Microsoft Flight Simulator

The data for Microsoft Flight Simulator with the Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER reveals a system that is decisively limited by its graphics processor. The benchmark results show a clear pattern: frame rates are heavily dependent on resolution and settings, while the processor provides ample headroom. This combination ranks at 1593 out of 1795 tested combos, placing it in the lower percentile of performance for this title, a position that aligns with the GPU's mid-range class.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS demonstrates a significant drop as resolution increases, confirming the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 76.2 FPS, but this falls to 62.6 FPS at 1440p and further to 43.3 FPS at 4K. This represents a 43.2% performance decrease from 1080p to 4K on Low settings, a substantial loss that highlights the strain placed on the graphics card.

The scaling pattern becomes even more pronounced at higher settings. With Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 41.1 at 1080p to 37.2 at 1440p, and then sharply to 27.5 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 27.5 FPS is barely playable, while the 1080p Ultra result of 41.1 FPS is more acceptable. This behavior indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and its compute capabilities are insufficient for the demands of 4K rendering in Flight Simulator, particularly with higher graphical presets.

The data shows that resolution scaling is not linear, with the most significant frame rate penalties occurring when moving to 4K. For example, on Medium settings, the drop from 1440p (50.0 FPS) to 4K (33.1 FPS) is a 33.8% reduction. This is a classic sign of a GPU reaching its memory bandwidth or pixel throughput limits, as the game's rendering load increases exponentially with pixel count.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain a playable frame rate?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where the system consistently achieves above 40 FPS across all settings. At 1440p, only the Low preset reaches above 60 FPS, while High and Ultra fall to 35.0 and 37.2 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 14286, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics, and 0.5% lower than the AMD Radeon Vega 11. It trails the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT by 0.7%.

Q: Is the CPU a limiting factor in this game?

A: No, the benchmark results indicate the CPU is not the bottleneck. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores in the 89th percentile against all CPUs, and the FPS scaling with resolution points to the GPU as the primary constraint.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The average frame rate at 1080p on Low settings is 76.2 FPS, while on Ultra settings it is 41.1 FPS. This is a 35.1 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset demands significantly more from the GPU.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: The combo ranks 1593 out of 1795 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 11% of systems, indicating that most other hardware configurations provide better performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Q: What is the performance delta between the CPU and its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35355, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i5-14400 and 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i5-13600T. It is 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i7-13800H.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its synthetic benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28979 and a single-core score of 4091. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking against all processors indicates high overall capability.

In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The FPS data shows that even at lower resolutions where the CPU would typically have more influence, the performance is still constrained by the graphics card. For instance, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 76.2 FPS, but the CPU's strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Geekbench single-core score of 2526, is not the limiting factor here.

The benchmark results suggest that the CPU has sufficient headroom to support higher frame rates if paired with a more powerful GPU. The processor's 25 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide a solid foundation, but the measured FPS in this game is consistently capped by the GPU's output. The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is virtually identical, with deltas of 0.1% to 0.3%, confirming that it is not a source of variability in this system's results.

Settings Recommendations

The data indicates that the Low preset at 1080p provides the best balance of performance, delivering 76.2 FPS. This is the only configuration in the measured data that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the clear choice for smooth gameplay. For users seeking higher visual fidelity, the Medium preset at 1080p offers 59.5 FPS, which is close to the 60 FPS threshold and represents a reasonable compromise.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option for playable frame rates, achieving 62.6 FPS. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets at this resolution fall to 50.0, 35.0, and 37.2 FPS respectively, which may be too low for a satisfying experience in a flight simulator where smooth camera movements are important. The 4K resolution is not recommended for this combo, as even the Low preset only manages 43.3 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 27.5 FPS.

The frame rate differences between presets are substantial. Moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p costs 35.1 FPS, a 46% reduction. This highlights the significant GPU load associated with higher settings in Flight Simulator. The measured data suggests that users should prioritize frame rate over graphical detail with this hardware, as the GTX 1660 SUPER lacks the power to handle high presets at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 1593 out of 1795 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This ranking places it in the bottom 11.2% of all systems tested, indicating that the vast majority of other hardware configurations deliver superior performance in this game. The low ranking is directly attributable to the GPU's limitations, as the CPU's performance is in the 89th percentile of all processors.

The rank of 1593 suggests that this system is not well-suited for the demanding rendering requirements of Flight Simulator. The GTX 1660 SUPER's average benchmark score of 14286 places it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, which is a mid-range result. When paired with a high-end CPU like the i7-12700KF, the GPU becomes the clear weak link, dragging down the overall combo ranking.

Compared to other tested combos, this system's performance is constrained by the graphics card's inability to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor, as its scores are consistently high. This ranking serves as a clear indicator that the GPU should be the first upgrade target for any user looking to improve performance in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 76.2 on Low to 41.1 on Ultra. The Medium preset delivers 59.5 FPS, while the High preset achieves 44.4 FPS. This shows a clear progression of decreasing performance as graphical quality increases.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all settings. The Low preset achieves 62.6 FPS, the Medium preset reaches 50.0 FPS, the High preset produces 35.0 FPS, and the Ultra preset yields 37.2 FPS. The High and Ultra results are nearly identical, suggesting that the GPU is saturated at this resolution regardless of the specific preset.

At 3840x2160, the performance is significantly lower. The Low preset reaches 43.3 FPS, the Medium preset achieves 33.1 FPS, the High preset produces 28.6 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 27.5 FPS. None of these results are ideal for smooth gameplay, with the 4K Ultra result being particularly low. The data shows a consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, with the most severe drops occurring at 4K.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary determinant of performance in this system. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 192-bit bus provides 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is a key factor in its ability to handle texture-heavy scenes. The GPU has a base clock of 1530 MHz and a boost clock of 1785 MHz, with a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 14286 places it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, indicating a mid-range performance level. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics, which have scores of 14314 and 14315 respectively, showing that the GTX 1660 SUPER is competitive with these integrated and entry-level discrete solutions.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the GPU's limitations are evident in the measured FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 27.5 FPS is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to process the high pixel count and complex geometry at that resolution. The 6 GB VRAM capacity may also be a constraint in this game, as Flight Simulator is known for its large texture datasets. The FP32 performance of 5.027 TFLOPS is modest by modern standards, and the data confirms that this GPU is best suited for 1080p gaming with lower settings in this demanding title.