Microsoft Flight Simulator

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake Refresh architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. Its configuration includes 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. For this game, the CPU's role is substantial but not singular; the data shows a combination where the processor must feed the simulation's vast world data while the GPU renders it. The i7-14700K's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44534 and single-core score of 6287 indicate extremely high throughput and single-thread responsiveness. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for heavy single-threaded simulation logic, the single-core performance is critical, as the game's flight model and terrain streaming often bottleneck on a few threads. The processor's percentile ranking of 96 versus all CPUs places it in the top tier of available hardware, with its average benchmark score of 70074 trailing the Intel Core i7-14700KF by a negligible amount (0 deltaPct) and leading the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X by 0.5 percent. This means the CPU is essentially at parity with the best rival parts, providing ample headroom for the GPU in most scenarios. The 125 W TDP and active production status confirm it is a high-end desktop part, and while the game's performance at 1080p will stress the CPU more than at 4K, the processor's capabilities are sufficient to avoid being the primary limiter until very high frame rates.

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

The i7-14700K's 20 cores are split into performance and efficiency groups, but the game's engine does not scale perfectly with all of them. The benchmark results indicate that in Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's single-threaded performance is the dominant factor at lower resolutions. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6287 is exceptional, and this translates directly to the game's ability to process flight dynamics, weather, and AI traffic in real-time. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 108.4 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU can push well beyond 60 FPS when the GPU is not heavily loaded. The multi-core Cinebench R23 score of 44534 shows the processor can handle the background tasks like terrain streaming and scenery loading without compromising frame pacing. The 33 MB of shared L3 cache is also crucial, as the game frequently accesses large texture and elevation datasets; a larger cache reduces memory latency and improves hit rates. The processor's 96th percentile ranking versus all CPUs means it outperforms 96 percent of all tested processors, which is consistent with its role as a top-tier gaming chip for this simulation. The nearest rivals show a tight cluster: the i7-14700KF is a 0 percent delta, the AMD EPYC 9115 is 0.3 percent slower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is 0.5 percent faster. This indicates that the i7-14700K is not leaving performance on the table relative to its peers, and any frame rate differences in this game will be more attributable to the GPU than to CPU choice.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is a Turing-architecture card with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1605 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz, and it features 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The 8 GB VRAM is a critical factor in Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is notorious for its high-resolution texture streaming. At 4K Ultra settings, the combo averages 38.6 FPS, and at 4K High it is 39.6 FPS, which suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at this resolution, struggling to fill the 3840x2160 pixel buffer while managing the game's detailed terrain. The GPU's 65th percentile ranking versus all GPUs places it in the mid-to-upper range, but it is clearly not a top-tier card for this demanding title. The nearest rivals show a mixed field: the NVIDIA RTX A400 is 0.5 percent faster, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile is 2.3 percent faster, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 is 2.5 percent slower. The RTX 2070 SUPER's passmark G3D score of 18169 and DirectX 12 score of 67 indicate decent but not outstanding raw performance. The GPU's 8 GB frame buffer is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with High or Ultra settings, the game may be exceeding the VRAM capacity, causing performance to drop more steeply than pure compute would suggest. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting component at 4K, as the frame rate drops from 52.7 FPS at Medium to 38.6 FPS at Ultra, a 27 percent reduction, which is a typical sign of memory bandwidth and capacity pressure.

FAQ

Q: How does the i7-14700K compare to its closest rival, the i7-14700KF, in this game?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the i7-14700KF scoring 70104 and the i7-14700K scoring 70074, resulting in a deltaPct of 0. This means there is no meaningful performance difference between the two processors in this game, and the i7-14700K's integrated UHD Graphics 770 is the only practical distinction.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER sufficient for smooth gameplay at 2560x1440?

A: At 1440p with High settings, the combo achieves 52.6 FPS, and at Medium settings it reaches 70.8 FPS. This indicates that the GPU can provide a playable experience at 1440p, but users seeking a consistent 60 FPS will need to use Medium settings or lower, as Ultra settings drop to 51.3 FPS.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo averages 108.4 FPS, while at 4K Low it drops to 65.9 FPS. This is a 39 percent reduction in frame rate, showing that even at Low settings, the resolution increase from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 significantly taxes the GPU.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The data shows the frame rate falls to 38.6 FPS at 4K Ultra, while the CPU's strong single-core scores suggest it is not the constraint. The GPU's 65th percentile ranking and 8 GB VRAM capacity indicate it is the limiting factor at this resolution and setting level.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to the RTX 4060 Mobile in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 22206, while the RTX 4060 Mobile has a score of 22729, making the mobile card 2.3 percent faster in synthetic tests. However, in this game, the desktop card's higher bandwidth may offset some of that difference.

Q: Does the CPU's 20 cores help in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The 20-core configuration contributes to the processor's overall multi-core score of 44534 in Cinebench R23, which helps with background tasks like scenery loading and AI traffic. However, the game's single-threaded nature means the 6287 single-core score is more indicative of actual frame rate performance, especially at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo starts at 108.4 FPS on Low settings, which is a strong result indicating the CPU and GPU are both well-utilized. Moving to Medium settings drops the average to 86.1 FPS, a 21 percent reduction, and High settings further reduce it to 67.4 FPS. Ultra settings at 1080p yield 62.0 FPS, which is still playable but shows the game's heavy demand on the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth. At 2560x1440, the frame rates are noticeably lower: Low settings produce 88.6 FPS, Medium 70.8 FPS, High 52.6 FPS, and Ultra 51.3 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at 1440p is only 2.5 percent, suggesting that the GPU is hitting a memory or compute wall at this resolution. At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly: Low settings average 65.9 FPS, Medium 52.7 FPS, High 39.6 FPS, and Ultra 38.6 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is minimal (1 FPS), which indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER's 8 GB VRAM is saturated at these settings, and the game is likely swapping textures or reducing draw distance to compensate. The overall combo rank in this game is 1074 out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the 60th percentile of all tested hardware pairings. This is consistent with a mid-to-high-end GPU paired with a top-tier CPU, where the GPU limits the overall score.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the limiting component clearly. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 108.4 FPS at 1080p to 65.9 FPS at 4K, a 39 percent reduction. This is a significant drop, but it is less severe than the drop at higher settings. At Medium settings, the frame rate goes from 86.1 FPS at 1080p to 52.7 FPS at 4K, a 39 percent reduction as well. At High settings, the drop is from 67.4 FPS at 1080p to 39.6 FPS at 4K, which is a 41 percent reduction. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 62.0 FPS at 1080p to 38.6 FPS at 4K, a 38 percent reduction. The consistency of this 38-41 percent drop across all settings indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the CPU's performance headroom remains constant. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K would be much smaller, because the GPU would be waiting for the CPU at lower resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the frame rate of 108.4 FPS is high enough that the CPU is likely doing more work, but the GPU is still able to keep up. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate of 38.6 FPS is clearly GPU-limited, as the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the pixel count. The resolution scaling analysis suggests that for this combo, the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting component at all resolutions above 1080p, and even at 1080p Ultra, the GPU is working near its maximum capacity. The CPU's 96th percentile ranking means it is not holding the system back, and users looking to improve performance would need to upgrade the GPU first.