Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding title that stresses both the CPU and GPU heavily, and the combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT produces a balanced yet resolution-dependent experience. The measured data shows this pairing is capable of smooth gameplay at lower resolutions, but 4K Ultra settings push it to the edge of playability. The following analysis breaks down the performance characteristics, scaling behavior, and optimal settings for this specific hardware configuration based strictly on the measured benchmark results.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance scaling as resolution increases, which indicates a shift in the system's bottleneck from the CPU at 1080p to the GPU at 4K. At 1080p High settings, the combo delivers 87 FPS, but this drops to 70 FPS at 1440p and further to 52 FPS at 4K. This represents a 40% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at High settings, showing that the RX 7800 XT is heavily taxed by the higher pixel counts.

Looking at the Low settings preset, the scaling is even more pronounced. The system achieves 149 FPS at 1080p, which falls to 120 FPS at 1440p and then to 88 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result being only 59% of the 1080p Low result suggests that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the GPU is still the primary limiter at 4K, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the frames at lower resolutions.

The Medium settings row provides the only data with min and max FPS readings, which offers insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the average is 116 FPS with a range of 98 to 133 FPS, while at 1440p Medium the average drops to 93 FPS with a range of 79 to 107 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 69 FPS with a range of 59 to 79 FPS. The consistent spread of roughly 20% between minimum and maximum FPS across all resolutions indicates that the frame pacing remains stable, but the absolute values at 4K approach the threshold where stutter becomes noticeable.

The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings shows a drop from 83 FPS to 67 FPS, which is a 19% reduction. However, the jump from 1440p to 4K at Ultra causes a more severe 27% drop to 49 FPS. This non-linear scaling at the highest settings tier suggests that the RX 7800 XT's memory bandwidth and compute resources are overwhelmed when combining 4K resolution with Ultra quality assets, making this the least playable configuration in the dataset.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 1236 out of 3714 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the top third of all configurations tested, which is respectable for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The percentile position indicates that while this combo is not at the bleeding edge of performance, it significantly outperforms the majority of systems in the database.

The combo's ranking is particularly interesting when considering the individual component performance. The i5-11400F sits at the 71st percentile among all CPUs, while the RX 7800 XT ranks at the 51st percentile among all GPUs. The fact that the combo ranks higher than either component's individual percentile suggests that this pairing is well-matched for this game, with neither component severely bottlenecking the other in the tested scenarios.

Compared to other systems, this combo's performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator benefits from the CPU's strong single-threaded capabilities. The i5-11400F scores 868 in the 3dmark single-thread test and 2024 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which are important metrics for a flight simulator that relies heavily on physics and flight model calculations. The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM also provides ample headroom for the high-resolution textures used in this game, preventing potential stuttering from memory overflow.

The rank of 1236 out of 3714 means that roughly 67% of tested combos perform worse, while 33% perform better. This is a solid position for a system that uses a CPU from 2021 and a GPU from 2023, showing that the combination remains competitive in this demanding title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT plays a critical role in this system's performance, particularly at higher resolutions. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial for a flight simulator that loads large scenery data. The 3840 shading units running at a boost clock of 2430 MHz provide 37.32 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which is more than sufficient for the DirectX 12 rendering pipeline used by Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The GPU's memory capacity is a key advantage in this title. At 4K Ultra settings, the game's high-resolution terrain textures and detailed aircraft models can consume significant VRAM, and the 16 GB capacity prevents any potential memory swapping that would cause frame drops. The measured 49 FPS at 4K Ultra, while low, is consistent and does not show the extreme dips that would indicate memory pressure.

The RX 7800 XT's RDNA 3.0 architecture with 60 ray tracing cores does not directly impact this game's performance since Microsoft Flight Simulator does not rely heavily on ray-traced effects. Instead, the GPU's raw rasterization performance is what matters, and the data shows it handles 1080p and 1440p very well. At 1440p High, the system achieves 70 FPS, which is a comfortable playable range, and at 1080p High it reaches 87 FPS.

