Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a uniquely demanding title, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 produces a dataset that clearly illustrates the balance between CPU and GPU workload. The measured frames per second across the three primary resolutions reveal a system that is consistently bound by the graphics card, yet still capable of delivering playable experiences when settings are managed carefully. The data shows a performance profile that is heavily influenced by the GPU's 6 GB memory capacity and the CPU's substantial multi-threaded capabilities, resulting in a setup that performs admirably at 1080p but requires significant compromises at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data demonstrates a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 92 FPS, which serves as the baseline for the system's maximum output. Moving to 1440p Low drops the average to 74 FPS, a reduction of approximately 19.6%. Further scaling to 4K Low yields an average of 55 FPS, which is a 40.2% decrease from the 1080p result. This steady decline is characteristic of a system where the rendering resolution directly taxes the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth.

The scaling behavior becomes more pronounced at higher settings presets. At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 71 at 1080p to 58 at 1440p (an 18.3% drop) and then to 42 at 4K (a 40.8% drop from 1080p). The High preset shows a similar trajectory: 54 FPS at 1080p, 43 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, produces 51 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p, and 30 FPS at 4K. The consistency of these percentage drops across presets indicates that the limiting factor is the GPU's raw processing capability rather than any specific setting's algorithmic complexity.

The data strongly suggests that the RTX 2060 is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K results in roughly a 40% performance reduction regardless of the quality preset, which is a hallmark of a GPU that is saturated with pixel work. The CPU, with its 14 cores and 14 threads, appears to have sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the 92 FPS result at 1080p Low. However, the GPU's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit bus width limit its ability to handle the increased texture and geometry data at 4K, causing the average FPS to settle in the 30-55 range depending on settings. This is a definitive case where resolution scaling is directly tied to the graphics card's limitations.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 holds a rank of 2344 out of 2996 tested combos. This places the system in the bottom 21.8% of all configurations, indicating that while it can run the game, it does so at a level below the majority of other tested systems. The percentile ranking shows that the GPU sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU is at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, creating a significant imbalance where the CPU is far more capable than the GPU.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context for this ranking. The RTX 2060 achieves a Passmark G3D score of 14111 and an average benchmark score of 15290. Its nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark database include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 with a delta of 0%, and the AMD Radeon 680M with a delta of 0.1%, showing that the RTX 2060 is closely matched with older or integrated solutions in synthetic tests. The CPU, on the other hand, scores 46062 on average, placing it just 0.1% above the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and 0.1% below the Intel Core i9-13900HX. This CPU performance level is more than adequate for the game's simulation logic, but the GPU's lower standing drags the overall combo ranking down.

The disparity between the CPU's high percentile (89) and the GPU's moderate percentile (58) explains why this combo ranks so low. The game's performance is predominantly GPU-bound, as shown in the resolution scaling data. A more balanced pairing would see the GPU percentile closer to the CPU's, but here the RTX 2060's limitations become the defining factor in the combo's overall position. The rank of 2344 out of 2996 is a direct consequence of a high-end CPU being paired with a mid-range GPU from an older generation.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 92 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only preset at this resolution that approaches the 100 FPS mark, with Medium achieving 71 FPS, High achieving 54 FPS, and Ultra achieving 51 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but with significant limitations. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 55 on Low to 30 on Ultra. The Ultra preset provides an average of exactly 30 FPS, which is the minimum for playability, while High settings yield 32 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062. This places it 0.1% above the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and 0.2% above the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303. It is 0.1% below the Intel Core i9-13900HX.

Q: What is the impact of the GPU's memory size on performance?

A: The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is a limiting factor. The data shows that at 4K resolution, the average FPS drops to between 30 and 55 depending on settings, which is likely due to the memory being insufficient for the high-resolution textures and geometry.

