Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the most demanding titles in the benchmark database, and the pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700F with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces a specific performance profile that is heavily dictated by resolution. The measured data shows a system that can deliver playable frame rates at lower resolutions and settings, but which becomes increasingly constrained as pixel count rises, clearly identifying the GPU as the primary performance limiter in most scenarios.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario, particularly at higher settings presets. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 45 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 37 FPS, a reduction of 8 frames, and then to 27 FPS at 4K, an additional 10-frame drop. This progression shows that the GTX 1660 SUPER's rendering throughput is the dominant factor, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU at these resolutions.

The pattern is even more pronounced when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 78 FPS, which drops to 63 FPS at 1440p and further to 46 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is approximately 41%, indicating that even when the graphical load is minimized, the GPU cannot maintain higher frame rates at 4K. This suggests that the 6 GB VRAM and 192-bit memory interface of the GTX 1660 SUPER are being saturated at 4K, regardless of the complexity of the scene.

The scaling between Medium and High presets is also telling. At 1080p, the difference between Medium (60 FPS) and High (45 FPS) is 15 FPS, a 25% reduction. At 1440p, this gap narrows slightly to 12 FPS (49 vs 37), and at 4K it narrows further to 9 FPS (36 vs 27). This convergence at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is becoming the bottleneck, as the additional load from the High preset cannot be fully processed, leading to diminishing returns in frame rate differences.

Ultra settings provide the clearest evidence of the GPU limitation. Across all resolutions, Ultra produces the lowest frame rates: 43 FPS at 1080p, 35 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is 17 FPS, which is a 40% reduction. This consistent scaling pattern confirms that the GTX 1660 SUPER's compute resources (5.027 TFLOPS FP32) are the limiting factor, as the CPU's performance remains constant regardless of resolution.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance for this combination. At 1080p Medium, the system produces a 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. This is the only preset at 1080p that maintains an average at or above the 60 FPS threshold, providing a smooth experience for flight simulation where consistent frame pacing is crucial.

At 1440p, the Medium preset delivers 49 FPS average, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 56 FPS. While this is below the 60 FPS target, it remains playable for a simulation genre where precise frame timing is less critical than in fast-paced action games. The Low preset at 1440p (63 FPS) is the only other option that breaks 60 FPS, but the visual compromise may be significant for a game that relies heavily on scenery detail.

For 4K, the data indicates that this GPU is not suitable for high-fidelity play. The Medium preset yields 36 FPS average (31 min, 41 max), while Low yields 46 FPS. The High preset drops to 27 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26 FPS, both of which are below the threshold for comfortable play. Users targeting 4K should consider the Low preset as the only viable option, though even this may feel sluggish during dense scenery areas.

The High preset is a middle-ground option that provides better visual quality than Medium but sacrifices significant frame rate. At 1080p High, the 45 FPS average is 15 FPS lower than Medium, which may be acceptable for users who prioritize visual detail over smoothness. However, the data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot, as it provides a 60 FPS experience at 1080p and maintains playable frame rates at 1440p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo?

A: The data shows 1080p is the only resolution where the Medium preset achieves a 60 FPS average (60 FPS). At 1440p, the Medium preset drops to 49 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 36 FPS, indicating that 1080p is the optimal resolution for this pairing.

Q: Can this system handle Ultra settings in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: Ultra settings produce the lowest frame rates across all resolutions: 43 FPS at 1080p, 35 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. While 1080p Ultra is technically playable, the 43 FPS average indicates the GPU is heavily loaded, and 4K Ultra is not viable.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER's memory configuration affect performance?

A: The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 336.0 GB/s bandwidth. The significant frame rate drops at 4K (e.g., 46 FPS at Low) compared to 1080p (78 FPS at Low) suggest that the memory capacity and bandwidth are being saturated at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The Intel Core i7-14700F has 20 cores, 28 threads, and boosts to 5.40 GHz, providing substantial processing power. The consistent frame rate scaling with resolution changes confirms the GPU's rendering limits are the constraint.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows 49 FPS average at 1440p Medium, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 56 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS threshold but remains playable for a flight simulator.

Q: Does the Low preset provide a significant performance boost?