The GPU's clock behavior also matters for this title. The base clock of 1295 MHz and game clock of 2124 MHz indicate that the card operates at high frequencies under load, which helps maintain consistent frame delivery. The 2x 8-pin power connectors and 263 W TDP suggest the card has sufficient power delivery to sustain these clocks during extended flight sessions, which is important for a game that can be played for hours at a time.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance across all settings tiers. Low settings produce an average of 149 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth and suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings reduce this to 116 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS, still comfortably above 60 FPS. High settings drop to 87 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 83 FPS. All 1080p configurations are playable, with even the most demanding Ultra preset maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the GPU starting to work harder. Low settings achieve 120 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive play or maximum smoothness. Medium settings average 93 FPS with a range of 79 to 107 FPS, ensuring a consistent experience. High settings drop to 70 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 67 FPS. The 1440p Ultra result is the first configuration where frame rates dip close to the 60 FPS mark, though it still remains playable.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations become apparent. Low settings still manage 88 FPS, which is respectable for 4K, but Medium settings drop to 69 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS. High settings average 52 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 49 FPS. The 4K High and Ultra presets are the only configurations in the dataset that fail to maintain a consistent 60 FPS, indicating that users targeting 4K would need to compromise on visual quality.

The settings progression at each resolution shows a predictable pattern: Low to Medium provides the largest FPS boost (e.g., from 149 to 116 at 1080p), while High to Ultra provides diminishing returns (from 87 to 83 at 1080p). This suggests that the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance for most users, as it maintains higher frame rates while still providing acceptable graphical quality.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the Medium preset offers the best overall experience for this combo across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the system achieves 116 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS, providing smooth gameplay with good visual detail. At 1440p Medium, the average of 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS remains well above the playable threshold, and even at 4K Medium, the 69 FPS average with a 59 FPS minimum is just barely playable.

For users with 1080p monitors, the High preset at 87 FPS is also an excellent choice, as it provides better visual quality than Medium while still maintaining a high frame rate. The Ultra preset at 1080p offers 83 FPS, which is only a 4% reduction from High, making it a viable option for those who want maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 1440p, the High preset at 70 FPS is the highest quality setting that remains comfortable for most players, though those sensitive to frame rate fluctuations may prefer Medium at 93 FPS. The Ultra preset at 67 FPS is borderline, but the data suggests it is playable for non-competitive scenarios.

For 4K users, the Medium preset at 69 FPS is the only configuration that approaches playable frame rates, and even then, the 59 FPS minimum means some stuttering may occur during heavy scenes. The Low preset at 88 FPS is the only 4K option that provides a consistently smooth experience, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. Users with 4K displays should strongly consider using 1440p resolution with High settings instead, as the 70 FPS result provides a better balance of quality and performance.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Microsoft Flight Simulator at 60 FPS in 4K?

A: Only at Low and Medium settings. The measured data shows 88 FPS at 4K Low and 69 FPS at 4K Medium, but High settings drop to 52 FPS and Ultra to 49 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS at 4K, Medium is the highest viable preset.

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this CPU-GPU combination?

A: 1440p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At High settings, the system achieves 70 FPS, and Medium settings provide 93 FPS. Both are well above the playable threshold while offering better detail than 1080p.

Q: How does the i5-11400F's single-thread performance affect this game?

A: The CPU scores 868 in the 3dmark single-thread test and 2024 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which are important for Microsoft Flight Simulator's physics and flight model calculations. This strong single-threaded performance helps prevent CPU bottlenecks at lower resolutions.

Q: Is the 16 GB VRAM on the RX 7800 XT sufficient for this game?

A: Yes. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory with 624.1 GB/s bandwidth is more than adequate for this title. The consistent FPS values across all settings, including 4K Ultra, indicate no memory-related stuttering or performance degradation.

Q: Should users choose the High or Ultra preset at 1080p?

A: The difference is minimal. High delivers 87 FPS while Ultra delivers 83 FPS, a 4% reduction. Given the small performance cost, Ultra is a reasonable choice for users who prioritize visual fidelity, while High is slightly better for maintaining higher frame rates.

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

A: It ranks 1236 out of 3714 tested combos, placing it in the top third of all configurations. This is a strong result considering the CPU is from 2021, showing that the pairing remains competitive in this demanding title.