Q: Which preset offers the most consistent frame times at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 shows an average FPS of 58 with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 66. This provides a more predictable frame pacing compared to other presets, which lack reported minimum and maximum values.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the primary bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU ranks at the 89th percentile, while the GPU ranks at the 58th percentile. The resolution scaling shows a consistent ~40% drop from 1080p to 4K, which is a GPU-bound characteristic.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance. The Low preset yields an average of 92 FPS, providing a fluid experience for fast-paced flight. The Medium preset averages 71 FPS, with a reported minimum of 61 and maximum of 82, indicating good frame stability. High settings reduce the average to 54 FPS, while the Ultra preset produces an average of 51 FPS. The margin between High and Ultra is small, suggesting diminishing returns at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are noticeable but the game remains playable. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, which is a substantial decrease from 1080p but still smooth. Medium settings average 58 FPS, with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 66, showing a wider variance in frame times. High settings average 43 FPS, and Ultra settings average 41 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra narrows further at this resolution, indicating that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. The Low preset averages 55 FPS, which is the only playable option for a consistent experience. Medium settings average 42 FPS, with a minimum of 36 and maximum of 49, which can lead to noticeable stutters in dense scenery. High settings drop to an average of 32 FPS, and Ultra settings produce an average of 30 FPS. These figures suggest that 4K is only viable with Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is below the ideal threshold for a smooth simulation.

The data for Medium settings across all three resolutions provides the most complete picture, as it is the only preset with reported minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1080p, the range is 61-82 FPS; at 1440p, it is 49-66 FPS; and at 4K, it is 36-49 FPS. This shows a consistent degradation of both average and peak performance as resolution increases.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the decisive component in this combo's gaming performance. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes a bottleneck at 4K. The GPU's base clock of 1365 MHz and boost clock of 1680 MHz are modest by modern standards, and the 1920 shading units are tasked with rendering the complex environments of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The GPU's benchmark data shows a Passmark G3D score of 14111, placing it at the 58th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 with a delta of 0%, and the AMD Radeon 680M with a delta of 0.1%, indicating that the RTX 2060 is on par with significantly older or integrated graphics solutions in raw compute. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1242 and Geekbench OpenCL score of 65014 further illustrate its mid-range positioning.

In the context of this game, the GPU's 6 GB memory is the primary constraint. At 1080p, the system can achieve 92 FPS on Low, but at 4K, the average drops to 55 FPS on Low, a 40% reduction. This is a clear sign that the memory bandwidth and capacity are being saturated. The GPU's 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores are present, but Microsoft Flight Simulator does not heavily utilize ray tracing in the measured presets, so their impact is minimal. The FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS is the main driver of the frame rates observed.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This preset provides an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 61 and maximum of 82, offering a balanced combination of visual quality and performance. The frame times are consistent, which is crucial for a flight simulator where smooth panning is essential. The High preset at 1080p averages 54 FPS, which is playable but leaves less headroom for complex scenes.

For users with 1440p monitors, the Low preset is recommended, yielding an average of 74 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution averages 58 FPS, which is acceptable but may experience dips to 49 FPS in busy areas. The data suggests that High and Ultra presets at 1440p are not ideal, as they average 43 and 41 FPS respectively, which can feel sluggish during critical flight maneuvers.

At 4K, the only viable option is the Low preset, which produces an average of 55 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 42 FPS, which is borderline playable but with a minimum of 36 FPS that could cause stuttering. The High and Ultra presets at 4K, averaging 32 and 30 FPS respectively, should be avoided as they fall below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience. The data clearly shows that the Medium preset is the "sweet spot" for this hardware at 1080p, providing the best balance of visual fidelity and frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a high-performance processor that is largely underutilized in this configuration. With 14 cores and 14 threads, it provides ample computational power for Microsoft Flight Simulator's complex simulation logic, which includes weather modeling, physics, and AI traffic. The CPU's base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensure that single-threaded performance is strong, which is important for the game's main thread.

The CPU's benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085. The Passmark multithread score of 37816 and single-thread score of 4516 further confirm its capabilities. The CPU ranks at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46062. This places it in the same performance bracket as the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and Intel Core i9-13900HX, which are both high-end mobile processors.

In this game, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to bottleneck, the system achieves 92 FPS, indicating that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support provide sufficient bandwidth for the CPU to process game data without delays. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 58th percentile is a clear indication that the processor has significant headroom, and the overall combo ranking of 2344 out of 2996 is dragged down by the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's.