Microsoft Flight Simulator

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces average frame rates ranging from 27.8 FPS at 4K High to 76.3 FPS at 1080p Low. The CPU ranks in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 55th percentile, and the combined system ranks 1565th out of 1795 tested combos. The data reveals a pairing where a top-tier processor is held back by a mid-range graphics card, and the measured performance reflects that imbalance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows show that at 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers 60.8 FPS, which is the only preset above 60 at that resolution. High drops to 47.5 and Ultra to 43. At 2560x1440, Low is the only preset above 60 (60.3), while Medium falls to 48.4. At 3840x2160, even Low only reaches 45.6, and High and Ultra are below 30 (27.8 and 28.1). Therefore, the data suggests that for a smooth experience, Medium at 1080p or Low at 1440p are the best choices, while 4K is not a viable target for this combo. The step from Low to Medium at 1080p costs a noticeable amount of frame rate, but the Medium preset still maintains a playable average. At 1440p, only Low achieves a frame rate above 60, making it the only reasonable option for that resolution. For 4K, the highest average is 45.6 FPS at Low, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that users should consider lowering resolution or settings further.

GPU Role

The GTX 1660 SUPER has 6GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 1785 MHz, and it delivers 5.027 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. These specifications place it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14314, -0.2%), Intel Iris Xe MAX (14315, -0.2%), AMD Radeon Vega 11 (14352, -0.5%), and AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (14389, -0.7%). The GPU trails all of these by small margins, indicating it sits at the bottom of a tightly packed performance tier. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the 6GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely stressed at 4K, where even Low settings yield only 45.6 FPS, compared to 76.3 at 1080p Low. The GPU's modest standing is the primary reason the combo ranks 1565th out of 1795. The launch MSRP for this GPU is 229 USD.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS at 1080p Low is 76.3, at 1440p Low is 60.3, and at 4K Low is 45.6. For High settings, the values are 47.5 at 1080p, 35.8 at 1440p, and 27.8 at 4K. Medium goes from 60.8 at 1080p to 48.4 at 1440p and 36.3 at 4K, while Ultra moves from 43 at 1080p to 36.8 at 1440p and 28.1 at 4K. The decline is consistent across all presets, with the largest absolute drops occurring between 1080p and 1440p for Low and Medium, and between 1440p and 4K for High and Ultra. This pattern indicates that the GPU becomes increasingly the limiting factor as resolution rises, because the CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core 4643) is less likely to be the constraint at higher pixel counts. The fact that the gap between Low and Ultra narrows from 1080p to 4K further supports the notion that the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1565th out of 1795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the lower portion of the database, meaning the majority of tested combinations outperform this one. The high CPU percentile (93) and low GPU percentile (55) explain this position: the system is held back by the GPU. The CPU's nearest rivals are all within 1.4% in average benchmark score, indicating that the CPU is not the differentiator here. The GPU's nearest rivals are all within 0.7% of its average score, showing that the GPU is also not a standout performer. The rank reflects a system where the CPU is far more capable than the GPU, and the overall result is dragged down by the graphics card.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF features 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its L3 cache is 24 MB shared. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 32889 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4643 in single-core, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 49367, which is 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K, 0.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, and 1.4% higher than the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, while being 0.5% lower than the AMD EPYC 4345P. This CPU is clearly a high-end part. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the measured frame rates at 1080p are significantly higher than at 4K, suggesting that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. The CPU's launch MSRP is $294.

Measured FPS Breakdown

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

|------------|----------|-------------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 27.8 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 45.6 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 36.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 28.1 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 35.8 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 60.3 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 48.4 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 36.8 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 47.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 76.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 60.8 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 43 |

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The highest average is 76.3 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: At 4K, which preset yields the highest average FPS?

A: Low settings at 3840x2160 yields 45.6 FPS, the highest among 4K presets.

Q: How does the CPU's average benchmark score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The i5-14600KF's average benchmark score is 49367, which is 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K (49166) and 0.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (49062), but 0.5% lower than the AMD EPYC 4345P (49595).

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

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER is in the 55th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: What is the combo's rank in the game's tested combos?

A: It ranks 1565th out of 1795 combos.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER has a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s.