Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 2000 series, built on the Zen architecture and produced on a 12 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. In a flight simulator like Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for heavy single-threaded workloads and complex physics calculations, this CPU’s performance profile is a mixed bag. The CPU’s passmark single-thread score is 2239, while its multithread score is 13160. For comparison, its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the Intel Core i5-11600KF (deltaPct -0.6) and the Intel Core i7-10700F (deltaPct 0.7), indicating that the Ryzen 5 2600 sits in a competitive mid-range tier for general compute. However, Flight Simulator often stresses the CPU more heavily than synthetic benchmarks suggest, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the bottleneck. The CPU’s 16 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support at 46.9 GB/s bandwidth are adequate but not exceptional for the era. This means that while the CPU can keep up with the RTX 4070 SUPER at higher resolutions, its age shows when the load shifts to the processor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 519 out of 1795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the 71st percentile of all tested configurations, a solid mid-to-upper tier result. The data indicates that this pairing is not a top-tier setup, but it is far from underwhelming. For context, the GPU alone has a percentile rank of 84 among all GPUs, while the CPU has a percentile rank of 77 among all CPUs. The combo rank being lower than either component’s individual percentile suggests a slight bottleneck imbalance. Specifically, the CPU is likely holding back the GPU in some scenarios, as the RTX 4070 SUPER is capable of much higher frame rates if paired with a stronger processor. The measured FPS data supports this: at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 119.9 FPS, which is close to the ceiling for many displays, but the Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 93.5 FPS. This drop is more pronounced than what a purely GPU-bound system would exhibit, indicating that CPU limitations are beginning to surface even at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

Resolution scaling reveals a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p, the average FPS across settings ranges from 93.5 (Ultra) to 119.9 (Low). Moving to 1440p, the range shifts to 82.4 (Ultra) to 111.3 (Low). At 4K, the range narrows to 61.4 (Ultra) to 101.3 (Low). The key observation is the scaling behaviour: from 1080p Low to 4K Low, the FPS drops by 15.6% (from 119.9 to 101.3). This is a modest drop, suggesting that at Low settings, the CPU is still a significant factor. However, from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra, the FPS drops by 34.3% (from 93.5 to 61.4). This steeper decline indicates that at Ultra settings, the GPU becomes the primary limiter, as the higher resolution demands more from the RTX 4070 SUPER’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth. The data shows that the RTX 4070 SUPER is most comfortable at 1440p, where it delivers 86.3 FPS on High settings, a very playable frame rate. At 4K High, the 62 FPS average is still playable, but the 61.4 FPS on Ultra shows that pushing to the maximum settings at 4K will test the GPU’s limits with this older CPU.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 SUPER in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data suggests a partial bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 119.9 FPS, which is high, but the gap between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p (26.4 FPS difference) indicates CPU limitations. At 4K, the GPU becomes more dominant, as the difference between Low and Ultra is 39.9 FPS, reflecting the GPU’s workload.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1440p High offers the best balance, delivering 86.3 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and shows that the GPU is being utilized without the CPU becoming a severe bottleneck, as evidenced by the 4K High result of 62 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 42576. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A6000, has a score of 42653, a deltaPct of -0.2, meaning the RTX 4070 SUPER is slightly behind. The AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE scores 42723, putting it 0.3% ahead, while the AMD Radeon Pro 580X is 1.4% behind.

Q: Does the CPU’s core count affect performance in this game?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Microsoft Flight Simulator can use multiple cores, but its performance is often limited by single-thread speed. The CPU’s passmark single-thread score of 2239 is modest, and the data shows that at 1080p, the combo does not scale as well to higher settings as it does at 4K, which is a sign of CPU involvement.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but barely. The measured 4K Ultra average is 61.4 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target. This is a playable experience, but the data suggests that any slight increase in scene complexity could push it below 60 FPS. Lowering to 4K High gives a more comfortable 62 FPS, but the margin is thin.

Q: What is the CPU’s performance relative to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600’s average benchmark score is 19616. The Intel Core i5-1345U scores 19691 (deltaPct -0.4), meaning the Ryzen is slightly slower. The AMD Ryzen 5 7530U scores 19508 (deltaPct 0.6), indicating the Ryzen 5 2600 is slightly faster. The Intel Core i5-11600KF scores 19740 (deltaPct -0.6), and the Intel Core i7-10700F scores 19485 (deltaPct 0.7).

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the star of this pairing, and the benchmark results confirm its capability. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s base clock is 1980 MHz, with a boost clock of 2475 MHz. It has 7168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. The GPU’s performance in this game is strong, as evidenced by the 4K High average of 62 FPS. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 42576, placing it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A6000, scores 42653 (deltaPct -0.2), showing the RTX 4070 SUPER is essentially on par. The AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE scores 42723 (deltaPct -0.3), also a close match. The GPU’s 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 56 RT cores are well-suited for a title like Flight Simulator, which uses ray-traced shadows and reflections. However, the data shows that at 1080p, the GPU is often underutilized due to the CPU’s limitations. The GPU’s true potential is unlocked at 1440p and 4K, where it consistently delivers playable frame rates across most presets.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this combo. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 119.9 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the Medium preset at 110.4 FPS offers a better visual experience with only a 7.9% performance penalty. The High preset drops to 97.8 FPS, still very smooth. However, the Ultra preset at 93.5 FPS shows diminishing returns, as the CPU begins to limit gains. At 1440p, the Medium preset at 101.7 FPS is the sweet spot, but High at 86.3 FPS is a better balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 82.4 FPS is also viable. At 4K, the situation changes. The Low preset at 101.3 FPS is surprisingly high, but the Medium preset at 81.8 FPS is recommended for a better visual experience. The High preset at 62 FPS is the highest quality playable option, while the Ultra preset at 61.4 FPS is only marginally worse. Given the data, the best overall experience is achieved at 1440p High, which offers 86.3 FPS and a strong visual presentation. For 4K users, High is the recommended preset, as it provides a stable 62 FPS without the risk of dropping below 60 FPS in demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 4K is playable but leaves little headroom. In summary, the RTX 4070 SUPER is capable of handling Ultra settings at 1440p, but the Ryzen 5 2600’s age shows at 1080p, making 1440p the optimal resolution for this pairing.