Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 10th out of 1,795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the top percentile of all configurations analyzed. This is a strong result that reflects the high ceiling of this pairing, though it is not the absolute peak of the database. The data shows a system that can handle the game’s demanding flight simulation workload with ease, but the exact experience varies significantly based on resolution and graphics preset.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 10 out of 1,795 tested combinations indicates that this configuration outperforms the vast majority of other CPU-GPU pairings in this specific title. This places it in the top 1% of results, a position that aligns with the hardware’s individual benchmark percentiles: the CPU sits in the 94th percentile of all processors, while the GPU also sits in the 94th percentile of all graphics cards. The ranking suggests that neither component is a significant bottleneck when paired together, allowing the system to deliver frame rates that are near the upper echelon of what is possible in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 54,097 is within a narrow margin of its nearest rivals. It trails the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X by a deltaPct of -0.6 and the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D by -1.1, but it leads the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 by 1.2 and the AMD EPYC 7313P by 1.7. These small percentage differences suggest that the i7-14700F’s processing power is competitive with other high-end server and desktop chips, and in this game, that translates to consistent performance without CPU-induced frame drops. Similarly, the GPU’s average score of 84,306 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the RTX 5090 D, with a deltaPct of just 0.1, indicating that this is a flagship-level graphics solution.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The combo ranks 10th out of 1,795 tested combinations, placing it in the top percentile of all configurations tested in the database.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-14700F compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score is 54,097. It is 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and 1.1% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, but it is 1.2% ahead of the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 and 1.7% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313P.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory configuration and how does it relate to gaming?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This large memory pool and high bandwidth support high-resolution textures and complex scenes.

Q: What is the best average FPS achievable at 1920x1080 resolution?

A: The highest average FPS recorded at 1920x1080 is 221.9, which is achieved with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the performance scale from 1080p to 4K?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 138.7 at 1920x1080 to 82 at 3840x2160, a decrease of 56.7 FPS. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 133 at 1920x1080 to 78.6 at 3840x2160.

Q: Is the RTX 5090’s performance close to any other GPU in the database?

A: Yes, the GPU’s average benchmark score is 84,306, which is within 0.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D and 0.2% of the RTX 5050 Mobile, though it is 1.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W6600.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications show why it drives high frame rates. The GPU is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process node, containing 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die. Its base clock is 2017 MHz, with a boost clock of 2407 MHz, and it has 21,760 shading units. The memory subsystem is particularly notable: 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus delivers 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for streaming the detailed terrain and aircraft models in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The GPU’s raw compute power is substantial, with FP32 performance rated at 104.8 TFLOPS and a texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s. These figures support the high frame rates observed in the measured data, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is not as constrained by pixel output. The RTX 5090’s 176 ROPs and pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s help maintain fill rates at 4K, though the data shows that even this flagship GPU cannot keep Ultra settings at 3840x2160 above 80 FPS. The GPU operates with a TDP of 575 W and requires a 950 W suggested PSU, indicating the power draw necessary to sustain this level of performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across all presets: 221.9 FPS on Low, 187.1 FPS on Medium, 138.7 FPS on High, and 133 FPS on Ultra. This shows that at 1080p, the CPU and GPU combination is capable of exceeding 130 FPS even on the most demanding preset, with headroom for high-refresh-rate displays. The difference between Low and Ultra is 88.9 FPS, indicating that the graphical settings have a moderate impact at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show a noticeable decline. Low settings produce 191.6 FPS, Medium produces 153.2 FPS, High produces 113.3 FPS, and Ultra produces 105.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 86.1 FPS, similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower across the board. At 3840x2160, the performance drops further: Low yields 141.7 FPS, Medium yields 111.7 FPS, High yields 82 FPS, and Ultra yields 78.6 FPS. This represents a significant reduction from 1080p, with the Ultra preset barely maintaining a playable frame rate above 60 FPS.

The data also shows that the scaling between presets is consistent. At each resolution, Low is always the fastest, followed by Medium, then High, and finally Ultra. The largest percentage drop from Low to Ultra occurs at 3840x2160, where the frame rate decreases by 44.5% from 141.7 FPS to 78.6 FPS. This suggests that the GPU’s workload scales heavily with settings, particularly at higher resolutions where pixel count and shading complexity increase.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is substantial and reveals the nature of the bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 138.7 at 1080p to 113.3 at 1440p, and then to 82 at 4K. This is a decline of 18.3% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 27.6% from 1440p to 4K. The total decline from 1080p to 4K is 40.9%. At Ultra settings, the pattern is similar: 133 FPS at 1080p drops to 105.5 FPS at 1440p, and then to 78.6 FPS at 4K, a total decline of 40.9% as well.

This scaling indicates that the GPU becomes increasingly the limiting component as resolution rises. The CPU’s role is more prominent at 1080p, where the frame rates are higher and the GPU has more headroom. The fact that the percentage decline from 1080p to 4K is nearly identical for High and Ultra settings suggests that the GPU’s rendering workload scales predictably with pixel count and preset complexity, rather than being constrained by CPU processing. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as even the Low preset cannot exceed 141.7 FPS, which is lower than the 221.9 FPS achieved at 1080p Low.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is viable for users seeking maximum visual fidelity, as it maintains an average of 133 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and smooth for most displays. For those with high-refresh-rate monitors, the High preset at 138.7 FPS offers a marginal boost with slightly reduced visual quality, while Medium at 187.1 FPS and Low at 221.9 FPS provide increasingly higher frame rates for competitive or simulation-focused play.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers 105.5 FPS, which is still very playable and offers the best visual experience without significant performance compromise. The High preset at 113.3 FPS is a reasonable alternative for a small frame rate increase. Users prioritizing higher refresh rates could use Medium at 153.2 FPS, while Low at 191.6 FPS maximizes performance. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset produces 78.6 FPS, which is above 60 FPS and suitable for immersive flight simulation, but the High preset at 82 FPS offers a slight improvement with minimal visual difference. The Medium preset at 111.7 FPS is the best choice for 4K users who want a smooth experience with good visual quality, while Low at 141.7 FPS is recommended for those seeking the highest frame rates at 4K, though it sacrifices graphical detail. Overall, the data suggests that Medium at 4K provides the best balance, while Ultra is reserved for users who prioritize image quality over frame rate.