Microsoft Flight Simulator

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake-R architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It features a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 33 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and its 125 W TDP places it as a high-end desktop part. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 44,534 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6,287 in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 18,896 and single-core score of 2,932. Its PassMark multithread score is 52,392, while single-thread performance is 4,472. The CPU sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 70,074 places it within 0.3% of the Intel Core i7-14700KF, 0.5% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, and 1.4% behind the Intel Xeon Platinum 8270.

For Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's high single-thread performance is crucial. The game's simulation loop, which handles flight physics, weather, and AI traffic, is heavily dependent on a few fast cores. The 14700K's 5.60 GHz boost clock and strong single-core scores (6,287 in R23, 2,932 in Geekbench) indicate it can handle these serial tasks efficiently, preventing the CPU from becoming a bottleneck in most scenarios. The 20 physical cores and 28 threads also help with background tasks, terrain streaming, and the game's use of multiple worker threads for asset loading. The 33 MB L3 cache is beneficial for keeping frequently accessed flight data close to the cores, reducing latency. While the measured FPS in this combo reflect the GPU's limits, the CPU's capability ensures that frame pacing remains consistent, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU's role is more prominent. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 99.1 FPS, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU effectively when graphical load is light.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is a Turing-architecture GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. It has a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The GPU features 2,176 shading units, 136 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, along with 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores. Its FP32 performance is 7.181 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6. The GPU's average benchmark score is 19,774, placing it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. It is within 0.3% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, 0.5% of the RTX 2070, and 0.8% of the NVIDIA Quadro K5200.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM is a limiting factor at higher settings and resolutions. The game streams vast amounts of terrain and photogrammetry data, which can easily exceed 8 GB at 4K Ultra. The measured FPS shows a steep drop when moving from Low to Ultra at 4K: 60.9 FPS at Low drops to 33.5 FPS at High and 35.4 FPS at Ultra. This suggests that beyond a certain point, the GPU is struggling with memory bandwidth and capacity, not just raw compute. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the memory subsystem becomes a bottleneck. The boost clock of 1650 MHz is modest by modern standards, but the Turing architecture's strengths in geometry and texture handling are evident in the game's performance. The GPU's end-of-life status means it lacks the latest optimizations, but its DirectX 12 Ultimate support ensures compatibility with the game's rendering features. The data indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER is a capable 1080p card for this title, with acceptable 1440p performance, but 4K requires significant settings compromises.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This combination of Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1,203 out of 1,795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the ranking, which is expected given that the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU is a top-tier performer (96th percentile), but the GPU is only in the 63rd percentile, creating a mismatch that drags the combo's overall standing down. The ranking of 1,203 means that 592 combos tested slower, while 1,202 combos performed better. This suggests that many systems with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs outperform this pairing in this game, which is notably GPU-bound at higher settings. The data shows that the combo's strength lies in its ability to maintain playable FPS at 1080p and 1440p, but it falls behind combos with more powerful GPUs at 4K. For a builder, this ranking indicates that the CPU has headroom — pairing it with a faster GPU would yield a much higher rank, as the 14700K is not the bottleneck. Conversely, the RTX 2060 SUPER holds this combo back in a game that demands high VRAM and bandwidth. The delta between the CPU's percentile (96) and GPU's percentile (63) is a clear sign of imbalance, with the CPU capable of driving a significantly faster GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo scales across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves 99.1 FPS on Low, 76.4 FPS on Medium, 60.3 FPS on High, and 58.5 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is 40.6 FPS, or roughly 41%. This indicates that at 1080p, the GPU is still the limiting factor, but the CPU's strong single-thread performance allows for high frame rates at lower settings. The gap between High (60.3) and Ultra (58.5) is small, suggesting that Ultra settings add graphical effects that tax the GPU without proportional FPS gains.

