Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 represents a striking asymmetry in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread Alder Lake processor with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, while the RTX 4090 is an Ada Lovelace flagship with 16,384 shading units and 24 GB of GDDR6X memory. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings confirm that this combination delivers high performance, but the data reveals that the CPU is the limiting factor at lower resolutions. The processor’s single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2249, is critical for a simulation that relies heavily on physics and scenery loading. Meanwhile, the GPU’s raw compute power, reflected in an FP32 throughput of 82.58 TFLOPS, is only fully utilized at higher resolutions and settings.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 12th-generation desktop processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process node. It offers 6 physical cores and 12 threads via Hyper-Threading, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The CPU has an 18 MB shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 or DDR5 memory. For Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for being heavily dependent on single-core performance, the processor’s boost clock of 4.40 GHz is a key factor. The benchmark data shows a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2249 and a 3DMark single-thread score of 910, indicating strong per-core capabilities. However, the multi-threaded scores, such as Cinebench R23 multi-core at 15935, suggest that the 6-core design can handle background tasks but is not the primary driver for FPS in this title.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-12400’s average benchmark score of 19850 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831, deltaPct 0.1) and the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894, deltaPct -0.2). This indicates that for general compute, the i5-12400 performs on par with older 8-core parts. In the context of Flight Simulator, the measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 184.3 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 129.6 FPS. The relatively small gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck when settings are lowered; instead, the GPU becomes more influential as settings increase. The CPU’s 65 W TDP and unlocked multiplier (false) indicate it is a locked part, but its boost behavior is sufficient to feed the RTX 4090 in most scenarios.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400’s single-thread performance impact Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The processor’s 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2249 are strong indicators of per-core capability. In a simulation that relies on a single main thread for game logic and draw calls, this directly translates to higher average FPS, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed.

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

A: This specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 65th out of 1795 tested combos, placing it in the top 4% of all configurations. This is a high position, but the data shows that many combos with higher-end CPUs achieve better frame rates.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 overkill for this CPU in this game?

A: The measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo achieves 73.5 FPS, which is playable but not extremely high. At 1080p Low, it hits 184.3 FPS. The GPU’s 91st percentile ranking among all GPUs (avg benchmark score 66473) suggests it is capable of much more, but the CPU’s single-thread performance limits the maximum FPS at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the i5-12400 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The i5-12400’s average score of 19850 is within 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771, deltaPct 0.4) and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX (19928, deltaPct -0.4). This shows that for multi-threaded workloads, the i5-12400 is competitive with both older Intel and high-end AMD parts, but for single-threaded games, the clock speed matters more.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the RTX 4090, and does it matter here?

A: The RTX 4090 has a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s from its 384-bit bus and 24 GB of GDDR6X memory. In Flight Simulator, which streams large terrain and scenery data, this high bandwidth helps maintain consistent frame rates at 4K, as seen in the 79.4 FPS at High settings.

Q: Does the CPU’s 18 MB L3 cache affect performance?

A: The L3 cache size of 18 MB is shared across all cores, which helps with data reuse in the simulation’s world streaming. Larger caches generally reduce memory latency, but the measured FPS deltas between settings are more influenced by GPU load than cache size.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Examining the measured FPS across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound behavior at higher resolutions and CPU-bound behavior at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 184.3 FPS, which drops to 137.3 FPS at 4K Low — a 25.5% reduction. This relatively modest drop when moving from 1080p to 4K at Low settings suggests that the CPU is capable of sustaining high frame rates, but the GPU is not fully utilized at the lowest settings. However, at Ultra settings, the drop is more severe: 129.6 FPS at 1080p falls to 73.5 FPS at 4K, a 43.3% reduction. This larger percentage drop indicates that the RTX 4090 is the limiting factor at Ultra settings, as the GPU’s compute and memory resources are stressed by the higher graphical fidelity.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at High settings shows a drop from 136.9 FPS to 110.6 FPS, a 19.2% decrease, while moving from 1440p to 4K at High results in a further drop to 79.4 FPS, a 28.2% decrease. This non-linear scaling confirms that the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution increases. At Medium settings, the 1080p score of 166.5 FPS drops to 143.4 FPS at 1440p (13.9% reduction) and then to 105.9 FPS at 4K (26.2% reduction). The data suggests that at 1080p, the i5-12400’s single-thread performance is the primary limiter, as the RTX 4090 is not producing its maximum possible output. Once the resolution increases to 4K, the GPU’s 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is fully engaged, and the CPU bottleneck is alleviated.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance. At 1920x1080, the frame rates range from 184.3 FPS on Low settings to 129.6 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting yields 166.5 FPS, while High achieves 136.9 FPS. This spread of 54.7 FPS between Low and Ultra shows that the GPU is capable of handling the workload, but the CPU’s ability to feed it at lower settings is the constraining factor. Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates are 170.5 FPS on Low, 143.4 FPS on Medium, 110.6 FPS on High, and 102.3 FPS on Ultra. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 68.2 FPS, which is larger than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is starting to become more relevant. At 3840x2160, the scores are 137.3 FPS on Low, 105.9 FPS on Medium, 79.4 FPS on High, and 73.5 FPS on Ultra. The delta between Low and Ultra at 4K is 63.8 FPS, but the absolute values are lower, showing the GPU’s limitations at the highest resolution.

