Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a highly capable, though resolution-dependent, experience in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Benchmark data confirms that this combination is fully playable at 1440p and 1080p across all tested presets, while 4K Ultra settings fall just short of the 60 FPS threshold. The measured performance shows a clear scaling pattern where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded capabilities keep frame rates solid at lower settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides average, minimum, and maximum frame rates for four settings presets at three resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional headroom. With Low settings, the average FPS reaches 158, offering a massive margin over the 60 FPS playability threshold. Medium settings produce an average of 123 FPS, with a minimum of 104 FPS and a maximum of 141 FPS, indicating smooth performance even in demanding scenes. High settings average 92 FPS, while Ultra settings still maintain a strong 88 FPS average, keeping the experience fluid throughout.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains robust but begins to show the increased load on the system. Low settings yield an average of 127 FPS, still more than double the 60 FPS target. Medium settings drop to 99 FPS average, with a recorded minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS, ensuring no significant frame drops. High settings average 74 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 71 FPS, both comfortably above the playability threshold. The data indicates that 1440p is the sweet spot for this hardware, offering high visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve steepens. Low settings average 94 FPS, which is still very playable. Medium settings average 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS, keeping the experience mostly smooth with occasional dips near the threshold. High settings drop to 55 FPS average, falling below the 60 FPS target. Ultra settings average 52 FPS, indicating a noticeable performance hit at the highest visual quality. The minimum FPS data for High and Ultra at 4K is not provided, but the averages clearly show that these presets are not suitable for maintaining a consistent 60 FPS experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, this specific CPU-GPU pairing ranks 1036 out of 3714 total combos. This places the configuration in the upper third of all tested systems, indicating that it is a solid performer for this title. The percentile ranking for the CPU is 84, meaning the Core i7-12700K outperforms 84% of all CPUs in the database. The GPU’s percentile is lower at 68, yet the combination still achieves a competitive overall rank.

The ranking suggests that while the RTX 3080 is not at the absolute top of the GPU hierarchy, the strength of the Core i7-12700K compensates effectively. This is particularly evident in the scaling between resolutions; at 1080p, where CPU load is relatively higher, the combo performs exceptionally well, achieving a rank that reflects its ability to feed the GPU efficiently. At 4K, the rank is still respectable but shows the GPU’s limitations as the resolution increases. The data indicates that this combo is a balanced pairing, with neither component severely bottlenecking the other at most settings, though the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K Ultra.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provides context on what other hardware would behave similarly. For the Intel Core i7-12700K, the closest alternatives are all within a 0.4% performance delta. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35,305, which is 0.1% lower than the i7-12700K’s average of 35,287. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35,365, a 0.2% difference. The Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35,403, and the Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35,428, both showing negligible differences. In practice, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator, making them interchangeable for this workload.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, the nearest rivals listed show a similar pattern of near-identical performance. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23,249, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 scores 23,250, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23,273, and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scores 23,276. Each of these is within 0.4% of the RTX 3080’s average score of 23,172. While some of these names may seem surprising given the generational differences, the benchmark data indicates that they produce comparable results in aggregate. Users with these alternatives would see essentially the same FPS numbers as the RTX 3080 in this game.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly establishes that this PC can run Microsoft Flight Simulator effectively at most settings. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clear the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset averages 88 FPS, providing a fully playable experience with maximum visual quality. At 2560x1440, the same is true; all presets including Ultra at 71 FPS average are playable. The system easily handles 1440p with high fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the results are more nuanced. Low and Medium presets are playable, with Medium averaging 73 FPS and Low averaging 94 FPS. However, High settings drop to 55 FPS average, and Ultra settings to 52 FPS, both falling short of the 60 FPS target. The verdict by resolution confirms this: at 4K, only Low and Medium are listed as playable settings. For users prioritizing 4K resolution, the data suggests that Medium settings are the maximum viable option, offering a good balance of visual quality and smoothness.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 60 FPS on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p and 1440p. At 1920x1080 Ultra, the average FPS is 88. At 2560x1440 Ultra, the average FPS is 71. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS drops to 52, which does not meet the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 4K resolution?

A: Medium settings are the best playable option at 3840x2160, delivering an average FPS of 73, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K scores 35,287 on average. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-13600T, scores 35,305, a delta of -0.1%. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35,365, a -0.2% delta, and the Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35,403, a -0.3% delta. All are effectively within 0.4% of each other.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more of a bottleneck at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the data shows only a modest drop from 1080p performance, with Ultra averaging 71 FPS compared to 88 FPS at 1080p. This indicates a balanced load, but the GPU’s lower percentile rank (68) compared to the CPU (84) suggests the GPU is the more limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures for Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080, the minimum FPS is 104. At 2560x1440, the minimum FPS is 84. At 3840x2160, the minimum FPS is 62. No minimum FPS data is provided for Low, High, or Ultra presets.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems?

A: This combination ranks 1036 out of 3714 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the upper percentile of all systems tested.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users seeking the highest visual quality while maintaining at least 60 FPS, the data recommends specific settings for each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays above the threshold, achieving an average FPS of 88. This provides the full visual experience without compromising smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also remains the best choice, with an average FPS of 71. This is the most demanding setting that still clears the 60 FPS mark, offering a significant upgrade in visual fidelity over High settings. The margin above the threshold is smaller than at 1080p, but it remains a stable option.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the recommended setting, delivering an average FPS of 73. While High and Ultra are visually superior, they average 55 and 52 FPS respectively, which fails to meet the playability standard. Medium settings provide a substantial improvement over Low (94 FPS average) while maintaining a playable frame rate, though the minimum FPS of 62 indicates some scenes will approach the threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals distinct scaling patterns that illustrate the respective roles of the CPU and GPU across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the performance difference between Low (158 FPS) and Ultra (88 FPS) is 70 FPS, a 44% reduction. This significant drop with increasing settings suggests that the GPU is being tasked more heavily, but the high absolute numbers indicate the CPU is not a limiting factor. The Core i7-12700K’s strong multi-threaded performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 19,784, ensures the GPU is adequately fed at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the scaling from Low (127 FPS) to Ultra (71 FPS) shows a 56 FPS reduction, a 44% drop as well. However, the absolute values are lower than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming a larger factor. The CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases because the workload shifts to pixel processing. The data shows that the CPU’s percentile rank of 84 versus the GPU’s 68 becomes less relevant at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant component. The drop from Low (94 FPS) to Ultra (52 FPS) is 42 FPS, a 45% reduction, but the absolute numbers are much lower. The High and Ultra presets fall below 60 FPS, confirming that the RTX 3080’s capabilities are the primary constraint. The CPU’s influence is minimal at this resolution, as even with a weaker CPU, the frame rates would likely be similar due to the GPU bottleneck. This is consistent with the overall ranking, where the combo performs best at lower resolutions where the CPU’s strength can be fully utilized.