Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator with an Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D produces a compelling dataset that reveals how this combination scales across resolutions and presets. The measured frames per second (FPS) show a system that is clearly capable of high refresh rates even at demanding 4K, but the scaling patterns hint at where the performance bottleneck shifts as workload changes. The data positions this combo at rank 14 out of 2996 tested combinations, placing it in the top tier of systems for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep but not uniform across settings, which tells a story about the limiting component at each resolution. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 236 at 1920x1080 to 205 at 2560x1440, then to 151 at 3840x2160. That is a 36% reduction from 1080p to 4K, a substantial hit that indicates the GPU is becoming the primary constraint even at lower graphical fidelity. The RTX 5090 D, with its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 512-bit bus width, is powerful, but pushing 3840x2160 at Low still demands significant rasterization throughput.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar in percentage terms: 198 FPS at 1080p, 159 FPS at 1440p, and 118 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 40%, slightly steeper than at Low. This suggests that as settings increase, the GPU's workload grows disproportionately, and the 4K resolution amplifies that effect. The minimum FPS data for Medium at 4K is 100, while the maximum is 135, showing a broader range than at 1440p where the minimum is 136 and maximum is 183. This wider variance at 4K is a sign that the GPU is working harder, with occasional dips that could be noticeable in heavy simulation scenes.

High settings show a similar pattern: 149 FPS at 1080p, 120 FPS at 1440p, and 88 FPS at 4K. The 4K figure is 41% lower than the 1080p figure, consistent with the Medium trend. Ultra settings follow suit with 142 FPS at 1080p, 114 FPS at 1440p, and 84 FPS at 4K. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is only 4 FPS, whereas at 1080p it is 7 FPS. This narrowing suggests that at 4K, the GPU is approaching a limit where additional graphical detail has diminishing returns on frame rate, because the resolution itself is the dominant factor.

What does this imply about the limiting component? The CPU, an Intel Core i7-14700KF with 20 cores and 28 threads, has a boost clock of 5.60 GHz and scores 44,167 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Such a processor is unlikely to bottleneck a GPU at 1080p Low where the FPS reaches 236, but the consistent drop at every resolution suggests that the GPU is the primary limiter across the board. The fact that FPS does not plateau at 1080p, but instead shows a clear decline as resolution increases, points to a GPU-bound scenario in all tested configurations. The RTX 5090 D's 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is immense, yet Microsoft Flight Simulator's complex rendering of terrain and weather still demands more from the GPU as pixel count rises.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 84. This is the lowest average across all tested resolutions and settings, indicating that Ultra at 4K is the most demanding configuration for this combo.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: This combination of Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 14th out of 2996 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the top 0.5% of all systems tested for this title.

Q: Is there a significant difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, the average FPS drops from 120 at High to 114 at Ultra, a difference of 6 FPS. This is a modest reduction, suggesting that Ultra offers a slightly more demanding experience without a major frame rate penalty at 2560x1440.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 236, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This shows the system's peak capability when the GPU workload is minimized.

Q: Does the combo provide a playable experience at 4K Medium?

A: Yes, the average FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings is 118, with a minimum of 100 FPS. This indicates a smooth experience, well above typical playability thresholds, even with occasional dips.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-core performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70,163, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and 0.9% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. It is 1% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, showing it is closely matched with top competitors.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the best experience depends on the target resolution and the user's preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, with Low hitting 236 FPS and Ultra at 142 FPS. The jump from Medium (198 FPS) to High (149 FPS) is a 49 FPS drop, which is significant, but High still offers a very smooth experience. For 1080p users seeking a balance, High is the sweet spot because it delivers nearly 150 FPS while maintaining higher graphical quality than Medium. Ultra at 1080p, at 142 FPS, is only 7 FPS lower than High, making it a viable choice if visual detail is paramount.

At 2560x1440, the pattern shifts. Low provides 205 FPS, but Medium (159 FPS) and High (120 FPS) are both strong options. The drop from Medium to High is 39 FPS, which is more pronounced than at 1080p. Ultra at 1440p yields 114 FPS, which is still smooth but represents a 45 FPS reduction from Medium. For a 1440p display, Medium appears to offer the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it maintains a high average FPS while avoiding the steeper penalties of High and Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the choices become more constrained. Low (151 FPS) and Medium (118 FPS) are both excellent, but High (88 FPS) and Ultra (84 FPS) dip below the 90 FPS mark. The data shows that Medium at 4K provides a 34 FPS advantage over High, which is a substantial margin. Given that the minimum FPS at Medium 4K is 100, this preset ensures a consistently fluid experience. For 4K users, Medium is the recommended preset because it delivers high frame rates without the significant drop seen at High and Ultra. The narrow gap between High (88 FPS) and Ultra (84 FPS) at 4K suggests that Ultra offers little benefit for the added load, making High a questionable upgrade over Medium.

