Microsoft Flight Simulator

The benchmark data for Microsoft Flight Simulator pairs the Intel Core i7-13700K with the AMD Radeon RX 580, a combination that produces a very specific performance profile. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system where the GPU is the primary constraint, but the CPU’s capabilities still define the upper boundaries of what is achievable. This analysis breaks down the FPS data, contextualizes the component roles, and answers key questions about this pairing’s behavior in the flight simulator.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, pointing directly at the Radeon RX 580 as the limiting factor. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 32.7 FPS at 1920x1080 to 23.0 FPS at 2560x1440, a 29.7% reduction. Moving to 3840x2160 at the same settings yields just 15.8 FPS, which is 51.7% lower than the 1080p result. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario: as pixel count increases, the rendering load on the graphics card grows faster than the CPU can feed it, and the RX 580’s 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 compute become the bottleneck.

The Low settings data reinforces this interpretation. At 1920x1080 Low, the combo achieves 54.2 FPS, which drops to 42.5 FPS at 1440p and 29.3 FPS at 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K is 45.9%, slightly less severe than at High settings because the lower graphical load reduces some of the GPU pressure, but the trend remains clear. Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling failure: 28.9 FPS at 1080p, 23.5 FPS at 1440p, and 19.2 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is only 66.4% of the 1080p Ultra figure, indicating that the RX 580 is overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum fidelity.

What the data implies is that this pairing cannot sustain playable frame rates at 4K under any settings, and even 1440p is marginal. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, is not the issue here; the GPU’s age and architecture are. The RX 580’s 8 GB of GDDR5 memory is sufficient for most scenarios, but the raw throughput is insufficient for the simulator’s demanding rendering pipeline at high pixel densities.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K brings substantial processing power to this combination, but its influence on the measured FPS is indirect. With a boost clock of 5.40 GHz and 16 cores (24 threads), the CPU can handle the simulator’s complex flight models, weather simulation, and physics calculations without breaking a sweat. Benchmark results show a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505, indicating that both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads are handled exceptionally well. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10717 further confirms this capability.

In this game, the CPU’s role is to prepare frames for the GPU, and the data suggests it is doing so efficiently. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 54.2 FPS, which is close to what the RX 580 can output when the CPU is not a limiting factor. However, the fact that 4K Low (29.3 FPS) is not proportionally lower than 1080p Low (54.2 FPS) — a 45.9% drop — implies that the CPU is still feeding the GPU adequately at lower resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS as resolution decreases, but the steady climb from 4K to 1080p indicates the GPU is the primary constraint.

The CPU’s cache hierarchy, with 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per core L2, helps maintain low latency for the simulator’s data access patterns. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 2262 and 4-thread score of 4469 show that even lightly threaded scenarios are handled well, which is relevant for a game that may not fully utilize all 24 threads. The i7-13700K’s position in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 47282, means it is unlikely to be the cause of any performance shortfall in this pairing.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where frame rates approach playability. At Low settings, the combo averages 54.2 FPS, and at Medium it hits 40.0 FPS. Higher resolutions drop below 30 FPS even at Low, with 1440p Low at 42.5 FPS and 4K Low at 29.3 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 580 compare to its nearest rivals in raw GPU benchmarks?

A: The RX 580’s average benchmark score is 13559, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 with a score of 13564, a delta of 0%. The GTX 950 scores 13549 (0.1% delta), and the AMD Radeon Pro 455 scores 13416 (1.1% delta). This indicates the RX 580 is statistically equivalent to these older cards in synthetic tests.

Q: Can the i7-13700K keep up with the RX 580 in this game?

A: Yes, the CPU is not the bottleneck. The i7-13700K’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and Cinebench R20 single-core score of 2312 show strong per-core performance. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings (54.2 to 29.3 FPS) suggests the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU can maintain frame delivery across resolutions.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1440p High settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 23.0, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. This is a significant drop from 1080p High (32.7 FPS), indicating that the RX 580 struggles with the increased pixel count at this quality level.

Q: Is the RX 580’s memory bandwidth sufficient for Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The GPU has 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth over a 256-bit bus, which is modest by modern standards. The performance data shows that even at Low settings, 4K FPS (29.3) is barely playable, suggesting that the bandwidth, combined with the 6.175 TFLOPS compute, limits the simulator’s rendering at high resolutions.

Q: How does the i7-13700K rank among all CPUs?

