Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding title that stresses both the processor and the graphics card heavily, and the measured data for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination reveals a system that is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p and smooth 1440p gameplay, while still being capable at 4K. The benchmark results show a clear hierarchy of performance scaling across resolutions and settings, indicating where the system's strengths lie and where its limitations become apparent.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the rate of that decline tells a story about which component is the primary bottleneck at each setting. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 155 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops the average to 144 FPS, a relatively modest 7.1% reduction. However, jumping from 1440p to 4K Low results in a much steeper drop to 109 FPS, a 24.3% decrease. This pattern suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU is doing more of the heavy lifting, and the GPU has enough headroom to handle the increased pixel count up to 1440p. The significant fall at 4K Low indicates that the GPU is beginning to hit its limits as pixel throughput demands rise sharply.

The scaling behavior changes when settings are increased. At High settings, the frame rate goes from 107 FPS at 1080p to 86 FPS at 1440p, a 19.6% drop, and then to 64 FPS at 4K, another 25.6% drop. This pattern is more consistent than at Low settings, showing that the GPU is becoming a more prominent limiting factor. The transition from 1440p to 4K at High settings shows a similar percentage loss as from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the GPU's workload is scaling more linearly with resolution when the visual complexity is higher. The RTX 4070 SUPER’s 12 GB of VRAM and 504.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth are sufficient for these loads, but the core processing power is what governs the performance curve.

Ultra settings present the most demanding scenario, and the scaling shows the GPU is the definitive bottleneck. The system averages 102 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 82 FPS at 1440p (a 19.6% loss) and then to 61 FPS at 4K (a 25.6% loss). The consistent percentage drops at High and Ultra settings point to a GPU-bound scenario where the CPU has sufficient headroom to feed the graphics card. The frame rate floor at 4K Ultra is 61 FPS, which is playable but shows the system’s limits. The data indicates that the 5500X3D with its 96 MB of shared L3 cache is strong enough to avoid becoming the primary constraint in most scenarios, shifting the performance scaling burden onto the RTX 4070 SUPER as resolution and settings increase.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, running on the AM4 socket. Its base clock is 3.00 GHz and it boosts to 4.00 GHz. The defining feature is the large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is critical for a simulation-heavy game like Microsoft Flight Simulator that often relies on large data sets. The CPU’s benchmark scores support its capability; it achieves a Passmark single-thread score of 2941 and a multithread score of 20363. These scores place it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong performance. Its average benchmark score of 37018 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Intel Core Ultra 5 225, both with a deltaPct of 0.2%.

In the context of the measured FPS, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p with Low settings, where the system hits 155 FPS. This high frame rate at a low resolution suggests that the CPU is capable of directing the simulation and physics calculations at a very fast pace. The fact that the frame rate only drops to 144 FPS at 1440p Low reinforces that the CPU is not the limiting factor at these settings, as the GPU can handle the extra pixel workload without a proportional performance penalty. The large L3 cache likely helps maintain consistent frame pacing by keeping more of the game's world data readily accessible to the cores.

However, the CPU's influence wanes as the resolution and settings increase. At 4K Ultra, the system produces 61 FPS, a far cry from the 155 FPS at 1080p Low. This indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in high-fidelity scenarios. The CPU is still providing enough data throughput to keep the GPU busy, but it is no longer the performance ceiling. The data shows that the 5500X3D, while not a top-tier part, is more than adequate to support the RTX 4070 SUPER in this game, allowing the GPU to be the primary driver of performance scaling. The processor's 12 threads are sufficient for the game's multithreaded workload, as evidenced by the solid multithread benchmark score, preventing it from becoming a weak link.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2475 MHz. The GPU’s raw compute power is substantial, with a Passmark G3D score of 29995 and a floating-point performance of 35.48 TFLOPS. It sits in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 43223 is closely matched by its nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB and the GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile, with deltaPct values of -0.1% and -0.1%, respectively.

The GPU’s role is clearly defined by the resolution scaling data. At 1080p, the RTX 4070 SUPER is rarely the limiting factor. It delivers 155 FPS at Low settings and 107 FPS at High, with the CPU likely holding the system back from even higher frame rates at Low settings. The GPU’s power is more fully utilized at 1440p, where it still manages 144 FPS at Low and 86 FPS at High, showing it has plenty of headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors at this resolution. The transition to 4K is where the GPU’s workload becomes the dominant constraint. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Low settings (144 to 109 FPS) is significant, but the system still provides a smooth experience.

