Microsoft Flight Simulator

# Microsoft Flight Simulator: Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D

This combination pairs a mid-range 12th-generation Intel processor with a flagship-class NVIDIA graphics card, producing a system that behaves very differently depending on resolution and settings. The measured frame rates across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K reveal a configuration where the GPU dominates at higher resolutions while the CPU becomes a limiting factor at lower settings. The data shows a total of twelve measured scenarios, each providing insight into how this specific pairing handles one of the most demanding flight simulation titles available.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 clearly illustrates where the bottleneck shifts in this system. At Low settings, the transition from 1080p to 1440p sees average FPS drop from 183 to 170, a reduction of 13 frames. Moving further to 4K Low, the average falls to 151, meaning the total drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 32 frames, or roughly 17.5 percent. This relatively modest decline suggests that at Low settings, the CPU is heavily engaged, and the GPU has enough headroom to handle the resolution increase without dramatic frame loss.

At Medium settings, the scaling pattern changes. The 1080p Medium average is 167 FPS, which falls to 155 at 1440p and then to 118 at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K here is 37 frames, a much steeper decline than the 12-frame difference between 1080p and 1440p. This indicates that as settings increase, the GPU begins to take on more work, and the 4K resolution with Medium settings starts to stress the RTX 5090 D more substantially.

High settings show a similar but more pronounced trend. At 1080p High, the average is 149 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 120; and at 4K High, it falls to 88. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is 29 frames, while the difference between 1440p and 4K is 32 frames. This near-linear scaling suggests that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor at High settings, with each resolution step costing roughly the same amount of performance.

Ultra settings produce the lowest overall frame rates but also the smallest absolute differences between resolutions. The 1080p Ultra average is 142 FPS, 1440p Ultra drops to 114, and 4K Ultra falls to 84. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is 28 frames, and from 1440p to 4K it is 30 frames. Notably, the 4K Ultra result of 84 FPS is the lowest measured value in the entire dataset, yet it remains above 60 FPS, indicating that even at maximum settings, this combination maintains playable performance.

The limiting component shifts clearly across the resolution spectrum. At 1080p, particularly with Low and Medium settings, the CPU appears to constrain performance since the GPU has ample capacity. As resolution increases to 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant factor, with the frame rate dropping more steeply. The data suggests that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 183 FPS, but the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads likely prevent higher frame rates. At 4K Ultra, the 84 FPS result is constrained by the GPU's ability to render the complex flight simulation scenes at that resolution and quality level.

How This Combo Ranks

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, this specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 62nd out of 2,996 tested combos. This places it in the top 2.1 percent of all configurations in the database for this game. The rank reflects the combined capability of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D working together in this title.

The CPU itself sits at the 72nd percentile against all processors in the database. Its average benchmark score of 18,683 places it very close to several rivals. The AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18,697, which is only 0.1 percent higher. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18,730, 0.3 percent higher. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18,811, 0.7 percent higher. The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18,519, which is 0.9 percent lower. These tight margins indicate that the i5-12400 performs essentially on par with its nearest competitors in general benchmarks, though flight simulation may favor certain architectural traits.

The GPU ranks at the 92nd percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT at 76,904, which is 1.1 percent lower; the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT at 78,940, which is 1.6 percent higher; the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB at 79,396, which is 2.1 percent higher; and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB at 79,605, which is 2.4 percent higher. These comparisons show the RTX 5090 D performing admirably in synthetic benchmarks, though the specific demands of Microsoft Flight Simulator may differ from these aggregate scores.

The combination rank of 62 out of 2,996 suggests that this pairing works particularly well in this game. The high GPU percentile combined with a mid-range CPU still yields a top-100 finish, indicating that Microsoft Flight Simulator benefits substantially from the GPU's capabilities. The 32 GB of VRAM and high memory bandwidth likely contribute to smooth texture streaming and complex scene rendering, which are critical in a flight simulator covering vast geographical areas.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combination?

A: The highest recorded average is 183 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The 1440p Low setting achieves 170 FPS, and 4K Low achieves 151 FPS, showing a consistent pattern where lower settings yield higher frame rates across all resolutions.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to 1080p Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 84, while at 1080p Ultra it is 142. This represents a 58 FPS difference, or approximately 41 percent lower performance at 4K. The 1440p Ultra result of 114 FPS sits between these two extremes.

