Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i7-14700F (launch MSRP $359) paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (launch MSRP $349) lands at rank 2960 out of 3714 tested CPU and GPU combinations in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The database records this as a measured configuration, and the results show a system that can handle the simulator at 1080p and 1440p with reduced settings, but not at 4K. The CPU sits at the 91st percentile among all tested processors, while the GPU sits at the 58th percentile among all tested graphics cards, a gap that shapes every frame rate in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 2960 out of 3714 tested configurations in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the lower portion of the field. The CPU is a strong part: the Core i7-14700F reaches the 91st percentile among all CPUs in the database, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122 and a single-core score of 4958. The GPU is comparatively modest: the RTX 2060 sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 14111.

This rank reflects the GPU's limitations in a flight simulator that is heavily dependent on rendering load. Many combinations with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs will outrank this pairing, because the RTX 2060 cannot keep pace with the CPU's potential. The rank is not a verdict on the CPU, which is clearly capable, but on the balance of the pair. The i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz and 33 MB of shared L3 cache, placing it among the stronger desktop parts in the database. The RTX 2060, with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus and 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is a mid-range GPU from the Turing generation.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded frame rates show that the GPU is the dominant constraint. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo averages 90 FPS. Raising the preset to Medium drops the average to 71.5 FPS, High to 55.1 FPS, and Ultra to 50.6 FPS. The steady decline with each settings tier indicates a GPU that is saturated by increasing shading and texture work. At 3840x2160, the same pattern is even more pronounced: Low averages 53.1 FPS, Medium 44.2 FPS, High 32.7 FPS, and Ultra 28.8 FPS.

The CPU's role becomes visible at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 90 FPS, a frame rate that a weaker processor would struggle to feed. The i7-14700F's single-thread performance, reflected in a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4958, keeps the simulation's main thread from becoming the bottleneck at these settings. However, as resolution and settings rise, the GPU takes over as the limiting factor. The scaling from 1080p Low to 4K Low, from 90 FPS down to 53.1 FPS, is a GPU-driven drop. The CPU has the headroom; the GPU does not.

The resolution scaling tells the same story. At 1440p, the Low preset averages 70.4 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold, but Medium falls to 57.9 FPS, High to 43.3 FPS, and Ultra to 39.3 FPS. At 4K, even Low cannot reach 60 FPS. The pattern across all three resolutions is consistent: the RTX 2060 exhausts its rendering capacity well before the i7-14700F's processing power becomes relevant. In a simulator like Microsoft Flight Simulator, where draw distance and terrain detail drive GPU load, this balance matters more than raw CPU throughput.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The database records only average frame rates for this configuration; minimum and maximum values are not present in the recorded data, so the analysis relies on averages.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 90 FPS on Low, 71.5 FPS on Medium, 55.1 FPS on High, and 50.6 FPS on Ultra. Low is the only preset that exceeds 90 FPS; Medium stays above 60 FPS; High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS. The progression shows a steady decline as the preset becomes more demanding.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 70.4 FPS on Low, 57.9 FPS on Medium, 43.3 FPS on High, and 39.3 FPS on Ultra. Only Low clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium is below 60 FPS, High is further below, and Ultra is the lowest of the four.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS. Low averages 53.1 FPS, Medium 44.2 FPS, High 32.7 FPS, and Ultra 28.8 FPS. The highest average, 53.1 FPS on Low, remains below the playable threshold, and the Ultra preset produces the lowest average frame rate of any configuration in this measurement set.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database lists nearest rivals for both components based on average benchmark scores. These are not direct game frame rate measurements, but they indicate which alternative parts would produce broadly similar behavior.

For the CPU, the closest rival is the Intel Xeon 6505P with an average score of 53701, which is 0.2% below the i7-14700F. The Intel Xeon Phi 7290 scores 53469, 0.3% above. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X scores 53288, 0.6% above, and the AMD EPYC 7313P scores 53206, 0.8% above. All four are within 0.8% of the i7-14700F's average benchmark score, so swapping in any of them would not meaningfully change the frame rates in this game.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 has an average score of 15283, matching the RTX 2060 at 0% delta. The AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270, 0.1% above. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199, 0.6% above, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 scores 15171, 0.8% above. These GPUs would deliver nearly identical performance to the RTX 2060 in this title.

A system built with any of these CPU rivals and any of these GPU rivals would land in the same performance neighborhood as the measured combo. The rank of 2960 out of 3714 would shift only slightly, because the limiting factor, the GPU, remains in the same performance class. The CPU rivals are all server or high-end desktop parts with similar average scores, while the GPU rivals span older and newer generations but cluster tightly around the RTX 2060's score.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS. The best result is Low at 53.1 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. The database's verdict list for 4K is empty, meaning no playable settings exist for this resolution.

At 2560x1440, Low is the only playable preset, averaging 70.4 FPS. Medium falls to 57.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, so it is not recommended. The best playable setting at 1440p is Low.

At 1920x1080, both Low and Medium are playable. Low averages 90 FPS and Medium averages 71.5 FPS. Medium is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, so it is the best choice. High and Ultra fall below the threshold at 55.1 FPS and 50.6 FPS respectively.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average frame rate is 53.1 FPS on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall further, down to 28.8 FPS on Ultra.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: Low settings, which average 70.4 FPS. Medium drops to 57.9 FPS, below 60 FPS, so it is not playable by the database's standard.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 1920x1080?

A: Medium settings, averaging 71.5 FPS. Low is also playable at 90 FPS, but Medium is the most demanding preset that still clears 60 FPS.

Q: Which component limits this combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The GPU. The RTX 2060 sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, while the i7-14700F sits at the 91st percentile among all CPUs. Frame rates drop sharply as settings and resolution increase, a pattern consistent with a GPU bottleneck.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 2960 out of 3714 tested CPU and GPU combinations in this game, placing it in the lower portion of the field.

Q: Are there similar performing alternatives?

A: Yes. On the CPU side, the Intel Xeon 6505P, Intel Xeon Phi 7290, AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, and AMD EPYC 7313P are all within 0.8% of the i7-14700F's average score. On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, AMD Radeon 680M, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, and AMD Radeon RX 7600 are all within 0.8% of the RTX 2060's average score.

The Verdict

This PC can run Microsoft Flight Simulator, but with important caveats. At 1920x1080, it is playable on Low and Medium settings, with Medium delivering 71.5 FPS as the best playable preset. At 2560x1440, only Low settings clear the 60 FPS threshold, averaging 70.4 FPS. At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS, so 4K is not playable with this configuration.

The CPU is not the problem. The i7-14700F is a strong processor with a 91st percentile standing, and it provides enough single-thread and multi-thread performance for this simulator. The RTX 2060 is the limiting factor, and users who want higher settings or 4K would need a more powerful GPU. For 1080p Medium or 1440p Low, this combo delivers a smooth experience. For 4K, the data is unambiguous: no preset reaches the playable threshold, and the best result, Low at 53.1 FPS, falls short.