score of 60326, which is a 0% difference from the RTX 4090's 60347. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140, a 0.3% difference, and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896, which is actually 2.5% higher. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657, a 2.9% difference. These alternatives would provide very similar frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator, though their professional-grade focus may not include the same gaming optimizations as the RTX 4090.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combination at 3840x2160?

A: The Ultra preset is the best choice at 4K, delivering an average of 77 FPS. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution, with Medium offering a 108 FPS average and High providing 81 FPS.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, the 3840x2160 Ultra preset averages 77 FPS, which is 17 FPS above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The minimum frame rate recorded in the entire dataset is 92 FPS, occurring at 4K Medium settings, so dips below 60 FPS are not a concern.

Q: How much performance is lost when going from Low to Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080, the drop is 96 FPS (226 down to 130). At 2560x1440, the drop is 83 FPS (188 down to 105). At 3840x2160, the drop is 61 FPS (138 down to 77). The consistent 42-44% reduction across resolutions indicates the GPU is the primary performance driver.

Q: How does this combination rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 93rd out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the top 2.5% of all systems. The i5-14600K ranks in the 90th percentile among all CPUs, and the RTX 4090 ranks in the 88th percentile among all GPUs.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The GPU is the dominant factor at all resolutions. The frame rate scaling between presets is consistent across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, with a 42-44% reduction from Low to Ultra. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064) provides sufficient headroom without becoming a bottleneck.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this system can achieve?

A: The highest average frame rate is 226 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. The Medium preset at 1080p reaches 181 FPS with a minimum of 154 FPS, and the Low preset at 1440p averages 188 FPS.