Microsoft Flight Simulator

# FAQ

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: This Intel Core i5-12600KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 248th out of 3714 tested combos in the game, placing it in the top 6.7% of all tested systems.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799. It sits 0.3% below the Intel Core i9-10900K (27872) and 0.3% below the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27896), while being 0.3% above the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (27712).

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4080 averages 54247. It is 0.1% above the RTX 4080 SUPER (54209), 1.1% below the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828), 2.6% below the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55698), and 2.7% below the AMD Radeon 8060S (55757).

Q: What are the measured FPS figures at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo delivers an average of 117 FPS. For comparison, at the same resolution, Low settings produce 207 FPS, Medium produces 164 FPS, and High produces 123 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS recorded is 112, with an average of 132 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS.

Q: What is the CPU's core and thread configuration?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF features 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. It has 20 MB of shared L3 cache and a TDP of 125 W.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Alder Lake-S family, built on Intel's 10 nm process. Its base clock of 3.70 GHz can reach 4.90 GHz under boost conditions, providing strong single-thread performance that matters for flight simulation workloads. The CPU's multithreaded capabilities are reflected in its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23391, while its single-core score of 3302 indicates robust per-thread performance.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU handles significant simulation logic, including flight dynamics, weather systems, and AI traffic. The benchmark data shows that the i5-12600KF's 16 threads deliver a 3DMark 16-thread score of 7956, while its 8-thread score is 6128. This scaling suggests the processor maintains efficiency as thread counts increase, which is important for a game that can utilize multiple cores for various simulation tasks simultaneously.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 79 among all CPUs places it in the upper range of processors, and its average benchmark score of 27799 positions it within 0.3% of the Intel Core i9-10900K and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D. These rivals represent previous-generation high-end options, and the data indicates the i5-12600KF competes effectively with them despite its mid-range positioning. The unlocked multiplier allows for overclocking headroom, though the measured FPS in this game already demonstrate strong performance without manual tuning.

For this particular game, the CPU's workload is substantial. The simulation aspect of Microsoft Flight Simulator requires consistent processing of physics, navigation data, and environmental interactions. With 20 MB of shared L3 cache, the processor can store frequently accessed simulation data, reducing latency. The dual-channel memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 provides flexibility, though the game's performance appears well-balanced with this CPU as evidenced by the measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process by TSMC, featuring 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die. Its base clock of 2205 MHz boosts to 2505 MHz, while the memory runs at 1400 MHz with 22.4 Gbps effective speed. The GPU includes 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the GPU is responsible for rendering vast landscapes, detailed aircraft models, and complex lighting effects. The RTX 4080's 9728 shading units and 304 texture mapping units process these graphical elements, while its 112 raster output pipelines handle pixel output at a rate of 280.6 GPixel/s. The texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s ensures detailed surface rendering across the game's terrain and aircraft.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 86 among all GPUs indicates it sits in the upper echelon of graphics cards. Its average benchmark score of 54247 is 0.1% above the RTX 4080 SUPER, suggesting near-identical performance to its direct successor. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is ample for the high-resolution textures used in flight simulation, preventing memory bottlenecks even at 4K with Ultra settings. The 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores provide hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects and DLSS features, though the measured FPS data in this benchmark does not differentiate between those features.

The GDDR6X memory's 716.8 GB/s bandwidth supports the high data throughput required for streaming scenery data during flight. The GPU's PCIe 4.0 x16 interface ensures sufficient bandwidth from the CPU, and its triple-slot design with a 320 W TDP indicates the cooling requirements for sustained operation. The measured FPS figures show that the GPU scales well from 1080p to 4K, with performance dropping as resolution increases—a pattern consistent with GPU-bound scenarios at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 248th out of 3714 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places the combo in the top 6.7% of all systems tested, indicating that it delivers near-flagship performance for this specific game. The rank of 248 with 3714 total combos means that roughly 3466 other combinations perform worse, while only 247 achieve higher frame rates or better consistency.

The CPU's performance percentile of 79 and the GPU's percentile of 86 both contribute to this strong ranking. The combination pairs a solid mid-range processor with an upper-tier graphics card, creating a system that excels in GPU-intensive scenarios. The data shows the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions, where frame rates reach 207 FPS at 1080p Low settings, but the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution increases.

When compared to other tested combos, this system's rank suggests that the i5-12600KF provides sufficient processing power to keep the RTX 4080 well-fed across most settings. The nearest CPU rivals—the i9-10900K and Ryzen 7 5800X3D—have nearly identical average scores with deltaPct values of -0.3%, meaning the i5-12600KF performs within a fraction of a percent of those higher-tier processors. This explains why the combo ranks so highly despite using a non-flagship CPU.

The GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, shows a deltaPct of 0.1%, indicating the two cards perform essentially identically in average benchmark terms. This means systems pairing the RTX 4080 with similar CPUs would likely achieve comparable ranks in this game, with small variations depending on the specific processor used. The rank of 248 out of 3714 reflects the combined capabilities of both components working together in this flight simulator.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080 resolution, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 207 FPS, Medium settings yield 164 FPS with a minimum of 139 and maximum of 188, High settings achieve 123 FPS, and Ultra settings maintain 117 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a drop of 90 FPS, representing a 43% reduction in average frame rate as visual fidelity increases.