Q: Which settings provide the most consistent frame times?

A: The Medium settings at each resolution include minimum and maximum values. At 1080p Medium, the average is 167 FPS with a minimum of 142 and maximum of 192. At 1440p Medium, the average is 155 FPS with a minimum of 132 and maximum of 179. At 4K Medium, the average is 118 FPS with a minimum of 100 and maximum of 135. The spread between minimum and maximum is 50 frames at 1080p, 47 frames at 1440p, and 35 frames at 4K.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D's 32 GB VRAM beneficial for this game?

A: The GPU has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus with 1.79 TB/s bandwidth. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, which renders large terrains and detailed aircraft models, this large memory pool likely helps maintain stable performance across all settings, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates even at 4K Ultra.

Q: How does the CPU's performance affect the results at 1080p?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 has 6 cores and 12 threads with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 183 FPS, but the relatively modest CPU specifications compared to higher-end processors likely cap performance at lower resolutions where the GPU is not fully stressed.

Q: What is the rank of this combination among all tested configurations?

A: This combination ranks 62nd out of 2,996 total combos tested in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the top 2.1 percent of all configurations, demonstrating strong overall performance in this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the four settings produce a clear hierarchy. Low settings yield the highest average at 151 FPS. Medium settings drop to 118 FPS, with a minimum of 100 and maximum of 135. High settings average 88 FPS. Ultra settings produce the lowest average at 84 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra represents a 67 FPS decrease, showing that each step up in quality costs significant performance at 4K.

At 2560x1440, the results are consistently higher. Low settings average 170 FPS. Medium settings average 155 FPS, with a minimum of 132 and maximum of 179. High settings average 120 FPS. Ultra settings average 114 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is 56 FPS, slightly less than at 4K but still substantial.

At 1920x1080, the system performs at its best. Low settings achieve 183 FPS, the highest value in the entire dataset. Medium settings average 167 FPS, with a minimum of 142 and maximum of 192. High settings average 149 FPS. Ultra settings average 142 FPS. The total range from Low to Ultra is 41 FPS, the smallest spread among the three resolutions.

Comparing the same settings across resolutions provides additional context. For Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 13 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 19 FPS. For Medium, the drops are 12 FPS and 37 FPS respectively. For High, the drops are 29 FPS and 32 FPS. For Ultra, the drops are 28 FPS and 30 FPS. These numbers show that the scaling penalty increases with higher settings, particularly when moving from 1440p to 4K at Medium and above.

The Ultra settings at each resolution produce the lowest frame rates but still maintain playable levels. The 4K Ultra result of 84 FPS is the only scenario below 100 FPS, while all other settings at all resolutions exceed 114 FPS. This indicates that the combination handles this game well across a wide range of configurations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a substantial piece of hardware featuring the GB202 chip built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It contains 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, with 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster operation units. The GPU also includes 170 ray tracing cores and 680 tensor cores. These specifications contribute to its strong performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator, which uses advanced rendering techniques.

The memory subsystem is particularly noteworthy. The GPU has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz, translating to 28 Gbps effective. In a flight simulator that streams terrain data and detailed scenery, this large memory capacity and high bandwidth likely prevent texture pop-in and maintain consistent frame rates even during rapid movement over varied landscapes.

Clock speeds for the GPU are 2017 MHz base and 2407 MHz boost. The pixel rate is 423.6 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 1,636.8 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 104.8 TFLOPS, with FP16 matching at 104.8 TFLOPS. These computational capabilities allow the GPU to handle the complex lighting, shadows, and weather effects present in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

In synthetic benchmarks, the GPU scores 14,326 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 310,674 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 376,915 in Geekbench Vulkan. Passmark results include 44,065 in G3D and 28,396 in GPU Compute. These scores place the GPU at the 92nd percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. The nearest rival comparisons show the GPU performing within 2.4 percent of several high-end alternatives, including the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT at 78,940 and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB at 79,605.

