Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a notoriously demanding title, and the data for the Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 paints a clear picture of a system under significant strain. The measured frames per second (FPS) across all resolutions and settings indicate that this combination is positioned near the very bottom of the performance hierarchy for this specific game, holding the 1754th rank out of 1795 tested combos. The benchmark results show a hardware pairing that struggles to maintain fluid motion, particularly as visual fidelity and pixel count increase, revealing a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K with this hardware reveals a stark and predictable decline in performance, indicating a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics processor. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 45.6, which drops to 37.6 at 1440p and further plummets to 29.3 at 4K. This represents a significant 35.7% reduction in FPS when moving from 1080p to 4K on the lowest settings, showing that even when the graphical load is minimized, the resolution increase still overwhelms the RX 570.

However, the scaling becomes even more punishing at higher graphical presets. When using High settings, the average FPS falls from 26.6 at 1080p to 22.2 at 1440p and finally to a near-unplayable 15 FPS at 4K. The data suggests that the GPU's limited pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors here; as the render resolution increases, the number of pixels the Polaris 20 chip must process grows exponentially. The 4K Ultra result of 14.5 FPS is not just a marginal drop but a collapse, indicating the GPU has run out of resources to maintain even a basic level of interactivity. The results imply that for this combo, 4K is only viable at the lowest settings, and even then, the frame rate is below what most would consider a playable threshold.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570, with its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, is clearly the dominant factor in this combo's performance. The 4 GB frame buffer is a critical limitation, as Microsoft Flight Simulator's high-resolution textures and complex geometry can easily exceed this capacity, leading to texture streaming issues and severe frame rate hits. The data shows a 45.6% drop in FPS from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p (45.6 to 24.4 FPS), which is a clear indication that the GPU is struggling with the increased memory and shading demands of the higher presets.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1168 MHz and a boost of 1244 MHz, are relatively modest for its generation, and its 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is insufficient for the heavy simulation load. The benchmark results indicate that even at 1080p Medium, the system only achieves 35.9 FPS, which is far from smooth. The GPU's percentile ranking of 74th against all other GPUs might suggest it is a mid-tier performer in general, but in the context of this simulation, its architectural limitations and small memory pool are exposed. The data strongly suggests that any attempt to increase resolution or settings will be met with severe performance penalties because the RX 570 simply lacks the raw fill rate and bandwidth to feed the display.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo can achieve in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 45.6, which is only achievable at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is this system capable of running the game at 4K with High settings?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is only 15, which is not a playable frame rate for a smooth experience.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K on Low settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 45.6 at 1080p to 29.3 at 4K, a decrease of 16.3 FPS, which represents a 35.7% reduction in performance.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck for this system in this game?

A: The data points to the AMD Radeon RX 570 as the limiting component, as frame rates drop significantly with both increasing resolution and graphical settings, which directly load the GPU.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Ultra and Low presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS on Low is 37.6, while on Ultra it drops to 24.1, showing a 13.5 FPS difference between the two extreme presets.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This specific combination ranks 1754th out of 1795 total tested combos for this game, placing it in the bottom 2.3% of all systems tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

• 3840x2160 (4K): The data shows the system is severely overburdened at this resolution. The Low preset yields an average of 29.3 FPS, which is the only setting that approaches a borderline playable level. Medium drops to 23.2 FPS, High falls to 15 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 14.5 FPS. Every setting here results in a choppy, slideshow-like experience.
• 2560x1440 (1440p): Performance improves slightly but remains below the ideal smoothness threshold. Low settings achieve an average of 37.6 FPS, Medium hits 28.2 FPS, High manages 22.2 FPS, and Ultra is at 24.1 FPS. Interestingly, the High preset scores slightly lower than Ultra, which may indicate a specific setting within the High preset is more demanding, though the difference is within the margin of error for such a demanding title.
• 1920x1080 (1080p): This is the only resolution where the system can deliver a somewhat acceptable experience, and only on lower settings. Low settings average 45.6 FPS, which is the best result in the entire dataset. Medium settings drop to 35.9 FPS, while High and Ultra yield 26.6 and 24.4 FPS, respectively. These numbers suggest that 1080p with Low or Medium settings is the only viable configuration for this hardware.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is a competent mid-range processor, but its role in this specific game is secondary to the GPU. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10297 and a single-core score of 1453, indicate that it has sufficient processing power for most gaming tasks. However, in Microsoft Flight Simulator, the data reveals that the frame rate is heavily dependent on resolution and settings, which are GPU-bound variables. If the CPU were the primary bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across different resolutions at the same settings, but that is not the case.

For instance, the Low preset FPS drops from 45.6 at 1080p to 37.6 at 1440p, a clear sign that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's 4.30 GHz boost clock and 12 MB of shared L3 cache are more than adequate to feed the RX 570 at these low frame rates. The data implies that the CPU is not being fully utilized, as it is waiting on the GPU to render each frame. This is a classic case of a GPU bottleneck, where the processor's capabilities are held back by the graphics card's inability to keep pace. The CPU's percentile ranking of 73.0 versus all other CPUs further confirms that it is a stable, average performer that is not the source of the performance issues in this pairing.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this hardware is found at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset. This is the only configuration that consistently delivers an average frame rate above 40 FPS (45.6), which is essential for a game that requires precise control and smooth camera movement. While 45.6 FPS is not a high refresh rate experience, it is a significant improvement over the alternatives and provides the most responsive and visually coherent gameplay.

For users who desire better visual fidelity, the 1080p Medium preset is the next best option, averaging 35.9 FPS. This is a playable, albeit not perfectly smooth, experience that offers a substantial graphical upgrade over Low. The High and Ultra presets at 1080p should be avoided, as they push the average FPS below 30, which will result in noticeable stuttering and a less enjoyable experience. At higher resolutions, no setting is recommended, as even the Low preset at 1440p (37.6 FPS) is a step down from the 1080p Medium experience. The data clearly suggests that users should prioritize resolution over settings, sticking to 1080p and choosing the Low or Medium preset to maximize frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination ranks 1754th out of 1795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the bottom 2.3% of all systems. This rank is a direct reflection of the measured FPS data, which shows the system struggling to maintain playable frame rates across most configurations. The GPU's performance, while ranking in the 74th percentile against all GPUs, is simply not suited for the extreme demands of this simulation.

The CPU, ranking in the 73rd percentile, is a more capable component, but it is held back by the GPU's limitations. The benchmark results indicate that this combo is not designed for high-fidelity flight simulation. It can handle the game at its lowest settings, but it is not a system that will allow users to experience the game's visual splendor. The data suggests that this is a combination for users who prioritize a stable, albeit modest, frame rate over graphical quality, and who are willing to make significant compromises to achieve it. The 1754th rank out of 1795 is a definitive statement on where this hardware stands in the hierarchy of tested systems for this title.