Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator places a unique load on PC hardware, demanding both strong single-thread CPU performance for flight simulation logic and substantial GPU memory for detailed scenery. This analysis examines the Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, using measured frame rate data to interpret results across resolutions and settings. The combination ranks 162nd out of 1795 tested combos for this game, placing it in the top 10% of all configurations. The data shows a configuration that prioritizes high refresh rates at 1440p and remains playable at 4K, though the scaling between settings reveals specific bottlenecks.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU and GPU combo for Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The combo ranks 162nd out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the 91st percentile of all tested configurations for this specific game.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32508. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-12800H, scores 32513, a delta of 0%. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 scores 32446, which is 0.2% lower, while the AMD Ryzen 7 250 scores 32584, which is 0.2% higher.

Q: What is the GPU's memory capacity and bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 672.3 GB/s. The memory clock is 1313 MHz, translating to 21 Gbps effective.

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 195.3 FPS. This is the highest average frame rate recorded across all tested resolutions and settings.

Q: Is the configuration capable of 4K gaming in this title?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160, the average frame rate is 67.2 FPS on High settings and 66.1 FPS on Ultra. While not as high as lower resolutions, these figures remain above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The GPU ranks in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48704. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA CMP 50HX, which scores 49071, a delta of -0.7%.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame of 162 out of 1795 places this configuration in the 91st percentile, which is a strong indicator of its capability in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This rank suggests that the pairing of a mid-range 14th-gen CPU with a high-end 40-series GPU is well-balanced for this title's demands. The data shows that most tested combos (over 1600) produce lower performance, meaning this system is positioned for high-fidelity flight simulation without being an absolute top-tier outlier. The rank implies that the bottleneck is not severe at typical gaming resolutions, as the system outperforms the vast majority of alternatives. However, the 162nd position also indicates that there are configurations with materially higher performance, likely using more powerful CPUs or GPUs, which could achieve higher frame rates at maximum settings. For the purpose of this analysis, the rank provides context that this is a high-performing combination, but not the absolute fastest, leaving room for upgrades at the top end.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is a graphics-intensive title. The GPU operates with a base clock of 2340 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz, built on the 5 nm Ada Lovelace architecture with 8448 shading units. The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory is a critical asset for this game, as it allows for the loading of high-resolution textures and complex scenery without stuttering. The 672.3 GB/s memory bandwidth ensures that data flows quickly to the GPU cores, which is essential for streaming terrain data during flight. In benchmark tests, the GPU scores 31811 in Passmark G3D and 223091 in Geekbench OpenCL, reflecting strong raw compute capability. Its percentileVsAllGpus of 86 indicates it outperforms the majority of GPUs on the market. However, the data shows that the GPU's performance is not always the limiting factor; at lower resolutions, the CPU becomes more relevant. At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload increases, and the frame rates drop to an average of 66.1 FPS on Ultra, which still demonstrates the card's ability to handle 4K in this demanding sim.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are exceptionally high: 195.3 FPS on Low, 150.3 FPS on Medium, 116.6 FPS on High, and 109.1 FPS on Ultra. This indicates that at 1080p, the system is largely CPU-bound, as the frame rates are high enough that the GPU is not fully saturated. Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 156.3 FPS (Low), 121.2 FPS (Medium), 90.2 FPS (High), and 88.4 FPS (Ultra). The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant but still leaves the system comfortably above 60 FPS on all presets, making 1440p the sweet spot for high refresh rate monitors. At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more demanding: 113 FPS on Low, 87.3 FPS on Medium, 67.2 FPS on High, and 66.1 FPS on Ultra. The 4K results show a clear GPU bottleneck, with the difference between High and Ultra being minimal (1.1 FPS), suggesting that the visual gains from Ultra are not worth the performance cost. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 46.9 FPS drop, which is the largest absolute drop among all resolutions, confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint at this resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F has 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache is relevant for gaming, as it allows for faster access to frequently used data. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 21914 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3093 in single-core, which are solid figures for a mid-range processor. Its percentileVsAllCpus of 88 indicates it is stronger than most CPUs. The CPU's role in Microsoft Flight Simulator is to handle the simulation logic, including flight physics and AI, while the GPU renders the visuals. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rates are high but the GPU is not being fully utilized. For example, at 1080p Ultra, the average is 109.1 FPS, which is only 20.7 FPS higher than at 4K Ultra (66.1 FPS), indicating that the CPU cannot push frames much higher even when the GPU has headroom. The CPU's performance relative to rivals shows it is comparable to the Intel Core i7-12800H, with a delta of 0%, meaning the CPU is not a weak point in this pairing. At 1440p and 4K, the CPU's load decreases relative to the GPU, and the system becomes more balanced.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and refresh rate goals. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 109.1 FPS is the best choice for visual fidelity, as it still provides a high frame rate that exceeds most 100 Hz monitors. If the user has a 144 Hz or 165 Hz display, dropping to High at 116.6 FPS offers a marginal increase without a significant visual downgrade. For 2560x1440, the High preset at 90.2 FPS is the recommended balance, as it provides smooth gameplay on a 90 Hz or 100 Hz monitor. The Ultra preset at 88.4 FPS is also viable, but the 1.8 FPS difference does not justify the additional GPU load. For 3840x2160, the High preset at 67.2 FPS is the best experience, as it maintains a frame rate above 60 FPS while delivering good visual quality. The Ultra preset at 66.1 FPS is only 1.1 FPS lower, so users with a 60 Hz 4K display can enable Ultra without issue. However, the Medium preset at 87.3 FPS is a better choice for those who prefer higher frame rates on a 4K monitor with a higher refresh rate. In all cases, the Low preset is not recommended, as it sacrifices too much visual fidelity for a frame rate increase that is not necessary for a flight simulator where precision is more important than speed.