Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator with an Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti delivers strong performance across all tested configurations. The data shows that this combination handles the sim's demanding workload well, with average frame rates ranging from 60.5 FPS at 4K Ultra to 191.5 FPS at 1080p Low. The benchmark results indicate a system that scales predictably with both resolution and graphical fidelity, making it a solid foundation for a flight sim setup.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. For most users, the High preset is the sweet spot. At 1080p, High delivers 114.3 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay while still offering substantial visual improvements over Medium. The jump from Medium to High at 1080p costs 33.7 FPS (from 148 to 114.3), but the visual fidelity gain in a game like this, where terrain and aircraft detail matter, is worthwhile.

At 1440p, the High preset becomes even more compelling. The data shows 91.5 FPS at this setting, which remains comfortably playable on high-refresh-rate monitors. The gap between High and Ultra at 1440p is narrow — 91.5 FPS versus 88.2 FPS — but the performance cost of Ultra is modest. However, the 3.3 FPS difference suggests that High is the more efficient choice, as the visual difference between these presets is often subtle in flight simulators.

For 4K displays, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point. At 85.9 FPS, it provides a fluid experience that exceeds the 60 FPS target, while the High preset at 68.6 FPS is also viable for those prioritizing visuals. Ultra at 4K drops to 60.5 FPS, which is playable but leaves little headroom for complex scenery or weather scenarios that can impact performance. The Low preset, while fast at 112.1 FPS, sacrifices too much visual detail for a game that is as much about the view as the simulation.

The data shows a consistent pattern: High at 1080p and 1440p, and Medium at 4K, provide the best balance of frame rate and visual quality. Users with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors should consider Medium (148 FPS) if they prioritize raw smoothness, but the overall recommendation is High for its superior image quality at playable speeds.

FAQ

Q: Is this CPU-GPU combo capable of running the game at 4K?

A: Yes, the measured data shows playable frame rates at 4K across all presets. The Ultra preset achieves 60.5 FPS, High reaches 68.6 FPS, Medium hits 85.9 FPS, and Low averages 112.1 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings?

A: The performance drop varies by preset. At Low, the average FPS falls from 191.5 to 155, a decrease of 36.5 FPS. At High, it drops from 114.3 to 91.5, a loss of 22.8 FPS. The relative impact is larger at lower settings, indicating a shift in bottleneck behavior.

Q: Does the system favor the CPU or GPU in this game?

A: The frame rate scaling suggests a balanced system, but with a CPU-heavy tendency. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 191.5 FPS, which is extremely high and indicates the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU. However, the relatively modest gains from Low to Medium and the larger drop from Medium to Ultra suggest the GPU becomes more limiting as settings increase.

Q: What is the best preset for a 60 Hz 4K monitor?

A: The Ultra preset at 60.5 FPS is the only setting that averages near 60 FPS, but High at 68.6 FPS provides more headroom. For a 60 Hz display, High is the better choice to avoid frame rate dips below the refresh rate.

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

A: The combo ranks 190th out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the top 10.6% of all systems benchmarked for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Q: Is the 12 GB VRAM sufficient for this game at high settings?

A: The measured data shows that 12 GB of GDDR6X memory is adequate for all tested presets and resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the game averages 60.5 FPS, indicating no memory-related performance collapse.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti plays a critical role in this combo, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, which is sufficient for the large textures and detailed environments in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The data shows that the GPU scales well with resolution: at 1080p Low, the system hits 191.5 FPS, but this drops to 112.1 FPS at 4K Low, a reduction of 79.4 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is the primary limiter at higher resolutions, even at the lowest settings.

The card's clock speeds — a base of 2310 MHz and a boost of 2610 MHz — are relatively high, and the benchmark results reflect this. The GPU's average benchmark score of 44900 places it in the 85th percentile of all GPUs, showing it is a strong performer. The FP32 compute of 40.09 TFLOPS is notable for a game that uses complex physics and rendering. The 60 ray tracing cores and 240 tensor cores also support advanced visual features, though the measured data does not specifically isolate their impact.

At 1080p, the GPU is less stressed, and the CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads become more relevant. The i7-13700K's boost clock of 5.40 GHz helps maintain high frame rates, but the GPU still matters. The transition from 1080p Medium (148 FPS) to 1440p Medium (122.7 FPS) shows a 25.3 FPS drop, which is a direct result of the GPU working harder to render more pixels. The RTX 4070 Ti is a capable card, but the data shows it is the component that dictates the upper bounds of performance at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 190th out of 1795 tested combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the top 10.6% of all systems benchmarked, which is a strong result for a mid-high-end pairing. The rank reflects the consistency of the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, rather than a single standout score.

To contextualize this rank, the CPU alone scores in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 47282. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700KF, which scores a nearly identical 47334 (a delta of -0.1%), and the AMD EPYC 4364P at 47131 (a delta of 0.3%). The GPU sits in the 85th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 44900. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile at 45152 (a delta of -0.6%) and the Intel Arc A730M at 45592 (a delta of -1.5%).

The data shows that the CPU is a top-tier performer, while the GPU is solid but not exceptional. This explains the combo's rank: it is not the absolute fastest, but it is firmly in the upper echelon. The gap between the 190th rank and the top of the list is likely due to GPUs with more VRAM or higher compute throughput, which are better suited for 4K Ultra settings. For most users, this rank indicates a system that will run the game smoothly at high settings without compromise.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows how the system scales from 1080p to 4K, revealing the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the system averages 191.5 FPS, which is exceptionally high. Moving to 1440p Low, the FPS drops to 155, a decrease of 36.5 FPS (19.1%). At 4K Low, the FPS falls to 112.1, a further drop of 42.9 FPS (27.7%). This pattern indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, since the CPU's workload does not change significantly with pixel count.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is more linear but still shows GPU limitation. From 1080p Ultra (107.4 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (88.2 FPS), there is a 19.2 FPS drop (17.9%). From 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra (60.5 FPS), the drop is 27.7 FPS (31.4%). The larger percentage drop at 4K suggests the GPU is struggling to maintain performance as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p.

The data also shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor at 1080p Low, where the system reaches 191.5 FPS. This is a high frame rate that many CPUs would struggle to achieve, but the i7-13700K handles it. However, at 1080p Ultra, the FPS drops to 107.4, indicating that the GPU is now the constraint. The pattern is clear: at low settings, the CPU is more involved, but at high settings and resolutions, the RTX 4070 Ti dictates performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates for each resolution and settings preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

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

| 3840x2160 | High | 68.6 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 112.1 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 85.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 60.5 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 91.5 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 155 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 122.7 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 88.2 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 114.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 191.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 148 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 107.4 |

At 1080p, the system delivers over 100 FPS at all settings, with the Low preset hitting 191.5 FPS. This makes the combo ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 107.4 FPS is also excellent, providing a smooth experience with maximum visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 148 FPS is a strong middle ground.

At 1440p, the performance remains high. The Low preset at 155 FPS is excellent, while High at 91.5 FPS is well-suited for 1440p gaming. The Ultra preset at 88.2 FPS is playable, but the 3.3 FPS gain over High is not significant. The Medium preset at 122.7 FPS offers a good balance.

At 4K, the system is more constrained. The Low preset at 112.1 FPS is still very fast, but the Ultra preset drops to 60.5 FPS, which is the minimum for smooth play. The High preset at 68.6 FPS and Medium at 85.9 FPS provide better headroom. The data shows that 4K Ultra is the most demanding configuration, but the system handles it adequately.