Microsoft Flight Simulator

# Microsoft Flight Simulator — Intel Core i5-14400F + AMD Radeon RX 7700

This pairing places the 10-core Intel Core i5-14400F alongside the 16 GB AMD Radeon RX 7700, and the measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets show a system that is consistently GPU-limited at higher settings while retaining enough CPU headroom to push very high frame rates at lower detail levels. The combination ranks 1704th out of 3714 tested combos in this game, placing it just inside the top half of the database, which aligns with the component-level percentiles: the CPU sits at the 83rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits at the 58th percentile among all graphics cards.

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

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a Raptor Lake Refresh part manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process, featuring 10 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz, and it boosts to 4.70 GHz, with a 65 W TDP and a 20 MB shared L3 cache. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, has dual-channel memory support, and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. This processor was released on 2024-01-07 with a launch MSRP of $196.

Benchmark data shows this CPU performs strongly in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23 it scores 3055 points single-core and 21645 points multi-core. Geekbench results show 2058 single-core and 11268 multi-core. PassMark single-thread and multi-thread scores are 3701 and 25470, respectively. The average benchmark score across all tests is 32279, and the CPU ranks at the 83rd percentile versus all CPUs.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-14400F is remarkably close in average score. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores 32233 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226 (0.2% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354 (0.2% higher). The Intel Core i7-12800H scores 32121 (0.5% lower). These deltas are all within half a percent, meaning that for synthetic average scores, this CPU is effectively interchangeable with those four alternatives.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator specifically, the CPU's role is to handle the simulation logic, flight model calculations, and draw-call submission. The measured FPS data reveals that at 1080p Low settings, the system reaches 126 FPS average, which is the highest of any configuration tested. This high frame rate at low settings, combined with the GPU's 58th percentile ranking, indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck when settings are reduced. The 10-core, 16-thread configuration with a 4.70 GHz boost clock provides enough single-thread performance for the sim's largely serial workload, and the 20 MB L3 cache helps with the large world-data streams the game processes.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a RDNA 3.0 architecture GPU built on TSMC's 5 nm process, featuring the Navi 32 chip with 28,100 million transistors on a 346 mm² die. It has 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 raster operation units, along with 40 ray tracing cores. The GPU's base clock is 1900 MHz, the boost clock is 2459 MHz, and the game clock is 2041 MHz. Memory operates at 2438 MHz with 19.5 Gbps effective speed.

The memory subsystem is substantial: 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a key feature for flight simulation, where large texture sets and detailed terrain data are streamed constantly. The 16 GB capacity means that even at 4K resolution with Ultra settings, the GPU has ample VRAM headroom. The pixel rate is 236.1 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 393.4 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 25.18 TFLOPS.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 7700 scores 20974 in PassMark G3D, 106028 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 2865 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The average benchmark score is 15852, placing it at the 58th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862, 0.1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (16014, 1.0% higher), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679, 1.1% lower). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129, which is 1.7% higher.

The GPU's role in Microsoft Flight Simulator becomes apparent when examining the frame rate progression. At 1080p Ultra, the system delivers 70 FPS average, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 42 FPS. This 28 FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at high detail levels. However, the 16 GB VRAM ensures that there are no texture-loading stutters or memory-related frame drops, even at 4K where the game can consume large amounts of memory.

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

The measured data shows a clear pattern of frame rate degradation as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the drop varies significantly by settings preset. This variance reveals which component is the bottleneck in each configuration.

At Low settings, the system achieves 126 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, and 75 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 51 FPS, or roughly 40%. This is a substantial reduction, but the absolute frame rates remain high enough to suggest that even at 4K Low, the CPU is still providing enough throughput to keep the GPU busy. The fact that Low settings at 4K (75 FPS) is still higher than Ultra settings at 1080p (70 FPS) strongly indicates that the GPU's rendering workload, not the CPU, is what limits performance as resolution scales.

At Medium settings, the system delivers 98 FPS at 1080p, 79 FPS at 1440p, and 59 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 4K drop is 39 FPS. The Medium preset also provides minimum and maximum frame rates: at 1080p the range is 84 to 113 FPS, at 1440p it is 67 to 91 FPS, and at 4K it is 50 to 67 FPS. The consistent spread of roughly 17 FPS between min and max at each resolution suggests stable frame pacing without major hitches.

At High settings, the system reaches 74 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p, and 44 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 30 FPS. At Ultra settings, the system achieves 70 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p, and 42 FPS at 4K, with a 28 FPS drop.

The scaling pattern reveals that the GPU is the primary limiting component in the vast majority of configurations. The difference between High and Ultra settings at the same resolution is small — 4 FPS at 1080p, 3 FPS at 1440p, and 2 FPS at 4K. This suggests that the Ultra preset's additional rendering features are not particularly demanding on this GPU, or that the CPU is starting to become a secondary constraint at higher settings. The fact that the gap between 1080p and 1440p is larger than the gap between 1440p and 4K at Low settings (24 FPS vs. 27 FPS) further confirms that the GPU's rendering pipeline is the main bottleneck as pixel count increases.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1704th out of 3714 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places the combination in the 46th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 54% of the tested combos perform better, and 46% perform worse.

