Microsoft Flight Simulator

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Microsoft Flight Simulator with the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination shows a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and presets. At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates are 63.8 FPS on High, 83.3 FPS on Medium, 96.5 FPS on Low, and 57.9 FPS on Ultra. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is substantial, a 5.9 FPS difference that pushes Ultra below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium sits comfortably above the playable mark, while Low offers the highest headroom.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with more margin. High produces 80.8 FPS, Medium reaches 99 FPS, Low hits 109.6 FPS, and Ultra manages 78.9 FPS. Every preset at this resolution clears the 60 FPS line, with Ultra staying nearly 19 FPS above the playable threshold. The scaling from 4K to 1440p is noticeable: High improves from 63.8 to 80.8 FPS, a 17 FPS gain, while Ultra jumps from 57.9 to 78.9 FPS, a 21 FPS improvement.

At 1920x1080, the combination delivers its strongest results. Ultra runs at 96.3 FPS, High at 100.1 FPS, Medium at 108 FPS, and Low at 119.3 FPS. The 1080p Ultra figure is 38.4 FPS higher than the 4K Ultra result, demonstrating how heavily resolution impacts this flight simulator. Interestingly, the spread between presets narrows at 1080p: Low to Ultra spans only 23 FPS, compared to 38.6 FPS at 4K. This suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU and GPU are both more consistently utilized, reducing the relative penalty of higher graphics settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database places the Ryzen 5 2600 near several other processors in average benchmark score. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V scores 21440, a 0.2% delta from the Ryzen's 21484 average. The Intel Core i9-11900H follows at 21367, 0.5% behind, while the Intel Xeon D-1746TER leads slightly at 21635, a 0.7% advantage. The AMD EPYC 9454 trails at 21223, 1.2% lower. These deltas are all within roughly 1.5%, meaning any of these CPUs would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios within Microsoft Flight Simulator. The Ryzen 5 2600 sits in the 75th percentile among all CPUs tested, indicating it is above average but not a high-end part by current database standards.

For the GPU side, the RTX 5070's average benchmark score of 40377 places it alongside some unexpected rivals. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 scores 40318, just 0.1% lower, making it effectively a performance twin. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 hits 40063, 0.8% behind, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 reaches 40870, 1.2% ahead. The NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile scores 39568, 2% lower. These are professional workstation cards, not gaming-focused products, but the recorded data shows their raw compute output is comparable. The RTX 5070 holds the 82nd percentile among all GPUs, a strong position that aligns with its measured performance in this game.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals which component dominates at each resolution. At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Moving from Low to Ultra at 4K, frame rates drop from 96.5 to 57.9 FPS, a 40% reduction. This large swing indicates the rendering workload scales heavily with graphics settings, and the RTX 5070's throughput determines the outcome. The Ryzen 5 2600, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, appears sufficient to feed the GPU at 4K, as even the lowest preset does not show a CPU bottleneck that would flatten the scaling curve.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly. The preset range from Low (109.6 FPS) to Ultra (78.9 FPS) still shows a 30.7 FPS gap, but the absolute numbers are higher. This suggests the GPU remains the primary constraint, though the CPU's role grows. At 1080p, the pattern changes more noticeably. Low runs at 119.3 FPS, while Ultra still achieves 96.3 FPS. The narrower spread at 1080p, where even the most demanding preset stays near 100 FPS, implies that the Ryzen 5 2600 begins to contribute more meaningfully. If the CPU were the sole bottleneck, raising settings would have little effect on frame rate; instead, the data shows a 23 FPS difference, meaning the GPU still has headroom but the CPU is starting to limit the upper ceiling.