At 2560x1440, the scores are 78.8 FPS on Low, 64.5 FPS on Medium, 48.9 FPS on High, and 45.7 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is 33.1 FPS, or about 42%. Compared to 1080p, the FPS at each setting is lower, with High falling below 50 FPS. This resolution is playable on Medium and Low, but High and Ultra dip below the 50 FPS threshold, which can be noticeable in a flight simulator where smooth panning is important. The VRAM and bandwidth are starting to become constraints at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the results are 60.9 FPS on Low, 48.7 FPS on Medium, 33.5 FPS on High, and 35.4 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to High is 27.4 FPS, but interestingly, Ultra (35.4) is slightly higher than High (33.5). This anomaly suggests that the Ultra preset may be adjusting certain settings that reduce the load on the GPU's memory subsystem, or that the measurement variance is within a few FPS. Regardless, 4K is only playable on Low, with Medium barely reaching 48.7 FPS. At 4K, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are clearly inadequate for High and Ultra, as the game's terrain streaming overwhelms the memory.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K 60 FPS?

A: No. The data shows that at 3840x2160, the highest FPS achieved is 60.9 on Low settings. On Medium it drops to 48.7, and on High and Ultra it falls to 33.5 and 35.4 respectively. None of these reach 60 FPS at 4K, even on Low.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, the combo achieves 60.3 FPS on High and 58.5 on Ultra, slightly below 60. For a consistent 60 FPS, 1080p on Medium (76.4 FPS) or Low (99.1 FPS) is recommended. At 2560x1440, only Low (78.8) and Medium (64.5) exceed 60 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rival in this context?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER's average benchmark score is 19,774, which is 0.5% above the RTX 2070 (19,680) and 0.3% above the GTX TITAN (19,706). This places it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a mid-range performer.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700K a bottleneck in this combo?

A: The data suggests no. The CPU ranks in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average score of 70,074. Its nearest rival, the 14700KF, is only 0% different, and it is 0.5% ahead of the Ryzen 9 9950X. The GPU's 63rd percentile ranking is the limiting factor.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1440p and 4K on High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 on High, the combo achieves 48.9 FPS. At 3840x2160 on High, it drops to 33.5 FPS. This is a difference of 15.4 FPS, or roughly 31% lower performance at 4K.

Q: Does the Ultra setting ever outperform High?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160, Ultra averages 35.4 FPS while High averages 33.5 FPS. This 1.9 FPS difference is within measurement tolerance, but the data shows Ultra can be slightly faster than High at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the best experience depends on your target resolution and acceptable frame rate. For 1920x1080, the High preset provides 60.3 FPS, which is just at the playable threshold for a flight simulator. If you prefer smoother visuals, Medium at 76.4 FPS is a solid choice that still looks good. Ultra at 58.5 FPS is marginally below 60, but the visual fidelity increase may be worth the small drop for some users. For a consistently smooth experience, Medium is the sweet spot at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers 64.5 FPS, which is above 60 and provides a good balance of visual quality and performance. Low at 78.8 FPS is smoother but loses many graphical details. High at 48.9 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast panning, and Ultra at 45.7 FPS is borderline. The recommendation is Medium for 1440p, as it maintains a playable frame rate while retaining enough detail for the game's scenery.

At 3840x2160, only Low at 60.9 FPS is playable. Medium drops to 48.7 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower flight, but High (33.5) and Ultra (35.4) are too choppy for a smooth experience. If you must play at 4K, Low is the only setting that hits 60 FPS. For a better experience, consider lowering the resolution to 1440p and using Medium, which offers a significantly higher frame rate with a modest loss in sharpness.

Overall, for the best experience across all resolutions, prioritize 1080p with Medium or High settings, or 1440p with Medium. The combo's CPU headroom means that lowering resolution to 1080p will not cause a CPU bottleneck, allowing the GPU to work at its optimal level. Avoid 4K High and Ultra, as the data shows they fall below 40 FPS, which is not suitable for this game's demanding flight dynamics.