Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the Intel Arc B570 is a mid-range combination that delivers playable performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator primarily at 1080p and 1440p with reduced settings. The data places this specific CPU/GPU pairing at rank 2988 out of 3714 tested combos for this game, placing it in the lower half of the field. This ranking reflects a configuration that is clearly more capable than entry-level hardware but falls short of the high-end systems that can push maximum settings at high resolutions. For a flight simulation title that is notoriously demanding on both the processor and graphics card, this pairing offers a practical, if not spectacular, experience. The benchmark data indicates that the combination is best suited for users who prioritize smooth frame rates over maximum visual fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2988 out of 3714 tested systems places it near the 20th percentile of all tested configurations for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This means that roughly four out of five other combinations tested will deliver higher average frame rates. However, this ranking does not tell the whole story, as the performance ceiling varies dramatically based on resolution and quality settings. The data shows that this pairing is far more competitive at lower resolutions and settings, where the CPU's strength can be leveraged. The Intel Arc B570 GPU is a significant factor in this ranking, as it sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a middle-of-the-pack performer. The CPU, however, is a stronger component, with the Ryzen 7 9700F sitting in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. The bottleneck is clearly on the graphics side, which is typical for this simulation at higher resolutions.

CPU and GPU Roles

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the demand on the CPU and GPU shifts heavily depending on resolution and preset. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 86 FPS, indicating that the CPU is capable of high frame output when the GPU is not heavily burdened. At the same resolution with Medium settings, the frame rate drops to 67 FPS, showing a clear shift to a more balanced load. The most demanding 1080p preset, Ultra, brings the average down to 48 FPS, which is still above the 30 FPS low-end threshold but below the 60 FPS target. When moving to 2560x1440, the frame rate drops significantly across all settings, which points to the GPU becoming a limiting factor. At Low settings, the average is 69 FPS, but at High it is 41 FPS. The trend continues at 3840x2160, where even the Low preset only yields 51 FPS, and the Ultra preset produces an average of 28 FPS. This data clearly shows that as the resolution increases, the GPU’s role becomes much more critical, and its limitations are exposed.

The CPU, with its high single-thread score of 4691 in the Passmark benchmark, provides a strong foundation for the simulation’s complex physics and AI calculations. However, the GPU's compute performance, scored at 14195 in Passmark G3D, becomes the primary constraint when rendering detailed scenery at higher resolutions. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a performance drop of 36 FPS, while from Low to Ultra at 4K, the drop is only 23 FPS. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the game is more balanced between the two components, and the CPU can push the GPU to its limits. At higher resolutions, the GPU is already fully saturated, so the CPU’s performance matters less, and the graphics card’s raw fill rate and memory bandwidth become the deciding factors.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo's capability across different settings. At 1920x1080, the system is generally playable, with the Low preset delivering an average of 86 FPS and the Medium preset delivering 67 FPS. The Medium preset also shows a minimum frame rate of 57 FPS, meaning it stays above the 60 FPS target most of the time but can briefly dip. The High preset averages 50 FPS and the Ultra preset averages 48 FPS, both falling short of the 60 FPS mark. There is no minimum or maximum data provided for the High and Ultra presets at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the options narrow considerably. The Low preset is the only one that holds an average above 60 FPS, with a score of 69 FPS. The Medium preset averages 54 FPS and has a minimum of 46 FPS, which is a more noticeable dip. High averages 41 FPS and Ultra averages 39 FPS, both being below the acceptable threshold for a smooth simulation experience. At 3840x2160, none of the settings achieve a 60 FPS average. The Low preset reaches 51 FPS, Medium gets 40 FPS (with a minimum of 34 FPS), High gets 30 FPS, and Ultra gets 28 FPS. The 4K data shows that even the lowest settings will not provide a consistent frame rate above 60 FPS, making this resolution impractical for this combo.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo achieve a stable 60 FPS at 1920x1080?

A: Yes, at the Low and Medium presets. The benchmark data shows an average of 86 FPS for Low and 67 FPS for Medium at 1080p. The Medium setting also has a minimum of 57 FPS, so it may drop slightly below 60 FPS during intense scenes.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F holding back the Intel Arc B570 at 4K?

A: No, the data suggests the opposite. At 3840x2160, even the Low preset only yields 51 FPS, and the Ultra preset produces 28 FPS. The CPU is a high-end processor (94th percentile), so the GPU is clearly the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: What is the best quality setting for a 60 FPS target at 2560x1440?

A: The only setting to meet this target is the Low preset, with an average of 69 FPS. The Medium preset is below 60 FPS with an average of 54 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its nearest rival in terms of compute?

A: The Arc B570’s PassMark G3D score is 14185. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750, has a score of 20582, which is a delta of -0.1 percent. This indicates the B570 is just slightly slower than the A750, according to the benchmark data in the fact pack.

Q: Does this combo produce higher frame rates at 1080p or 1440p settings?

A: The measured frame rates are significantly higher at 1920x1080. For example, at High settings, the 1080p average is 50 FPS, while at 1440p it is 41 FPS. The difference is 9 FPS. At the Low preset, the difference is even more pronounced, with 86 FPS at 1080p and 69 FPS at 1440p.

Q: What is the performance difference between the CPU and GPU in this combo?

A: The CPU is in the 94th percentile of all tested, while the GPU is in the 65th percentile. This indicates the CPU is a stronger component relative to other hardware, but the GPU is more limited, and its performance will dictate the game's frame rate at higher settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

If the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is not available, benchmark data shows that the Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average score of 70163, which is a delta of -0.2 percent compared to the 9700F's average score of 69996. This means the 14700KF performs nearly identically in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX is also within the same performance bracket, with a delta of 0.2 percent. These are the closest CPU alternatives based on the provided data.

On the graphics side, the Intel Arc A750 is the closest rival to the Arc B570. With an average score of 20582, it is a delta of -0.1 percent from the Arc B570's average score of 20556. This means the A750 is effectively a performance equivalent. Other close options include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which has a delta of 0.1 percent, and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X, which has a delta of -0.5 percent. These are the alternatives that would provide similar behavior in game.

Best Settings per Resolution

For a target of 60 FPS or higher, the data shows that this combination is limited in its settings at 1440p and 1080p. At 1920x1080, the highest demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is the Medium setting. The benchmark results show an average of 67 FPS at this setting, which meets the target. The next higher, High, only averages 50 FPS, so you would have to drop down to Medium for smooth performance.

At 2560x1440, the only option is the Low preset. It yields an average of 69 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset is not acceptable for a 60 FPS target because it averages 54.5 FPS and dips to 46 FPS, so Low is the only choice to avoid a stutter. At 3840x2160, no preset achieves a 60 FPS average; the best option is the Low preset with an average of 51 FPS, but this is still below the playable threshold. The data shows that 4K gaming is not achievable for this combo if you want a consistent frame rate above 60 FPS.