Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding title that stresses both the CPU and GPU heavily, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile produces a distinct performance profile. The benchmark data shows this pairing achieves a combo rank of 815 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the top 22% of all systems evaluated. This is a strong result, though it also reveals that the system is not purely GPU-bound at every setting, with the mobile processor’s characteristics becoming more apparent at lower resolutions and graphical presets. The following analysis breaks down the measured frames per second, the role of each component, and what the data suggests about optimizing the experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 815 out of 3714 tested combinations places this laptop configuration firmly in the upper quartile of all systems tested for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This ranking is a holistic measure, reflecting the combined capability of the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile in this specific workload. The data indicates that this system outperforms the vast majority of other pairings, which is expected given the high-end nature of the GPU, but the rank also shows that it is not at the very top, suggesting that the CPU is a moderating factor in some scenarios.

To contextualize the CPU’s contribution, the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H has an average benchmark score of 34083, placing it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score include the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H with a score of 33989 (a 0.3% difference) and the AMD EPYC 4244P with a score of 34220 (a -0.4% difference). This indicates that the processor is performing as expected for its class, sitting in a tightly contested performance band. The GPU, meanwhile, has an average benchmark score of 43667 and also sits in the 84th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A6000 with a score of 44075 (a -0.9% difference) and the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 with a score of 43301 (a 0.8% difference). The similar percentile rankings for both components suggest a balanced pairing, but the game’s actual frame rates tell a more nuanced story about which component is the limiting factor at different points.

The rank of 815 also implies that while the RTX 4090 Mobile is a top-tier part, the Core Ultra 7 165H is a mid-to-high-tier mobile processor. In a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for its heavy single-threaded and multi-threaded CPU demands, the processor’s performance ceiling can prevent the GPU from reaching its full potential, especially at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. The data suggests that this combo is most effective at 4K, where the GPU workload is so immense that the CPU has more headroom to keep up. Overall, the rank confirms the system’s high-end nature, but the subsequent sections will show that the experience is not uniform across all settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications are central to understanding the frame rates achieved. It is built on the AD103 chip with the Ada Lovelace architecture on a 5 nm process from TSMC. The GPU features 9728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output units, along with 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores. This hardware configuration is capable of significant raw compute, with a FP32 performance of 32.98 TFLOPS. The boost clock is listed at 1695 MHz, which is the frequency the GPU will target under load.

Memory is a critical aspect for a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, which loads vast textures and terrain data. The GPU is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s. This large memory pool is more than sufficient for the highest settings at 4K, ensuring that texture streaming is not a bottleneck. The memory clock is 2250 MHz, or 18 Gbps effective. The pixel rate is 189.8 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 515.3 GTexel/s, which are the rates at which it can fill the screen and apply textures.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU’s power is evident at 4K. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the system averages 58 FPS, and with Ultra settings, it averages 55 FPS. These are playable frame rates for a flight simulator, but they are not exceptionally high, indicating that the GPU is being pushed to its limits at this resolution. The performance gap between High and Ultra is small, suggesting that the GPU is nearing its capacity. The RTX 4090 Mobile’s 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms its high-end status, sitting close to the NVIDIA RTX A6000 in average benchmark score. In practice, this means that at 4K, the GPU is the primary driver of performance, and the differences between settings are directly related to the GPU’s workload.

FAQ

Q: Is this combination better for 4K or 1080p gaming in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data shows the system is most consistently capable at 4K, where it averages 58 FPS on High settings. At 1080p, it reaches 166 FPS on Low settings, but the frame rate drops to 92 FPS on Ultra. The performance at 4K is more stable relative to the GPU’s capability, whereas at 1080p, the CPU becomes a more significant limiting factor.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Core Ultra 7 165H has an average benchmark score of 34083. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, scores 33989, which is a 0.3% difference. The AMD EPYC 4244P scores 34220, a -0.4% difference, and the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X scores 34260, a -0.5% difference. This indicates the CPU is performing at the expected level for its class.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory configuration and why is it relevant?

A: The RTX 4090 Mobile has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with a bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s. This large memory pool is relevant because Microsoft Flight Simulator streams high-resolution textures, and the available memory and bandwidth help prevent stuttering and texture pop-in, especially at 4K Ultra settings.

Q: What is the most significant performance difference between settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the largest gap is between Low and Medium settings. The system averages 133 FPS on Low and 104 FPS on Medium, a difference of 29 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 26 FPS (104 to 78), and between High and Ultra it is only 4 FPS (78 to 74).

Q: Does the CPU or GPU have a higher percentile ranking among all components?

A: Both components have the same percentile ranking of 84. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 34083, and the GPU’s is 43667. This suggests they are both well above average parts, but the game’s performance indicates the CPU can be a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Q: Is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings significant at 4K?