A: Yes, the Low preset provides substantial gains over Medium. At 1080p, Low (78 FPS) is 18 FPS higher than Medium (60 FPS). At 1440p, Low (63 FPS) is 14 FPS higher, and at 4K, Low (46 FPS) is 10 FPS higher.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a clear progression across presets. Low settings deliver 78 FPS average, which is the highest score for this resolution. Medium settings produce 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS, providing a stable frame rate. High settings drop to 45 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 43 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal at only 2 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset adds significant visual load without corresponding performance cost.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across all presets. Low settings yield 63 FPS, which remains above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings produce 49 FPS average (41 min, 56 max), maintaining playability. High settings drop to 37 FPS, and Ultra settings reach 35 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to 2 FPS, mirroring the 1080p pattern.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes marginal for most presets. Low settings produce 46 FPS, which is the only preset that approaches playable levels. Medium settings deliver 36 FPS average (31 min, 41 max), which is below the typical playability threshold. High settings fall to 27 FPS, and Ultra settings reach 26 FPS. The data shows that 4K is only viable with the Low preset, and even then, the frame rate is 46 FPS, which may cause noticeable stuttering during complex scenes.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the dominant factor in this system's performance profile. Based on the Turing architecture and manufactured on a 12 nm process, this GPU features 1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. The core clock operates at a base of 1530 MHz and boosts to 1785 MHz, providing the compute throughput that drives the measured frame rates.

The memory subsystem is a critical component for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which streams large amounts of terrain and scenery data. The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The benchmark data shows that 4K resolutions cause significant frame rate drops, which can be attributed to the memory limitations. At 4K Low, the system achieves 46 FPS, compared to 78 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating that the memory bandwidth is being stretched at higher pixel counts.

The GPU's compute capability is rated at 5.027 TFLOPS FP32, which is modest by modern standards. This is reflected in the benchmark scores, where the GPU achieves a Passmark G3D score of 12699 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1278. The percentile ranking of 53 indicates this GPU sits in the middle of the performance distribution, which aligns with its position as an older mid-range part.

The power delivery and thermal design are adequate for this workload. The GPU has a TDP of 125 W and requires a single 8-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 300 W. The dual-slot cooler is sufficient for the 229 mm card length, and the PCIe 3.0 x16 interface provides adequate bandwidth, though it is a generation behind current standards.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F provides substantial processing power that ensures the GPU remains the limiting factor in most scenarios. This processor features 20 cores and 28 threads, based on the Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process. The base clock of 2.10 GHz can boost up to 5.40 GHz, providing excellent single-threaded performance that is crucial for flight simulation's main game loop.

The CPU's cache hierarchy is robust for this workload. It includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. This large cache helps mitigate memory latency, particularly when loading new scenery areas or complex aircraft models. The memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration provides flexibility, though the specific memory bandwidth is not specified in the data.

Benchmark results show the CPU's strong performance. In Cinebench R23, it achieves 35122 points in multi-core and 4958 points in single-core. Geekbench scores are 19620 multi-core and 2429 single-core. The Passmark multi-thread score is 41317, and the single-thread score is 4257. These results place the CPU in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing part that will not bottleneck the GTX 1660 SUPER.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the Intel Xeon 6505P (average score 53701, delta -0.2%), the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (53469, delta +0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (53288, delta +0.6%). These comparisons show that the i7-14700F is competitive with other high-end processors, despite having a lower average benchmark score of 53620. The CPU's launch MSRP is $359, and it is not multiplier unlocked, meaning overclocking is not officially supported.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 3143 out of 3714 total combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places the combo in the lower portion of the rankings, reflecting the GPU's age and performance limitations relative to modern graphics cards.

The GPU's benchmark performance confirms this ranking. With a percentile of 53, the GTX 1660 SUPER is in the middle of the GPU performance distribution. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (average score 12940, delta +0.4%), the AMD Radeon RX 580 (12928, delta +0.4%), and the AMD Radeon 740M (12870, delta +0.9%). These close scores indicate that the GTX 1660 SUPER performs similarly to these other mid-range options.

The combination's ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU, as the CPU is capable of supporting much higher frame rates. The measured FPS data shows that the system is GPU-bound in nearly all scenarios, meaning that upgrading the GPU would provide significant performance gains. However, for users with this specific hardware configuration, the data suggests that sticking to 1080p with Medium settings provides the best experience, as this is the only preset that achieves a 60 FPS average.

The rank of 3143 out of 3714 indicates that this combo is below average for this game, which is expected given the GTX 1660 SUPER's age and the demanding nature of Microsoft Flight Simulator. The GPU's 6 GB VRAM is a particular limitation for a game that is known for high-resolution textures and detailed scenery, and the measured 4K performance confirms that this resolution is not practical with this configuration.