Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator presents a demanding workload that shifts between CPU and GPU limits depending on resolution. The benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT shows a system that can deliver playable frame rates at 4K, but it is not until lower resolutions that the CPU becomes the primary bottleneck. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across all settings and resolutions, interpreting what the numbers mean for the overall balance of this configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates how the performance bottleneck moves between components. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 140 FPS, but dropping to 1440p Low reduces that to 130 FPS, a modest 7.1% decline. Moving to 4K Low yields 98 FPS, which is a significant 30% drop from the 1440p result. This pattern shows that at lower resolutions, the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU, but the GPU becomes increasingly stressed as pixel count rises.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens considerably at higher resolutions, indicating GPU-bound behavior. At 1080p, the difference between Low (140 FPS) and Ultra (92 FPS) is 48 FPS. At 1440p, that spread grows to 56 FPS (130 vs 74). However, at 4K, the Low-to-Ultra spread is 43 FPS (98 vs 55), which is actually narrower than at 1440p. This narrowing suggests that at 4K, the GPU is so heavily loaded that even reducing settings cannot fully compensate for the raw pixel throughput required.

The 4K Medium result of 76 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS shows that the system can hold a playable experience at this resolution, but the 4K Ultra result of 55 FPS approaches the edge of smoothness. The data indicates that the RX 9070 XT is the limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU's influence diminishes when the GPU is pushing over 8 million pixels. At 1080p, the system scales more linearly with settings, which implies the Ryzen 5 4600G is able to keep up with the GPU's output at lower resolutions, but the GPU still dictates the final frame rate.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is critical for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which streams large amounts of terrain and scenery data. The benchmark results show that the GPU's 16 GB capacity is sufficient even at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS of 55 indicates the card is not running out of memory but rather hitting its compute limits.

The GPU's clock speeds are notable: a base clock of 1660 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2970 MHz. The high boost clock suggests that the card can sustain significant performance when thermal headroom allows. The memory runs at 2518 MHz with an effective speed of 20.1 Gbps, which contributes to the high bandwidth figure. These specifications translate directly into the measured results: at 1440p High, the card produces 78 FPS, while at 4K High it drops to 57 FPS, a 26.9% reduction that aligns with the increased pixel workload.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 55th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13543. Its nearest rival in the database is the AMD Radeon HD 7770M, which scores 13536, a difference of only 0.1%. This close comparison seems anomalous given the generational gap, but the data shows the RX 9070 XT performs at this level in the aggregate benchmarks. However, the measured FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator demonstrates that the card is capable of 4K Ultra at 55 FPS, which is a demanding scenario for most hardware.

The GPU's 64 ray accelerators and 4096 shading units provide the raw compute power for the flight simulator's complex lighting and shadow calculations. The 128 ROPs handle pixel output efficiently, as evidenced by the 380.2 GPixel/s pixel rate. These specifications work together to deliver the measured frame rates, with the 4K Medium result of 76 FPS being the standout performance point for a balanced experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combination in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data shows that 1440p offers the best balance, with High settings yielding 78 FPS and Medium yielding 103 FPS. At 1080p, the system reaches 96 FPS on High and 140 FPS on Low, but the gains over 1440p are less significant than the visual improvement from the higher resolution.

Q: Can this system run the game at 4K?

A: Yes, the measured results show 4K is playable. At Medium settings, the average FPS is 76 with a minimum of 65. At High settings, the average drops to 57 FPS, and at Ultra it falls to 55 FPS. These are all above the 30 FPS threshold for playability, though 4K Ultra at 55 FPS may feel less smooth for some users.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at different resolutions?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600G with 6 cores and 12 threads appears to be a limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 140 FPS, but the CPU's single-thread performance (1919 in Cinebench R23) caps the maximum frame rate. At 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as evidenced by the larger FPS drops between settings.

Q: Which settings preset offers the most stable performance?

A: The Medium preset provides the most consistent experience across all resolutions. At 1080p, it offers 128 FPS with a minimum of 109. At 1440p, it delivers 103 FPS with a minimum of 88. At 4K, it maintains 76 FPS with a minimum of 65. These minimums are notably higher than the averages for High or Ultra presets.

