Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 presents a specific performance envelope for Microsoft Flight Simulator, a title that stresses both the processor's simulation logic and the GPU's rendering of vast scenery. The database shows this combination has an average benchmark score of 35287 for the CPU and 15290 for the GPU, placing the processor in the 84th percentile of all CPUs and the graphics card in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. The measured frame rates reveal a system that can handle the game at lower resolutions and presets, but struggles to maintain smooth performance at higher visual fidelity.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have close competitors in the database that would produce near-identical frame rates in this game. For the Intel Core i7-12700K, the nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-13600T with an average score of 35305, a difference of only 0.1 percent from the i7-12700K's average of 35287. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35365, representing a 0.2 percent delta, while the Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35403 at a 0.3 percent delta. The Intel Core 5 213PE rounds out the immediate competition with an average score of 35428, just 0.4 percent higher. These margins are negligible in real-world gaming terms, meaning a user swapping between any of these processors would see virtually no change in Microsoft Flight Simulator performance when paired with the same GPU.

On the graphics side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, which posts an average score of 15283 against the RTX 2060's 15290, a delta of 0 percent. The AMD Radeon 680M is also close at 15270, just 0.1 percent behind. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199, a 0.6 percent difference, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 trails by 0.8 percent with a score of 15171. For this specific game, these rival GPUs would deliver essentially the same frame rates at each resolution and preset, so the choice between them does not meaningfully alter the experience. The data indicates that the RTX 2060 sits in a crowded performance tier where small benchmark deltas do not translate into perceptible FPS differences in a simulation title like this.

CPU and GPU Roles

Microsoft Flight Simulator's workload shifts between the CPU and GPU depending on resolution and preset. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 90.3 FPS, which is the highest recorded measurement for this system. Moving to Medium at the same resolution drops the average to 71.9 FPS, a reduction of 18.4 FPS, while High yields 51.3 FPS and Ultra falls to 53.7 FPS. The fact that Medium and High show a larger drop than the step from High to Ultra suggests the GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase, but the CPU still has headroom at lower presets.

At 2560x1440, the scaling tells a clearer story. Low settings average 71.4 FPS, Medium drops to 59.3 FPS, High to 45.5 FPS, and Ultra to 42.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 12.1 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 2.9 FPS, indicating that the GPU is increasingly saturated as resolution rises. At 3840x2160, all presets fall below the 60 FPS threshold: Low averages 53 FPS, Medium 43.9 FPS, High 30.4 FPS, and Ultra 29.7 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is just 0.7 FPS, which shows the GPU is fully maxed out and the processor has minimal influence at this resolution.

The resolution scaling demonstrates that the RTX 2060 is the primary bottleneck at 1440p and 4K, while the i7-12700K provides sufficient compute headroom to drive high frame rates at 1080p on lower presets. The CPU's 12 cores, 20 threads, and 5.00 GHz boost clock are adequate for the game's simulation tasks, but the GPU's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth constrain performance at higher pixel counts. The data shows the system transitions from CPU-bound at 1080p Low to heavily GPU-bound at 4K, with the crossover point occurring somewhere between Medium and High at 1440p.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, which delivers an average of 71.9 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS playability threshold while offering better visual quality than Low. High falls to 51.3 FPS and Ultra to 53.7 FPS, both below the target. The recorded data shows Low at 90.3 FPS, so users prioritizing frame rate over visuals could opt for that, but Medium is the highest preset that clears the threshold.

At 2560x1440, only Low settings achieve playable performance with an average of 71.4 FPS. Medium drops to 59.3 FPS, just shy of the 60 FPS target, while High and Ultra fall further to 45.5 FPS and 42.6 FPS respectively. The best settings at this resolution are therefore Low, which gives a 11.4 FPS buffer over the playability threshold. For users who want a smoother experience, lower resolution with higher settings may be preferable, but within 1440p, Low is the only viable option.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS. The best average is Low at 53 FPS, followed by Medium at 43.9 FPS, High at 30.4 FPS, and Ultra at 29.7 FPS. The verdict data confirms that 4K is not playable at any setting for this combo, so users targeting 4K would need to consider a more powerful GPU. The highest preset that remains at or above 60 FPS across all resolutions is Medium at 1080p, making that the recommended configuration for a balanced experience.

The Verdict

This PC can run Microsoft Flight Simulator, but only at specific resolutions and presets. The verdict by resolution shows that 3840x2160 has no playable settings, meaning the 60 FPS threshold is not met at Low, Medium, High, or Ultra. At 2560x1440, Low is the only playable setting with an average of 71.4 FPS, while Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, both Low and Medium are playable, with Medium providing the best visual quality at an average of 71.9 FPS, and Low delivering 90.3 FPS for users who prefer higher frame rates.

The overall picture is that the system is best suited for 1080p gaming with Medium settings, where it delivers a solid experience well above the playability threshold. At 1440p, users must accept Low settings to maintain smooth performance, and 4K is entirely out of reach. The i7-12700K is more than capable for this game, but the RTX 2060 limits the system to lower resolutions and presets. The combo ranks 2912 out of 3714 tested combinations for this game, placing it in the lower third of all tested systems, which reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning rather than any CPU deficiency.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the recorded averages are 90.3 FPS on Low, 71.9 FPS on Medium, 51.3 FPS on High, and 53.7 FPS on Ultra. The anomaly of Ultra outperforming High by 2.4 FPS suggests variance in the simulation scenes or driver behavior, but both remain below the 60 FPS target. The minimum and maximum FPS values are not recorded in the database, so the analysis relies solely on averages.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 71.4 FPS on Low, 59.3 FPS on Medium, 45.5 FPS on High, and 42.6 FPS on Ultra. The step from Low to Medium costs 12.1 FPS, while the step from Medium to High costs 13.8 FPS, showing a steady decline as settings increase. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to 2.9 FPS, indicating diminishing returns at the highest preset.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 53 FPS on Low, 43.9 FPS on Medium, 30.4 FPS on High, and 29.7 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 9.1 FPS, from Medium to High is 13.5 FPS, and from High to Ultra is just 0.7 FPS. This pattern confirms that the GPU is fully saturated at 4K, and further setting increases have minimal impact on frame rate. The data across all resolutions shows that the system's performance degrades predictably with resolution and preset, with the RTX 2060 being the limiting factor at higher loads.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination ranks 2912 out of 3714 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator in the database. This places the system in the 21st percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly 78 percent of tested combos perform better in this game. Given the GPU's 58th percentile ranking across all GPUs and the CPU's 84th percentile ranking across all CPUs, the low combo rank is clearly attributable to the graphics card holding back the processor.

The rank reflects the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions and presets, as demonstrated by the measured FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the system performs adequately, but the combo's overall standing is dragged down by its inability to handle 1440p Medium or any 4K preset. Users considering this combo for Microsoft Flight Simulator should be aware that it offers a playable experience only at 1080p Medium or 1440p Low, and that the GPU represents the primary upgrade path for improved performance in this title. The i7-12700K's strong synthetic benchmarks do not translate into high frame rates in this game due to the GPU bottleneck, making the combo rank a useful indicator of real-world gaming performance rather than raw compute capability.