Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER pairing delivers a strong 1080p and 1440p experience in Microsoft Flight Simulator, but 4K Ultra pushes the GPU to its limits. The data shows a combination that is capable of high frame rates at most settings, with the CPU proving sufficient for the simulator's demands and the GPU acting as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, and it sits in the 79th percentile of all CPUs according to benchmark data. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, has an average benchmark score of 20897, which is only 0.1% higher than the Ryzen 5 5500's average score of 20875. This indicates the CPU is competitive with modern mid-range options.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's 12 threads are utilized for the complex simulation logic, including flight physics, weather systems, and autopilot calculations. The benchmark results show that the CPU's multi-threaded performance is solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and a single-core score of 2319. The single-core performance is particularly relevant because the simulator's main thread often carries a significant load, and the 4.20 GHz boost clock helps keep that thread fed.

The 16 MB of L3 cache is a moderate amount, but it does not appear to hinder performance in this specific workload. When paired with the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, the CPU does not become the limiting factor at 1080p, where the average FPS reaches 164 on Low settings. This suggests the Ryzen 5 5500 has enough headroom to keep up with the GPU's output. The data indicates that at 1440p Ultra, the average FPS is 88.5, and the CPU is still able to feed the GPU adequately. Only at 4K does the GPU's workload become so heavy that the CPU's role diminishes, as the frame rates drop to 63.1 at Ultra, showing a shift in bottleneck.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a high-end graphics card with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 672.3 GB/s of bandwidth. It boosts up to 2610 MHz and has 8448 shading units. This GPU sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48704. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA CMP 50HX, scores 49071, which is 0.7% higher, making the 4070 Ti SUPER a top-tier performer.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the GPU's role is to render the vast landscapes, detailed aircraft models, and dynamic lighting. The 16 GB of VRAM is ample for the high-resolution textures used at 4K Ultra settings, preventing any memory-related stuttering. The GPU's raw compute power, rated at 44.10 TFLOPS FP32, is what allows it to push high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the GPU achieves 164 FPS, but this is likely CPU-bound, as the GPU has more capacity than the CPU can feed at that resolution.

The GPU becomes the clear bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 63.1. This is a substantial decrease from 1080p Ultra's 109.8 FPS, showing that the GPU's performance scales with resolution but struggles to maintain high frame rates at the maximum settings. The 672.3 GB/s memory bandwidth is critical for streaming textures at 4K, and the data shows it is sufficient for playable performance, but not for high refresh rate monitors at that resolution.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 164, which drops to 148.8 at 1440p Low and then to 111.8 at 4K Low. This shows a steady decline, but the biggest drop occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K, indicating the GPU is becoming more stressed. At High settings, the FPS goes from 111.3 at 1080p to 93.3 at 1440p, and then to 67.9 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 25.4 FPS, which is the largest single resolution jump.

This pattern suggests that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is more involved, as the frame rates are relatively high. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 54.2 FPS, which shows the GPU is capable of handling the extra load, but the CPU can still keep up. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is 48.7 FPS, but the absolute values are lower, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 63.1, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for a smooth experience, while 1440p Ultra sits at 88.5 FPS, which is more comfortable.

The scaling indicates that this combo is best suited for 1440p gaming, where it can maintain high frame rates even at Ultra settings. At 4K, users will need to lower settings to achieve higher FPS, as the GPU's performance is the primary constraint. The CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the GPU's workload increases significantly at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER ranks 257th out of 1795 combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the top 14.3% of all tested systems, which is a strong result. The rank reflects the overall performance across all resolutions and settings, and it shows that this combo is better than the vast majority of other configurations.

The high rank is likely due to the GPU's exceptional performance, which compensates for the CPU's mid-range status. The Ryzen 5 5500's average benchmark score of 20875 is close to its rivals, but the GPU's average score of 48704 is significantly higher than many other graphics cards. This means that in a GPU-heavy game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, the combo excels. The rank of 257 indicates that there are 256 other combos that perform better, but these likely feature higher-end CPUs or multiple GPUs.

The data shows that this combo is a good balance for the game, offering high frame rates at 1440p and playable performance at 4K with adjusted settings. The rank confirms the GPU's capabilities, as the CPU is not a top-tier model. For users looking to build a system for this game, this combo provides a solid foundation without the need for a more expensive processor.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo is at 1440p with High settings. At this resolution and preset, the average FPS is 93.3, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides smooth gameplay. The 1440p Medium setting also performs well at 120.1 FPS, but the visual quality difference between Medium and High is often worth the small FPS trade-off. At 1440p Ultra, the average FPS is 88.5, which is still playable, but the drop from High is only 4.8 FPS, so Ultra is also a viable option.

For 1080p users, the Ultra preset delivers 109.8 FPS, which is excellent, but the High preset at 111.3 FPS is nearly identical and offers similar performance. The Low preset at 1080p yields 164 FPS, which is overkill for most monitors, and the visual quality loss is not worth it. At 4K, the High preset gives 67.9 FPS, which is playable, but the Ultra preset drops to 63.1 FPS, which is borderline. The Medium preset at 4K provides 86.1 FPS, which is a better balance for 4K users, but the visual quality is noticeably lower than High.

The data suggests that the sweet spot is 1440p High, offering a good balance of visual fidelity and performance. For users with 4K monitors, the High preset is the best choice, as it maintains playable frame rates without sacrificing too much quality. The Low preset is only recommended for competitive play, which is not typical for a flight simulator, so Medium or High is preferred for most users.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data (format: Q:... A:...)

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves at 1080p?

A: The maximum average FPS at 1080p is 164, which is achieved on the Low settings preset. The High preset yields 111.3 FPS, Medium yields 147.7 FPS, and Ultra yields 109.8 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER a bottleneck at 4K Ultra in this game?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 63.1, which is the lowest score among all tested settings. This indicates the GPU is the limiting component at that resolution, as the CPU is capable of higher frame rates at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5500 compare to its closest rival in CPU benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 20875, while its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, scores 20897. This represents a performance difference of -0.1%, meaning the two CPUs are essentially tied in performance.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve high frame rates?

A: The best resolution is 1440p, where the High preset delivers 93.3 FPS and the Medium preset delivers 120.1 FPS. This offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, as the 4K resolution causes frame rates to drop below 70 FPS on High settings.

Q: Does the combo rank well compared to other tested systems?

A: Yes, this combo ranks 257th out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the top 14.3% of all systems. This is a strong ranking, indicating the combo performs better than most other configurations in this game.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset achieves 148.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 88.5 FPS. This is a difference of 60.3 FPS, showing the significant impact of graphics settings on performance at this resolution.