Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding flight sim that stresses both CPU and GPU heavily, and this particular combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 sits near the top of the charts. The data shows this pairing ranks 3rd out of 1795 tested combos for this game, placing it in the 96th percentile for the CPU and 94th percentile for the GPU. This is a top-tier setup that delivers high frame rates even at 4K, though the specific numbers reveal interesting bottlenecks depending on resolution and settings.

FAQ

Q: How fast is this CPU compared to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K’s average benchmark score is 70074. The data shows it is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-14700KF (0% delta) and the AMD EPYC 9115 (0.3% faster). It trails the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X by 0.5% and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 by 1.4%.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 the fastest GPU in this database?

A: No. While its average benchmark score is 84306 and it ranks in the 94th percentile of all GPUs, the data shows the NVIDIA CMP 40HX scores 85637, which is 1.6% higher. The RTX 5090 is effectively tied with the RTX 5090 D (0.1% delta) and the RTX 5050 Mobile (0.2% delta).

Q: What kind of performance can I expect at 4K with this combo?

A: Benchmark results show playable frame rates at 4K across all settings. The average FPS ranges from 77.4 fps at Ultra settings to 141.4 fps at Low settings. At High settings, the average is 83.5 fps, and at Medium it is 108.5 fps.

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

A: The performance drop is significant but consistent. For example, at High settings, the average FPS goes from 143.4 at 1080p to 83.5 at 4K, a 41.8% decrease. At Low settings, the drop is from 236.4 fps to 141.4 fps.

Q: What are the key specs of this CPU and GPU for gaming?

A: The i7-14700K has 20 cores and 28 threads with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The RTX 5090 has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus with 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth and a boost clock of 2407 MHz.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU becomes a limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are very high (up to 236.4 fps on Low), but the scaling from 1080p to 1440p is not proportional to the pixel count increase, indicating a CPU bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU is the primary constraint.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a powerhouse, and its specifications directly influence Microsoft Flight Simulator's performance. The card features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. This is crucial for a flight simulator that streams vast amounts of terrain and scenery data, as it allows the GPU to quickly access high-resolution textures without stuttering.

The GPU's clock speeds are also relevant. With a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, the RTX 5090 has the raw compute headroom to handle the complex shaders and lighting calculations the game demands. This is reflected in its strong benchmark scores, such as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14411 and a Passmark G3D score of 39650.

The benchmark results show that the GPU's role becomes more critical as resolution increases. At 4K, the frame rate drops significantly compared to 1080p, which is the classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The GPU is working harder to render more pixels, and the difference between settings becomes more pronounced. For instance, at 4K, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is 64 fps, while at 1080p it is 102.6 fps, indicating that the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows how this combo scales across resolutions. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, there is a substantial performance hit. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 143.4 to 112.5, a 21.5% decrease. At Ultra settings, it drops from 133.8 to 110, a 17.8% decrease.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is even more severe. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 112.5 to 83.5, a 25.8% decrease. At Low settings, the drop is from 191.4 to 141.4, a 26.1% decrease. This pattern indicates that the system is becoming increasingly GPU-limited at higher resolutions.

The fact that the FPS does not scale linearly with the pixel count (e.g., 4K has 2.25x the pixels of 1440p, but performance does not drop by 55%) suggests that other factors, likely CPU-related, are coming into play even at higher resolutions. However, the consistent and large FPS drops when moving to 4K confirm that the RTX 5090 is the primary component being pushed to its limits at that resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Here is the exact measured average FPS data for this combination:

• 1920x1080: Low 236.4 fps, Medium 189.6 fps, High 143.4 fps, Ultra 133.8 fps.
• 2560x1440: Low 191.4 fps, Medium 151.3 fps, High 112.5 fps, Ultra 110 fps.
• 3840x2160: Low 141.4 fps, Medium 108.5 fps, High 83.5 fps, Ultra 77.4 fps.

The data shows that at 1080p, the Low preset delivers an exceptionally high average of 236.4 fps, while the Ultra preset still manages 133.8 fps. At 1440p, the Low preset stays above 190 fps, and the Ultra preset remains playable at 110 fps. At 4K, the Ultra preset is the only one that dips below 80 fps, with an average of 77.4 fps, which is still a smooth experience for a flight simulator.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its high boost clock of 5.60 GHz and substantial 33 MB of shared L3 cache are key assets for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which relies on heavy single-threaded performance for simulation logic and draw calls.

The CPU's benchmark scores show its strength. It achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44534 and a single-core score of 6287. Its Passmark single-thread score is 4472, and its multithread score is 52392. These scores place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs.

The data indicates that the CPU is a limiting factor at 1080p. The frame rates are very high, but as the resolution increases, the FPS drops, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. However, the fact that the FPS at 1080p does not perfectly scale with the GPU's power suggests that the CPU's single-thread performance is setting an upper limit. For example, the jump from 1080p Low (236.4 fps) to 1440p Low (191.4 fps) is a 19% drop, which is less than the 33% pixel increase, indicating the CPU is holding back the frame rate at 1080p.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, there is a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate. For users with a 1080p or 1440p display, the Ultra preset is the best choice. At 1080p, it delivers an average of 133.8 fps, and at 1440p, it manages 110 fps. Both are well above the 60 fps threshold for a smooth experience, and the visual quality improvements are substantial.

For 4K users, the High preset is the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 83.5 fps, which is a more comfortable margin above 60 fps than the Ultra preset's 77.4 fps. The performance difference between High and Ultra at 4K is only 6.1 fps, but the High preset provides a more stable experience.

The Medium preset is a viable option for 4K users who want a higher frame rate, as it averages 108.5 fps. However, the visual compromise from High to Medium is more noticeable than from Ultra to High. The Low preset is recommended only for competitive or very high-refresh-rate scenarios, as it pushes frame rates to 236.4 fps at 1080p and 141.4 fps at 4K, but at a significant cost to visual quality. For most players, the High or Ultra presets offer the best balance of performance and immersion.