A: No, the data shows a minimal difference. At 3840x2160, High settings average 58 FPS, while Ultra settings average 55 FPS. This 3 FPS difference indicates that the GPU is already near its maximum workload at these high settings, and the extra visual fidelity from Ultra comes at a very small performance cost.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system’s performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the system shows its highest frame rates. On Low settings, it achieves an average of 166 FPS. This drops to 129 FPS on Medium, 97 FPS on High, and 92 FPS on Ultra. The range from Low to Ultra is 74 FPS, showing a significant scaling with graphical fidelity. The Medium setting has a minimum FPS of 109 and a maximum of 148, indicating some variance in performance, but the average is solid for a high-refresh-rate display.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease as expected. Low settings average 133 FPS, Medium averages 104 FPS, High averages 78 FPS, and Ultra averages 74 FPS. The Medium setting at this resolution shows a min of 88 FPS and a max of 119 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 4 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset is not much more demanding than High at this resolution. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is substantial, with the Low setting dropping by 33 FPS and the Ultra setting dropping by 18 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system’s performance is the most constrained. Low settings average 98 FPS, which is still a playable number. Medium settings average 77 FPS, with a min of 65 and a max of 88. High settings average 58 FPS, and Ultra settings average 55 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 43 FPS. The data shows that at 4K, the system is heavily GPU-bound, and the frame rates are more consistent with what one would expect from a high-end laptop GPU. The transition from 1440p to 4K is the most punishing, with the Low setting dropping by 35 FPS and the Ultra setting dropping by 19 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is a 16-core, 22-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, manufactured on a 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The CPU has a 24 MB shared L3 cache, along with 2 MB L2 cache per core and 112 KB L1 cache per core. Its TDP is 28 W, which is a mobile-focused power envelope. The processor’s benchmark scores show a strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14551 and a single-core score of 1759. PassMark results also show a multi-thread score of 25933 and a single-thread score of 3509.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU’s role is critical for simulation logic, physics, and draw calls. The data suggests that the Core Ultra 7 165H is a capable part, but its performance ceiling becomes apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are high, but they do not scale linearly with the GPU’s potential. For instance, at 1080p Ultra, the system averages 92 FPS, which is only 3 FPS higher than at 1440p Ultra (74 FPS) and 37 FPS higher than at 4K Ultra (55 FPS). This indicates that the CPU is limiting the frame rate at 1080p, as the GPU is not being fully utilized. The 84th percentile ranking for the CPU confirms it is a solid performer, but it is not a flagship desktop-class part.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H (0.3% higher score) and the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (-0.5% lower score). This places it in a competitive mid-range to high-end mobile segment. The 22 threads are beneficial for a game that can use multiple cores for various simulation tasks, but the single-thread performance is also crucial. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1759 is respectable, but it may not be enough to fully feed the RTX 4090 Mobile at 1080p, which is why we see a smaller performance gap between 1080p and 1440p for some settings compared to the gap between 1440p and 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a smooth experience at 4K, the High preset is the recommended choice. It averages 58 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays, and it is only 3 FPS slower than Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K offers a significant boost to 77 FPS, which is ideal for players who prefer higher frame rates over maximum visual fidelity. The Low preset at 4K delivers 98 FPS, but it likely sacrifices too much visual quality for a simulation game that relies on visual immersion.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides the best balance, with an average of 104 FPS. This is a substantial improvement over High (78 FPS) and Ultra (74 FPS), and it still offers a high level of detail. The Low preset at 133 FPS is for players with high refresh rate monitors who prioritize smoothness above all else. For 1080p, the Medium preset is also the sweet spot, with an average of 129 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS mark and provides a fluid experience. The High preset at 97 FPS is also viable, but the jump to Ultra only yields 92 FPS, making it less appealing.

The data indicates that the Ultra preset offers diminishing returns across all resolutions. At 1080p, it is only 5 FPS slower than High but likely has a significant visual cost. At 1440p, the difference is 4 FPS, and at 4K, it is 3 FPS. Therefore, the High preset is the more efficient choice for maximum visual quality without a significant frame rate penalty. The Medium preset is the clear recommendation for the best overall experience, as it consistently provides frame rates that are significantly higher than High and Ultra, with a reasonable visual trade-off.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound game at higher settings. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by 33 FPS on Low settings (166 to 133), 25 FPS on Medium (129 to 104), 19 FPS on High (97 to 78), and 18 FPS on Ultra (92 to 74). This is a substantial decrease, but the frame rates remain playable. The percentage drop is roughly 20% for Low, 19% for Medium, 20% for High, and 20% for Ultra. This consistency suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor in this resolution range, as the workload scales predictably with pixel count.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is more dramatic. Low settings drop by 35 FPS (133 to 98), Medium by 27 FPS (104 to 77), High by 20 FPS (78 to 58), and Ultra by 19 FPS (74 to 55). The percentage drops are approximately 26% for Low, 26% for Medium, 26% for High, and 26% for Ultra. This larger percentage drop indicates that the GPU is being pushed much harder at 4K, and the workload increase is more than linear due to the additional memory bandwidth and compute requirements. The fact that the drop is consistent across settings reinforces that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck at 4K.

However, the data also reveals the CPU’s influence at lower resolutions. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is smaller for High and Ultra settings than for Low and Medium. This is because at Low and Medium settings, the GPU is less stressed, allowing the CPU to become a more significant factor. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 166 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame rate capability for this game. The CPU’s 22 threads and 5.00 GHz boost clock are working hard to feed the GPU, but they cannot push the frame rate much higher. This is why the gap between 1080p and 1440p is smaller for the lower settings, as the CPU is the limiting factor, not the GPU. The overall data suggests that the system is balanced at 4K, but the CPU becomes a bottleneck at 1080p, preventing the RTX 4090 Mobile from reaching its full potential.