A: The CPU is in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 47282. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700KF, scores 47334 (a -0.1% delta), while the AMD EPYC 4364P scores 47131 (0.3% delta). This places the i7-13700K at the top tier of desktop processors.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the i7-13700K and RX 580 ranks 1678 out of 1795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the bottom 6.5% of all pairings, which is a poor showing for a CPU that is otherwise excellent. The rank reflects the GPU’s inability to keep pace with the simulator’s demands, despite the CPU’s high performance. The data indicates that the RX 580 is the limiting factor, as the CPU’s benchmarks (e.g., Cinebench R23 multicore at 39000) are far above what this game requires. The rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s 53rd percentile standing, which drags down the overall combo performance.

In contrast, the i7-13700K’s nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks — the i7-13700KF, EPYC 4364P, and i9-12900F — would likely produce similar FPS with the same GPU, as the CPU is not the constraint. The combo rank is therefore a measure of how the GPU limits the system, not the CPU’s capabilities. This pairing would be better served by a stronger GPU, but the data shows that the current configuration is heavily GPU-bound.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data spans four resolutions and four settings, providing a clear picture of performance. At 1920x1080, the results are: Low 54.2 FPS, Medium 40.0 FPS, High 32.7 FPS, and Ultra 28.9 FPS. The range from Low to Ultra is 25.3 FPS, indicating that the RX 580 can handle 1080p but only at lower quality presets for smooth gameplay. At 2560x1440, the figures are: Low 42.5 FPS, Medium 34.2 FPS, High 23.0 FPS, and Ultra 23.5 FPS. The Ultra setting at 1440p is marginally higher than High, which is an anomaly in the data, but both are below 24 FPS. At 3840x2160, the results are: Low 29.3 FPS, Medium 25.3 FPS, High 15.8 FPS, and Ultra 19.2 FPS. Here, the Ultra setting outperforms High, suggesting variance in the simulator’s rendering load, but all 4K settings are below 30 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the RX 580’s performance degrades sharply as resolution increases, with the drop from 1080p to 1440p being 21.6% at Low settings, 14.5% at Medium, 29.7% at High, and 18.7% at Ultra. The drop from 1440p to 4K is even steeper: 31.1% at Low, 26.0% at Medium, 31.3% at High, and 18.3% at Ultra. These numbers confirm that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the CPU’s performance does not change with resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the best experience is achievable at 1080p with Low settings, which yields 54.2 FPS. This is the only configuration that exceeds 50 FPS, providing a reasonably smooth experience for a flight simulator. Medium settings at 1080p (40.0 FPS) are also playable, offering a balance between visual quality and performance. High settings at 1080p (32.7 FPS) are borderline, while Ultra (28.9 FPS) starts to feel sluggish. At 1440p, only Low settings (42.5 FPS) are acceptable, with Medium (34.2 FPS) being marginal and High/Ultra (23.0 and 23.5 FPS) too low for consistent gameplay. At 4K, no settings provide a playable frame rate, with the highest being Low at 29.3 FPS.

The recommendation is to prioritize resolution over settings: 1080p Low or Medium offers the best balance, while 1440p Low is viable for users who prefer higher resolution over visual fidelity. Ultra settings are not recommended at any resolution, as the FPS drops below 30 in all cases except 1080p, where it is still suboptimal. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with modest quality settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the decisive component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the measured FPS. With a base clock of 1257 MHz and boost clock of 1340 MHz, the GPU has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory runs at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) over a 256-bit bus, yielding 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s FP32 compute is 6.175 TFLOPS, which is modest for a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator that emphasizes visual fidelity.

The RX 580’s average benchmark score of 13559 places it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, with a PassMark G3D score of 8813. Its nearest rivals — the GTX 570, GTX 950, and Radeon Pro 455 — all score within 1.1% of the RX 580, indicating that this GPU is comparable to mid-range cards from a decade ago. In this game, the GPU’s limitations are evident: at 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 19.2, and even at 1080p Ultra, it only reaches 28.9 FPS. The GPU’s 185 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for its era, but its performance cannot keep up with the simulator’s demands at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but the memory bandwidth and compute power are insufficient for 4K. The data shows that the RX 580 is the bottleneck in this combo, and any performance upgrade would require a more powerful GPU. The CPU, by contrast, is more than capable, with its high single-thread and multi-thread scores ensuring it does not hold the system back.