Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding flight simulation title, and the combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER delivers a strong performance profile across all tested resolutions. The data indicates that this pairing is capable of providing playable frame rates even at the highest graphical presets, though the experience varies significantly based on the resolution and settings chosen. Benchmark results show a clear hierarchy where lower resolutions and settings yield higher average FPS, while the gap between presets narrows as resolution increases, indicating a balance between CPU and GPU demands.

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

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for its complex physics and world simulation, the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are crucial. The processor’s benchmark scores reflect its competence: it achieves a 3DMark max threads score of 5652 and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340, placing it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs.

The data suggests that this CPU provides a solid foundation for the GPU, particularly at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 157 FPS, which is the highest measured result. This indicates that at this resolution, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to avoid bottlenecking, though the GPU is still the primary driver of performance. However, as resolution increases to 3840x2160, the performance gap between settings narrows, suggesting that the GPU becomes the limiting factor. For instance, at 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is only 52 FPS (116 vs 64), whereas at 1080p, the difference is 49 FPS (157 vs 108). This pattern indicates that the CPU's role is more pronounced at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom.

The processor's single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 1777 and a Passmark single-thread score of 2981, is also relevant. Flight simulators often rely heavily on a single main thread for game logic, so this strong single-core showing helps maintain consistent frame pacing. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support at 51.2 GB/s bandwidth further contribute to the CPU's ability to handle the simulation's data streaming requirements without stalling.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium settings preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions, providing a smooth frame rate without sacrificing too much visual fidelity. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset achieves 144 FPS with a minimum of 122 FPS, which is well above the standard 60 FPS target for a fluid simulation. At 2560x1440, Medium delivers 122 FPS with a minimum of 104 FPS, maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. Even at 3840x2160, Medium yields 90 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS, ensuring a playable experience without dipping below the 60 FPS threshold.

For users seeking maximum visual quality, the Ultra preset is viable at 1080p and 1440p, delivering 108 FPS and 87 FPS respectively. However, at 4K, Ultra drops to 64 FPS, which is just borderline for a smooth experience, and the lack of min FPS data suggests potential variability. The High preset provides a middle ground, with 114 FPS at 1080p, 92 FPS at 1440p, and 68 FPS at 4K. The Low preset, while offering the highest frame rates (157 FPS at 1080p, 146 FPS at 1440p, 116 FPS at 4K), significantly reduces visual quality and is not recommended for a game where scenery detail is a core appeal.

The data strongly suggests that the Medium preset is the "sweet spot" for this hardware combination. It is the only preset that maintains a minimum FPS above 60 at all three resolutions, ensuring consistent performance. The gap between Medium and High at 4K is only 22 FPS (90 vs 68), but the Medium preset's minimum of 77 FPS provides a more stable foundation. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p, the Medium preset's 144 FPS average is ideal, while at 1440p, the 122 FPS average still allows for high refresh rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Microsoft Flight Simulator with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with Medium settings offers the best balance, yielding 122 FPS average with a minimum of 104 FPS. This provides high visual fidelity without the performance drop seen at 4K, where the Medium preset averages 90 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset achieves 90 FPS average, and the High preset achieves 68 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 64 FPS, which is still playable but may not be consistently smooth.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at different resolutions?

A: The CPU's impact is most noticeable at 1920x1080, where the difference between Low and Ultra is 49 FPS (157 vs 108). At 3840x2160, this difference narrows to 52 FPS (116 vs 64), indicating that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the Ultra preset worth the performance cost?

A: At 1080p, Ultra provides 108 FPS, which is only 36 FPS less than Low but offers significantly better visuals. At 1440p, Ultra averages 87 FPS, still above 60 FPS. However, at 4K, Ultra's 64 FPS is close to the edge, and the Medium preset's 90 FPS is a safer choice.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest recorded minimum FPS is 77 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 104 FPS, and at 1920x1080 Medium, it is 122 FPS.

Q: Does the GPU's 16 GB VRAM provide enough headroom for this game?

A: The measured data indicates that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory is sufficient for all tested presets, as no settings combination resulted in a performance collapse or excessive frame drops, even at 4K Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the comprehensive database of tested hardware combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-11400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER ranks 568th out of 3714 combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places the combo in the top 15.3% of all tested systems, indicating a strong performance position. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU's 71st percentile standing and the GPU's 76th percentile standing, resulting in a synergistic pairing that outperforms a majority of setups.

The CPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the AMD EPYC 7H12, which is 0.3% faster, and the Intel Core i5-12450H, which is 0.4% slower. This close grouping suggests that the i5-11400F is competitively positioned within its performance bracket. Similarly, the GPU's nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA Quadro M5000 and the NVIDIA TITAN RTX, are within 1.9% of its average benchmark score, showing that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER sits at the upper end of a dense performance cluster.

The combo rank of 568 indicates that while this system is not at the absolute top tier, it outperforms the vast majority of tested configurations. This is particularly notable given that the CPU is an older 11th-gen part, yet the combination with a high-end GPU results in a top-15% finish. The data suggests that for flight simulation enthusiasts, this combo offers a high level of performance that is well above the median, making it a robust choice for high-fidelity flight experiences.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus. It operates at a base clock of 2340 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz, with a memory clock effective at 21 Gbps. The GPU's 8448 shading units and 96 ROPs contribute to its 44.10 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power, which is reflected in its strong benchmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 31811 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5569.

The GPU's role in Microsoft Flight Simulator is primarily to handle the rendering of complex scenery, lighting, and volumetric effects. The 16 GB VRAM is ample for the highest texture and scenery detail settings, as evidenced by the fact that even at 4K Ultra, the combo maintains 64 FPS. The memory bandwidth of 672.3 GB/s ensures that texture streaming from VRAM to the render pipeline is not a bottleneck, allowing for smooth performance across all tested presets.

The data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 1920x1080, the GPU is capable of pushing frame rates from 108 FPS (Ultra) to 157 FPS (Low). At 2560x1440, this range shifts to 87-146 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it drops to 64-116 FPS. This scaling is consistent with the GPU's compute and memory resources being increasingly taxed at higher resolutions. The GPU's percentile ranking of 76th among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 31087, places it well above the median, making it a capable driver for this simulation.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers the highest frame rates: Low settings average 157 FPS, Medium averages 144 FPS with a minimum of 122 FPS and a maximum of 165 FPS, High averages 114 FPS, and Ultra averages 108 FPS. This resolution is clearly where the hardware shines, with all presets exceeding the 60 FPS threshold by a wide margin.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's workload. Low settings average 146 FPS, while Medium averages 122 FPS with a minimum of 104 FPS and a maximum of 140 FPS. High settings average 92 FPS, and Ultra averages 87 FPS. All presets at this resolution still maintain averages above 60 FPS, making 1440p a viable option for high-refresh-rate displays with Medium or Low settings.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops more noticeably, but remains playable. Low settings average 116 FPS, while Medium averages 90 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS and a maximum of 104 FPS. High settings average 68 FPS, and Ultra averages 64 FPS. The data shows that at 4K, the Medium preset is the most reliable for maintaining a smooth experience, as its minimum FPS of 77 is still comfortably above the 60 FPS target. The High and Ultra presets, while averaging above 60 FPS, do not have recorded minimum FPS values, which suggests potential frame dips that could be noticeable during complex scenes. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown demonstrates a well-rounded performance profile, with the combo capable of adapting to different user preferences for resolution and visual quality.