How This Combo Ranks

This combo's rank of 14 out of 2996 tested combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator is a strong indicator of its top-tier performance. Being in the top 14 means it outperforms the vast majority of systems tested, which aligns with the high-end nature of both the Core i7-14700KF and the RTX 5090 D. The CPU's percentile of 94 against all CPUs and the GPU's percentile of 92 against all GPUs confirm that both components are in the upper echelon of their respective categories. The combo rank suggests that this pairing is well-matched for this game, with neither component dragging the other down significantly.

The rank also implies that the system can handle the most demanding scenarios in Microsoft Flight Simulator, such as dense urban areas or complex weather systems, without dropping to unplayable frame rates. The measured FPS data, with averages above 84 FPS even at 4K Ultra, supports this conclusion. The rank of 14 is particularly notable given that there are 2,996 combos, meaning this system is in the top 0.47% of all tested configurations. This level of performance is consistent with a flagship GPU and a high-end 14th-gen CPU, both of which are designed for maximum throughput.

Comparing to other combos, the rank suggests that while there are 13 systems that perform better, they likely feature even more powerful or newer components. The deltaPct values for the CPU's nearest rivals show that the i7-14700KF is competitive, with a 0.2% higher average score than the Ryzen 7 9700F and a 1% lower score than the Core Ultra 7 265K. This close competition at the CPU level indicates that the rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance, which is near the top of the charts.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D plays a central role in this combo's performance, as evidenced by the FPS scaling across resolutions. The GPU's 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is more than sufficient for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for loading large textures and detailed scenery. The 512-bit memory bus and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensure that data transfer is not a bottleneck, even at 4K where memory demands are highest. The GPU's boost clock of 2407 MHz and base clock of 2017 MHz are high, but the architecture's efficiency is key to maintaining smooth frame rates.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 and the Geekbench Vulkan score of 376,915 indicate strong raw performance, but the measured FPS in this game provides more direct evidence. At 4K Medium, the GPU delivers 118 FPS, which shows it can handle the simulation's rendering load with headroom. The fact that FPS drops from 151 at 4K Low to 84 at 4K Ultra demonstrates that the GPU is the primary factor in these variations. The 32 GB of VRAM is a key asset, as it allows the GPU to store more assets without needing to stream from system memory, reducing stutter in a game that often suffers from loading hitches.

The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, have a deltaPct of -1.6% in average benchmark score, but the RTX 5090 D's 92nd percentile ranking shows it is ahead of most GPUs. The 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is a theoretical peak, but the measured FPS suggests that the GPU is utilized efficiently in this title. The 2,299 USD launch MSRP places it as a flagship product, and the data supports that positioning, with no settings or resolution combination falling below 84 FPS average.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 236 FPS on Low, 198 FPS on Medium, 149 FPS on High, and 142 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting has a minimum FPS of 168 and a maximum of 227, showing a range of 59 FPS. This is the only setting at 1080p with min/max data, but the averages indicate a clear hierarchy. The difference between Low and Medium is 38 FPS, while the difference between High and Ultra is only 7 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns at the top end.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 205 FPS on Low, 159 FPS on Medium, 120 FPS on High, and 114 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting shows a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 183 FPS, a range of 47 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 46 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 6 FPS, mirroring the 1080p trend. The 1440p data shows that the system can easily drive high refresh rate monitors on Medium or High settings.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 151 FPS on Low, 118 FPS on Medium, 88 FPS on High, and 84 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting has a minimum of 100 FPS and a maximum of 135 FPS, a range of 35 FPS. This is the tightest range across all resolutions, indicating that 4K Medium provides a stable experience. The drop from Low to Medium is 33 FPS, from Medium to High is 30 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 4 FPS. The minimal difference between High and Ultra at 4K is notable, as it suggests that Ultra is not worth the performance cost at this resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF, with 20 cores and 28 threads, is a formidable processor that supports the GPU's performance. Its boost clock of 5.60 GHz and base clock of 3.40 GHz provide high single-thread performance, which is critical for Microsoft Flight Simulator's simulation logic. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6,235 and Geekbench single-core score of 2,578 indicate strong per-thread capability, ensuring that the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios. The 33 MB of shared L3 cache helps with data access, reducing latency in a game that requires frequent calculations.

The CPU's multi-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44,167, is relevant for the game's background tasks, such as AI traffic and physics simulations. The PassMark multi-thread score of 52,425 further confirms its ability to handle parallel workloads. The CPU's percentile of 94 against all CPUs shows it is in the top 6% of processors, and its average benchmark score of 70,163 is slightly higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by 0.9%, though slightly lower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K by 1%.

In the context of this game, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data and handle the simulation's logic. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (236 FPS) suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at lower resolutions, as the GPU is still able to push high frame rates. However, at 1080p Ultra, the FPS drops to 142, which could indicate that the CPU is beginning to struggle with the increased draw calls and object counts, though the GPU is still the main bottleneck. The 20 cores provide ample headroom for future updates or more complex scenes, but the data shows that the GPU is the dominant component in this pairing.