Microsoft Flight Simulator

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 4 (Phoenix) architecture using a 4 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, drawing 65 W TDP on the AMD Socket AM5 platform. The chip carries 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache, with dual-channel DDR5 memory support delivering 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's influence is most visible at lower resolutions and reduced settings, where the graphics card is not the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the measured average FPS is 176, which is 67% higher than the 105 FPS recorded at 4K Low. This spread indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with frames at lower resolutions, but the game's simulation-heavy workload still benefits from the 8400F's single-thread performance. The processor scores 951 in the 3dmark single-thread test and 296 in Cinebench R15 single-core, placing it in the 77th percentile against all CPUs.

The 8400F's multi-threaded results are also relevant, as Flight Simulator uses multiple threads for scenery loading, weather simulation, and aircraft systems. The chip scores 6,165 in 3dmark max threads, 20,851 in Cinebench R23 multicore, and 24,389 in Passmark multithread. These figures place it within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (deltaPct 0.2%), the Intel Core i7-11850H (0.3%), and the Intel Core i7-13620H (0.4%), while trailing the AMD EPYC 9474F by 0.4%. The near-identical scores across these rivals suggest that the 8400F delivers competitive simulation performance without any single-thread or multi-thread bottleneck dominating the measured results.

The processor's 16 MB of shared L3 cache is modest by modern standards, but the benchmark data shows that it does not prevent the CPU from achieving high frame rates in this title. At 1440p Low, the average FPS is 142, and at 1080p Medium it reaches 137. These numbers indicate that the 8400F provides ample headroom for the RTX 5070 to operate effectively at mainstream resolutions. The unlocked multiplier allows for overclocking, though the stock boost clock of 4.70 GHz already delivers strong results in the measured configurations.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured data includes four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) across three resolutions. The best experience depends on the target resolution and the desired balance between visual fidelity and frame rate.

At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 137 average FPS with a minimum of 116 and a maximum of 157. This is the sweet spot, as it provides a 33% improvement over High (103 FPS) and a 39% improvement over Ultra (98 FPS), while only dropping 22% below Low (176 FPS). The minimum of 116 FPS ensures that even the most demanding scenes remain smooth on high-refresh-rate displays. High at 1080p yields 103 FPS, which is still playable but offers no advantage over Medium in terms of smoothness for most users. Ultra at 98 FPS is the least attractive option at this resolution, as it provides only a marginal visual upgrade over High while costing 5 FPS.

At 1440p, the Medium preset again stands out with 110 average FPS, a minimum of 94, and a maximum of 127. This represents a 32% improvement over High (83 FPS) and a 39% improvement over Ultra (79 FPS). Low at 142 FPS is the highest performer, but the visual quality reduction is substantial. For users with 144 Hz monitors, Medium at 1440p is the recommended choice, as the 94 FPS minimum stays above the 60 FPS threshold and the average is close to the refresh rate ceiling.

At 4K, the situation changes. Medium delivers 81 average FPS with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 94. High drops to 61 FPS, and Ultra falls to 58 FPS. Low at 105 FPS is the only preset that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, but it sacrifices most of the visual detail that makes Flight Simulator immersive. For 4K users, Medium is the best compromise, as it maintains an average above 80 FPS and a minimum of 69 FPS, which is sufficient for smooth gameplay on most displays. High and Ultra are technically playable but hover near the 60 FPS threshold, which can result in noticeable stutters during complex scenery loads.

The data indicates that Medium is the optimal preset across all three resolutions for this CPU-GPU combination. It provides the best balance of frame rate and visual quality, with minimums that never drop below 69 FPS even at 4K.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the relationship between CPU and GPU load in Microsoft Flight Simulator. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 176 at 1080p to 142 at 1440p (a 19% reduction) and further to 105 at 4K (a 40% reduction from 1080p). This pattern suggests that even at Low settings, the GPU becomes increasingly burdened as resolution increases, but the CPU still has enough headroom to maintain high frame rates.

