Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers exceptional performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing 62nd out of 3714 tested combos. This places the system in the top 1.7% of all configurations, confirming that this hardware pairing is among the most capable available for this flight simulator. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and presets consistently exceed the 60 FPS playability threshold, with even the most demanding Ultra preset at 4K maintaining an average of 78.6 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 62 out of 3714 tested combinations places this system firmly in the upper echelon of performance. This ranking reflects the combined capabilities of the Intel Core i7-14700F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, both of which are high-percentile performers individually. The CPU sits at the 91st percentile among all processors, while the GPU achieves the 92nd percentile among all graphics cards. This alignment of strong CPU and GPU performance results in a system that rarely encounters bottlenecks, allowing the frame rates to scale predictably with resolution changes.

The data indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of tested systems, with only 61 combinations achieving higher frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The gap between this combo and the top performers is likely attributable to even more extreme hardware configurations, but the measured performance here demonstrates that the i7-14700F and RTX 5090 provide a balanced platform for this title. The rank also suggests that users can expect consistent high-refresh-rate gameplay without needing to compromise on visual fidelity.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, achieving an average of 78.6 FPS. This is notable because Ultra settings typically impose the heaviest load on both CPU and GPU, yet this combo handles it with headroom above the playability threshold. The High preset at 4K delivers 82 FPS, Medium produces 111.7 FPS, and Low reaches 141.7 FPS, showing that even at 4K there is substantial performance margin.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again delivers the best visual quality while maintaining an average of 105.5 FPS. This represents a 34% increase over the 4K Ultra result, demonstrating how resolution scaling affects performance. The High preset at 1440p achieves 113.3 FPS, Medium reaches 153.2 FPS, and Low peaks at 191.6 FPS. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 133 FPS, which is 69% higher than the 4K Ultra result, while the Low preset reaches 221.9 FPS. In every case, the Ultra preset remains comfortably above 60 FPS, meaning users can select maximum graphical quality at any resolution tested.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The measured data shows that at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system maintains an average of 78.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in the game?

A: The highest measured average is 221.9 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. Even at 4K with Low settings, the system delivers 141.7 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1440p to 4K?

A: At Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops from 105.5 FPS at 2560x1440 to 78.6 FPS at 3840x2160, representing a 25% reduction. The scaling is similar across other presets.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 overkill for 1080p gaming in this title?

A: The data indicates substantial headroom at 1080p, with Ultra settings delivering 133 FPS and Low reaching 221.9 FPS. The GPU is clearly not the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: Which preset provides the best balance of quality and performance at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings deliver 105.5 FPS at 2560x1440, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. Since all presets exceed 60 FPS, users can select Ultra without concern.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The CPU ranks at the 91st percentile, and the performance scaling between resolutions suggests that neither component is severely bottlenecked. The system maintains high frame rates across all tested configurations.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the Intel Core i7-14700F, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X produces an average benchmark score that is 0.6% lower, indicating nearly identical CPU-level performance. The Intel Xeon 6505P scores 0.2% lower, while the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 scores 0.3% higher. The AMD EPYC 7313P completes the group with a score 0.8% lower. These processors would likely yield very similar frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator when paired with the RTX 5090, as the CPU-side differences are negligible.

For the GPU, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X with an average score 1.4% higher than the RTX 5090. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB scores 0.3% lower, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 0.6% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT is 1.1% lower. These small deltas suggest that swapping the RTX 5090 for any of these alternatives would produce nearly indistinguishable frame rates in this game, assuming the rest of the system remains unchanged.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low settings produce 141.7 FPS, Medium settings deliver 111.7 FPS, High settings achieve 82 FPS, and Ultra settings result in 78.6 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 44.5% performance reduction, which is consistent with the increasing graphical workload. The gap between High and Ultra is relatively small at 3.4 FPS, while the jump from High to Medium is 29.7 FPS.

At 2560x1440, Low settings reach 191.6 FPS, Medium delivers 153.2 FPS, High achieves 113.3 FPS, and Ultra produces 105.5 FPS. The performance delta between Low and Ultra is 45%, similar to the 4K scaling. The difference between High and Ultra narrows to 7.8 FPS, indicating diminishing returns at the highest preset level. Medium to High shows a 39.9 FPS drop, representing the largest single-step reduction.

At 1920x1080, the results are: Low settings hit 221.9 FPS, Medium reaches 187.1 FPS, High delivers 138.7 FPS, and Ultra achieves 133 FPS. The Low to Ultra reduction is 40%, slightly less than at higher resolutions. The High to Ultra gap is only 5.7 FPS, while Medium to High drops by 48.4 FPS. Across all resolutions, the frame rate scaling follows a consistent pattern, with the largest performance hits occurring between Medium and High settings.

The Verdict

The data clearly shows that this PC can run Microsoft Flight Simulator with exceptional performance. At 3840x2160, all four tested presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — maintain average frame rates above 60 FPS, with Ultra delivering 78.6 FPS. This means users can enable maximum graphical settings at 4K without falling below the playability threshold. The verdict for 4K is straightforward: every setting is playable.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset achieves 105.5 FPS, providing a substantial margin above 60 FPS. This resolution offers the best combination of visual fidelity and high refresh rates, with even the most demanding settings leaving significant headroom. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 133 FPS, which is more than double the playability threshold. All resolutions tested support Ultra settings, making this combo suitable for users who prioritize both visual quality and smooth gameplay.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance data reveals how the balance between CPU and GPU shifts across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 221.9 FPS on Low settings, which suggests that the GPU has ample headroom and the CPU is capable of feeding it frames quickly. The 40% reduction from Low to Ultra at 1080p indicates that the GPU workload increases significantly with preset quality, but the CPU maintains its ability to deliver high frame rates.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440, the Low setting drops to 191.6 FPS, a 13.7% reduction from 1080p. This scaling suggests that the GPU is becoming more involved, but the CPU still provides sufficient performance. At 3840x2160, the Low setting falls to 141.7 FPS, representing a 36.1% reduction from 1080p. This larger drop at 4K indicates that the GPU workload grows substantially with pixel count, and the system becomes increasingly GPU-bound.

The pattern across presets tells a similar story. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is 63.1 FPS, while at 1080p the same comparison shows an 88.9 FPS gap. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU plays a more significant role in determining frame rates, whereas at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The i7-14700F's 91st percentile ranking ensures that it does not bottleneck the RTX 5090 in this title, but the data clearly shows that the GPU's workload scales more steeply with resolution than the CPU's.