Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti pairing in Microsoft Flight Simulator presents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics. The data reveals a system where the CPU’s architecture and the GPU’s memory bandwidth interact in ways that shift the performance burden depending on the resolution and settings chosen. This analysis examines the measured FPS data to understand how each component contributes to the final frame rate.

The Ryzen 5 4600G is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its 8 MB of shared L3 cache is a notable characteristic for a flight simulator, which often relies on large datasets for terrain and aircraft systems. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a multi-threaded score of 13,593 in Cinebench R23 and a single-thread score of 1,919 in the same test. Its average benchmark score of 17,489 places it at the 75th percentile of all CPUs, with its closest rival being the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE, which scores nearly identically with a delta of 0%. The data suggests this CPU provides a solid foundation, but its performance ceiling is clearly defined. For a simulation like Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for heavy single-thread and multi-thread workloads, the 4600G’s capabilities are sufficient to drive high frame rates at lower resolutions, but they may become a limiting factor when the GPU is not fully taxed.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its core clocks are rated at 1410 MHz base and 1665 MHz boost, and it houses 4,864 shading units. In synthetic tests, the GPU scores 20,349 in Passmark G3D and 10,006 in Passmark GPU Compute, with an average benchmark score of 25,120, placing it at the 69th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, has a near-identical average score with a delta of -0.2%. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor in Microsoft Flight Simulator, as the game’s high-resolution textures and detailed scenery can consume significant memory. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K Ultra settings, the GPU produces an average of 38.3 FPS, but at 4K Low settings, this jumps to 72.5 FPS. This significant swing indicates that the GPU’s workload, and consequently its VRAM usage, is heavily influenced by the graphics preset, directly impacting performance.

FAQ

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so significantly between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS falls from 72.5 on Low settings to 38.3 on Ultra settings. This 34.2 FPS difference demonstrates the massive increase in GPU workload and memory pressure from higher fidelity assets, which the RTX 3060 Ti’s 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth must handle.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance affect the game's frame rate at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 126.9 FPS. This high frame rate is supported by the CPU's single-thread score of 1,919 in Cinebench R23, which is strong enough to keep up with the GPU’s output at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the primary constraint.

Q: Is the RTX 3060 Ti better than its closest rivals according to the data?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has an average benchmark score of 25,120, while its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, scores 25,180, a delta of -0.2%. This indicates the 3060 Ti is functionally on par with its closest competitor in terms of raw compute performance.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at for a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 60.6 FPS. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average is 71.7 FPS, and at 4K with Medium settings, it drops to 53.6 FPS, showing that 1440p High is the boundary for a 60 FPS target.

Q: Does the CPU's multi-threading capability help in this game?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600G's 12 threads and a multi-core score of 13,593 in Cinebench R23 provide ample processing power. This is reflected in the 4K Low result of 72.5 FPS, which shows the CPU can still deliver high frame rates even when the GPU is not heavily burdened by graphical effects.

Q: How does this combo rank against all other tested configurations?

A: In Microsoft Flight Simulator, this specific combination of AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti ranks 936th out of 1,795 tested combos, placing it just above the median of all tested systems.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are 126.9 FPS on Low, 94.8 FPS on Medium, 71.7 FPS on High, and 70.7 FPS on Ultra. The minimal difference between High and Ultra settings at this resolution suggests the CPU is beginning to limit performance, as the GPU can handle the extra load without a significant frame rate penalty.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 98.3 FPS on Low, 78.5 FPS on Medium, 60.6 FPS on High, and 56.7 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 41.6 FPS, showing a more pronounced GPU dependency. At 3840x2160, the averages are 72.5 FPS on Low, 53.6 FPS on Medium, 40.3 FPS on High, and 38.3 FPS on Ultra. At this resolution, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor, with the performance difference between High and Ultra being a modest 2 FPS, indicating the GPU is fully saturated.

How This Combo Ranks

The data indicates this combination ranks 936th out of 1,795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This position, slightly above the middle of the field, suggests a balanced but not top-tier system. The CPU’s percentile of 75% against all CPUs and the GPU’s percentile of 69% against all GPUs mean both components are above average but not exceptional. The ranking implies that while this system can handle the game, it will not deliver the highest frame rates seen in the database. The bottleneck analysis from the resolution scaling suggests that the CPU holds back performance at 1080p, while the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K, which is typical for a mid-range pairing. The near-parity in benchmark scores with rivals like the Intel Core i3-13100F (delta of -1% for the CPU) and AMD Radeon RX 6600 (delta of -0.5% for the GPU) confirms it sits in a competitive but not dominant position.

Settings Recommendations

For a consistent 60 FPS experience, the optimal settings are at 2560x1440 with the High preset, which yields an average of 60.6 FPS. At 1080p, the High preset provides 71.7 FPS, and the Ultra preset provides 70.7 FPS, making High the better choice as it offers nearly identical performance with less graphical overhead. At 4K, the Medium preset delivers 53.6 FPS, which is playable but not a locked 60. The data suggests that for the best balance of visual fidelity and smoothness, 1440p High is the sweet spot. If a higher frame rate is preferred, dropping to 1080p High yields a significant boost to 71.7 FPS. The Low presets offer high frame rates but sacrifice the visual quality that makes the simulator immersive. The data indicates that the Ultra preset is not worth the performance cost, especially at higher resolutions, as the difference between High and Ultra is often minimal.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals the limiting component. At High settings, performance falls from 71.7 FPS at 1080p to 60.6 FPS at 1440p (a drop of 11.1 FPS) and then to 40.3 FPS at 4K (a further drop of 20.3 FPS). This pattern indicates a classic GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the RTX 3060 Ti’s compute and memory resources become the primary constraint. However, at Low settings, the drop is less linear: 126.9 FPS at 1080p falls to 98.3 FPS at 1440p (a drop of 28.6 FPS) and then to 72.5 FPS at 4K (a drop of 25.8 FPS). The larger relative drop between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings suggests the CPU is struggling to feed the GPU at the lower resolution, but as resolution increases, the GPU workload catches up and becomes the limiting factor. This dual-bottleneck behavior is key: the 4600G limits performance at 1080p, while the 3060 Ti limits performance at 4K. The data implies that to get consistent performance across all resolutions, a more powerful CPU would be needed to unlock the GPU’s full potential at 1080p, while a more powerful GPU would be needed to improve 4K performance.