Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers an exceptional experience in Microsoft Flight Simulator, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every tested resolution with headroom to spare. The data indicates that this combination is not merely playable but overwhelmingly capable, with the RTX 4090’s raw graphics power dominating the performance profile across all settings. At 4K, the combo still manages to push Ultra settings to 77 FPS average, which is a remarkable outcome for a flight simulator known for its demanding scenery rendering. At 1440p and 1080p, the frame rates scale impressively, reaching 105 FPS and 130 FPS on Ultra respectively, confirming that this hardware pairing is built for high-refresh-rate monitors even in the most demanding flight scenarios.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS at each resolution is the Ultra preset for all three tested resolutions. Benchmark results show that the RTX 4090 has sufficient compute headroom to run Microsoft Flight Simulator at maximum graphical fidelity without dropping below the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the Ultra preset averages 77 FPS. This is the most demanding configuration tested, and the fact that it clears 60 FPS by a 17 FPS margin indicates that users can enjoy the full visual experience without compromise. The High preset at this resolution averages 81 FPS, while Medium averages 108 FPS with a minimum of 92 FPS. Even the Low preset at 4K produces 138 FPS, which is far above the 60 FPS target and suggests that the GPU is never the limiting factor here.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 105 FPS, which is a significant 28 FPS improvement over the 4K Ultra result. This resolution offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance for this combination. The High preset at 1440p reaches 110 FPS, while Medium hits 146 FPS with a minimum of 124 FPS. The Low preset at 1440p produces 188 FPS, indicating that the CPU becomes more relevant at lower graphical loads, but the GPU still dominates the overall frame rate.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 130 FPS, which is a 53 FPS improvement over 4K Ultra. This resolution is where the combo truly shines, as even the most demanding preset leaves substantial performance on the table. The High preset at 1080p averages 136 FPS, while Medium averages 181 FPS with a minimum of 154 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p reaches 202 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded in the entire dataset.

CPU and GPU Roles

The RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing across all resolutions, but the Ryzen 5 7500F’s role becomes more apparent as resolution decreases. The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals a clear pattern: the GPU is consistently the bottleneck at higher graphical settings, while the CPU’s contribution grows at lower settings where the GPU has excess capacity.

At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 77 FPS, while at 4K Low it averages 138 FPS. This 61 FPS difference when moving from Ultra to Low settings demonstrates that the GPU is heavily taxed at 4K, and the CPU is not the primary constraint. The RTX 4090’s 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth provide ample resources for the high-resolution textures that Microsoft Flight Simulator demands.

Moving to 1440p, the Ultra preset averages 105 FPS compared to 188 FPS on Low. The gap between Ultra and Low at 1440p is 83 FPS, which is larger than the 61 FPS gap at 4K. This indicates that as resolution drops, the GPU has more headroom, and the CPU’s single-threaded performance becomes more relevant. The Ryzen 5 7500F’s boost clock of 5.00 GHz and its 3dmark single-thread score of 974 support this interpretation, as flight simulators often rely heavily on single-threaded CPU performance for physics and AI calculations.

At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 130 FPS, while Low reaches 202 FPS. The 72 FPS difference between these settings is notable, but the absolute frame rates are so high that neither component is a significant limitation. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads, combined with its 32 MB of shared L3 cache, are sufficient to feed the RTX 4090 even at 1080p Low, where the GPU could theoretically render hundreds of frames per second.

The data suggests that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at all resolutions, but the CPU becomes more influential at 1080p and lower presets. For users prioritizing 4K Ultra, the RTX 4090 is doing nearly all the heavy lifting, while the Ryzen 5 7500F provides enough single-threaded performance to avoid becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 116th out of 3714 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places the combo in the top 3.1% of all tested configurations, which is an exceptional result given the sheer number of possible hardware pairings.

The ranking reflects the RTX 4090’s dominance in the GPU hierarchy, as the card sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score of 60347. The CPU, meanwhile, ranks in the 77th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 24964. The combination of a top-tier GPU with a solid mid-range CPU results in a system that performs far above average in this game.

