i5 or i7 CPU for MSFS?

[Simurgh]

Looking to build a new PC for the MSFS 2024. I know that specs are not out yet, but curious for those running the i5-13600k vs. i7-13700k if you are able to play at ultra settings on 1440p. I have been seeing some benchmark videos, but want to get some feedback from the pilots here.

Also any heat issues with either chip during the higher loads?

[shadowgravy]

I went with an i7-9700K when I built my PC. However, a lot of the load in MSFS is on the GPU, so you may be fine with the i5 if you have a high end card. According to a Tom's Hardware article from 2020:

Somewhat surprisingly, higher clockspeeds and more cores and threads don't really do much on the Intel chips — beyond a certain point. The Core i5-9600K and Core i9-9900K basically deliver a similar level of performance. There's a bit more stuttering when you first load into a flight with the 6-core/6-thread chip, but nothing major. The same goes for the Ryzen 9 3900X and Ryzen 5 3600. The beastly 12-core/24-thread chip is a bit faster, but it never delivered more than a 6% advantage, and then only at 1080p/1440p ultra.

Drop down to a 4-core/4-thread Intel chip like the Core i3-9100, or 4-core/8-thread with AMD's Ryzen 5 3400G (which also has an x8 PCIe link width), and things become much worse. The Core i3-9100 actually crashed several times at the ultra preset, and both budget CPUs took substantially longer to load the game and launch the saved flight. There was a lot of stuttering as well, like when panning the camera around. Basically, we wouldn't recommend the budget CPUs for anything more than 1080p medium quality.

https://www.tomshardware.com/features/microsoft-flight-simulator-benchmarks-performance-system-requirements

[Simurgh]

Interesting. Thanks. What kind of FPS and performance do you get from the i7-9700K?

[shadowgravy]

I don't have actual numbers offhand but my frames are high enough for a fluid VR experience when I fly GA aircraft (hardware: Reverb G2, RTX 2080 Ti) in an environment with live weather and addon live traffic.

[Maki Nishikino]

If you get yourself a 40 series card you can benefit greatly from frame generation. I have a RTX 4090 myself and the performance difference between frame generation off and on is impressive.

[ferengi]

Have a look at https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/ . For games, single core performance is most important. Most games today are still not able to utilize more than four cores. To shovel data around, memory latency and bandwidth are critical as well. More cores always means more power consumption and more heat. Only buy a CPU with a lot of cores if you intend to do several other tasks in the background, like video streaming or whatever. If you do intend to run several virtual machines or perform 3D rendering in programs like Blender having as much cores as possible may be beneficial, but for most users they are a waste of resources.

[shadowgravy]

Originally posted by Maki Nishikino:

If you get yourself a 40 series card you can benefit greatly from frame generation. I have a RTX 4090 myself and the performance difference between frame generation off and on is impressive.

I've window-shopped 4080s and I may go that direction soon.

[Simurgh]

Thank you. I am leaning towards the new i5-14600k and the RTX 4070ti given the heat issues with the i7-13700k or new 14700k.

Will that work running at ultra setting on 1440p 144hz or 240hz? I will using it for MSFS, IL2, DCS, city sims/other sims and grand strategy games. Hope the new MSFS 2024 system req. are similar or game more optimized.

[Maki Nishikino]

Close I would assume. I have an i9-13900K playing at 1440p on a 170Hz and 240Hz monitor and run maxed out aside from Render Scaling at 120 and Terrain LOD at 350. In DCS and IL-2 I'm running fully maxed out.

[Simurgh]

thank you. With the i9 are you having any cpu heat issues with MSFS and/or any other games? All the research I have done on i7-13700k and i9 have talked about excessive heat even with gaming. Otherwise, i would go with the i7. At the same time, for gaming, the i5 seems be very close to the i7 without all of the extra power usage and heat.

Thoughts? Hoping to order tomorrow.

[ZombieHunter]

Originally posted by Maki Nishikino:

If you get yourself a 40 series card you can benefit greatly from frame generation. I have a RTX 4090 myself and the performance difference between frame generation off and on is impressive.

Fake frames != more FPS.

[Maki Nishikino]

Originally posted by Simurgh:

thank you. With the i9 are you having any cpu heat issues with MSFS and/or any other games? All the research I have done on i7-13700k and i9 have talked about excessive heat even with gaming. Otherwise, i would go with the i7. At the same time, for gaming, the i5 seems be very close to the i7 without all of the extra power usage and heat.

Thoughts? Hoping to order tomorrow.

No I'm not and I sometimes play for hours upon hours longest of which in MSFS was 16.

[Lord Haart]

Originally posted by Simurgh:

Looking to build a new PC for the MSFS 2024. I know that specs are not out yet, but curious for those running the i5-13600k vs. i7-13700k if you are able to play at ultra settings on 1440p. I have been seeing some benchmark videos, but want to get some feedback from the pilots here.

Also any heat issues with either chip during the higher loads?

i7 a million times. i5 can't hyperthready. Useless really for true flight.

You see - An Intel Core i7 processor excels in multi-threaded performance, thanks to its hyper-threading technology, which enables each core to handle two threads simultaneously. This attribute is vital for MSFS, as it allows the game to distribute the computational load across multiple threads, ensuring smooth gameplay. Complex calculations, such as terrain generation, weather systems, and flight dynamics, benefit significantly from an Intel Core i7's ability to manage multiple threads simultaneously.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is renowned for its breathtakingly detailed landscapes, achieved through streaming real-world satellite data. Rendering these intricate terrains in real-time requires substantial processing power. An Intel Core i7 processor ensures that the game can swiftly process the data and deliver the stunning visuals that have become its trademark.

As MSFS continues to evolve with updates and expansions, the demand for processing power will only increase. An Intel Core i7 processor not only meets the current requirements but also future-proofs your system, ensuring that you can enjoy new features and enhanced realism without performance bottlenecks.
In the world of Microsoft Flight Simulator, realism and performance are paramount. An Intel Core i7 processor is the ideal choice for those who seek an optimal MSFS experience. Its multi-threaded capabilities, efficient handling of complex mathematical calculations, and ability to render detailed terrain in real-time make it an indispensable component for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the world of virtual aviation. While an Intel Core i5 may suffice for less demanding tasks, the i7 is the processor of choice for true flight enthusiasts who demand nothing less than the highest level of performance and realism in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

[Narf]

Originally posted by Lord Haart:

i7 a million times. i5 can't hyperthready. Useless really for true flight.

That hasn't been true for years. Intel has had SMT (Hyperthreading) on their i5 CPUs since generation ten. We're now on the 14th gen. I won't even bother with the rest of it, as it is equally uninformed.

The differences in performance between i7 and i5 are marginal in anything but workstation scenarios these days. I'm talking single digit percentage performance increase in gaming or desktop scenarios. You pay for that slight performance increase both in aquisition price and in upkeep, as the power demands can be quite a bit higher for the i7 if it is allowed to keep drawing as much as it wants in a high-usage scenario.
If money isn't an issue, then by all means, gun for an i7 or even i9, and get a few FPS more. But in terms of bang-for-your-buck, the XX400 and XX600 series have been the optimum for gaming in recent years.

Given that nobody knows how well MSFS24 will scale on CPUs the discussion is a bit moot. Maybe it will profit from more Cores and/or cores, maybe it will not. We just don't know how much will change structurally compared to MSFS.

[Lord Haart]

So why sell the i7 then.

Come on.

[Narf]

1) Because clueless people like you are a thing.
2) Because there are people who, as I said, have the disposable income and just want the best possible performance, not the best money-to-performance ratio.
3) Because workstations are a thing.