The real test is at 4K with higher settings. At 4K High, the GPU produces 64 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 61 FPS. These numbers show that the RTX 4070 SUPER is capable of playable 4K performance, but it is clearly at its performance limit. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for the high-resolution textures at these settings, as no data suggests memory capacity issues. The consistent performance at 4K across High and Ultra settings (64 and 61 FPS) indicates that the GPU is compute-bound rather than memory-bandwidth-bound. The data shows that the RTX 4070 SUPER is a strong performer for 1440p gaming and can handle 4K, but users seeking consistently higher frame rates at 4K would need to reduce settings or rely on upscaling technologies not included in this data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 155 FPS. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 141 FPS, with a minimum of 120 FPS and a maximum of 162 FPS. High settings yield 107 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 102 FPS. This shows that even at Ultra settings, the system can comfortably exceed 100 FPS at 1080p, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. Low settings deliver an average of 144 FPS, which is a marginal drop from 1080p. Medium settings average 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 132 FPS. High settings produce 86 FPS, and Ultra settings average 82 FPS. The 1440p results show that the system is well-suited for this resolution, providing high frame rates even on Ultra settings. The minimum FPS of 98 at Medium settings suggests that there is some frame time variance, but overall the experience is smooth.

At 3840x2160, the performance is more constrained. Low settings average 109 FPS, which is still very playable. Medium settings drop to an average of 85 FPS, with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS. High settings average 64 FPS, and Ultra settings average 61 FPS. The 4K results show that while the system can handle 4K, it is best suited for Medium or Low settings if a high frame rate is desired. The step from 1440p to 4K is significant, particularly at High and Ultra settings, where the average FPS drops by more than 20 points. The data indicates that 4K Ultra is at the edge of the system's capability, providing a playable but not exceptionally high frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination ranks 484th out of 2996 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the top 16.2% of all tested configurations. This rank reflects the system's strong overall performance, which is consistent with the measured FPS data showing it can handle high resolutions and settings effectively. The high rank confirms the balance between the CPU and GPU, as neither component severely bottlenecks the other in most scenarios.

The ranking also contextualizes the system's performance against a wide range of other hardware configurations. Being in the 484th position out of nearly 3000 combos means that the system outperforms the vast majority of others tested. This is particularly impressive given that the CPU is a 6-core part and the GPU, while powerful, is not the top-tier model from its generation. The data suggests that this combination offers a high level of performance that is well above average for the game. It is interesting to note that the CPU’s nearest rivals have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with deltas of only 0.2%, yet the overall combo ranking depends heavily on how the CPU and GPU interact in this specific game, where the 5500X3D's large cache likely provides a benefit.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The system achieves an average of 107 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings.

Q: Can this system handle 4K resolution in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: Yes, it can. At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, it averages 85 FPS. At Ultra settings, it averages 61 FPS, which is playable.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate gaming?

A: At 2560x1440 with Low settings, the system averages 144 FPS. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, it averages 155 FPS, making both suitable for high refresh rate monitors.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, has a score of 36945, a delta of 0.2%. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 also has a score of 36938, with a delta of 0.2%.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this system?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded in the data is 72 FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum is 98 FPS, and at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, it is 120 FPS.

Q: What is the system's rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combination ranks 484th out of 2996 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and frame rate preference. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 102 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. Users with 144Hz or higher monitors can also consider the High preset at 107 FPS, but Ultra offers the best balance of visuals and performance.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice for a balanced experience, providing an average of 115 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS. This ensures a smooth and responsive experience while maintaining good visual quality. The High preset at 86 FPS is also viable, but the lower minimum frame rate may be noticeable in demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 82 FPS is playable, but it is close to the edge of what is optimal for a 60Hz display.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the best option, delivering an average of 85 FPS with a minimum of 72 FPS. This provides a very smooth experience at 4K. The Low preset can be used for higher frame rates, averaging 109 FPS, but with reduced visual quality. The High and Ultra presets at 64 and 61 FPS respectively are playable on a 60Hz monitor, but they do not offer much headroom for frame rate dips. The data suggests that 4K Medium is the sweet spot for this system, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining a high and stable frame rate.