Microsoft Flight Simulator

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X paired with the Intel Arc B370 ranks 3428 out of 3714 tested combinations in Microsoft Flight Simulator. That places this configuration in the bottom 8% of all tested combos, a position driven almost entirely by the graphics component. The CPU is a strong performer, sitting in the 85th percentile among all CPUs in the database, but the Arc B370 lands in just the 5th percentile among all GPUs. When a top-tier processor is paired with a bottom-tier graphics solution, the overall ranking reflects the weaker link.

The database shows that the Arc B370 produces only a single recorded benchmark score, 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which places it far behind nearly every other GPU tested. Its nearest rivals, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, ATI Radeon HD 5770, AMD Radeon HD 7650M, and AMD FirePro M2000, are all older, low-power parts, and even those comparisons are close, with deltas of less than 2%. This is not a GPU built for modern flight simulation at demanding settings.

By contrast, the Ryzen 7 7700X has extensive benchmark data. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19088 and single-core score of 1987 show a capable 8-core, 16-thread Zen 4 processor. The 3DMark multi-thread score of 8859 and PassMark multi-thread score of 35686 further confirm the CPU's strength. The nearest CPU rivals, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, Intel Core 7 250H, AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350, and Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, all score within 0.7% of the 7700X in average benchmark score, making the processor competitive with a range of modern desktop and mobile chips.

The mismatch in component class is the defining feature of this combination. The CPU can feed frames quickly, but the GPU cannot render them at competitive rates. For Microsoft Flight Simulator, a title known for heavy graphical loads, the Arc B370 becomes the bottleneck at every resolution and preset tested. The measured frame rates confirm this: no configuration in the database reaches the 60 FPS playable threshold, and the best result is 50 FPS at 1080p Low.

CPU and GPU Roles

In this configuration, the GPU is the limiting factor at all tested resolutions and presets. The CPU is capable of far more than the Arc B370 can deliver, as shown by the CPU's high benchmark scores and 85th percentile ranking. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking and low 3DMark score indicate it is the primary constraint on frame rates.

Looking at the scaling between resolutions, the impact of the GPU becomes clear. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 50 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops the average to 41 FPS, a reduction of 18%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 30 FPS, another 27% drop. This pattern of frame rate decreasing as resolution increases is typical of GPU-bound scenarios, where the graphics card cannot keep up with the increasing pixel count.

The settings scaling reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p, the average frame rate moves from 50 FPS at Low to 39 FPS at Medium, then 30 FPS at High, and finally 28 FPS at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is 22 FPS, a 44% reduction. At 1440p, the same settings progression yields 41, 32, 24, and 23 FPS respectively. At 4K, the values are 30, 23, 18, and 17 FPS. The consistent decline across all resolution and settings combinations indicates a GPU that is overwhelmed even at the lowest quality settings.

The CPU's role is harder to isolate from the recorded data because the GPU limits performance so severely. The Ryzen 7 7700X has a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1987 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4190, both strong results. Microsoft Flight Simulator is a simulation title that benefits from strong single-thread performance for flight physics and world simulation, and the 7700X delivers that capability. However, the measured frame rates never approach the CPU's potential, meaning the CPU is likely idling or only partially utilized while the GPU struggles.

The 3DMark 16-thread score of 8859 and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19088 suggest the CPU can handle the multi-threaded workloads in the simulator, such as loading scenery and processing AI traffic. But with a GPU that produces only 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, the CPU has little chance to demonstrate its full capabilities in this game. The database records no scenario where the CPU becomes the limiting factor, as even the highest frame rate of 50 FPS at 1080p Low is well below what the CPU could support with a more powerful GPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the best frame rate this combo achieves in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 50 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At Medium settings, the average drops to 39 FPS, and at High settings it is 30 FPS.

Q: Can this system run the game at 60 FPS at any setting?

A: No. The recorded data shows no configuration reaching 60 FPS. The playable threshold is defined as 60 FPS, and the best result, 50 FPS at 1080p Low, falls short of that mark.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a score of 1186, ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1190, AMD Radeon HD 7650M with 1192, and AMD FirePro M2000 with 1168. The deltas range from -0.7% to 1.4%, meaning the Arc B370 is essentially equivalent to these older, low-power GPUs.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The 7700X has an average benchmark score of 35909. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 with 35802, Intel Core 7 250H with 35728, AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 with 35719, and Intel Core Ultra 9 185H with 35670. The deltas range from 0.3% to 0.7%, showing the 7700X is slightly ahead of all four rivals.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 41 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 23 FPS. The Medium preset averages 32 FPS with minimum and maximum readings of 27 and 36 FPS. The High preset averages 24 FPS.

Q: Does the combo perform better at 1080p or 4K?

A: The combo performs significantly better at 1080p. At 1080p Low, the average is 50 FPS, compared to 30 FPS at 4K Low. At 1080p Medium, the average is 39 FPS with minimum and maximum readings of 33 and 45 FPS, while 4K Medium averages 23 FPS with minimum and maximum readings of 20 and 27 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X sits in a tight cluster of similar performers. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 has an average benchmark score of 35802, just 0.3% behind the 7700X. The Intel Core 7 250H scores 35728, a 0.5% difference. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 scores 35719, also 0.5% behind. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H rounds out the group with 35670, a 0.7% difference. Any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator, meaning the choice among them would not meaningfully change the frame rates recorded for this combo.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B370 has no modern equivalents in the database. Its nearest rivals are all legacy parts: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with an average score of 1186, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1190, the AMD Radeon HD 7650M with 1192, and the AMD FirePro M2000 with 1168. The Arc B370's score of 1184 places it squarely among these older GPUs, with deltas ranging from -0.2% to 1.4%. A system using any of these GPUs would produce similar frame rates in Microsoft Flight Simulator, all of them well below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The implication for system builders is clear: the Arc B370 behaves like a GPU from a previous hardware generation, and it cannot handle the graphical demands of Microsoft Flight Simulator at playable frame rates. Swapping the Arc B370 for a more powerful GPU would be the primary way to improve performance, while the CPU would not need to be changed to see substantial gains.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo produces its best results. The Low preset averages 50 FPS, the highest frame rate recorded across all configurations. The Medium preset averages 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 FPS and a maximum of 45 FPS. The High preset averages 30 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 28 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 22 FPS, showing the heavy cost of higher quality settings on this GPU.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across all presets. The Low preset averages 41 FPS, a 9 FPS reduction from 1080p Low. The Medium preset averages 32 FPS with a minimum of 27 FPS and a maximum of 36 FPS. The High preset averages 24 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 23 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 18 FPS, as the GPU becomes increasingly constrained by resolution.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates fall further. The Low preset averages 30 FPS, the Medium preset averages 23 FPS with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS, the High preset averages 18 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 17 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 13 FPS. Even the lowest settings at 4K fail to reach 30 FPS on average, and the Ultra preset produces only 17 FPS, which would be a stuttering experience for most players.

The minimum and maximum readings are only recorded for the Medium presets across all three resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 33 to 45 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 27 to 36 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 20 to 27 FPS. These ranges show moderate fluctuation within the Medium preset, with the spread narrowing as resolution increases.

The overall pattern across all twelve recorded configurations is a steady decline in frame rate as both resolution and settings increase. The best configuration is 1080p Low at 50 FPS, and the worst is 4K Ultra at 17 FPS. No configuration approaches the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The Verdict

The recorded data answers the question directly: this combo cannot run Microsoft Flight Simulator at playable frame rates. The playable threshold is 60 FPS, and the verdict by resolution is clear. At 3840x2160, no settings preset is playable. At 2560x1440, no settings preset is playable. At 1920x1080, no settings preset is playable. The best average frame rate across all tested configurations is 50 FPS at 1080p Low, which falls 10 FPS short of the threshold.

The root cause is the Intel Arc B370. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs and its close proximity to legacy parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and AMD Radeon HD 7650M demonstrate its limited capability. The CPU, by contrast, is a strong performer, ranking in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, and it is not the limiting factor in this configuration.

For anyone considering this combination for Microsoft Flight Simulator, the data is unambiguous. The frame rates at every resolution and preset are below the playable threshold, and even the lowest settings at the lowest resolution do not reach 60 FPS. The system would deliver a slide-show experience at 4K Ultra with 17 FPS, and only marginally better at 1080p Low with 50 FPS. The Arc B370 would need to be replaced with a substantially more powerful GPU to achieve playable performance, while the Ryzen 7 7700X would remain a solid foundation for such an upgrade.