Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a notoriously demanding title, and the data for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER shows a system that is capable but requires careful settings management. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and presets reveal a clear performance hierarchy, with the GPU acting as the primary bottleneck at higher settings. This analysis breaks down the measured data to offer practical guidance on how to get the most out of this specific hardware combination.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K is where the RTX 2060 SUPER's limits become most apparent. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces a very playable 100.3 FPS average. However, this drops significantly to 82.1 FPS at 1440p and further to 59.7 FPS at 4K with the same Low preset. This scaling pattern indicates that even at the lowest graphical load, the system is still sensitive to resolution changes, but it remains fluid at every step, making Low a viable option for high-refresh monitors at 1440p.

The story changes dramatically when you push the settings higher. With the High preset, the average FPS falls from 61.5 at 1080p to 44.8 at 1440p, and then to a borderline 32.9 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is a substantial 16.7 FPS, and the subsequent drop to 4K is another 11.9 FPS. This steep decline suggests that the GPU's pixel-pushing capabilities are the limiting factor, as the workload on the graphics card increases disproportionately with resolution.

At the Ultra preset, the pattern is similar but the baseline is lower. The system starts at 56.2 FPS at 1080p, which is already below the 60 FPS target many consider ideal. It then falls to 44.6 FPS at 1440p and 33.3 FPS at 4K. The data indicates that Ultra settings are only truly playable at 1080p, and even then, they sit on the edge of smoothness. The 4K Ultra result of 33.3 FPS is nearly identical to the 4K High result of 32.9 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is so heavily saturated at that resolution that the difference between High and Ultra is negligible in terms of frame rate.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. In a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, which streams vast amounts of terrain and scenery data, this bandwidth is crucial. The benchmark results imply that the GPU's memory subsystem is being pushed hard, particularly at higher resolutions where the demand for textures and geometry data increases.

Clock speeds for the card are listed as a base of 1470 MHz and a boost of 1650 MHz. While these figures are relevant, the measured FPS data suggests that the card's raw compute capabilities are what dictate performance in this title. The FP32 performance is rated at 7.181 TFLOPS, which is modest by modern standards. This is reflected in the benchmarks, where the card sits in the 63rd percentile for all GPUs, indicating that it is a mid-range performer. Its nearest rivals, according to the data, include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, which it trails by only 0.5% in average benchmark score, confirming that the 2060 SUPER is a strong performer near the top of its class.

The GPU's VRAM capacity of 8 GB is sufficient for the tested presets, but the data implies that it is a contributing factor to the performance ceiling at 4K. The fact that the 4K High and 4K Ultra scores are so close (32.9 vs 33.3 FPS) suggests that the card is hitting a hard limit, likely related to either memory bandwidth or raw shading power, rather than being artificially capped by VRAM size alone.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, this pairing of the Ryzen 5 3600 and RTX 2060 SUPER ranks at 1293 out of 1795 combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the ranking table, which is a useful perspective. It is not a top-tier setup, but it is far from the bottom, meaning it is a competent mid-range solution for this specific game.

The CPU, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600, is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 3000 series. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045, show it is a capable processor that sits in the 76th percentile for all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-11400, has a nearly identical average benchmark score, with a delta of only -0.1%. This indicates that the CPU is not a weak link in this pairing. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the graphics card in most scenarios.

The rank of 1293 out of 1795 suggests that while this combo will play the game, it will not excel at it. Users with higher-end GPUs will naturally achieve better results, but this rank confirms that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the limiting factor in the pairing. The data implies that to move significantly up the rankings, a user would need to upgrade the GPU first, as the CPU's performance is relatively strong for its class.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal experience for this combo is a balance between visual fidelity and smooth gameplay. The sweet spot appears to be the Medium preset at 1440p, which delivers an average of 60.6 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold and offers a significant visual improvement over Low settings. At 1080p, Medium settings also deliver a strong 79.9 FPS, making it the best choice for high-refresh-rate monitors.

For users with a 4K display, the data suggests that High settings are not viable, as they dip to 32.9 FPS. The Low preset at 4K, which produces 59.7 FPS, is the only way to achieve near-60 FPS gameplay at that resolution. This is a stark compromise, but it is the reality of running this demanding simulator on this hardware. For those who prioritize visuals over frame rate, the Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 56.2 FPS, is playable but sacrifices the smoothness that many prefer in a flight simulator.

The recommendation is to start with the High preset at 1080p, which yields 61.5 FPS, and adjust from there. If a stable 60 FPS is the goal, dropping to Medium at 1440p is a better trade-off than High at 4K. The data clearly shows that the RTX 2060 SUPER is not a 4K-capable card for this game beyond the lowest settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured average FPS data for this specific CPU and GPU combination, drawn directly from the benchmark results.

• 3840x2160 (4K): Low preset averages 59.7 FPS. Medium preset averages 44.4 FPS. High preset averages 32.9 FPS. Ultra preset averages 33.3 FPS.

• 2560x1440 (1440p): Low preset averages 82.1 FPS. Medium preset averages 60.6 FPS. High preset averages 44.8 FPS. Ultra preset averages 44.6 FPS.

• 1920x1080 (1080p): Low preset averages 100.3 FPS. Medium preset averages 79.9 FPS. High preset averages 61.5 FPS. Ultra preset averages 56.2 FPS.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: Low settings are always the fastest, with a significant jump over Medium. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal in most cases, particularly at higher resolutions. For example, at 1440p, High and Ultra are nearly identical (44.8 vs 44.6 FPS), while at 4K, Ultra is slightly faster than High (33.3 vs 32.9 FPS), which is within a margin of error but indicates that the Ultra preset is not adding a substantial load beyond High. This suggests that the game's Ultra preset may not be well-optimized for this hardware, or that the GPU is hitting a hard performance wall.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 60 FPS in 4K?

A: Only at the Low preset, where it averages 59.7 FPS. At Medium or higher, the frame rate drops to 44.4 FPS or below, so a solid 60 FPS at 4K is not achievable with higher visual quality.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for smooth gameplay?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 60.6 FPS, which is the best balance of visual quality and playability. At 1080p, the High preset is also viable at 61.5 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this pairing?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU sits in the 76th percentile for all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 63rd percentile. The steep FPS drops with increased resolution and settings point to GPU limitations.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to the RTX 2070?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER trails the RTX 2070 by just 0.5% in average benchmark score, indicating they are very closely matched in overall performance.

Q: Is the Ultra preset worth using on this hardware?

A: At 1080p, Ultra averages 56.2 FPS, which is a slight drop from High's 61.5 FPS. The visual difference may not justify the performance hit. At 1440p and 4K, Ultra offers no significant advantage over High.

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this combo for this game?

A: It ranks 1293 out of 1795 tested combinations. This places it in the lower-middle tier, confirming that while it is a functional setup, it is not a high-end performer for Microsoft Flight Simulator.