Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator pairs a modest quad-core CPU with a flagship-class GPU, and the measured frames-per-second data reveals a surprisingly balanced outcome. The Intel Core i3-12100F, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, does not bottleneck the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D as severely as expected, allowing the 32 GB GDDR7 memory and 104.8 TFLOPS of compute to shine at higher resolutions. The benchmark results show that this combo ranks in the 65th percentile of 2996 tested combinations, a strong position given the CPU’s entry-level market segment. The data indicates that the RTX 5090 D is the primary driver of performance in this title, but the CPU’s single-thread capabilities prevent it from becoming a liability, even at 1080p where CPU load is typically highest.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is the clearest indicator of where this system’s bottleneck lies. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo delivers 142 FPS average, while at 4K Ultra, it falls to 84 FPS—a 40.8% reduction in performance. This scaling pattern is classic GPU-bound behavior: the RTX 5090 D’s 1.79 TB/s memory bandwidth and 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate become the limiting factors as pixel count quadruples. The CPU’s 4.30 GHz boost clock and single-thread score of 1674 in Cinebench R23 are sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU’s workload grows faster than the CPU’s instruction throughput can compensate.

Looking at the Low settings row, the scaling is even more dramatic. At 1080p Low, the system hits 182 FPS, but at 4K Low, it drops to 151 FPS—only a 17% decline. This narrower gap suggests that at Low settings, the CPU is beginning to assert its influence, as the GPU has fewer pixels to fill but still requires the CPU to process game logic and draw calls. The 4K Low result of 151 FPS versus 1080p Low of 182 FPS indicates the i3-12100F’s 8 threads are nearing their ceiling, but they do not cap performance entirely. The Medium settings row provides the most granular data: at 1080p, the average is 166 FPS with a minimum of 141 FPS, while at 4K, it drops to 118 FPS with a minimum of 100 FPS. The minimum frame rates at 4K Medium (100 FPS) are notably higher than the average at 4K Ultra (84 FPS), showing that the GPU’s headroom at Medium settings allows for smoother frame pacing.

The transition from 1440p to 4K is where the GPU’s role becomes undeniable. At High settings, 1440p yields 120 FPS, but 4K High drops to 88 FPS—a 26.7% reduction. This is a steeper decline than the 1080p to 1440p transition (149 to 120 FPS, a 19.5% drop), which confirms that the RTX 5090 D’s raw fill rate is the dominant constraint at 4K. The CPU’s performance ceiling is visible in the 1080p to 1440p gap: at Ultra settings, the drop is only from 142 to 114 FPS (19.7%), which is comparable to the High settings drop. This consistency across settings at lower resolutions points to a CPU that is keeping pace, but the 4K Ultra result of 84 FPS suggests the GPU is being pushed to its limits in this flight simulator, where draw distances and terrain detail are immense.

GPU Role

The RTX 5090 D’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus is a defining feature for Microsoft Flight Simulator, a game known for massive texture streaming and scenery data. The measured results show that even at 4K Ultra, the system averages 84 FPS, which is a playable experience for a flight simulator where smoothness matters more than twitch response. The GPU’s 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores are not directly benchmarked in this title’s FPS data, but the 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 compute ensures that the simulation’s physics and rendering pipelines are well-fed. The 2407 MHz boost clock, up from a 2017 MHz base, allows the GPU to sustain high throughput during extended flights, and the 1.79 TB/s bandwidth prevents texture pop-in at high altitudes.

The memory configuration deserves special attention. With 32 GB of VRAM, the RTX 5090 D has no capacity constraints at any resolution or settings preset in the measured data. The fact that the 4K Ultra result (84 FPS) is only 4 FPS lower than the 4K High result (88 FPS) suggests that the extra rendering work at Ultra—likely higher shadow resolution and more detailed geometry—is being absorbed by the GPU without spilling into system memory. The passmark G3D score of 44065 places this GPU in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals in synthetic tests are mobile-oriented parts like the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, which trails by 1.6%. This indicates that the RTX 5090 D is operating well above the typical desktop GPU tier, and its performance in Flight Simulator reflects that hierarchy.

The GPU’s 575 W TDP and 1x 16-pin power connector are not reflected in FPS, but they enable the sustained clock speeds necessary for the 151 FPS result at 4K Low. That number—151 FPS at 4K Low—is particularly telling: it shows that even at a resolution where the GPU has to fill 8.3 million pixels, it can still push past 150 FPS when the CPU isn’t strained by complex lighting or shadow calculations. The 28 Gbps effective memory speed and 512-bit bus width are the technical enablers here, providing the bandwidth to feed the 21760 shading units. In contrast, the CPU’s passmark single-thread score of 3444 and 3dmark single-thread score of 893 are moderate, but they suffice for a game that is more GPU-bound than CPU-bound in most scenarios, as evidenced by the scaling data.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 65 out of 2996 tested combinations places this system in the top 2.2% of all tested pairings. This is a remarkable result for a CPU that sits at the 68th percentile of all CPUs and a GPU at the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. The ranking suggests that the i3-12100F’s 4-core/8-thread design is not a significant drag on the RTX 5090 D in this specific title. The CPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Core 3 N355, has an identical average benchmark score (13492 vs 13494, a 0% delta), and the Intel Core i5-9500 is only 0.3% behind. These rivals also feature moderate core counts, which implies that Flight Simulator does not heavily penalize lower-core CPUs as long as single-thread performance is adequate.

