Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a uniquely demanding title, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 reveals a system that is brutally effective at every resolution. The combination of a 24-core processor and the flagship Blackwell GPU produces frame rates that range from highly playable at 4K to exceptionally high at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, focusing on how the system scales across resolutions and settings, and what the data suggests about the CPU and GPU roles in this specific simulation.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the performance drop varies significantly depending on the graphics preset. This variance is the key to understanding where the bottleneck lies in this configuration for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Looking at the Low preset, the system delivers 238 FPS at 1920x1080. Moving to 2560x1440, that figure drops to 192 FPS, a reduction of approximately 19%. At 3840x2160, the average falls to 142 FPS, which is another 26% reduction from the 1440p figure. From 1080p to 4K on Low settings, the frame rate drops by roughly 40%. This is a substantial decrease, but the absolute numbers remain incredibly high, indicating that even at 4K with Low settings, the system is never truly constrained by the GPU's raw rendering power.

The Medium preset tells a slightly different story. The 1080p average is 185 FPS, which drops to 149 FPS at 1440p (a ~19% decrease) and then to 110 FPS at 4K (a ~26% decrease from 1440p). The scaling pattern is nearly identical to the Low preset, suggesting that the relative load on the GPU is increasing at a similar rate as resolution climbs. The system is still delivering a very smooth experience at 4K Medium, well above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays.

The High preset shows a more pronounced scaling penalty. At 1080p, the average is 139 FPS. This drops to 112 FPS at 1440p, a ~19% reduction. However, the jump to 4K sees the average fall to 83 FPS, which is a 26% drop from the 1440p result. While the percentage drops are similar to the other presets, the lower starting point at 1080p means the final 4K number is closer to the edge of what some might consider a "smooth" experience for a flight sim, though 83 FPS is still objectively strong.

The Ultra preset exhibits the steepest scaling curve. At 1080p, the system manages 133 FPS. At 1440p, it averages 107 FPS, a 20% reduction. At 4K, the average plummets to 79 FPS, a 26% drop from the 1440p score. The gap between the 1080p and 4K Ultra results is 54 FPS, or about 41%. This is the largest absolute drop in the dataset.

These numbers reveal a system that is well-balanced but leans on the CPU at lower resolutions. The fact that the 1080p Low (238 FPS) and 1080p Medium (185 FPS) scores are so high suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at an exceptional rate. However, the performance delta from 1080p to 4K on the Low preset is smaller in absolute terms (96 FPS less) compared to the Ultra preset (54 FPS less). This indicates that at 4K, the GPU is working much harder, and its performance limits become the primary factor in the final frame rate. The data suggests that for this specific combination, the RTX 5090 is only fully saturated at the 4K resolution, particularly on the higher presets. At 1080p, the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is keeping up, but the GPU has headroom, making the CPU the more likely limiting factor at that resolution.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear picture of the performance cost associated with each preset, allowing for specific recommendations based on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

At 1920x1080, the system is so powerful that even the Ultra preset, with an average of 133 FPS, is a viable option for users with high-refresh-rate monitors. The High preset offers a modest performance boost to 139 FPS, while Medium jumps to 185 FPS and Low to 238 FPS. Given the high frame rates across the board, there is little reason to sacrifice visual fidelity at this resolution. The Ultra preset provides the best visual experience while still maintaining a frame rate that exceeds the refresh rate of most 1080p displays. The data shows that the jump from Ultra to High is only 6 FPS, making Ultra the clear choice for maximizing image quality without a meaningful performance penalty.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset maintains an average of 107 FPS, which is an excellent result for a demanding flight simulator. Dropping to High increases the average to 112 FPS, a marginal gain of 5 FPS. Given the small difference, the Ultra preset is recommended for users who prioritize visual fidelity. For those seeking higher frame rates for smoother camera panning or for use with a 144Hz or higher monitor, the Medium preset at 149 FPS offers a substantial 42 FPS uplift over Ultra. The Low preset at 192 FPS is available but the visual compromise is likely too severe for most users. The sweet spot at this resolution is Ultra for visual quality, with Medium as a strong fallback for high-refresh-rate play.

At 3840x2160, the choices become more consequential. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 79 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target for a smooth experience on a standard 4K display. This is a playable and visually stunning configuration. However, the High preset at 83 FPS offers a minimal performance increase of only 4 FPS, making the slight visual downgrade from Ultra not worth the negligible frame rate gain. The Medium preset jumps to 110 FPS, a significant 31 FPS improvement over Ultra. This is the recommended setting for users with 4K displays that support 120Hz or higher refresh rates, as it provides a far smoother experience while still retaining a good level of graphical detail. The Low preset at 142 FPS is an option for competitive play or for users with very high refresh rate 4K monitors, but the visual quality will be substantially reduced.

The data suggests that the Ultra preset is viable at all three resolutions, but the performance headroom is limited at 4K. The Medium preset provides the best balance of performance and visual quality for high-refresh-rate displays at 1440p and 4K. At 1080p, users should use the Ultra preset without hesitation.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, specifications that are directly relevant to how it handles Microsoft Flight Simulator's complex simulation logic.

