Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a formidable combination for Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing in the top tier of tested hardware configurations. The data shows this combo ranks 307th out of 3714 tested combos, placing it within the top 8.3% of all systems benchmarked for this title. This ranking reflects a pairing where both the 6-core Zen 4 processor and the Ada Lovelace GPU contribute substantial headroom, making the system capable of handling the simulator's demanding rendering and physics workloads. The benchmark results indicate that this is not a marginal setup; it is a high-end configuration that consistently delivers frame rates well above the 60 FPS playability threshold across all tested resolutions, even at maximum graphical presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 7600 and RTX 4080 SUPER achieves a rank of 307 out of 3714 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places the system in the 91.7th percentile of all configurations tested, a strong showing that underscores the balance between the CPU and GPU. The CPU alone sits at the 78th percentile among all processors tested, with an average benchmark score of 26324. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, which scores 26274 (a 0.2% difference), and the AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS, which scores 26402 (a -0.3% difference). This indicates the Ryzen 5 7600 is competitive with higher-tier laptop and desktop chips, offering performance within a fraction of a percent of its closest competitors.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4080 SUPER holds the 86th percentile among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 54209. Its nearest rival, the standard RTX 4080, scores 54247, a negligible -0.1% difference, meaning the SUPER variant offers nearly identical synthetic performance to its predecessor. The data shows the GPU is the dominant component in this pairing, as its high percentile ranking and substantial VRAM allocation of 16 GB GDDR6X are critical for handling the high-resolution textures and complex scenery in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The combo's overall rank of 307 suggests that while the CPU is capable, it does not bottleneck the GPU; instead, the two work in concert to produce the high frame rates observed in the measured FPS data.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets reveals a clear division of labor between the Ryzen 5 7600 and the RTX 4080 SUPER. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves 205.4 FPS on Low settings, which is likely CPU-limited given the high frame rates. As the resolution increases to 2560x1440, the same Low preset drops to 165.7 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to 119.9 FPS. This scaling pattern—where frame rates drop by roughly 19% from 1080p to 1440p and another 28% from 1440p to 4K—indicates that the GPU becomes progressively more involved as pixel count rises. At 1080p, the CPU's single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 999) is sufficient to push very high frame rates, but the GPU is not fully taxed.

Conversely, at 3840x2160, the Ultra preset yields 65.4 FPS, while the same preset at 2560x1440 produces 94.1 FPS and at 1920x1080 reaches 116.7 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is stark: 119.9 FPS versus 65.4 FPS, a 45% reduction. This demonstrates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and presets, as the RTX 4080 SUPER's 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is heavily taxed by the simulator's advanced rendering features. The CPU's role is more pronounced at lower resolutions and settings, where the 6-core, 12-thread processor with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz can keep up with the frame generation demands. The data suggests that in this game, the CPU matters most at 1080p and Low presets, while the GPU dominates performance at 1440p and 4K, especially when enabling Ultra settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

For players targeting a consistent 60 FPS or higher, the benchmark data identifies the most demanding preset that maintains this threshold at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the system can run Ultra settings with an average of 116.7 FPS, making it the best choice for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. At 2560x1440, Ultra settings also remain viable, delivering 94.1 FPS on average, which provides ample headroom above the 60 FPS playability threshold. At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves 65.4 FPS on average. While this is above the threshold, it is the closest margin, indicating that 4K Ultra is playable but leaves less room for dips in complex scenes.

The measured FPS data confirms that all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable at every resolution tested, as even the lowest average frame rate (65.4 FPS at 4K Ultra) clears the 60 FPS bar. However, the best settings for each resolution are those that maximize visual quality: Ultra at 1080p (116.7 FPS), Ultra at 1440p (94.1 FPS), and Ultra at 4K (65.4 FPS). These numbers suggest that the system has enough performance to run the game at its highest preset across all common monitor resolutions, making manual tweaking unnecessary for most users.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The benchmark data shows an average of 65.4 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: How much of a performance drop is there from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops from 116.7 FPS at 1920x1080 to 94.1 FPS at 2560x1440, and further to 65.4 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 44% reduction from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The GPU is more important at higher resolutions and presets. The data shows a 45% difference between Low and Ultra at 4K, whereas at 1080p, the CPU can push frame rates up to 205.4 FPS on Low settings, indicating it is less of a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the highest preset that stays above 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 achieve an average of 94.1 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold, making it the best choice for that resolution.

Q: How does this combo compare to similar hardware in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 26324 is within 0.5% of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX and Intel Core i9-11900KF. The GPU's score of 54209 is nearly identical to the standard RTX 4080, which scores 54247.

Q: Are there any settings at 1080p that drop below 60 FPS?

A: No. All four presets—Low (205.4 FPS), Medium (161.8 FPS), High (123.6 FPS), and Ultra (116.7 FPS)—at 1920x1080 are far above the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 205.4 FPS on Low, 161.8 FPS on Medium, 123.6 FPS on High, and 116.7 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a steady decline as visual fidelity increases, with a 43% reduction from Low to Ultra. At 2560x1440, the frame rates are 165.7 FPS on Low, 129.1 FPS on Medium, 98.8 FPS on High, and 94.1 FPS on Ultra. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 19% performance hit at Low settings, but only a 19% hit at Ultra, indicating the GPU's scaling efficiency.

At 3840x2160, the system achieves 119.9 FPS on Low, 92.4 FPS on Medium, 68.5 FPS on High, and 65.4 FPS on Ultra. The jump from 1440p to 4K is more significant, with a 28% reduction at Low and a 30% reduction at Ultra. The data shows a consistent pattern: higher resolutions amplify the GPU's workload, while the CPU maintains its performance ceiling. The lack of min and max FPS data means only averages are available, but the averages are consistently high enough to ensure smooth gameplay. The largest gap between presets is at 4K, where Low (119.9 FPS) is 83% faster than Ultra (65.4 FPS), highlighting the GPU's sensitivity to settings at higher pixel counts.

The Verdict

This PC can unequivocally run Microsoft Flight Simulator, and it does so with significant performance to spare. The verdict data confirms that all resolutions and presets tested are playable, with every configuration clearing the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080, the system averages 116.7 FPS at Ultra, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 2560x1440, Ultra settings maintain 94.1 FPS, offering a smooth experience on mid-range displays. At 3840x2160, the system still plays at Ultra with 65.4 FPS, which is above the playability threshold, though it is the closest margin.

The data indicates that the RTX 4080 SUPER is the driving force behind this performance, as its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 52.22 TFLOPS of compute power handle the simulator's heavy asset streaming at 4K. The Ryzen 5 7600, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides sufficient single-thread performance to avoid bottlenecking the GPU, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. For users seeking the best visual experience, Ultra settings at any resolution are viable. For those prioritizing frame rate, dropping to High at 4K yields 68.5 FPS, a modest 5% improvement over Ultra, which may not justify the visual downgrade. Overall, this combo is a top-tier choice for Microsoft Flight Simulator, delivering playable frame rates at the highest settings on any monitor resolution commonly in use.