The GPU's role in this game becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions and settings. At 4K Ultra, the 84 FPS result likely reflects the GPU's rendering workload more than any CPU limitation. The 32 GB VRAM capacity is particularly relevant for a game that can load extensive scenery packages and high-resolution textures, ensuring that memory capacity does not become a constraint even at maximum settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 12th-generation processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on a 10 nm process. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, 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, with 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core. The thermal design power is 65 W, and it supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

Synthetic benchmarks show the CPU's capabilities. Cinebench R23 results include 15,989 in multicore and 2,257 in single-core. Cinebench R20 shows 6,715 multicore and 947 single-core. Geekbench scores are 8,564 multicore and 1,848 single-core. Passmark tests show 18,747 in multithread and 3,456 in single-thread. The 3DMark results include 5,890 at max threads and 910 at single-thread. These scores place the CPU at the 72nd percentile against all processors, with an average benchmark score of 18,683.

The nearest CPU rivals show how closely matched this processor is to others in its class. The AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18,697, just 0.1 percent higher. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18,730, 0.3 percent higher. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18,811, 0.7 percent higher. The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18,519, 0.9 percent lower. These small differences suggest that the i5-12400 performs on par with a range of server, mobile, and desktop processors in general workloads.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 183 FPS, but the 6-core, 12-thread configuration may limit performance compared to processors with more cores. Flight simulators often involve significant CPU work for physics calculations, AI traffic, and weather systems, which could benefit from additional threads. However, the relatively high frame rates at all settings indicate that the CPU handles these tasks adequately.

The CPU's memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 provides flexibility, though the measured results do not specify which memory type was used. The PCIe Gen 5 interface with 16 lanes from the CPU allows for high-bandwidth communication with the GPU, which is important for a game that streams large amounts of data. The 65 W TDP suggests efficient operation, though the system's overall power requirements would also depend on the GPU's 575 W TDP and the 950 W suggested power supply.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings offer the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p, all settings produce averages above 142 FPS, meaning any preset is viable for high-refresh-rate displays. The Ultra setting at 142 FPS offers the best visual quality while still maintaining smooth performance. For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, Low at 183 FPS provides the highest headroom, but the visual compromise may not be worth the 41 FPS gain over Ultra.

At 1440p, the situation remains favorable. Ultra settings produce 114 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and suitable for most displays. High settings at 120 FPS offer a slight improvement, while Medium at 155 FPS provides a more substantial frame rate boost. The difference between Ultra and Medium is 41 FPS, which could be significant for users with 144 Hz monitors. Low at 170 FPS gives the highest performance but sacrifices visual fidelity.

At 4K, the recommendation becomes more nuanced. Ultra settings at 84 FPS are playable but may not take full advantage of high-refresh-rate displays. High settings at 88 FPS provide a modest 4 FPS improvement. Medium at 118 FPS offers a substantial boost of 34 FPS over Ultra while still maintaining good visual quality. Low at 151 FPS is the highest performing option but represents a significant visual downgrade. The Medium preset at 4K appears to be the sweet spot, delivering 118 FPS average with a minimum of 100 FPS, ensuring consistent performance even during demanding scenes.

The Medium settings at each resolution also provide the only complete minimum and maximum data. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 142 FPS and maximum of 192 FPS show a 50 FPS range. At 1440p Medium, the range is 47 FPS, from 132 to 179. At 4K Medium, the range narrows to 35 FPS, from 100 to 135. This narrower range at 4K indicates more consistent frame pacing, which can feel smoother even if the average is lower. For users sensitive to frame time consistency, Medium at 4K may provide a better experience than Ultra at 1440p.

The data suggests that the optimal configuration depends on the display's native resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays with 144 Hz or higher refresh rates, Ultra settings provide an excellent balance. For 1440p displays, Ultra remains viable, though Medium offers a significant frame rate buffer. For 4K displays, Medium settings appear to offer the best combination of visual quality and performance, with the 118 FPS average and 100 FPS minimum ensuring smooth gameplay throughout. Users with 60 Hz 4K displays could comfortably choose Ultra at 84 FPS, while those with higher refresh rates would benefit from Medium settings.