Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination delivers a wide spread of performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator, with the data showing a clear pattern where resolution dictates how much visual headroom remains. The measured FPS values across the three tested resolutions and four presets reveal a system that is capable of smooth flight at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K requires a significant compromise in settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo produces its strongest results. The Low preset averages 132.7 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this pairing in the entire test suite. Stepping up to Medium yields an average of 103.5 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The High preset averages 77.4 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 74.3 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is relatively narrow at just 3.1 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns at the top end of the settings scale. Every preset at this resolution clears the playable threshold by a comfortable margin, with even the most demanding setting staying 14.3 FPS above the 60 FPS line.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance profile shifts downward but remains playable across all presets. The Low preset averages 107 FPS, Medium averages 85.9 FPS, and High averages 60.6 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 61.1 FPS, which is slightly higher than the High preset result — a notable inversion where the most demanding settings actually produce a marginally better average than the High preset. Both High and Ultra sit just above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this resolution is the boundary where the system begins to feel the pressure from increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes dramatically. The Low preset averages 79.1 FPS, which is the only playable option at this resolution. The Medium preset drops to 59.1 FPS, falling just 0.9 FPS short of the playable threshold. High averages 47.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 41.4 FPS. The scaling from Low to Medium represents a 20 FPS drop, while the jump from Medium to High costs another 11.5 FPS. The Ultra preset, at 41.4 FPS, is nearly half the frame rate of the Low preset, showing how steeply the performance curve degrades as settings increase at 4K.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates that the RTX 3070 is the dominant performance limiter at higher resolutions, while the Ryzen 5 7500F provides sufficient headroom at lower settings. The evidence for this lies in the scaling between resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system produces 132.7 FPS, but at 4K Low it drops to 79.1 FPS — a 40.4% reduction. This substantial decline points to the GPU being increasingly strained as pixel output grows, since the CPU workload for flight simulation logic does not scale proportionally with resolution.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent when examining the preset scaling at a fixed resolution. At 1440p, moving from Low to Ultra changes the average from 107 FPS to 61.1 FPS, a 42.9% reduction. At 1080p, the same preset jump goes from 132.7 FPS to 74.3 FPS, a 44% reduction. These similar percentage drops across resolutions suggest that the CPU is handling the simulation logic consistently, while the GPU is the variable that responds to both resolution and graphical complexity. The Ryzen 5 7500F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, shows it can keep pace with the RTX 3070 even at the highest preset settings, as evidenced by the 1080p Ultra result of 74.3 FPS, which is still well above the playable threshold.

The 4K results reveal where the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. At 4K Ultra, the 41.4 FPS average is lower than the 1440p Ultra result by 19.7 FPS, a 32.2% drop that cannot be attributed to CPU limitations. The CPU's benchmark profile, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22799 and a single-core score of 3218, indicates it has the processing power to handle the game's simulation demands, but the GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth appear insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with demanding settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination ranks 1642 out of 3714 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the 44th percentile of all tested systems. This positioning means the hardware sits slightly below the median of the database, which is a reasonable outcome for a mid-range CPU paired with a previous-generation enthusiast GPU. The rank reflects the system's ability to run the game smoothly at 1080p and 1440p, but its struggles at 4K with higher presets prevent it from climbing higher in the rankings.

The CPU's individual performance percentile is notably higher than the GPU's. The Ryzen 5 7500F sits at the 77th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 24964. The RTX 3070, by contrast, sits at the 61st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17208. This asymmetry suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing, and the combo's overall rank is likely held back by the graphics card rather than the processor. The CPU's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2374, contributes to the system's ability to maintain playable frame rates even when the GPU is under heavy load.

The Verdict

This PC can run Microsoft Flight Simulator, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clear the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution fully playable with no compromises needed. The Ultra preset at 74.3 FPS is the best choice for visual fidelity, as it stays comfortably above the playable line.

At 2560x1440, the system also runs the game with all presets playable. The Ultra preset averages 61.1 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold, while the High preset averages 60.6 FPS. Both are viable options, though the margin is slim. Users who want a safety buffer might prefer the Medium preset at 85.9 FPS, which offers substantial headroom while still providing improved visuals over Low.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more restrictive. Only the Low preset, averaging 79.1 FPS, is playable. The Medium preset at 59.1 FPS misses the 60 FPS threshold by a hair, and the High and Ultra presets fall well short at 47.6 FPS and 41.4 FPS respectively. For 4K gaming, this system requires the lowest settings to maintain smooth performance.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Ryzen 5 7500F's nearest rivals in benchmark performance are all closely matched, with deltas of less than half a percent. The Intel Core i7-11850H has an average score of 24935, which is 0.1% lower than the 7500F's 24964. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F scores 25005, coming in 0.2% higher. The Intel Core i7-13620H scores 24911, 0.2% lower, and the Intel Core 5 210H scores 24872, 0.4% lower. Any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator, meaning the frame rates at lower resolutions and presets would be virtually indistinguishable.

On the GPU side, the RTX 3070's nearest rivals are a more eclectic mix. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT scores 17083, which is 0.7% lower than the RTX 3070's 17208. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17037, 1% lower, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, 1.1% lower. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17468, which is 1.5% higher. Among these, the RX 7600 XT is the most relevant gaming alternative, as it would produce nearly the same frame rates in this game. The GTX 690 and HD 7970M are older architectures that would likely have different driver and feature-set considerations, despite similar average benchmark scores.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 41.4 FPS, which falls well below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Only the Low preset at 4K, averaging 79.1 FPS, is playable.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming with this combo?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 61.1 FPS, making it the most demanding setting that stays at or above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset is nearly identical at 60.6 FPS, so Ultra is the better choice for visual quality.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest competitors?

A: The Ryzen 5 7500F has an average benchmark score of 24964, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-11850H, 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i7-13620H, and 0.4% higher than the Intel Core 5 210H. Performance differences are negligible.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 stronger or weaker than the RX 7600 XT in this game?

A: The RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 17208, which is 0.7% higher than the RX 7600 XT's 17083. In practical terms, both cards would produce nearly identical frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 77.4 FPS, which is 17.4 FPS above the playable threshold. All presets at 1080p exceed 60 FPS.

Q: What is the largest frame rate drop when moving from 1440p to 4K?

A: At the Ultra preset, the average drops from 61.1 FPS at 2560x1440 to 41.4 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 19.7 FPS. The Low preset drops from 107 FPS to 79.1 FPS, a 27.9 FPS reduction.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the only playable preset is Low, which averages 79.1 FPS. This is the sole option that clears the 60 FPS threshold, and it provides a comfortable 19.1 FPS margin above the playable line. The Medium preset at 59.1 FPS is just short of playable, so users at this resolution must accept Low settings.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is the best choice, averaging 61.1 FPS. All four presets are playable at this resolution, but Ultra offers the highest visual fidelity while still staying above the 60 FPS threshold. The margin is slim at 1.1 FPS, but the data confirms it meets the playability standard.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 74.3 FPS, making it the recommended choice. This is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS, and it provides a 14.3 FPS buffer over the threshold. Given that all presets at 1080p are playable, Ultra is the obvious pick for the best visual experience without sacrificing smoothness.