The data shows that the i5-12400 can push the RTX 4090 to over 180 FPS at 1080p Low, but this is not a realistic gameplay scenario for a flight simulator. At more practical settings like 1440p High, the combo delivers 110.6 FPS, which is smooth for most users. The 4K Ultra result of 73.5 FPS is above the 60 FPS threshold, making it playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The percentile rankings for the CPU (77th) and GPU (91st) suggest that the GPU is the stronger component, but the measured FPS data shows that the CPU is not a significant bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is working at near-full capacity.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo of Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 65th out of 1795 tested configurations in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the top 3.6% of all tested combos, which is an impressive result for a mid-range CPU paired with a flagship GPU. However, the ranking also highlights that there are 64 other combos that achieve higher frame rates, likely using more powerful processors like the 12th or 13th generation Core i7/i9 or Ryzen 7000 series. The i5-12400’s average benchmark score of 19850 is within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894, deltaPct -0.2) and 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831, deltaPct 0.1), indicating that its overall compute performance is comparable to those older 8-core CPUs. Yet, the measured FPS in this game shows that the i5-12400’s single-thread performance is sufficient to rank highly, but not top-tier.

Compared to the nearest GPU rivals, the RTX 4090’s average score of 66473 is 0.4% lower than the NVIDIA Tesla T4 (66733, deltaPct -0.4) and 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P40 (66127, deltaPct 0.5). This shows that the RTX 4090’s benchmark score is in line with professional-grade cards, but its gaming performance in Flight Simulator is what drives the combo’s rank. The rank of 65 out of 1795 means that the combo outperforms 96.4% of all tested combinations, which is a strong showing. The data suggests that users with this combo can expect very good performance, but those seeking the absolute highest FPS at 1080p or 1440p may need a higher-end CPU to fully unlock the RTX 4090’s potential.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the recommended settings for this combo depend on the user’s resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p gaming, the High preset delivers 136.9 FPS, which is well above the 120 Hz threshold for most monitors and provides a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 129.6 FPS, which is only 5.3% lower than High, making Ultra a viable choice if the user prefers maximum visual fidelity. However, the Medium preset at 1080p produces 166.5 FPS, which is significantly higher and could benefit users with 165 Hz or 240 Hz displays, though the visual trade-off may not be worth it for a simulation game.

At 1440p, the High preset achieves 110.6 FPS, which is ideal for 100 Hz to 120 Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 102.3 FPS, which is still above 100 FPS and provides the best image quality. The Medium preset at 1440p offers 143.4 FPS, but the difference between Medium and High is 32.8 FPS, so High is the better choice for most users. For 4K gaming, the High preset delivers 79.4 FPS, which is suitable for 60 Hz monitors with some headroom. The Ultra preset at 4K yields 73.5 FPS, which is only 7.4% lower than High, making Ultra the recommended setting for 4K users who want the best visuals without sacrificing playability. The Low preset at 4K produces 137.3 FPS, but this is not recommended as it significantly reduces visual quality without providing a meaningful benefit for most users. Overall, the data suggests that High settings at 1440p or Ultra at 4K offer the best balance of performance and visual quality for this combo.