Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding title that scales significantly with both resolution and graphical presets. The measured data for the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination provides a clear picture of its capabilities across a range of settings, from 1080p Low to 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down the performance metrics to understand where this system excels and where it becomes limited.

The data shows a system that is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p play but begins to strain under the load of higher resolutions and maximum settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves an average of 118.4 FPS, indicating a very playable experience in less demanding scenarios. However, the progression through the settings presets reveals a steady decline in performance as graphical fidelity increases, culminating in a 66.7 FPS average at 1080p Ultra. This pattern suggests that while the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates, the GPU becomes an increasingly significant factor as the visual load intensifies.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 and then to 3840x2160 showcases the expected FPS drop associated with increasing pixel count. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 72.1 FPS at 1080p to 55.3 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 16.8 FPS. Moving further to 4K, the average drops to 39.4 FPS, which is a 32.7 FPS decline from the 1080p figure. This scaling indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions, as the workload on the GPU's pixel processing capabilities grows exponentially.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. With Low settings, the frame rate drops from 118.4 FPS at 1080p to 98.5 FPS at 1440p, and then to 71.1 FPS at 4K. This 47.3 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K on Low settings still points to the GPU being the bottleneck, as even with minimal graphical effects, the sheer number of pixels at 4K overwhelms the rendering capabilities of the RX 6700 XT. The Ultra preset shows a similar trend, with averages of 66.7, 55.9, and 37.8 FPS across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively.

Notably, the scaling between 1440p and 4K is particularly steep. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 72.9 at 1440p to 53.7 at 4K, a 19.2 FPS decrease. This suggests that for a smooth 4K experience, users would need to significantly lower graphical fidelity, as even the High preset at 4K yields an average of just 39.4 FPS, which is below the generally accepted 60 FPS threshold for fluid gameplay.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS for Microsoft Flight Simulator at 1920x1080 with High settings is 72.1 FPS.

Q: Is this combination capable of 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 39.4 FPS on High, 53.7 FPS on Medium, and 71.1 FPS on Low. Only the Low preset achieves an average above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 55.3 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 55.9 FPS. The performance difference is minimal, suggesting a CPU limit or that the Ultra preset's additional demands are not heavily taxing the GPU at this resolution.

Q: What is the best resolution for the highest average frame rate?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 118.4 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 71.1 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 37.8 FPS. This represents a substantial 33.3 FPS difference, highlighting the significant impact of graphical settings on performance.

Q: How does the combo rank among tested configurations?

A: The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT ranks 1003 out of 1795 tested combos for this game.

Settings Recommendations

For users prioritizing a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience at 1080p, the High settings preset is the most balanced option, delivering an average of 72.1 FPS. This provides a significant visual improvement over the Low preset's 118.4 FPS while maintaining frame rates well above 60 FPS. Pushing to Ultra at 1080p reduces the average to 66.7 FPS, a modest drop that might be acceptable for those seeking maximum visual fidelity, but the performance gain from High to Ultra does not justify the FPS loss for competitive or fast-paced play.

At 1440p, the Medium preset offers the best experience, with an average of 72.9 FPS. This is the only preset at this resolution to comfortably exceed the 60 FPS mark. The High and Ultra presets both average around 55 FPS, which is playable but may feel less fluid. For 4K gaming, the Low preset is the only viable option for a consistently smooth experience, averaging 71.1 FPS. The Medium preset at 53.7 FPS is borderline, while High and Ultra fall below 40 FPS, making them unsuitable for most users.

The data indicates that the system is best utilized at 1080p with High or Ultra settings, or at 1440p with Medium settings. The Ultra preset at 1440p and the High preset at 4K show very similar average frame rates around 55 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is the limiting factor in both scenarios. Users should prioritize the preset that balances visual quality with their personal frame rate targets, with 60 FPS being the benchmark for a smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination demonstrates its strongest performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 118.4 FPS, providing a highly responsive experience. The Medium preset follows with 94 FPS, and the High preset with 72.1 FPS. The Ultra preset brings up the rear with an average of 66.7 FPS. This range shows that the system can handle a variety of settings at 1080p, from competitive-level frame rates to visually rich, high-fidelity gameplay.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset still delivers a strong average of 98.5 FPS. The Medium preset averages 72.9 FPS, which is a solid result for this resolution. However, the High and Ultra presets both fall to averages of 55.3 and 55.9 FPS respectively. This clustering suggests that at 1440p, the GPU is reaching its limit with higher settings, and the difference between High and Ultra becomes negligible in terms of frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K resolution become apparent. The Low preset is the only one to maintain a high average, at 71.1 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 53.7 FPS, while the High preset averages 39.4 FPS. The Ultra preset produces the lowest average of the entire dataset, at 37.8 FPS. These numbers clearly show that 4K gaming with this hardware requires significant compromises in visual settings to achieve acceptable performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT holds a rank of 1003 out of 1795 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations tested, indicating that it is a capable but not top-tier system for this specific title. The rank of 1003 suggests that while the system can run the game, there are many other combinations that achieve higher average frame rates across the tested settings.

This ranking is consistent with the measured FPS data, which shows average frame rates that are respectable for 1080p and 1440p gaming but struggle at 4K with high settings. The system's performance is likely held back by the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions, despite the CPU's solid benchmark scores. In the context of the 1795 tested combos, the 1003 rank indicates that the system is in the 44th percentile, meaning about 56% of tested configurations perform better.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In benchmark tests, it scores 15935 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2249 in single-core. These scores indicate a strong mid-range processor that can handle the simulation and physics calculations required by Microsoft Flight Simulator. The CPU's single-thread performance is particularly important for this game, as it often relies heavily on a single core for main game logic.

The CPU's performance is reflected in the 1080p Low preset data, where the system achieves an average of 118.4 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions and settings, allowing the GPU to render frames quickly. However, at higher resolutions, the FPS drops are more pronounced, indicating that the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory also contribute to its overall data processing capabilities.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-9700 and 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-11600K. This performance parity suggests that the CPU is well-matched with other popular mid-range options. In the context of the game, this CPU provides sufficient processing power to support the GPU, but its role becomes less critical as resolution and graphical settings increase, shifting the performance burden to the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT.