Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a uniquely demanding title, and the combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 produces a fascinating set of data points. The benchmark results reveal a system that is consistently playable but requires careful attention to settings, with the measured frames per second (FPS) showing a clear narrative about where the performance ceiling lies. The data indicates a pairing that is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p play, yet it also exposes the limitations of the 8 GB graphics card when pushed to higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases, but the rate of that decline provides critical insight into the system's bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 111 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset drops the average to 89 FPS, a reduction of roughly 20%. Pushing further to 4K at Low settings yields 66 FPS, which is another 26% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern, where each step up in resolution costs a significant chunk of performance, suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor in this configuration.

The trend becomes even more pronounced when examining the higher settings presets. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 65 at 1080p to 52 at 1440p, and finally to 39 at 4K. The jump from 1080p to 1440p represents a 20% performance loss, while the jump from 1440p to 4K represents a 25% loss. This consistent ~20-25% degradation per resolution step is a classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load on the Radeon RX 9060 is outstripping its capabilities. The data implies that the Core i7-14700F, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is not the limiting factor here; it is feeding the GPU enough data, but the graphics card is struggling to process the increased pixel count.

The data also hints at how the load shifts. At 1080p Low, the system is likely closer to a balanced state, but even there, the scaling suggests the GPU is still doing the heavy lifting. The fact that the 4K Ultra preset bottoms out at just 37 FPS, while 1080p Ultra manages 62 FPS, underscores the exponential cost of combining high resolution with high graphical fidelity. This is not a combo designed for 4K gaming; the data suggests it is a 1080p and entry-level 1440p solution. The performance cliff at 4K is steep, with the Ultra preset being nearly half the speed of the 1080p Low preset, indicating that users should avoid that resolution unless they are willing to make significant compromises.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 holds a rank of 1712 out of 2996 total combos. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is a notable data point given the individual components' specifications. The CPU, for instance, has a percentile of 91 among all tested CPUs, indicating it is a high-performance processor. The GPU, conversely, sits at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, which is a more middling position. This discrepancy in component strength is reflected in the overall combo rank, suggesting that the graphics card is holding the system back from achieving a higher standing.

Looking at the nearest rivals for the GPU provides context for its performance tier. The RX 9060's average benchmark score of 16014 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129, a difference of only -0.7%. This places the AMD card in direct competition with a well-known previous-generation mid-range option. The data also shows it is just 1% ahead of the AMD Radeon R9 370X and the AMD Radeon RX 7700, and 2.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500. This cluster of similar scores indicates that the RX 9060 is firmly planted in the mid-range performance tier, which explains why the overall combo rank is not higher despite the capable CPU.

The CPU's nearest rivals further illustrate the imbalance. The Core i7-14700F's average benchmark score of 53620 is essentially on par with the Intel Xeon 6505P (53701, -0.2%), the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (53469, 0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (53288, 0.6%). These are all high-end processors, and the fact that the combo ranks in the 57th percentile (1712/2996) suggests that the pairing is not leveraging the CPU's full potential in this specific game. The data implies that a more powerful GPU would likely move this combo significantly higher in the rankings, as the processor is clearly capable of supporting a faster graphics card.

Settings Recommendations

According to the measured FPS rows, the optimal experience balances visual quality with a playable frame rate. For a 1080p display, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot. The data shows an average of 86 FPS at this setting, with a minimum of 73 FPS and a maximum of 99 FPS. This provides a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience without sacrificing too much visual fidelity. The High preset at 1080p drops to 65 FPS average, which is still playable but less ideal for competitive or fast-paced action, while Ultra falls to 62 FPS. The Low preset offers the highest average at 111 FPS, but it likely comes with a significant visual penalty that is not worth the extra frames for most users.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts to the Low or Medium preset. The Medium preset yields an average of 69 FPS, with a minimum of 59 FPS, which is on the edge of smoothness for many users. The Low preset provides a more comfortable 89 FPS average, but again, this comes at a visual cost. The High and Ultra presets at this resolution produce averages of 52 FPS and 50 FPS respectively, which are below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience. The data suggests that for a 1440p monitor, users will need to choose between frame rate and visual detail, with Medium being the most balanced option if the minimum FPS is acceptable.

For 4K, there is no ideal preset for a high-refresh-rate experience. The Low preset is the only one that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, with an average of 66 FPS. The Medium preset falls to 51 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets drop to 39 FPS and 37 FPS, respectively. The data indicates that 4K gaming is not a realistic target for this combo unless the user is willing to play on Low settings and accept potential dips. Based on the measured results, the best overall experience is at 1080p with the Medium preset, which offers a high average FPS and a solid minimum frame rate, providing a good balance between performance and visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full set of measured FPS data shows a clear hierarchy of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from a high of 111 on Low to a low of 62 on Ultra. The Medium preset achieves 86 FPS, with a minimum of 73 and a maximum of 99 FPS, while the High preset sits at 65 FPS. This resolution offers the most headroom, allowing even the Ultra preset to maintain an average above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop across the board. The Low preset averages 89 FPS, the Medium preset averages 69 FPS (with a minimum of 59 and a maximum of 80), and the High preset averages 52 FPS. The Ultra preset bottoms out at an average of 50 FPS. This resolution is where the RX 9060 starts to show its limits, with only the Low and Medium presets providing averages above the 60 FPS mark.

At 3840x2160, the performance is significantly constrained. The Low preset is the only one to average above 60 FPS, hitting 66 FPS. The Medium preset averages 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 59 FPS. The High preset averages 39 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 37 FPS. The data shows that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming, as even the lowest settings struggle to provide a consistently smooth experience, and the higher presets drop well below playable thresholds.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060's specifications directly correlate with the observed performance data. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a likely culprit for the performance drops at higher resolutions, as 8 GB is often insufficient for modern titles at 1440p and 4K with high textures. The data supports this, as the FPS scaling is particularly harsh when moving to 4K, a resolution that demands significantly more memory bandwidth and capacity.

The GPU's clock speeds are respectable, with a boost clock of 2990 MHz and a game clock of 2400 MHz. The RDNA 4.0 architecture with 1792 shading units and 64 ROPs delivers a pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s. These figures contribute to its raw compute power, which is measured at 21.43 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. However, the benchmark results in Microsoft Flight Simulator show that this raw power is not enough to overcome the memory limitations at high resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark scores paint a picture of a mid-range performer. Its Passmark G3D score of 17631 and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 3322 are consistent with its ranking at the 59th percentile of all GPUs. The data from the game itself suggests that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck in this system. While the CPU is capable of delivering high frame rates, the GPU cannot keep up at higher resolutions, leading to the steep FPS drops observed. The fact that the GPU is only 0.7% behind the RTX 3060 Ti in average benchmark score reinforces that this is a solid 1080p card that is stretched beyond its comfort zone at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for the Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combo at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 86 FPS, with a minimum of 73 FPS and a maximum of 99 FPS.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data indicates it is not ideal. At 4K with Low settings, the average FPS is 66, but this drops to 51 on Medium, 39 on High, and 37 on Ultra. Only the Low preset approaches a playable 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Radeon RX 9060 compare to the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, which is just 0.7% lower than the RTX 3060 Ti's score of 16129, making them nearly identical in performance.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor according to the data?

A: The Medium preset appears to be the most balanced, averaging 69 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS. The Low preset offers a higher average of 89 FPS, but this comes with visual compromises.

Q: What is the rank of this specific CPU and GPU combo among all tested combos in this game?

A: The combo is ranked 1712 out of 2996 total tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU act as the limiting factor in this system?

A: The benchmark data strongly suggests the GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS drops significantly with each resolution increase, a classic sign of GPU bottleneck, while the CPU's high benchmark scores indicate it has more headroom.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a high-end processor with 20 cores and 28 threads, based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, along with a substantial 33 MB of shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores are impressive, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2429. The processor sits at the 91st percentile among all CPUs, indicating that it is a top-tier performer for multi-threaded and single-threaded tasks alike.

In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck. The game is known for being demanding on the processor, but the measured FPS scaling suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's high multi-core score of 35122 in Cinebench R23 and its Passmark multithread score of 41317 demonstrate that it has ample computational power to handle the game's complex simulation logic. The fact that the FPS drops consistently as resolution increases, even at Low settings, points to the GPU being unable to render frames fast enough, rather than the CPU being unable to calculate the simulation.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, which has an average score of 53288, just 0.6% lower than the i7-14700F. This places the Intel chip in the same performance tier as a top-tier AMD offering. Given this processing power, the data implies that users could pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU to achieve significantly higher frame rates in this game. The current combo's rank of 1712 out of 2996 is likely held back by the GPU, as the CPU is clearly capable of supporting a much stronger graphics card without becoming a limiting factor.