This ranking is somewhat lower than what the individual component percentiles might suggest. The CPU's 83rd percentile ranking indicates that the processor is well above average, and the GPU's 58th percentile is slightly above average. However, the combo's 46th percentile rank suggests that in this specific game, the pairing does not translate its component-level strengths into an equally high relative standing.

The discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile and the combo's mid-pack ranking points to the game's heavy GPU demands. While the i5-14400F is certainly capable of feeding the RX 7700, the GPU's 58th percentile means that there are many other graphics cards that can produce higher frame rates in this game. The combo rank reflects the GPU's position in the hierarchy more than the CPU's, which is consistent with the resolution scaling analysis showing the GPU as the primary bottleneck.

It is also notably the combo rank falls within a densely populated area of the database. With 3714 total combos, a rank of 1704 means there are roughly 2010 combos ranked lower. This puts the system in the upper-middle range, but the tight clustering of results around this area means that small performance differences can shift the rank significantly.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this combo for a balance of visual quality and frame rate?

A: At 1440p Medium, the system delivers 79 FPS average with a range of 67 to 91 FPS. This provides a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 59 FPS, which is playable but less fluid, while 1080p Medium reaches 98 FPS.

Q: How much VRAM does the RX 7700 have, and is it sufficient for 4K flight simulation?

A: The GPU has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 624.1 GB/s bandwidth. In the measured data, 4K Ultra runs at 42 FPS average with no reported stutters, indicating that 16 GB is sufficient for this game's 4K textures and terrain data.

Q: Does this CPU bottleneck the GPU in any configuration?

A: At 1080p Low, the system reaches 126 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate. The fact that frame rates scale down smoothly as resolution increases, without any sudden drops, indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck in any tested configuration. The GPU is the limiting factor at all settings above Low.

Q: How does this combo compare to the nearest CPU rivals in the database?

A: The i5-14400F's average benchmark score of 32279 is within 0.5% of four rival CPUs: the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (32233, 0.1% lower), Core i9-11900 (32226, 0.2% lower), Ryzen 7 6800HS (32354, 0.2% higher), and Core i7-12800H (32121, 0.5% lower). The performance differences are negligible.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between High and Ultra settings at each resolution?

A: At 1080p, High gives 74 FPS and Ultra gives 70 FPS, a 4 FPS difference. At 1440p, High gives 60 FPS and Ultra gives 57 FPS, a 3 FPS difference. At 4K, High gives 44 FPS and Ultra gives 42 FPS, a 2 FPS difference. The Ultra preset costs very little performance.

Q: Is this combo better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming?

A: The data shows strong performance at both. At 1080p High, the system hits 74 FPS, while at 1440p High it hits 60 FPS. At 1080p Ultra, it reaches 70 FPS, and at 1440p Ultra, 57 FPS. Both resolutions are viable, with 1440p offering more detail at the cost of roughly 13-14 FPS depending on the preset.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rate data, the best experience depends on the target resolution and the user's preference for visual fidelity over frame rate smoothness.

At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers 70 FPS average, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Since the difference between High (74 FPS) and Ultra (70 FPS) is only 4 FPS, running Ultra at 1080p is the recommended choice for maximum visual quality without sacrificing playability.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 60 FPS average, which is exactly at the standard smoothness threshold. The Ultra preset drops to 57 FPS, which is slightly below 60 FPS but still playable. For users who prefer a guaranteed 60 FPS, High is the safer choice. For those who want the best visuals and can tolerate a 57 FPS average, Ultra is acceptable.

At 4K, the Medium preset delivers 59 FPS average with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS. This is the only 4K preset that comes close to 60 FPS. The High preset drops to 44 FPS, and Ultra drops to 42 FPS. For 4K, Medium provides the best balance, offering near-60 FPS performance with reasonable detail. The Low preset reaches 75 FPS at 4K but sacrifices too much visual quality for a flight simulator where terrain and cockpit detail are important.

The data suggests that 1440p High is the sweet spot for this combo, delivering 60 FPS average with good visual quality. Users prioritizing frame rate over visuals should consider 1080p Ultra, while users with 4K displays should accept Medium settings to stay near 60 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured frame rates for the Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 126 FPS average
• Medium: 98 FPS average, 84 FPS minimum, 113 FPS maximum
• High: 74 FPS average
• Ultra: 70 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 102 FPS average
• Medium: 79 FPS average, 67 FPS minimum, 91 FPS maximum
• High: 60 FPS average
• Ultra: 57 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 75 FPS average
• Medium: 59 FPS average, 50 FPS minimum, 67 FPS maximum
• High: 44 FPS average
• Ultra: 42 FPS average

Across all resolutions and settings, the system never drops below 42 FPS average at the worst case (4K Ultra) and reaches as high as 126 FPS average at the best case (1080p Low). The Medium preset at each resolution provides the only min/max data, showing consistent frame delivery with roughly 17 FPS spread between minimum and maximum at all three resolutions. The overall pattern is one of steady, predictable performance scaling, with the GPU being the dominant factor in determining frame rates as resolution and settings increase.