At Medium settings, the scaling is more pronounced. The average FPS falls from 137 at 1080p to 110 at 1440p (a 20% reduction) and then to 81 at 4K (a 41% reduction from 1080p). The minimum FPS follows a similar trajectory, dropping from 116 at 1080p to 94 at 1440p and 69 at 4K. This consistent scaling indicates that the RTX 5070's rendering load is the primary factor driving the frame rate decline, while the CPU maintains its ability to feed the GPU without becoming a bottleneck.

At High settings, the FPS drops from 103 at 1080p to 83 at 1440p (a 19% reduction) and 61 at 4K (a 41% reduction). The relative consistency of these percentage drops across settings presets — approximately 20% from 1080p to 1440p and 40% from 1080p to 4K — strongly suggests that the GPU is the limiting component at all resolutions and settings. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would plateau at higher resolutions, but the data shows continuous declines.

The Ultra preset follows the same pattern, with 98 FPS at 1080p, 79 FPS at 1440p (a 19% reduction), and 58 FPS at 4K (a 41% reduction). The fact that the scaling percentages are nearly identical across all four presets indicates that the RTX 5070's performance ceiling is what determines the frame rates, not the CPU. This is consistent with the RTX 5070's 82nd percentile ranking among all GPUs and its 30.87 TFLOPS FP32 compute capability.

The data also reveals that the CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases. At 1080p, the 8400F's single-thread performance allows the GPU to reach 176 FPS on Low, but at 4K, the same settings yield only 105 FPS. This 71 FPS difference is entirely attributable to the GPU's rendering workload. The conclusion is clear: for this combination, the RTX 5070 is the limiting factor across all measured configurations, and the Ryzen 5 8400F provides sufficient processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combination in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The measured data shows that 1440p Medium provides the best balance, with 110 average FPS, a 94 FPS minimum, and a 127 FPS maximum. This delivers smooth gameplay while maintaining good visual quality.

Q: Can this combination handle 4K gaming in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings, which achieves 81 average FPS with a 69 FPS minimum. High and Ultra presets at 4K drop to 61 and 58 FPS respectively, which are near the edge of playability.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 8400F compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The 8400F is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, Intel Core i7-11850H, and Intel Core i7-13620H in average benchmark scores, and trails the AMD EPYC 9474F by 0.4%. This indicates near-identical performance among these processors.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, Low delivers 176 average FPS while Ultra delivers 98 average FPS, representing a 44% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance in this game?

A: The resolution scaling data shows that the RTX 5070 is the limiting component. FPS drops by approximately 20% from 1080p to 1440p and 40% from 1080p to 4K across all settings presets, indicating the GPU's rendering load drives the frame rates.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 5070 have and does it affect Flight Simulator?

A: The RTX 5070 has 12 GB of GDDR7 memory with a 192-bit bus and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth. This is sufficient for the measured settings, as the game runs at 4K Ultra with 58 FPS without reported memory-related issues.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using a 5 nm process at TSMC, with 31,100 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. It operates with a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). The GPU features 6,144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, 80 raster output units, 48 ray tracing cores, and 192 tensor cores, delivering 30.87 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 482.3 GTexel/s of texture rate.

The 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for the measured Flight Simulator configurations. The game's texture streaming and terrain rendering benefit from this bandwidth, as evidenced by the smooth scaling from Low to Ultra settings. At 4K Ultra, the GPU maintains 58 average FPS, and at 4K High it reaches 61 FPS, indicating that the memory subsystem is not a bottleneck.

The RTX 5070's 82nd percentile ranking among all GPUs and its average benchmark score of 40,377 place it in the upper tier of graphics cards. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (deltaPct 0.1%), AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (0.8%), and AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (-1.2%), with the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile trailing by 2%. These comparisons show that the RTX 5070 sits in a competitive performance band, though its specific strengths in Flight Simulator are best demonstrated by the measured FPS data.

