Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT pairing in Microsoft Flight Simulator presents a clear study in balance and bottlenecking. The data indicates a system that is capable of smooth performance at mainstream resolutions, but one that is decisively limited by the graphics card as resolution and detail settings climb. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS to show exactly where this combo excels and where it runs out of headroom.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS reveals a steep and predictable decline as resolution increases, a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 98 FPS, which is a strong result. Moving to 1440p drops that to 79 FPS, and at 4K it falls further to 59 FPS. This is a 39 FPS drop from 1080p to 4K on Low settings, equating to a 40% reduction in performance. This scaling indicates that even at the lowest visual fidelity, the workload is heavy enough to strain the RX 5700 XT.

The trend intensifies with higher graphical presets. At High settings, the performance drops from 58 FPS at 1080p to 46 FPS at 1440p, and then to 34 FPS at 4K. This represents a 41% drop from 1080p to 4K. At the Ultra preset, the scaling is even more punishing: 55 FPS at 1080p falls to 44 FPS at 1440p and bottoms out at 33 FPS in 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K is 22 FPS, or a 40% reduction. This consistent percentage loss across all settings strongly suggests that the resolution scaling is driven almost entirely by the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth, not by CPU limitations.

The fact that the frame rate drops by roughly 20 FPS with each step up in resolution (from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K) shows a linear relationship with pixel count. This is the signature of a GPU that is fully saturated. The 8 GB of VRAM on the RX 5700 XT is likely a contributing factor, as higher resolutions demand more memory for textures and geometry. The data shows that while the CPU has enough power to feed frames at 1080p, the RX 5700 XT becomes the sole limiting factor as the render load increases.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is known for its complex simulation logic, the CPU's single-thread performance is critical. The PassMark single-thread score of 2872 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong per-core capability. The data shows that this CPU is more than sufficient to keep up with the RX 5700 XT at 1080p, where the 98 FPS Low result is likely near the CPU's practical limit for this title.

The measured FPS across resolutions suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck. For example, at 1080p Ultra, the combo produces 55 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it produces 33 FPS. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would remain relatively constant regardless of resolution. Instead, the significant drop in FPS confirms that the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU's multi-threaded score of 19236 and its PassMark data compression score of 232836 further demonstrate that it has ample computational headroom to handle the game's background simulation tasks without becoming a constraint.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 5600F shows competitive performance. It is within 0.5% of the Intel Core i9-12900T and within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 in average benchmark scores. This indicates that within this performance bracket, the CPU choice has minimal impact on the final frame rate in this GPU-limited scenario. The data supports the conclusion that the CPU's role is to provide a stable foundation, and it does so effectively without introducing frame pacing issues or bottlenecks at any of the tested settings.

Settings Recommendations

For users targeting 1080p, the data suggests that the High preset at 58 FPS is a sweet spot. It offers a significant visual upgrade over Low (98 FPS) while maintaining a playable frame rate. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is nearly identical in performance to High, but the 3 FPS difference is unlikely to be noticeable. Given that Ultra demands more from the system for a marginal performance loss, High is the more practical choice for a smoother experience. The Medium preset at 77 FPS is a strong alternative for those who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, offering a 19 FPS advantage over High.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more nuanced. The High preset delivers 46 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 62 FPS is a far more comfortable option, providing a 16 FPS improvement over High. This makes Medium the recommended preset for 1440p, as it balances visual quality with a frame rate that is more responsive. The Low preset at 79 FPS is also viable for competitive play or for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, but it sacrifices significant visual detail.

At 4K, the data shows that this combo is not suited for high-detail gaming. The Ultra preset at 33 FPS and High at 34 FPS are both below the threshold for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 46 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, and even it is not ideal. The Low preset at 59 FPS is the only setting that delivers a consistently smooth frame rate, but it does so by stripping away nearly all visual enhancements. For 4K users, the recommendation is to stick with Low or Medium settings and accept the visual compromises, as this hardware is clearly not designed for high-fidelity 4K in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations, the Ryzen 5 5600F and RX 5700 XT ranks 2210th out of 2996 combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all tested systems. The 26th percentile ranking (calculated as 1 - 2210/2996) indicates that most other tested combos perform better, which is unsurprising given the age of the GPU.

This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance. The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361, placing it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, but its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2, which is a much more powerful card. The data shows that while the CPU is a solid mid-range performer, the GPU holds the combo back. The ranking suggests that users with this setup are likely experiencing performance similar to what was common a few years ago, and they will need to lower settings to achieve playable frame rates in modern, demanding titles like this one.

The fact that the combo ranks in the 74th percentile of tested configurations means there is a wide gap between this system and top-tier builds. The deltaPct values for the GPU's nearest rivals show that the RX 5700 XT is within 0.9% of the RTX 5090 D V2 in average score, which seems anomalous but is likely due to the benchmark's specific workload. Regardless, the overall combo rank is a clear indicator that this is a mid-range system, not a high-end one, and users should calibrate their expectations accordingly.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the primary driver of performance in this pairing. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, it offers 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock is 1905 MHz, and it has a pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s. These specifications, while respectable for its generation, are the limiting factor in this game.

The data shows that the GPU's performance ceiling is reached quickly as settings increase. At 1080p Low, the card produces 98 FPS, but this drops to 55 FPS at Ultra. This 43 FPS difference is a direct result of the increased pixel and texture work required by higher presets. The VRAM capacity of 8 GB is also a concern, as Microsoft Flight Simulator is known for using large amounts of memory for terrain and aircraft textures. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 33 FPS, and the lack of minFPS data for that setting suggests that frame times are inconsistent.

The GPU's benchmark scores confirm its mid-range status. Its PassMark G3D score of 16277 is solid, but its DirectX 12 score of 64 is low, indicating that the card struggles with modern API workloads. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2134 further underscores this. The data indicates that the RX 5700 XT is a capable card for 1080p and light 1440p gaming, but it is not suited for high refresh rates or 4K in this simulation title. The 448.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth is insufficient to keep up with the demands of 4K textures, leading to the observed frame rate drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the results are:

• Low: 98 FPS average
• Medium: 77 FPS average, with a minimum of 65 and maximum of 88
• High: 58 FPS average
• Ultra: 55 FPS average

At 2560x1440, the results are:

• Low: 79 FPS average
• Medium: 62 FPS average, with a minimum of 52 and maximum of 71
• High: 46 FPS average
• Ultra: 44 FPS average

At 3840x2160, the results are:

• Low: 59 FPS average
• Medium: 46 FPS average, with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 52
• High: 34 FPS average
• Ultra: 33 FPS average

The Medium preset is the only one that provides min and max FPS data, showing a variance of 13-14 FPS across all resolutions. This suggests that the Medium preset has the most consistent frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 65 FPS ensures a smooth experience. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 52 FPS is still playable. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 39 FPS indicates occasional stutters.

The 1080p Low result of 98 FPS is the only setting that approaches high-refresh-rate territory. All other settings fall below 60 FPS at 1440p and above, with the exception of 1440p Low at 79 FPS and 4K Low at 59 FPS. This data confirms that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can handle Medium to High settings comfortably. For 1440p, users must compromise with Medium or Low settings. For 4K, only Low settings are viable for a consistent 60 FPS, and even then, the average of 59 FPS is borderline. The data is clear: this is a 1080p-oriented system with limited headroom for higher resolutions.