Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 presents a classic generational blend in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The CPU, a 2018-era 6-core/12-thread part based on the Zen+ architecture, provides the foundation, while the GPU, a high-end Ampere card, handles the heavy lifting of rendering. This analysis breaks down how this specific combination performs, based strictly on measured data.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The combo ranks 651st out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all possible pairings.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 2600 compare to its closest rivals in general benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600's average benchmark score is 19616. It is nearly identical in performance to the Intel Core i5-1345U, which scores 19691, just -0.4% different. It also trades blows with the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, which scores 19508, a 0.6% difference.

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved by this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 119.8 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Does the RTX 3080 have enough video memory for this game?

A: The RTX 3080 is equipped with 10 GB of GDDR6X memory across a 320-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. This is a substantial amount of memory and bandwidth, which is sufficient for the tested settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The data suggests the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at 4K. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, the average frame rates drop significantly, indicating that the render load on the GPU is the constraining factor at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE?

A: The RTX 3080 has an average benchmark score of 35787, which is -0.9% compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE's score of 36101. This indicates the two cards perform at a very similar level in general compute benchmarks.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, this pairing of an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 achieves a rank of 651 out of 1795 total combos. This position places it in the 36th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly a third of the other combinations. It is a strong result that demonstrates the RTX 3080's ability to boost the overall experience, even when paired with a mid-range processor from an older generation.

The Ryzen 5 2600's general benchmark percentile sits at 77, indicating it outperforms the majority of all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score of 19616 places it in close competition with several modern processors, including the Intel Core i7-10700F which scores 19485 (a 0.7% difference) and the Intel Core i5-11600KF at 19740 (a -0.6% difference). This suggests the CPU is not a performance outlier on the low end, but rather a competent mid-range part. The RTX 3080, with a benchmark percentile of 80, is a more powerful component relative to its peers. Its average score of 35787 is within a 1% margin of the AMD Radeon Pro Duo and the AMD Radeon 880M, demonstrating its high standing.

The rank of 651 suggests a system that is well-balanced enough to deliver a good experience, but not at the very top of the charts. The data implies that while the RTX 3080 is capable of pushing very high frame rates, the Ryzen 5 2600 may hold it back from achieving the absolute maximum performance seen in top-tier combinations. The 651st rank reflects this balance—the GPU is doing the majority of the work, but the overall score is capped by the CPU's capabilities in this specific simulation.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a clear and predictable trend as resolution scales from 1920x1080 up to 3840x2160. The performance drop is most pronounced when moving to 4K, which is a strong indicator of where the system's bottleneck lies. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom to feed frames to the GPU, but at 4K, the GPU's rendering workload increases dramatically.

For example, at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 92.1 FPS at 1920x1080 to 74.5 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 17.6 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the frame rate falls further to 53.1 FPS, a substantial 21.4 FPS drop from 1440p. This pattern is consistent across all settings. At Ultra settings, the average FPS goes from 86.6 at 1080p to 67.6 at 1440p, and finally to 53 at 4K.

This scaling behavior indicates that at 1080p, the system is likely more balanced, but as the resolution increases, the RTX 3080 becomes the definitive limiting factor. The 4K results, which hover around the 53-54 FPS mark for High and Ultra, show that the GPU is working at its limit to push the pixel count. The Ryzen 5 2600, while not the primary bottleneck at 4K, still has to keep up with the draw calls and simulation logic, but the data suggests the GPU's rendering capabilities are what ultimately dictate the performance ceiling at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following are the exact average frame rates measured for the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 119.8. Moving to Medium settings, the average FPS is 108.5. High settings yield an average of 92.1 FPS, while the demanding Ultra preset still manages a smooth 86.6 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. The average FPS for Low settings is 112.9, which is still very high. Medium settings produce an average of 95.7 FPS. High settings result in 74.5 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 67.6 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the rendering load on the GPU significantly impacts frame rates. Low settings average 93.9 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings drop to an average of 71.9 FPS. High settings average 53.1 FPS, and the Ultra preset produces an average of 53 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is minimal, showing that the GPU is saturated.

These numbers illustrate a system capable of high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p, comfortable 60+ FPS experiences at 1440p with some settings adjustments, and a solid 4K experience that will require lowering settings to maintain higher frame rates. The data shows that Ultra settings at 4K are the most demanding scenario, with the system averaging just 53 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications underpin the performance seen in the measured FPS data. It is a high-end card built on the Ampere architecture, fabricated on an 8 nm process at Samsung. The GPU itself is a large chip, the GA102, comprising 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die. This hardware foundation allows for significant compute power, with 8704 shading units and a FP32 performance of 29.77 TFLOPS.

Its memory subsystem is a key strength. The 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus provides a massive 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. This is crucial for a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, which streams large amounts of terrain and texture data. The high bandwidth ensures that the GPU can quickly access the data it needs to render the complex scenery, preventing stutters and maintaining smooth performance, especially at higher resolutions where the demand for memory bandwidth increases.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1440 MHz and a boost of 1710 MHz, allow it to execute its 29.77 TFLOPS of compute throughput effectively. The RTX 3080's benchmark scores reflect its capabilities. Its average benchmark score is 35787, placing it in the 80th percentile of all GPUs. It is closely matched with the AMD Radeon Pro Duo (35860, -0.2% difference) and the AMD Radeon 880M (35646, 0.4% difference), showing it is a top-tier performer.

The performance data confirms the GPU's role as the primary driver of frame rates. The significant FPS drop from 1080p to 4K—for instance, from 92.1 FPS to 53.1 FPS at High settings—is a direct consequence of the GPU shouldering an exponentially larger rendering workload at 4K. While the Ryzen 5 2600 provides the data for the simulation, the RTX 3080 is what translates that data into the high-resolution visuals, and its powerful 10 GB frame buffer and high bandwidth are essential to the overall performance observed.