Microsoft Flight Simulator

Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER in Microsoft Flight Simulator presents a study in balance and limitation. The data shows a system that can deliver smooth, playable frame rates at 1080p, but which becomes increasingly constrained as resolution and visual fidelity climb. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and 10 threads, holds its own, but the aging RTX 2070 SUPER ultimately defines the ceiling of this configuration. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, examining how the system scales across resolutions, the role of each component, and where it stands among the 2996 tested combinations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable pattern: performance degrades as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation tells a story about the system's primary bottleneck. At 1080p, the combination is capable of producing a very playable experience, with the High preset hitting 65 FPS and the Medium preset reaching 86 FPS. The Low preset achieves a highly responsive 111 FPS. This suggests that at 1080p, the system has enough headroom to prioritize visual quality without sacrificing fluidity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the impact of the higher pixel count is immediately evident. The High preset drops from 65 FPS to 52 FPS, a 20% reduction. Medium falls from 86 FPS to 70 FPS, and Low from 111 FPS to 89 FPS. This scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where the increased rendering load directly translates to lower frame rates. The 1440p results are still playable, but the margin for error shrinks, and the Ultra preset dips to 50 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations become pronounced. The High preset manages only 39 FPS, and Ultra falls to 37 FPS. This indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is being pushed to its absolute limit. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is severe, with High dropping from 52 to 39 FPS. The gap between Low and High at 4K is also telling: 66 FPS versus 39 FPS, a 41% performance swing based on settings alone. This wide delta underscores that the GPU is the limiting component at this resolution, and the CPU's performance headroom is largely irrelevant.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the definitive performance limiter in this configuration for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The benchmark data shows the GPU sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20282. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc B570 and Intel Arc A750, are within a 1.5% delta, placing it in a specific performance tier. The card features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is a critical factor, as the game's high-resolution textures and complex scenery can quickly consume available VRAM.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1605 MHz and a boost of 1770 MHz, are moderate by modern standards. The measured frame rates at 4K, particularly the 37 FPS at Ultra settings, suggest that the GPU's raw compute power and memory bandwidth are being saturated. The gap between the 4K Low (66 FPS) and 4K High (39 FPS) shows that the GPU struggles with the increased shader complexity and texture detail. The 8 GB VRAM pool is likely a contributing factor to the performance cliff at 4K, as the system may be forced to swap textures, causing stutters and frame drops. The data clearly indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is not a 4K-capable card for this title, and its role is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 1697th out of 2996 combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, which is a fair reflection of its performance profile. The rank is determined by the overall average FPS across all tested settings and resolutions, meaning the combination's poor 4K performance drags down its standing despite its respectable 1080p results.

This ranking is more heavily influenced by the GPU than the CPU. The RTX 2070 SUPER's 65th percentile score is the anchor of this system's performance. The CPU, on the other hand, is a much stronger component, sitting in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. This mismatch is the core issue. The processor is capable of feeding the GPU with data more quickly than the GPU can render it, especially at lower resolutions. At 1080p, where the CPU can prepare more frames, the GPU becomes the sole bottleneck. The result is a system that is well-balanced for 1080p, but the GPU's age prevents it from being a high-ranking overall performer.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend entirely on the target resolution. For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1920x1080, the High preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 65 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium (86 FPS) while still maintaining a frame rate that is well above the playable threshold. The Ultra preset at 62 FPS is also an option, but the difference from High is minimal and may not be worth the potential for more frequent dips.

At 2560x1440, the High preset becomes the sweet spot, hitting 52 FPS. While not a locked 60 FPS, it is a playable experience. The Medium preset offers a more comfortable 70 FPS, but sacrifices a noticeable amount of visual fidelity. For a more consistent frame rate, Medium is the safer recommendation. The Ultra preset at 50 FPS is borderline and should be avoided for a consistently smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets offer a consistently smooth experience. The Low preset achieves 66 FPS, which is playable, but the visual quality is severely reduced. The Medium preset, with an average of 51 FPS, is the highest quality setting that remains playable, but it will experience frame dips. High and Ultra are not recommended for 4K, as they fall to 39 FPS and 37 FPS respectively. For this resolution, a significant GPU upgrade is necessary for a satisfactory experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for a 60 FPS experience at 1080p?

A: The High preset at 1920x1080 yields an average of 65 FPS, making it the ideal choice for a smooth 1080p experience without significant visual compromises.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data shows 4K performance is limited. The Low preset averages 66 FPS, while Medium averages 51 FPS. High and Ultra presets fall to 39 FPS and 37 FPS respectively, indicating that a smooth, high-quality 4K experience is not achievable.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which places it in the 85th percentile. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, has a nearly identical score of 36945, a delta of 0%. It is also comparable to the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which is only 0.2% behind.

Q: What is the main performance bottleneck for this combination?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a steep drop-off, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited system. The CPU's high percentile ranking versus the GPU's lower percentile ranking confirms this.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER a strong performer compared to other GPUs?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 20282. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, is only 1% faster, and the Intel Arc A750 is 1.5% slower.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p on the Medium preset?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combination produces an average of 70 FPS, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a modern, capable processor that is not the limiting factor in this configuration. With 10 cores and 10 threads, it provides a solid foundation for gaming. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz are respectable, and its 20 MB of shared L3 cache helps with data-heavy workloads. The processor's benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655. This places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of processors on the market.

In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known to be heavily CPU-dependent for physics and world simulation, the Ultra 5 225's performance is more than adequate. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 111 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far beyond what the RTX 2070 SUPER can render. As resolution increases, the FPS drops, which is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the bottleneck. The CPU's headroom is further evidenced by its nearest rivals; it performs within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and the Intel Core i9-12900T, both of which are considered strong gaming chips. The processor's role here is to provide stable, high frame rates at lower resolutions, which it does, while the GPU's age prevents it from pushing high frame rates at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured average FPS for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

1920x1080:

• Low: 111 FPS
• Medium: 86 FPS (min 73, max 99)
• High: 65 FPS
• Ultra: 62 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 89 FPS
• Medium: 70 FPS (min 59, max 80)
• High: 52 FPS
• Ultra: 50 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 66 FPS
• Medium: 51 FPS (min 44, max 59)
• High: 39 FPS
• Ultra: 37 FPS

This data confirms the analysis above. The system is most comfortable at 1080p, where even the Ultra preset maintains a playable 62 FPS. At 1440p, the High and Ultra presets are borderline, while Medium provides a solid 70 FPS. At 4K, only the Low and Medium presets are playable, and even they show significant frame dips. The gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution widens as resolution increases, from a 44% difference at 1080p to a 44% difference at 4K, highlighting the GPU's struggle with the increased pixel workload. The minimum FPS data points, particularly at 4K Medium (44 FPS), show that the experience can be stuttery, further confirming the GPU is the limiting component.