The scaling between resolutions reinforces this interpretation. From 1080p Ultra to 1440p Ultra, FPS drops from 96.3 to 78.9, a 17.4 FPS loss. From 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra, it drops to 57.9, another 21 FPS loss. The larger absolute drop at higher resolutions is typical of GPU-bound workloads. At 1080p Low, the 119.3 FPS figure is close to what a stronger CPU might achieve, suggesting the Ryzen 5 2600's single-thread performance, reflected in its Geekbench single-core score of 1154, is adequate but not exceptional for this simulator's CPU-heavy flight modeling.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination ranks 1087 out of 3714 tested combos in the database for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the 29th percentile, meaning roughly 29% of all tested configurations are slower, and 71% are faster. Given the GPU's strong 82nd percentile standing and the CPU's 75th percentile, the combined rank being lower than either individual component might seem surprising. However, Microsoft Flight Simulator is known for its CPU sensitivity, and the Ryzen 5 2600's older architecture likely holds the RTX 5070 back in certain scenes. The rank suggests that many other pairings, perhaps with newer mid-range CPUs and similar GPUs, achieve better overall performance in this specific title.

The data also implies that the combo is not balanced for maximum efficiency. The RTX 5070's 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth provide ample graphics throughput, but the Ryzen 5 2600's 16 MB of shared L3 cache and 46.9 GB/s memory bandwidth may limit how quickly CPU-generated draw calls and physics data reach the GPU. At 1080p, where CPU overhead matters most, the combo still clears 96 FPS on Ultra, so the imbalance is not crippling, but it caps what the GPU could otherwise deliver.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Microsoft Flight Simulator? The recorded verdict is clear: yes, at all tested resolutions, but with a caveat at 4K Ultra. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best preset at 63.8 FPS. Ultra falls to 57.9 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold, so it is not recommended for a smooth experience at 4K. At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, and Ultra runs at 78.9 FPS, providing a comfortable margin. At 1920x1080, every preset clears 60 FPS easily, with Ultra at 96.3 FPS.

In practical terms, a user with a 4K display should stick to High settings for the best visual quality while staying above 60 FPS. Those with 1440p or 1080p monitors can enable Ultra without concern. The minimum FPS values are not recorded in the database, so the analysis relies on averages, but the averages at 1440p and 1080p are high enough that occasional dips are unlikely to ruin the experience. At 4K High, the 63.8 FPS average leaves only 3.8 FPS of headroom, so users might see brief drops below 60 in dense city areas or heavy weather.

FAQ

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 bottleneck the RTX 5070 in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data suggests a partial bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the FPS spread between Low and Ultra is only 23 FPS, which is smaller than at 4K, indicating the CPU limits the upper frame rate. However, the combo still achieves 96.3 FPS at 1080p Ultra, so the bottleneck does not prevent a playable experience.

Q: Can I run this game at 4K Ultra with this hardware?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 57.9, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable 4K preset is High, which averages 63.8 FPS.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 2560x1440?

A: Ultra is playable at 1440p, with an average FPS of 78.9. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at that resolution.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested hardware?

A: The combo ranks 1087 out of 3714 tested configurations, placing it in the 29th percentile. The CPU is in the 75th percentile and the GPU in the 82nd percentile, but the game's CPU demands pull the overall ranking down.

Q: Is the RTX 5070's performance similar to any other GPU in the database?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon Pro 580 has an average score of 40318, just 0.1% below the RTX 5070's 40377. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 is 0.8% lower, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 1.2% higher.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1920x1080 on High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1080p High is 100.1. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and leaves significant headroom for demanding scenes.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best setting that maintains at least 60 FPS is High, with an average of 63.8 FPS. Medium runs at 83.3 FPS and Low at 96.5 FPS, both also playable, but High offers the best visual quality while staying above the threshold. Ultra is not recommended at 4K because it averages 57.9 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the best setting is Ultra, averaging 78.9 FPS. This preset provides the highest graphics quality and still clears 60 FPS by nearly 19 FPS. High runs at 80.8 FPS, Medium at 99 FPS, and Low at 109.6 FPS, but Ultra is the optimal choice for visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 1920x1080, the best setting is also Ultra, with an average of 96.3 FPS. This is the most demanding preset and it remains 36.3 FPS above the playable threshold. High runs at 100.1 FPS, Medium at 108 FPS, and Low at 119.3 FPS. For users who prioritize maximum frame rates, Low is the fastest, but Ultra delivers a 96.3 FPS experience that is both smooth and visually rich.