Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers exceptional performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution and preset combination tested. Benchmark data shows this combination is capable of running the game at its maximum visual quality even at 4K, with enough headroom to handle the most demanding flight scenarios without dropping below playable frame rates.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset runs at an average of 74.9 FPS. This is the most demanding settings level in the game, and the fact that it stays above the 60 FPS playable threshold means 4K users can max out every graphical option without compromise. The High preset at this resolution averages 76.7 FPS, which is only marginally faster than Ultra, indicating that the game engine is already heavily GPU-bound at these settings.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 102 FPS, providing a substantial cushion above the 60 FPS target. This resolution is the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors, as the gap between High (106.4 FPS) and Ultra (102 FPS) remains narrow, meaning there is little reason to drop below maximum settings.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 132.8 FPS. The 1080p resolution gives this hardware combination room to spare, with even the Low preset reaching 226.3 FPS. For users with 144Hz or 240Hz displays, the Medium preset at 184 FPS or the High preset at 135.7 FPS would be better choices than Ultra, as the visual difference between High and Ultra rarely justifies the frame rate drop at this resolution.

The data consistently shows the Ultra preset as the best choice for all three resolutions, since it remains above 60 FPS everywhere. There is no scenario in the measured results where this combination needs to compromise on visual quality to maintain playable frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals where the bottleneck shifts in Microsoft Flight Simulator. At 1080p, the Low preset hits 226.3 FPS, but this drops to 184.1 FPS at 1440p and further to 136.5 FPS at 4K. This steep scaling curve indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is still doing meaningful work, but the CPU is likely the limiting factor at lower resolutions where frame rates are extremely high.

The gap between Low and Ultra presets tells a clearer story. At 4K, the difference between Low (136.5 FPS) and Ultra (74.9 FPS) is 61.6 FPS, a massive drop that shows the GPU's workload increases dramatically with graphical fidelity. At 1080p, the same comparison shows a 93.5 FPS difference (226.3 vs 132.8), which means the GPU is still the dominant factor even when resolution is low.

However, the CPU's role becomes evident when examining the scaling between resolutions at the same preset. At Ultra settings, moving from 1080p (132.8 FPS) to 1440p (102 FPS) costs 30.8 FPS, while moving from 1440p to 4K (74.9 FPS) costs 27.1 FPS. This relatively even distribution suggests that the RTX 4090 is powerful enough to keep the GPU from becoming a hard bottleneck until 4K, where the i7-14700F's 20 cores and 28 threads still provide enough throughput to feed the GPU adequately.

The i7-14700F's benchmark results support this analysis. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35,122 and single-core score of 4,958 place it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, meaning it has the single-thread performance that flight simulators heavily rely on for physics and AI calculations. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4,257 further confirms that this processor can sustain high frame rates even in CPU-intensive scenarios like dense urban areas or complex weather systems.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X sits just 0.6% behind the i7-14700F in average benchmark score, making it a near-identical performer for this game. The Intel Xeon 6505P is essentially tied with a -0.2% delta, while the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 trails by only 0.3%. The AMD EPYC 7313P rounds out this group at 0.8% slower. Any of these processors would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator, though the consumer-oriented Ryzen 9 7900X is the most practical comparison for a gaming build.

For the GPU, the nearest rival list shows less comparable options. The Intel Arc Pro A60 matches the RTX 4090's average benchmark score exactly (0% delta), but this is misleading since the Arc Pro A60 is a workstation card with vastly different driver optimizations and feature support. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M trails by 2.5%, while the Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% ahead in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% behind. These are all professional-grade cards that would not deliver the same gaming experience as the RTX 4090 in Microsoft Flight Simulator, despite similar aggregate benchmark numbers.

In practical terms, the RTX 4090's nearest gaming-oriented competitor would be its successor in the GeForce 50 series, but that hardware is not represented in the measured data for this game. The benchmark results show that the RTX 4090's PassMark G3D score of 38,194 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9,223 place it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, confirming its position as a top-tier gaming card.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Microsoft Flight Simulator at maximum quality. The verdict data lists all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) as playable at every resolution tested, meaning the minimum 60 FPS threshold is cleared across the board.

At 4K, the Ultra preset averages 74.9 FPS, giving a 14.9 FPS buffer above the playable threshold. This is comfortable but not excessive, so users who fly over highly detailed scenery or through heavy cloud cover might see occasional dips in the most demanding moments. The High preset at 76.7 FPS offers a slightly larger safety margin with almost no visual penalty.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset's 102 FPS average provides a 42 FPS buffer, making this the recommended resolution for users who want maximum fidelity with peace of mind. The 1080p Ultra result of 132.8 FPS leaves nothing on the table, and this resolution is ideal for competitive or fast-paced flying where high frame rates matter more than pixel density.

The only scenario where this combination might struggle is if a user enables additional third-party mods or flies in extremely complex online environments with many other aircraft, as those situations add CPU load beyond what the standard benchmark represents. For stock gameplay, this is a definitive "yes" at all settings and resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured frame rate data for this combination is as follows:

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 136.5 FPS, Medium averages 104.4 FPS, High averages 76.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 74.9 FPS. The step from Medium to High costs 27.7 FPS, while the step from High to Ultra costs only 1.8 FPS, making Ultra the obvious choice for 4K owners.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 184.1 FPS, Medium averages 145.3 FPS, High averages 106.4 FPS, and Ultra averages 102 FPS. The scaling here mirrors the 4K pattern, with the High-to-Ultra gap (4.4 FPS) being far smaller than the Medium-to-High gap (38.9 FPS).

At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 226.3 FPS, Medium averages 184 FPS, High averages 135.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 132.8 FPS. The 1080p results show the widest spread between Low and Ultra, with a 93.5 FPS difference, but every setting remains far above the 60 FPS threshold.

The lack of min/max FPS data means these averages should be interpreted as stable performance indicators, but the consistent pattern across all 12 measured points suggests this hardware combination delivers reliable frame rates without major dips.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 111th out of 3,714 tested combinations in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the top 3% of all systems tested. Given the RTX 4090's end-of-life production status and the i7-14700F's position as a high-end but not flagship processor, this ranking reflects a system that is near the top of the performance pyramid without being the absolute fastest configuration available.

The rank of 111 indicates that some combinations with newer GPUs or flagship processors (such as Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9 series parts paired with RTX 4090-class cards) outperform this setup, but the delta is likely small given how well this pair handles the game's requirements. The i7-14700F's 91st percentile CPU ranking and the RTX 4090's 88th percentile GPU ranking combine to produce a system that has no meaningful weakness in this title.

For practical purposes, the difference between rank 111 and the top 10 combinations would be visible only in extreme edge cases, such as running the game at 8K resolution or using heavy mods that stress CPU single-thread performance. At standard gaming resolutions from 1080p to 4K, this combination delivers a flawless experience that clears the 60 FPS target by a wide margin at every preset level.