Q: Is the GPU memory sufficient for the game's demands?

A: The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory appears adequate. The 4K Ultra result of 55 FPS shows the GPU is compute-limited rather than memory-limited, as the system does not exhibit the stuttering or frame drops typically associated with VRAM overflow.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600G has an average benchmark score of 17507, placing it in the 71st percentile. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE, scores 17482, a difference of 0.1%. The Intel Core 7 150U scores 17395, putting it 0.6% behind the 4600G.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data suggests that the Medium preset provides the most balanced experience across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the system achieves 128 FPS with a minimum of 109 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. At 1440p Medium, the average is 103 FPS with a minimum of 88 FPS, which remains well above the 60 FPS target. Even at 4K Medium, the system maintains 76 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS, making this preset the only one that delivers a consistent playable experience at all three resolutions.

The High preset is a viable option for users prioritizing visual fidelity over maximum frame rates. At 1080p High, the system hits 96 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 78 FPS. At 4K High, the average falls to 57 FPS, which is still playable but approaches the threshold where motion smoothness degrades. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p, where it achieves 92 FPS, or for users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate at 1440p (74 FPS) and 4K (55 FPS).

The Low preset offers the highest frame rates, with 140 FPS at 1080p, 130 FPS at 1440p, and 98 FPS at 4K. However, the visual compromise is significant for a flight simulator where terrain detail and cockpit instrumentation readability are important. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot, as it provides a substantial improvement over Low while maintaining frame rates that are consistently higher than the High and Ultra presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a detailed picture of performance across all configurations. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 140 FPS on Low, 128 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 109 and maximum of 147), 96 FPS on High, and 92 FPS on Ultra. The 1080p results show the smallest spread between presets, indicating that the CPU is the primary constraint at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops as expected. Low settings produce 130 FPS, Medium produces 103 FPS (minimum 88, maximum 119), High produces 78 FPS, and Ultra produces 74 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 7.1% decrease on Low (140 to 130), a 19.5% decrease on Medium (128 to 103), an 18.8% decrease on High (96 to 78), and a 19.6% decrease on Ultra (92 to 74). These percentages show that the GPU begins to exert more influence at 1440p, but the CPU still plays a significant role.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck. Low settings yield 98 FPS, Medium yields 76 FPS (minimum 65, maximum 88), High yields 57 FPS, and Ultra yields 55 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is substantial: 24.6% on Low (130 to 98), 26.2% on Medium (103 to 76), 26.9% on High (78 to 57), and 25.7% on Ultra (74 to 55). The uniformity of these percentage drops across all settings confirms that the GPU's pixel throughput is the limiting factor at 4K.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, running at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its benchmark results show a single-thread score of 1919 in Cinebench R23 and a multi-core score of 13593. In the aggregate, it holds a 71st percentile ranking among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 17507.

The CPU's performance in Microsoft Flight Simulator is best understood through the 1080p Low result of 140 FPS. This figure suggests that the CPU's single-thread performance is sufficient to drive high frame rates, but it also reveals a ceiling. The 3dmark_single_thread score of 726 and the passmark_single_thread score of 2653 indicate moderate single-core strength, which is critical for the flight simulator's main simulation thread.

At 4K, the CPU's role diminishes. The 4K Low result of 98 FPS versus the 1080p Low result of 140 FPS shows a 30% reduction, which is primarily attributable to the GPU's workload. The CPU is not the bottleneck at 4K, as evidenced by the fact that the 4K Ultra result of 55 FPS is only 60.9% of the 4K Low result, indicating that the GPU is scaling with settings while the CPU remains less stressed.

The CPU's 8 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for the game's data streaming requirements. The processor's 65W TDP and 7nm process node suggest efficient operation, but its performance relative to rivals shows it is not a top-tier part. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE, scores within 0.1% of the 4600G, while the Intel Core i3-14100T trails by 0.8%. These close margins indicate that the 4600G is competitive with modern low-power parts but does not offer a significant performance advantage.