Moving to 2560x1440 resolution, the frame rates remain strong but show expected scaling. Low settings average 170 FPS, Medium settings average 132 FPS with a minimum of 112 and maximum of 152, High settings average 99 FPS, and Ultra settings average 95 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 75 FPS, a 44% reduction. Compared to 1080p, the 1440p results are lower by 37 FPS at Low settings, 32 FPS at Medium, 24 FPS at High, and 22 FPS at Ultra.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the frame rates reflect the increased rendering load. Low settings average 125 FPS, Medium settings average 97 FPS with a minimum of 83 and maximum of 112, High settings average 73 FPS, and Ultra settings average 70 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 55 FPS, a 44% reduction. Comparing 4K to 1080p, the drops are 82 FPS at Low, 67 FPS at Medium, 50 FPS at High, and 47 FPS at Ultra.

The Medium settings rows provide the only min/max FPS data in the measured set. At 1080p Medium, the range spans 49 FPS (139 to 188). At 1440p Medium, the range is 40 FPS (112 to 152). At 4K Medium, the range is 29 FPS (83 to 112). This tightening range at higher resolutions suggests reduced frame time variance, likely due to the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data indicates that Ultra settings provide playable performance at all tested resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 117 FPS average, which is well above smooth gameplay thresholds. At 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 95 FPS, still providing a fluid experience. At 4K Ultra, the average falls to 70 FPS, which remains acceptable for a flight simulator where precise control matters more than competitive frame rates.

For players prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, Low settings at 1080p deliver 207 FPS, providing an extremely responsive experience. Medium settings at 1080p offer 164 FPS with a minimum of 139 FPS, ensuring consistent performance even during demanding scenes with dense scenery or complex weather. High settings at 1080p provide 123 FPS, balancing visual quality with smoothness.

At 1440p, Medium settings appear to be the sweet spot for maintaining high frame rates while improving visual quality over Low. The 132 FPS average with a 112 FPS minimum ensures no significant drops below comfortable levels. High settings at 1440p reduce the average to 99 FPS, which remains playable but may show occasional dips in complex areas. Ultra settings at 1440p at 95 FPS are also viable for users who prioritize maximum visual detail.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests High settings at 73 FPS provide a balanced experience, while Ultra at 70 FPS is nearly identical in average performance. The difference of only 3 FPS between High and Ultra at 4K indicates that the Ultra preset does not impose a significant additional cost over High. Medium settings at 4K achieve 97 FPS, making it the best choice for users who want higher frame rates at this resolution without dropping to Low settings, which produce 125 FPS.

The best overall experience depends on the user's display resolution and preference for visual quality versus frame rate. At 1080p, Ultra settings at 117 FPS provide the full visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. At 1440p, Medium settings at 132 FPS offer a strong balance. At 4K, High settings at 73 FPS represent the optimal trade-off, as Ultra provides only marginal visual gains for a negligible FPS difference.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS progression from 1080p to 4K reveals important insights about the limiting component in this system. At Low settings, the frame rates drop from 207 FPS at 1080p to 170 FPS at 1440p and 125 FPS at 4K. This represents a 40% reduction from 1080p to 4K, indicating that even at Low settings, the GPU experiences increased load as pixel count rises.

At Medium settings, the averages go from 164 FPS at 1080p to 132 FPS at 1440p and 97 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 41%, closely mirroring the Low settings pattern. The minimum FPS values also scale similarly: 139 at 1080p, 112 at 1440p, and 83 at 4K. This consistent scaling suggests that the GPU is the primary performance determinant across all settings, as the CPU maintains sufficient headroom to feed the graphics card.

High settings show 123 FPS at 1080p, 99 FPS at 1440p, and 73 FPS at 4K—a 41% reduction from 1080p to 4K. Ultra settings follow the same trend: 117 FPS at 1080p, 95 FPS at 1440p, and 70 FPS at 4K, a 40% reduction. The uniformity of these percentage drops across all four settings presets indicates that the system's scaling behavior is consistent regardless of graphical load.

The relatively even FPS reduction from 1080p to 4K—hovering around 40-41% for every settings level—points to the GPU as the limiting component at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the scaling would show smaller percentage drops as resolution increased, because the CPU workload would remain constant while the GPU workload grew. Instead, the frame rate decreases proportionally with the increased pixel count, a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

At 1080p Low settings, the 207 FPS average suggests the CPU can push frame rates well beyond typical display refresh rates. The i5-12600KF's single-thread performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3302 and 3DMark single-thread score of 1016, provides sufficient processing power to avoid limiting the RTX 4080 even at this demanding setting. The data indicates that this combo is well-balanced, with the GPU becoming the limiting factor primarily as resolution increases, which is the expected behavior for a high-end graphics card paired with a capable mid-range processor.