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) is relevant, as Flight Simulator leverages DirectX 12 for its rendering pipeline. The 48 ray tracing cores and 192 tensor cores provide hardware acceleration for advanced effects, though the measured data does not isolate these features. The 250 W TDP and 600 W suggested PSU indicate that the card requires substantial power, but the performance delivered in this game justifies the power draw.

The RTX 5070's role in Flight Simulator is clearly the dominant factor in determining frame rates, as the resolution scaling analysis shows. The GPU's ability to maintain 176 FPS at 1080p Low and 105 FPS at 4K Low demonstrates its headroom, while the 58 FPS at 4K Ultra shows its limits when pushed to maximum settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 176 average FPS
• Medium: 137 average FPS, 116 minimum, 157 maximum
• High: 103 average FPS
• Ultra: 98 average FPS

The 1080p results show a clear hierarchy, with Low providing the highest frame rate and Ultra the lowest. The Medium preset offers the best combination of performance and visual quality, with a 116 FPS minimum that ensures consistent smoothness.

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 142 average FPS
• Medium: 110 average FPS, 94 minimum, 127 maximum
• High: 83 average FPS
• Ultra: 79 average FPS

At 1440p, the FPS drops are consistent with the increased pixel count. Medium remains the standout preset, delivering 110 average FPS with a 94 FPS minimum. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to just 4 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset's additional visual effects have diminishing returns at this resolution.

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 105 average FPS
• Medium: 81 average FPS, 69 minimum, 94 maximum
• High: 61 average FPS
• Ultra: 58 average FPS

The 4K results demonstrate the GPU's limits. Low achieves 105 FPS, which is highly playable, but Medium drops to 81 FPS with a 69 FPS minimum. High and Ultra both fall below 62 FPS, making them marginal for smooth gameplay. The 4K Medium preset is the only configuration that balances visual quality with a minimum above 60 FPS.

The complete dataset shows that the FPS differences between settings presets are consistent across resolutions. Moving from Low to Ultra reduces FPS by approximately 44% at 1080p (176 to 98), 44% at 1440p (142 to 79), and 45% at 4K (105 to 58). This uniformity indicates that the GPU's rendering load scales predictably with settings, regardless of resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F combined with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 729 out of 3,714 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places the combination in the top 19.6% of all tested systems, which is a strong result given the game's demanding nature as a flight simulation title.

The rank of 729 out of 3,714 indicates that this combination outperforms the majority of tested systems, but it does not reach the top tier. The data suggests that the RTX 5070's 82nd percentile GPU ranking and the 8400F's 77th percentile CPU ranking combine to produce a system that is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, while remaining capable at 4K with adjusted settings.

The ranking is particularly notable when considering the CPU's position relative to its rivals. The 8400F performs within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and Intel Core i7-13620H, meaning that systems with those CPUs would likely achieve similar ranks when paired with the same GPU. The EPYC 9474F, which trails the 8400F by 0.4%, would place marginally lower in the rankings.

The GPU's nearest rivals — the AMD Radeon Pro 580, Radeon Pro WX 7100, and Radeon Pro 5300 — are all professional workstation cards that might not offer the same gaming-oriented features as the RTX 5070. The RTX 5070's 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth provide a significant advantage in bandwidth-hungry scenarios like Flight Simulator's terrain streaming.

The combination's rank of 729 suggests that there are 728 other tested combos that deliver higher frame rates in this game. These likely include systems with more powerful GPUs such as higher-tier RTX 50-series cards or AMD equivalents, as well as CPUs with higher single-thread performance. However, the 8400F + RTX 5070 combination still outperforms 2,985 other tested combos, demonstrating that it is a capable pairing for Flight Simulator.

The measured FPS data corroborates this ranking. At 1080p Medium, the system achieves 137 average FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1440p Medium, the 110 average FPS and 94 FPS minimum provide a comfortable gaming experience. Even at 4K Medium, the 81 average FPS and 69 FPS minimum are playable, making this combination versatile across different display resolutions and quality settings.