Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 delivers a measured performance profile in Microsoft Flight Simulator that is workable at lower resolutions but quickly becomes GPU-bound at 4K. The GPU carries a launch MSRP of 349 USD. Across 12 measured FPS points, the combo ranks 1459th out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the lower portion of the database. The CPU sits in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 58th percentile, yet the combined result trails many other pairings in this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Comet Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. It has a 65 W TDP and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 10297 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1453 in single-core, 5783 in Geekbench multi-core and 1454 in single-core, and 12115 in Passmark multithread with a single-thread score of 2541. These numbers place it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.4% slower), the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.8% faster), the Intel Core i5-8500 (1.1% faster), and the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 (1.2% faster). The deltaPct values show the i5-10400F is essentially on par with these chips, with differences under 1.2%.

For Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's single-thread performance is critical because the simulation logic and flight model are largely serial. The 6-core/12-thread design provides enough parallelism for background tasks, but the single-core score of 1453 in Cinebench R23 suggests it can handle the game's main thread. The measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 91.6, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 4K, even Low settings only produce 55.9 FPS, showing that the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking and its close competition with the listed rivals confirm that it is a mid-range part that can feed a mid-range GPU like the RTX 2060 without holding it back at 1080p, but at higher resolutions the GPU's capabilities dominate.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Ultra?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 54.0.

Q: Which preset is recommended for 4K gaming?

A: At 3840x2160, Low settings yield 55.9 FPS, Medium 42.8, High 30.9, and Ultra 28.6. Low is the only preset that stays above 50 FPS, making it the only viable option for a smooth experience at 4K.

Q: How does the i5-10400F compare to its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7552?

A: The i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168, while the EPYC 7552 scores 14115, a delta of 0.4% in favor of the Intel chip. The other rivals are within 1.2% either way.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations?

A: This CPU/GPU pair ranks 1459 out of 1795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Q: What is the GPU's launch MSRP?

A: The RTX 2060 had a launch MSRP of 349 USD.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear drop as resolution increases from 1080p to 1440p to 4K, across all four presets. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 55.9 at 1920x1080 to 40.6 at 2560x1440 and further to 30.9 at 3840x2160. At Low settings, the drop is from 91.6 to 72.0 to 55.9. Medium goes from 68.3 to 59.8 to 42.8, and Ultra from 54.0 to 43.0 to 28.6. The pattern is consistent: each step up in resolution costs roughly 15–20 FPS at the lower settings, and the absolute loss is larger at higher presets.

This scaling indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint at 4K. At 1080p Low, the CPU can push 91.6 FPS, but at 4K Low the same CPU/GPU combo only manages 55.9 FPS—a drop of 35.7 FPS. The fact that even Low settings cannot reach 60 FPS at 4K suggests that the RTX 2060's 6 GB frame buffer and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the higher pixel count. Conversely, at 1080p, the CPU has headroom, as evidenced by the 91.6 FPS on Low, which is well above the GPU's typical ceiling at that resolution. The data points to a system that is balanced at 1080p, but at 1440p and 4K the GPU becomes the limiting component.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the best preset depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a 60 FPS target at 1080p, High settings deliver 55.9 FPS, which is close but slightly below 60; Medium reaches 68.3 FPS, and Low 91.6 FPS. Ultra sits at 54.0 FPS, so for a smooth 60 FPS experience, Medium is the highest preset that comfortably exceeds the target. At 1440p, Medium yields 59.8 FPS, just under 60, while Low gives 72.0 FPS. High drops to 40.6 FPS, making it less ideal for fast-paced flight. For 4K, only Low achieves a playable 55.9 FPS; Medium at 42.8 FPS is borderline, and High/Ultra fall below 31 FPS, which is likely too choppy for a flight simulator that requires smooth camera movement.

The data suggests that for a balanced experience, 1080p Medium or 1440p Low are the sweet spots, offering frame rates above 60 FPS. If visual fidelity is prioritized over frame rate, 1080p Ultra at 54.0 FPS is still playable, but 4K should be reserved for Low settings only. The measured rows show no min or max FPS, so only averages are available, but the averages are consistent enough to guide preset selection.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 1459th out of 1795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the lower 19% of the database, meaning it outperforms only 336 other pairings. The CPU alone is in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 58th percentile, yet the combined result is worse than the individual percentiles would suggest. This indicates that the pairing is not optimal for this specific game, likely because the RTX 2060's performance is insufficient for the high-resolution demands of Flight Simulator, while the CPU's mid-range standing does not compensate. The nearest rival CPUs are all within 1.2% of the i5-10400F, so the CPU is not the differentiator; the GPU's 58th percentile ranking and its 6 GB memory capacity are more likely the limiting factors. The rank of 1459 out of 1795 is a clear signal that many other CPU/GPU combinations deliver higher average FPS in this title, particularly at 1440p and 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists all measured average FPS values from the FACT PACK. No minimum or maximum FPS values were provided.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 30.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 55.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 42.8 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 28.6 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 40.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 72.0 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 59.8 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 43.0 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 55.9 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 91.6 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 68.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 54.0 |

These numbers show a clear hierarchy: 1080p Low is the fastest configuration at 91.6 FPS, while 4K Ultra is the slowest at 28.6 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at each resolution is 36.6 FPS at 1080p, 29.0 FPS at 1440p, and 27.3 FPS at 4K, indicating that the GPU's performance scaling with settings is consistent across resolutions. The data is measured, not estimated, and provides a reliable basis for evaluating this combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator.