Microsoft Flight Simulator

This configuration of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a decisive performance victory in Microsoft Flight Simulator, clearing the 60 FPS playability threshold at every tested resolution and preset combination. The data shows that this pairing is not merely capable; it is overkill for standard displays, with the lowest recorded average frame rate still sitting comfortably above the target. The benchmark results indicate a system that prioritizes maximum fidelity and smoothness without compromise.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across the three primary resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is heavily unconstrained, producing frame rates that range from a minimum average of 132 FPS at the Ultra preset to a peak of 230.6 FPS at the Low preset. The Medium and High presets at this resolution deliver 182.9 FPS and 136.5 FPS respectively. This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU and GPU combination has massive headroom, making the experience exceptionally fluid regardless of the graphical load.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high but shows the expected scaling from the increased pixel count. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 106.5 FPS, while the High preset reaches 108.4 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 142.7 FPS, and the Low preset jumps to a very high 185 FPS. The difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p is minimal (108.4 vs. 106.5 FPS), suggesting that the visual gains from Ultra come at a negligible performance cost for this hardware.

At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K resolution become evident, but the system still performs admirably. The Ultra preset sustains an average of 73.4 FPS, which is the most demanding scenario tested and remains well above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 4K averages 80.2 FPS, the Medium preset averages 104.9 FPS, and the Low preset delivers a very playable 133.4 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a performance reduction of approximately 31% for the Ultra preset (106.5 to 73.4 FPS), which is a substantial but expected hit for a doubling of pixel count. The data confirms that this combo can handle 4K Ultra settings with a comfortable margin, making it a top-tier choice for high-resolution flight simulation.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals the distinct roles of the CPU and GPU in Microsoft Flight Simulator. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high, but the gap between the Low preset (230.6 FPS) and the Ultra preset (132 FPS) indicates that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck when settings are increased. However, the sheer magnitude of the FPS numbers suggests that neither component is being pushed to its limit. The CPU, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, provides ample processing power to feed the RTX 4090 even at these high frame rates.

As resolution increases to 2560x1440 and then 3840x2160, the GPU's role becomes more dominant. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K at the same settings is significant, confirming that the RTX 4090 is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. For example, the Ultra preset drops from 132 FPS at 1080p to 106.5 FPS at 1440p and further to 73.4 FPS at 4K. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The Ryzen 9 9900X is powerful enough to avoid becoming a bottleneck even at 1080p, where the demand on the CPU is highest relative to the GPU. The data suggests that the CPU's role is to provide consistent, high-throughput physics and simulation calculations, while the GPU handles the rendering load that scales with resolution. In this configuration, the GPU is the definitive performance driver at 1440p and 4K, while the CPU ensures the system never stalls in less demanding settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a rank of 104 out of 3714 total combos. This places it in the top 2.8% of all tested configurations, indicating that it is a high-end setup that outperforms the vast majority of alternatives. The percentile scores for the individual components support this: the CPU sits in the 92nd percentile among all tested CPUs, and the GPU is in the 88th percentile among all GPUs. This combination of two top-tier components results in a synergistic performance that is greater than the sum of its parts in this specific game.

The nearest rivals for the CPU, such as the AMD EPYC 9015 and Intel Core i9-14900, show very small average score deltas (-0.1% and -1.1% respectively), but their gaming performance is not directly comparable. The GPU's nearest rivals in the synthetic benchmarks, like the Intel Arc Pro A60, show a 0% delta, but these are professional workstation cards and do not reflect the RTX 4090's gaming capabilities. The in-game rank of 104 out of 3714 is the definitive measure here, and it confirms that this combo is a top-tier performer for Microsoft Flight Simulator, with only a small fraction of systems delivering higher frame rates.

The Verdict

The benchmark data unequivocally shows that this PC can run Microsoft Flight Simulator with maximum settings at all tested resolutions. According to the verdict by resolution, the playable settings list includes High, Low, Medium, and Ultra for every resolution, confirming that all presets clear the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average FPS of 132. At 2560x1440, Ultra also provides the best experience, sustaining an average of 106.5 FPS. Even at the demanding 3840x2160 resolution, the Ultra preset remains fully playable with an average of 73.4 FPS. There is no resolution or preset combination in the data where this system fails to meet the 60 FPS target. The lowest average FPS recorded across all tests is 73.4 FPS at 4K Ultra, which still provides a significant margin above the playability threshold. This system is recommended for users seeking the highest visual fidelity at 4K or those who want to maximize frame rates at 1440p and 1080p.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 73.4 FPS at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS is 230.6, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more of a bottleneck at 1440p?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 2560x1440, as frame rates scale down significantly when moving from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings.

Q: How does this system rank compared to other tested combos?

A: This combo ranks 104th out of 3714 tested combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Q: Are all settings presets playable at 1440p?

A: Yes, the verdict data lists High, Low, Medium, and Ultra as playable settings at 2560x1440, with the lowest average FPS being 106.5 for Ultra.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K that stays above 60 FPS?

A: The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 73.4 FPS, making it the most demanding preset that stays above the 60 FPS threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS is the Ultra preset. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 132 FPS, providing maximum visual detail with a massive performance buffer. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset sustains an average of 106.5 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate QHD monitors. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 73.4 FPS, which is the optimal choice for a 4K display, offering the best visual quality while staying clear of the 60 FPS threshold. The data confirms that users can select Ultra settings at any resolution without worrying about performance dips below playability.