The fact that this combo ranks 116th rather than higher is likely due to the CPU’s relative position in the hierarchy. There are 115 other combos that outperform this pairing, and these likely feature stronger CPUs such as the Ryzen 9 or Core i9 series. However, the 116th rank out of 3714 combos still represents a top-tier result, and the measured FPS data confirms that this combo delivers smooth gameplay at all tested settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals to the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F are all within a 0.4% performance delta. The Intel Core i7-11850H has an average score of 24935, which is 0.1% lower than the Ryzen 5 7500F’s 24964. The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F scores 25005, outperforming the 7500F by 0.2%. The Intel Core i7-13620H scores 24911, which is 0.2% lower, and the Intel Core 5 210H scores 24872, which is 0.4% lower.

These results indicate that the Ryzen 5 7500F’s performance is well-matched with these alternatives. Users with any of these CPUs would likely see nearly identical frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator, as the differences are within the margin of measurement error. The choice between these CPUs would come down to platform features rather than gaming performance.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals to the RTX 4090 are more varied in their performance deltas. The Intel Arc Pro A60 scores 60326, which is effectively identical to the RTX 4090’s 60347, with a 0% delta. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140, which is 0.3% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896, which is 2.5% higher, and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657, which is 2.9% lower.

It is important to note that these GPU rivals are professional or workstation-oriented cards, and their benchmark scores may not directly translate to gaming performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator. However, based on the average benchmark scores alone, the RTX 4090 and the Intel Arc Pro A60 would behave nearly identically in synthetic tests, while the Radeon Pro W6600M would theoretically offer slightly better compute performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K Ultra settings above 60 FPS?

A: Yes. The measured FPS data shows an average of 77 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is 17 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest frame rate this combo achieves in the benchmark data?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 202, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is more than three times the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 5 7500F scores 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.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 124 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Is the RTX 4090’s performance close to any other GPU in the benchmark database?

A: The Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average score of 60326, which is a 0% delta from the RTX 4090’s 60347, making them statistically identical in average benchmarks.

Q: Does the combo rank in the top 5% of all tested configurations?

A: Yes. The combo ranks 116th out of 3714 tested combos, placing it in the top 3.1% of all configurations tested for this game.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Microsoft Flight Simulator, and it does so with exceptional performance at every resolution and preset combination tested. The verdict by resolution is clear: all three resolutions—3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080—have all four settings (Low, Medium, High, and Ultra) marked as playable, meaning every single configuration tested clears the 60 FPS threshold.

At 4K, the best settings are Ultra with an average of 77 FPS. This is the most demanding scenario, and the fact that it clears 60 FPS by a 17 FPS margin means users can enjoy the game at maximum visual quality without any performance concerns. The RTX 4090’s 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 24 GB of GDDR6X memory are more than sufficient for the high-resolution textures and complex geometry that Microsoft Flight Simulator renders.

At 1440p, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 105 FPS. This provides a comfortable 45 FPS margin above the playable threshold, making it an excellent choice for users with 144Hz monitors who want to experience the game at near-maximum frame rates. The jump from 77 FPS at 4K Ultra to 105 FPS at 1440p Ultra represents a 36% performance increase, demonstrating how resolution scaling benefits this GPU-heavy workload.

At 1080p, the best settings remain Ultra, with an average of 130 FPS. This is more than double the 60 FPS threshold and provides ample headroom for even the most demanding flight scenarios, such as dense urban areas or complex weather systems. The Ryzen 5 7500F’s 5.00 GHz boost clock and single-thread score of 974 ensure that the CPU can keep up with the RTX 4090’s frame generation at this resolution.

In summary, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination is a top-tier performer in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The data shows that this combo ranks 116th out of 3714 tested configurations, and it delivers playable performance at every resolution and preset tested. For users seeking the ultimate flight simulation experience, this pairing offers the headroom to run the game at Ultra settings with high frame rates, making it a definitive recommendation for enthusiasts with high-refresh-rate displays or 4K monitors.