The GPU’s nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, is 1.1% ahead in synthetic benchmarks, yet the RTX 5090 D’s 32 GB VRAM and 512-bit bus give it a decisive advantage in a game that can consume over 20 GB of VRAM at 4K Ultra. The combo rank of 65 suggests that the pairing is synergistic: the CPU’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 4.30 GHz boost clock are enough to avoid stalling the GPU, and the GPU’s massive memory pool compensates for any CPU-bound inefficiencies. The deltaPct values in the rival data show that the CPU is competitively matched with its peers—the Intel Core 5 120UL is 0.7% behind, and the Intel Core i7-1250U is 1.1% ahead—but none of these rivals would pair as effectively with a GPU of this caliber.

The rank of 65 out of 2996 also implies that many combos with higher-tier CPUs do not achieve better FPS in Flight Simulator, likely because the game’s engine is optimized to leverage GPU resources more heavily. The data shows that at 1080p Ultra, this combo achieves 142 FPS, which is within striking distance of the 1440p High result of 120 FPS. This consistency across resolutions and settings is a hallmark of a well-balanced system, even though the CPU is technically entry-level. The 68th percentile CPU ranking and 92nd percentile GPU ranking combine to produce a system that outperforms its component-level expectations, which is why it lands in the 65th spot overall.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest raw numbers across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 182 FPS, Medium averages 166 FPS with a minimum of 141 FPS and a maximum of 191 FPS, High averages 149 FPS, and Ultra averages 142 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 40 FPS, which is substantial, but the fact that Ultra still maintains 142 FPS means the CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The Medium settings’ minimum of 141 FPS is notably close to the Ultra average, indicating that frame pacing remains consistent even as settings increase.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop but remain firmly in high-refresh territory. Low settings yield 169 FPS, Medium averages 154 FPS with a minimum of 131 FPS and a maximum of 178 FPS, High averages 120 FPS, and Ultra averages 114 FPS. The step from Medium to High at 1440p is the largest single-setting jump in the entire dataset, a 34 FPS reduction, which suggests that High introduces a significant rendering load—likely higher-resolution shadows and more detailed terrain tessellation—that taxes the GPU more than the CPU. The Ultra setting at 1440p (114 FPS) is only 6 FPS lower than High, showing diminishing returns as the GPU approaches its efficiency limit.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve flattens considerably. Low settings average 151 FPS, Medium averages 118 FPS with a minimum of 100 FPS and a maximum of 135 FPS, High averages 88 FPS, and Ultra averages 84 FPS. The 4K Low result of 151 FPS is remarkable—it shows that the GPU can still achieve high frame rates at 4K when the CPU is not burdened with complex lighting calculations. The Medium settings’ minimum of 100 FPS is the lowest recorded minimum across all resolutions, but it still represents a playable experience. The High to Ultra transition at 4K is minimal (88 to 84 FPS), indicating that Ultra’s additional features—likely volumetric clouds or higher draw distances—are not fully utilizing the GPU’s capacity, possibly due to the CPU’s 8-thread limit.

Settings Recommendations

For 4K displays, the Medium preset is the optimal choice based on the measured data. It delivers 118 FPS average with a 100 FPS minimum, which is smooth for a flight simulator, and it avoids the steep drop to 88 FPS at High. The 4K Ultra result of 84 FPS is playable but leaves little headroom for complex scenes or weather effects, so Medium is the recommended balance between visual fidelity and performance. The 4K Low setting at 151 FPS is excessive for a simulator and would sacrifice too much visual quality for frame rates that exceed the display’s refresh rate in most cases.

For 1440p, the High preset is the best value. At 120 FPS average, it provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium (154 FPS) while still maintaining a frame rate that exceeds 120 Hz displays. The Ultra preset at 114 FPS is only 6 FPS lower than High, so users with 144 Hz displays could opt for Ultra without a noticeable difference in smoothness, but High is the safer recommendation for consistent performance. The 1440p Medium result of 154 FPS is arguably wasted on all but the fastest displays, and the 131 FPS minimum is still above 120 Hz, so Medium is a valid choice for competitive play.

For 1080p, the Ultra preset is the clear winner. At 142 FPS average, it offers the highest visual fidelity while remaining above 140 FPS, which is sufficient for 144 Hz panels. The Medium preset at 166 FPS is tempting, but the 141 FPS minimum at Medium is lower than the Ultra average, meaning Ultra provides more consistent frame pacing despite a lower average. The 1080p Low result of 182 FPS is unnecessary unless the user has a 240 Hz display, and even then, the visual compromise is severe. Across all resolutions, the data suggests that Medium is the safest default, but users should adjust based on their display’s refresh rate and tolerance for visual compromises.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-12100F a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 D in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: No, the data shows that at 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 142 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it manages 84 FPS. The CPU’s 4.30 GHz boost clock and 8 threads are sufficient to keep the GPU fed, as evidenced by the consistent scaling from 1080p to 4K.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: 1440p with High settings provides 120 FPS average, which is the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 4K, Medium settings at 118 FPS is also viable, but High at 4K drops to 88 FPS.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 5090 D need for this game?

A: The 32 GB GDDR7 memory is more than sufficient for any setting or resolution in the measured data. Even at 4K Ultra, the system averages 84 FPS, indicating no VRAM capacity limitations.

Q: Does the CPU’s 4-core/8-thread design affect minimum frame rates?

A: The lowest recorded minimum FPS is 100 at 4K Medium, which is still playable. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 141 FPS, showing that the CPU does not cause severe frame drops in this title.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 65th out of 2996 tested combos, placing it in the top 2.2%. The GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking and CPU’s 68th percentile ranking combine to exceed expectations based on component-level data.

Q: Is the 4K Ultra setting worth the performance cost?

A: The 4K Ultra average of 84 FPS is only 4 FPS lower than 4K High (88 FPS), so the visual upgrade at Ultra is essentially free in terms of performance. However, the jump from Medium (118 FPS) to High (88 FPS) is steep, so Ultra is only recommended if the display supports it.