Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator places an enormous burden on both the CPU and GPU, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti reveals a configuration that is well-suited for high-refresh-rate flight, though it begins to show limitations at the most demanding settings. The measured FPS across resolutions demonstrates a clear scaling pattern that favors lower graphical presets, allowing the hardware to push far beyond the 60 FPS threshold. This analysis walks through the specific performance metrics, the role of each component, and the practical settings choices that emerge from the data.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the configuration achieves an average of 106.8 FPS. This is a strong result, indicating that the system can handle the game's maximum visual fidelity at 1080p while maintaining a frame rate well above the standard 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 44900. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, scores 45152, which is a deltaPct of -0.6%. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 scores 44195, representing a 1.6% deltaPct, while the Intel Arc A730M scores 45592, a -1.5% deltaPct. The data shows the RTX 4070 Ti is competitively positioned within this group.

Q: What is the boost clock speed of the Intel Core i5-14400F?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz and a base clock of 2.50 GHz. This boost capability is a key factor in handling the game's single-threaded simulation logic.

Q: What is the largest single performance gap between settings at 2560x1440?

A: The largest gap at 2560x1440 is between Low and Ultra settings. The Low preset yields an average of 153.6 FPS, while Ultra drops to 85.1 FPS. This represents a substantial 68.5 FPS difference, showing the significant impact of graphical fidelity on performance at this resolution.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combination ranks 208th out of 1795 tested combos. This places it in the top tier of tested systems, indicating it is a high-performing configuration.

Q: Does the system achieve playable frame rates at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data shows playable frame rates at 3840x2160. With High settings, the average is 67.2 FPS, and with Ultra settings, it is 61.8 FPS. Both are above 60 FPS, suggesting a smooth experience can be achieved at 4K with these presets.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the primary driver of graphical performance in this configuration. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides a 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, which is sufficient for the high-resolution textures and detailed environments in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The GPU's architecture, Ada Lovelace, is built on a 5 nm process and features 7680 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, enabling it to process the complex geometry and lighting of the flight sim.

The core clock speeds are critical to understanding the performance. The base clock is 2310 MHz, and the boost clock reaches 2610 MHz. This boost behavior allows the GPU to dynamically increase its speed under load, which is reflected in the measured FPS. The RTX 4070 Ti's capabilities are evident in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5024 and its Passmark G3D score of 31624. These synthetic benchmarks corroborate the real-world gaming results, showing a strong foundation for handling DirectX 12 workloads.

The relationship between the GPU and the game's results is most visible when comparing settings. At 1920x1080, the jump from Low to Ultra costs 85.5 FPS (from 192.3 to 106.8), which is a direct consequence of increased pixel shading, texture filtering, and draw calls. The GPU's 40.09 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the raw computational muscle that must be allocated to these tasks. At 4K, the GPU is pushed harder; the difference between Low and Ultra is 49.7 FPS (from 111.5 to 61.8). The data indicates that while the RTX 4070 Ti is powerful, the demands of Ultra settings at 4K consume its resources, leaving less headroom for maintaining very high frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti at rank 208 out of 1795 tested combos. This percentile placement is a strong indicator of the system's overall capability. Being in the top 12% of all tested configurations demonstrates that this pairing is well-balanced for gaming, avoiding significant bottlenecks that would drag its ranking down.

The ranking reflects the synergy between the CPU and GPU. The i5-14400F, with a percentileVsAllCpus of 88, is a strong processor, and the RTX 4070 Ti, with a percentileVsAllGpus of 85, is a high-tier graphics card. Neither component is a weak link, which allows the system to perform to its full potential. The combo's rank of 208 suggests that a large number of systems in the database are either less balanced or use lower-tier components. This ranking, combined with the measured FPS data, provides a clear picture of a high-performance machine that can handle demanding titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator with authority.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a granular view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates exceptional headroom. The Low preset delivers an average of 192.3 FPS, which is a very high frame rate suitable for competitive or high-refresh-rate displays. Medium settings reduce this to 148 FPS, while High and Ultra bring it down to 112.2 FPS and 106.8 FPS, respectively. The data shows that even at the highest settings, the system maintains over 100 FPS at 1080p.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected scaling. The Low preset averages 153.6 FPS, which is still a very high number. Medium settings deliver 121.6 FPS, and High settings provide 88 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields an average of 85.1 FPS. This indicates that at 1440p, the system is capable of smooth gameplay on all presets, though the gap between Low and Ultra is more pronounced (68.5 FPS difference).

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload increases significantly. The Low preset averages 111.5 FPS, which is surprisingly high for 4K and indicates the game is not entirely GPU-bound at this setting. Medium settings drop to 89.1 FPS, while High settings average 67.2 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K produces an average of 61.8 FPS. This is the only scenario where the frame rate dips near the 60 FPS line, but it still remains above it. The data shows a clear trend: the system is most at home at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K Ultra being the most demanding stress point.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and refresh rate priority. For users with a 1920x1080 display, the High preset is the best balance, delivering 112.2 FPS. This is a significant improvement over the 106.8 FPS of Ultra, with a likely minimal visual difference, while still offering a very high frame rate. The Medium preset at 148 FPS is also viable for those seeking maximum smoothness, but High provides a better visual experience with only a 35.8 FPS penalty.

For 2560x1440 users, the High preset is again the recommended choice, yielding an average of 88 FPS. This is a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and provides a high level of visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 85.1 FPS is also playable, but the 2.9 FPS difference between High and Ultra is small, making High the more efficient choice for a smoother experience. For those with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors, the Medium preset at 121.6 FPS is an excellent option.

At 3840x2160, the High preset is the clear winner, producing an average of 67.2 FPS. This is the best balance between visual quality and performance at 4K, as it maintains a frame rate above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 61.8 FPS is technically playable, but it leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. The data suggests that High is the "sweet spot" for this configuration across all resolutions, offering a strong blend of image quality and frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz, and it boosts to 4.70 GHz. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU is responsible for simulating the flight physics, weather, and AI traffic. The high boost clock is critical for the single-threaded performance that this simulation logic often relies upon.

The CPU's benchmark scores reflect its strong multi-threaded and single-threaded capabilities. It scores 21914 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3093 in single-core. The Passmark multithread score is 25783, and the single-thread score is 3723. These results show a processor that can handle the game's background tasks, such as loading terrain data, while also keeping up with the primary simulation thread. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache is also beneficial for keeping frequently accessed data close to the cores.

The CPU's percentileVsAllCpus of 88 indicates it outperforms 88% of all processors in the database. While it is not the absolute fastest, it provides ample headroom to prevent it from bottlenecking the RTX 4070 Ti in this game. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (192.3 FPS) shows the CPU's ability to feed frames quickly, while the 4K Ultra score of 61.8 FPS shows the GPU becoming the limiting factor. The data confirms that this CPU is a capable partner for the RTX 4070 Ti in Microsoft Flight Simulator, ensuring that the system's performance is primarily governed by the graphics settings and resolution.