Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding title, and the data for the Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER combo shows a system that is firmly anchored by its graphics card. The benchmark results reveal a clear pattern: this pairing is capable of smooth frame rates at 1080p, but it struggles to maintain playable performance as resolution increases. The CPU provides a solid foundation, but the GPU's limitations become the defining factor in this game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and consistent decline as resolution scales up from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 76.8 FPS, which is a very playable result. Moving to 1440p at the same Low settings, the average drops to 60.6 FPS, a reduction of about 21%. Pushing further to 4K Low, the average falls to 45.9 FPS, which is a 40% drop from the 1080p figure.

This pattern is consistent across all settings presets, but the absolute numbers become more punishing at higher quality levels. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS goes from 46.8 at 1080p to 38.5 at 1440p, and then down to 26.7 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is roughly 43%, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The data suggests that the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB of VRAM and its memory bandwidth are simply insufficient to feed the higher pixel counts demanded by 4K, especially with more complex scenery and effects.

The scaling pattern indicates a classic GPU-bound scenario. The i5-12400 has enough headroom to keep up with the GTX 1660 SUPER at lower resolutions, but as the pixel count rises, the graphics card's raw compute power becomes the limiting factor. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is significant, but the jump to 4K is where the frame rate becomes largely unplayable for a flight simulator that requires smooth visuals for a good experience. For a user targeting 4K, the data shows that even Low settings will only yield an average of 45.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target most users prefer.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 1530 MHz with a boost clock of 1785 MHz. In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for heavy texture streaming and complex geometry, the 6 GB VRAM capacity is a critical constraint. The benchmark results show that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 25.2, which is barely a slideshow. This is likely due to the GPU running out of memory or its memory bus being saturated, forcing it to swap data more slowly.

The GPU's compute capabilities are also a factor. With a FP32 performance of 5.027 TFLOPS, the GTX 1660 SUPER is a modest performer by modern standards. The data shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution is substantial. At 1080p, the difference is from 76.8 FPS on Low to 43.6 FPS on Ultra, a 43% performance hit. This indicates that the GPU's shading units and texture units are heavily taxed by the higher-fidelity settings. The GPU sits at the 55th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT, which has a similar average benchmark score, underscoring its position as an entry-level to mid-range part in this generation.

The memory clock of 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) is a key part of its performance profile. While it offers decent bandwidth for 1080p gaming, the data clearly shows that it is not enough for 4K. The benchmark results indicate that the GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary reason for the low frame rates at higher resolutions, as the CPU is not the limiting factor in these tests.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks at 1592 out of 1795 combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems, which is a low position for a modern CPU. This low rank is almost entirely due to the GPU's performance ceiling, as the CPU itself is a capable performer.

The CPU's own benchmark data shows it is a strong processor. Its average benchmark score is 19850, placing it at the 77th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-9700, which is 0.1% faster, and the Intel Core i7-8700, which is 0.2% slower. This demonstrates that the i5-12400 is a very solid mid-range processor that can hold its own against older high-end chips. However, the GPU's average benchmark score is 14286, which is at the 55th percentile of all GPUs. This mismatch in relative performance is why the combo ranks so low in this specific game, which is highly dependent on GPU power.

The data shows that the combo's rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capability but rather the GPU's. In a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is often GPU-bound, the graphics card is the deciding factor for overall system performance. The i5-12400 is doing its job, but it is being held back by the GTX 1660 SUPER. The rank of 1592 out of 1795 indicates that most other tested systems have a more balanced or more powerful GPU to pair with their CPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 57.3.

Q: Is this system capable of running the game at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: The data indicates no. At 4K with Low settings, the average FPS is 45.9, but at High settings, it drops to 26.7, and at Ultra, it falls to 25.2, which is not smooth enough for a flight simulator.

Q: How does the performance at 1440p Low compare to 1080p Low?

A: At 1440p Low, the average FPS is 60.6, which is lower than the 76.8 FPS achieved at 1080p Low. This shows a significant drop when moving to a higher resolution.

Q: Which component is the main bottleneck for this combo in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the limiting factor, as frame rates decline sharply with increasing resolution and settings, which is a classic sign of GPU saturation.

Q: What is the best performance this combo can achieve in the measured data?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 76.8, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU's performance rank compared to other processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 is at the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19850. It is 0.1% faster than the Intel Core i7-9700 and 0.2% slower than the Intel Core i7-8700.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is taken directly from the measured FPS results for this specific hardware combination.

At 1920x1080, the performance ranges from a low of 43.6 FPS on Ultra to a high of 76.8 FPS on Low. The Medium preset yields an average of 57.3 FPS, while High settings produce 46.8 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across the board. The Low preset averages 60.6 FPS, which is the only setting at this resolution that achieves over 60 FPS. Medium settings average 49.9 FPS, High settings average 38.5 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 34.2 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance is the weakest. The Low preset is the only one that stays above 40 FPS, with an average of 45.9 FPS. Medium settings drop to 33.6 FPS, High settings fall to 26.7 FPS, and Ultra settings average just 25.2 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It features 18 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong; for example, it scores 15935 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2249 in single-core. It is at the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19850, making it a capable modern processor.

In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's role is to handle the simulation logic, physics, and AI. The data shows that the i5-12400 is not the primary bottleneck in this combo. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent with a GPU limit, not a CPU limit. For instance, the fact that the average FPS drops from 76.8 at 1080p Low to 45.9 at 4K Low, while the CPU workload remains relatively constant, points to the GPU being saturated. The CPU has the headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but at higher resolutions, the GPU simply cannot process frames fast enough.

The CPU's performance is on par with the Intel Core i7-9700, which has a delta of 0.1% in its average benchmark score. This means that in CPU-bound scenarios, the i5-12400 would perform similarly to that older i7. However, in this game, the CPU's capabilities are masked by the GPU's limitations. The data suggests that for a user looking to improve performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator, upgrading the graphics card would yield a much larger benefit than upgrading the CPU, as the current GPU is the clear performance limiter.