Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G paired with the Intel Arc B390 is a combination that targets the entry-level segment of PC gaming, specifically for a demanding title like Microsoft Flight Simulator. The data shows that this pairing produces a playable, though not high-refresh-rate, experience at lower resolutions and settings. The Ryzen 5 5600G provides a solid foundation with its six Zen 3 cores, while the Arc B390, an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, is the primary bottleneck in this flight simulator. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, contextualizes it against rival components, and provides practical settings recommendations based strictly on the provided benchmark data.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture (codename Cezanne) using a 7 nm process. Its base clock is 3.90 GHz, and it boosts up to 4.40 GHz. This configuration is a strong performer for its class, as evidenced by its 74th percentile ranking among all CPUs and an average benchmark score of 21088. In synthetic tests, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10551 and a single-core score of 1409, indicating robust multi-threaded capability that can handle the complex physics and AI calculations in Microsoft Flight Simulator, even if the frame rate is ultimately limited by the GPU.

The CPU's performance relative to its direct competitors is very tight. The data shows that the Ryzen 5 5600G is virtually neck-and-neck with the Intel Core i3-1220P, which has an average score of 21066 (a delta of just 0.1%). It also trades blows with the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V (21112, -0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U (21133, -0.2%). This suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, this processor will not be a significant differentiator compared to these rivals; the performance envelope is nearly identical. The 16 MB of L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth are sufficient to feed the integrated Arc B390 GPU, though the system's shared memory architecture means that the CPU and GPU are competing for the same resources.

In the context of this specific game benchmark, the CPU's role is to maintain a sufficient frame pacing to avoid stutter. The measured FPS drops from 56 at 1080p Low to 33 at 4K Low, a decrease that is more attributable to the GPU's workload than the CPU's. The 5600G's single-thread performance (a Geekbench single-core score of 1801) is adequate for the game's main simulation thread, and its multi-threaded power (Geekbench multicore score of 8428) ensures that background tasks do not interfere. While the CPU is not the limiting factor here, its performance is a known quantity that sits right at the average for its price tier, making it a dependable, if unspectacular, partner for this integrated GPU.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is a significant limiting factor in this combination. It is an integrated GPU (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. Its performance class is very low, sitting at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482 from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. This score places it in the company of very old or low-end dedicated GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% delta) and the GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% delta). This context is crucial: the Arc B390 is not designed for high-end gaming, and its performance ceiling is low.

The GPU's specifications reflect its integrated nature. It has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its boost clock is 2500 MHz, and its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s. The most important limitation is its memory: it has "System Shared" VRAM, meaning it uses the system's DDR4 memory. The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means it is bottlenecked by the CPU's dual-channel memory controller. In a shared memory setup, the GPU is at a severe disadvantage compared to a dedicated GPU with its own high-speed GDDR6 memory, as it must contend with the CPU for bandwidth. This explains the dramatic performance drop as resolution increases.

The data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 56. However, this is an outlier; the rest of the scores are far lower. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 43 FPS, and at High, it falls to 33 FPS. The pattern continues at 1440p, where Low settings yield 45 FPS, but Medium and High only manage 35 and 26 FPS, respectively. At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed, with Low settings averaging just 33 FPS and High/Ultra dropping to a slideshow-like 19 FPS. The 12 ray tracing cores are present, but the raw compute power (7.680 TFLOPS FP32) is insufficient to handle the demands of modern flight simulation at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Microsoft Flight Simulator at 1080p?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The data shows an average of 56 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At Medium settings, the average drops to 43 FPS, and at High settings, it falls to 33 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the average frame rate exceeds 30 FPS at multiple settings. At 2560x1440, only Low settings achieve an average above 40 FPS (45 FPS), while Medium drops to 35 FPS. 3840x2160 is generally not playable, with all settings averaging 33 FPS or lower.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is just 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463) and 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710 (1443). It also surpasses the GeForce 800M (1460) by 1.5% and the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446) by 2.5%. These are all very old, low-power parts, indicating the Arc B390 is in the lowest performance tier.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5600G a powerful processor?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600G performs at the 74th percentile of all CPUs, with an average score of 21088. It is essentially tied with the Intel Core i3-1220P (21066) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V (21112), showing it is a mid-range performer that is more than capable for this gaming workload.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings yield an average of 56 FPS, while Ultra settings yield an average of 31 FPS. This represents a 25 FPS drop, or roughly a 45% performance penalty, for the visual fidelity increase.

Q: Does the GPU have its own dedicated video memory?

A: No, the Intel Arc B390 uses "System Shared" memory. Its memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent," meaning it relies on the system's DDR4 memory and is not equipped with dedicated VRAM.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2665th out of 2996 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This is a very low ranking, which is expected given the GPU's 9th percentile performance. The CPU is a strong performer, but the GPU's lack of dedicated VRAM and low compute throughput holds the entire system back.

This ranking is not a reflection of a flawed pairing, but rather a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations. The data indicates that this is a system built for basic productivity and very light gaming, not for a demanding simulation title. In the context of other combos, this setup is not competitive for high-fidelity or high-resolution gaming. The benchmark results for this combo are among the lowest measured, suggesting that users would need to make significant compromises in graphical quality to achieve a playable frame rate. The rank also implies that a large majority of other CPU and GPU pairings will offer a better experience in this specific game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities across different resolutions and settings. The data is structured to show the average FPS, with minimum and maximum FPS only provided for the Medium settings at each resolution.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system is at its most capable. The results are as follows:

• Low: Average 56 FPS.
• Medium: Average 43 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 50 FPS.
• High: Average 33 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 31 FPS.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance drops significantly due to the increased pixel count.

• Low: Average 45 FPS.
• Medium: Average 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 40 FPS.
• High: Average 26 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 25 FPS.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates.

• Low: Average 33 FPS.
• Medium: Average 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 30 FPS.
• High: Average 19 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 19 FPS.

These numbers show a clear trend: the Arc B390 is only comfortable at 1080p with Low settings. The step from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 20% performance at Low settings, and the step to 4K costs another 27%. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings also indicate potential stuttering, especially at 4K where the minimum (22 FPS) is well below the average.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this hardware is at 1920x1080 resolution. The data shows that the "Low" preset is the only configuration that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 56 FPS. This is the recommended starting point for any user, as it ensures the game is responsive and avoids the dips into the 30s that occur at higher presets.

For users who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate, the "Medium" preset at 1080p is a viable alternative. The average of 43 FPS is still playable, and the minimum of 37 FPS suggests that stutter is kept to a minimum. This is the highest preset that maintains an average above 40 FPS. The "High" and "Ultra" presets at 1080p, with averages of 33 and 31 FPS, are on the borderline of playability and may be acceptable for a slow-paced flight simulator, but they are not recommended for a consistently smooth experience.

Moving up to 2560x1440 is not advisable unless the user insists on a higher resolution. The "Low" preset at 1440p yields 45 FPS, which is playable, but "Medium" (35 FPS) and "High" (26 FPS) are too slow for a fluid experience. 3840x2160 is not a viable option for this hardware. Even the "Low" preset at 4K only achieves 33 FPS, and the "Medium" preset drops to a 22-30 FPS range, which is choppy. The best course of action is to stick to 1080p and use the "Low" preset for the most reliable performance, or "Medium" for a better-looking game that is still responsive.