The benchmark data for the CPU shows a strong overall performance profile. It scores 51,731 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 7,303 in single-core, landing in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 84,003, which places it 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and 1.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4584PX. This high level of single-threaded performance is critical for a flight simulator, which often has a primary "main thread" that handles the bulk of the game's logic, physics, and AI. The 5.80 GHz boost clock is a key factor in the high frame rates observed at lower resolutions, such as the 238 FPS average at 1080p Low.

The 24 cores and 24 threads provide substantial multi-threaded headroom, which is used for tasks like scenery loading, weather simulation, and processing data for multiple aircraft systems. The CPU's PassMark multi-thread score of 60,860 and its performance in tests like data encryption (52,563) and compression (698,346) suggest it can handle these background tasks without bottlenecking the main game thread.

In the context of this game, the CPU's role is most evident in the 1080p results. At this resolution, the GPU is less stressed, and the frame rate is more likely to be limited by how fast the CPU can process the simulation and issue draw calls. The data shows that the 290K Plus is more than capable of driving the RTX 5090 to very high frame rates at 1080p, with even the Ultra preset hitting 133 FPS. The fact that the 1080p Low and Medium presets reach 238 and 185 FPS, respectively, indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution for most presets. This reflects the power of its single-core performance and the efficiency of its architecture.

As the resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the frame rate becomes increasingly dependent on the GPU. However, the CPU still plays a vital role in maintaining consistent frame pacing and preventing stutters. The data shows a smooth scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K on all presets, with no sudden drops that would indicate a CPU bottleneck. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus provides a robust foundation that allows the RTX 5090 to perform at its full potential without being starved of data.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play this game with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured data, all three resolutions are viable. At 1920x1080, the system can achieve over 130 FPS on the Ultra preset. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset maintains an average of 107 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 79 FPS, which is still playable. The choice depends on the user's display and preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its direct predecessor in terms of CPU benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003. This places it 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which has an average score of 83,807. The performance difference is minimal in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 4K with the Ultra preset?

A: The measured average frame rate at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset is 79 FPS. This is a solid performance level for a flight simulator at native 4K resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the more likely limiting factor at 1080p. With the Low preset providing 238 FPS and the Ultra preset providing 133 FPS, the scaling is not solely dependent on the GPU. The high frame rates indicate the CPU is working hard to feed the GPU, and its performance sets the upper boundary.

Q: Which graphics preset provides the biggest performance jump at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, moving from the Ultra preset (79 FPS) to the Medium preset (110 FPS) provides a 31 FPS increase. This is a significant jump compared to the 4 FPS difference between Ultra and High.

Q: What is the average performance percentile of the RTX 5090 compared to all GPUs?

A: The RTX 5090 has a percentile ranking of 92, meaning it outperforms 92% of all GPUs in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score is 79,842.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the flagship graphics card in the GeForce 50-series, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. It is a massive GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. Its boost clock is rated at 2407 MHz, and it has a TDP of 575 W. This immense hardware is directly reflected in the game's performance.

The RTX 5090's role in Microsoft Flight Simulator is most clearly defined at the 4K resolution. The GPU's raw rendering power is the primary factor in the frame rates achieved at 3840x2160. The data shows the 4K frame rates scale predictably with the graphics preset, from 142 FPS on Low to 79 FPS on Ultra. This scaling is a direct result of the GPU's workload increasing with more complex shading, lighting, and geometry. The GPU's 32 GB of VRAM is a significant asset here, as it can hold the large texture sets and high-resolution assets used by the simulator at 4K without swapping to system memory, which would cause stutters.

The GPU's performance is also evident in the resolution scaling. While the CPU is capable at 1080p, the RTX 5090's power is fully utilized as resolution increases. The difference between the 1080p and 4K Ultra scores is 54 FPS, highlighting the significant amount of work the GPU is doing at the higher resolution. Its performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 18,355 and a PassMark G3D score of 39,650, confirms its position as a top-tier GPU, with a percentile rank of 92. It sits 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB in average benchmark scores.

In this game, the RTX 5090 ensures that the visual experience is not compromised by a lack of graphics processing power. At 1080p and 1440p, it provides frame rates high enough to push the limits of high-refresh-rate monitors. At 4K, it maintains playable frame rates on the Ultra preset and excellent frame rates on Medium and High presets. The GPU is the dominant component at 4K, and its massive memory pool and high compute throughput are the reasons why this system can handle the most demanding resolution with such authority.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured average frame rates for Microsoft Flight Simulator with the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090.

At 1920x1080:

• The Low preset achieves an average of 238 FPS.
• The Medium preset achieves an average of 185 FPS, with a minimum of 158 FPS and a maximum of 213 FPS.
• The High preset achieves an average of 139 FPS.
• The Ultra preset achieves an average of 133 FPS.

At 2560x1440:

• The Low preset achieves an average of 192 FPS.
• The Medium preset achieves an average of 149 FPS, with a minimum of 127 FPS and a maximum of 172 FPS.
• The High preset achieves an average of 112 FPS.
• The Ultra preset achieves an average of 107 FPS.

At 3840x2160:

• The Low preset achieves an average of 142 FPS.
• The Medium preset achieves an average of 110 FPS, with a minimum of 94 FPS and a maximum of 127 FPS.
• The High preset achieves an average of 83 FPS.
• The Ultra preset achieves an average of 79 FPS.

This data confirms that the system is capable of running the game at high frame rates across all tested configurations. The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 places this system at rank 38 out of 2,996 tested combinations for this game, underscoring its elite status.