Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a notoriously demanding title, and the benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT reveals a complex interplay between resolution, settings, and component bottlenecks. The measured FPS across three resolutions and four quality presets shows a system that is capable of high frame rates but is also heavily influenced by the chosen graphical load, with the CPU playing a more significant role than one might expect in a flight simulator.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and predictable trend: as resolution increases, average frame rates drop across all settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves an average of 177 FPS, which falls to 143 FPS at 1440p and further to 106 FPS at 4K. This represents a 40% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K on the Low preset. For the High preset, the scaling is steeper in absolute terms, with 104 FPS at 1080p dropping to 84 FPS at 1440p and then to 62 FPS at 4K, a 40% drop from 1080p to 4K as well.

The pattern shifts when examining the Medium preset, which is the only one with min and max FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 138 FPS with a minimum of 117 and a maximum of 159. Moving to 1440p Medium, the average drops to 111 FPS, and at 4K Medium it falls to 82 FPS. The scaling here suggests that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the frame rate drops are consistent with the increase in pixel count.

The most telling data point is the 4K Ultra result of 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The gap between 4K Low (106 FPS) and 4K Ultra (59 FPS) is a massive 44% difference, indicating that the Ultra preset's additional graphical features, such as higher-quality textures and shadows, place a significant burden on the GPU. The scaling from 1080p to 4K on the Ultra preset, from 99 FPS to 59 FPS, shows a 40% reduction, which is consistent with the other presets, suggesting a balanced load where both the CPU and GPU are being pushed harder.

This scaling behavior implies that the limiting component shifts depending on the resolution and settings. At 1080p Low, the frame rate of 177 FPS is high enough that the CPU's performance, particularly its single-threaded capabilities, may be the ceiling. As resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows, and the RX 7900 XT becomes the dominant factor, as evidenced by the consistent 40% performance drop across presets when moving to 4K. The fact that the drop from 1080p to 1440p is smaller (roughly 19% for High and 20% for Medium) suggests a transition zone where neither component is fully saturated.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 177, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This indicates that the combination of the Ryzen 5 5600GT and RX 7900 XT is more than capable of delivering very high frame rates at lower graphical demands.

Q: Can this combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only on certain presets. At 4K Medium, the average FPS is 82, and at 4K High it is 62. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold. The data suggests that to stay above 60 FPS at 4K, the Medium or High preset is required.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 177 on Low to 99 on Ultra. This is a 44% reduction in performance, showing that the Ultra preset's increased graphical load has a substantial impact even at the lowest resolution tested.

Q: Is the frame rate more stable at lower resolutions?

A: The only data with min and max FPS is for the Medium preset. At 1080p Medium, the range is 117 to 159 FPS, while at 1440p Medium it is 95 to 128 FPS, and at 4K Medium it is 70 to 94 FPS. This shows that the frame rate range narrows as resolution increases, suggesting more consistent performance at higher resolutions, albeit at lower average FPS.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo rank in game is 664 out of 3714 tested combos. This places it in the top 18% of all systems tested for this game, indicating a strong performance level relative to the broader database of results.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1440p and 4K on the High preset?

A: At 2560x1440 High, the average FPS is 84, and at 3840x2160 High, it is 62. This represents a 26% drop in performance when moving from 1440p to 4K, which is a significant decrease but still leaves the frame rate above 60 FPS.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its benchmark scores show a balanced profile: a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17272 and a single-core score of 2438, which are respectable for a mid-range desktop CPU. The Passmark multithread score of 20325 and single-thread score of 3348 further illustrate its capabilities.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's role is critical for handling the complex simulation logic, including physics, AI traffic, and terrain streaming. The data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the FPS drops are more pronounced when increasing resolution, which primarily stresses the GPU. However, at 1080p Low, the 177 FPS result is likely near the CPU's limit, as the GPU has less work to do and the frame rate becomes more dependent on the processor's ability to feed the render pipeline.

The 3DMark scores provide insight into the CPU's threading performance. The 16-thread score of 5523 and the max-thread score of 5554 are close, indicating that the processor scales well with additional threads up to its 12-thread count. The single-thread score of 913 in 3DMark is relatively lower, which could be a limiting factor in scenarios where the simulation is heavily dependent on a single thread. This is a common characteristic of flight simulators, which often rely on a primary thread for core simulation tasks.

The CPU's 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for gaming but not exceptional. The data implies that while the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates at lower resolutions, its single-threaded performance may be the ceiling for the highest FPS numbers seen at 1080p Low. At higher resolutions, the GPU takes over as the limiting component, and the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads prove adequate for maintaining the frame rates observed.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across the three most common gaming resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers an average of 177 FPS on Low, 138 FPS on Medium, 104 FPS on High, and 99 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a min-to-max range of 117 to 159 FPS, indicating some frame time variance, but the average is solidly above 100 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 143 on Low, 111 on Medium, 84 on High, and 80 on Ultra. The Medium preset's range is 95 to 128 FPS, showing a tighter spread than at 1080p. The 1440p High result of 84 FPS is still smooth, but the Ultra preset at 80 FPS shows that the GPU is starting to feel the load of the higher pixel count and settings.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 106 on Low, 82 on Medium, 62 on High, and 59 on Ultra. The Medium preset range is 70 to 94 FPS, which is a narrower band than at lower resolutions. The 4K High result of 62 FPS is just above the 60 FPS target, while 4K Ultra dips to 59 FPS, making it the only preset/resolution combination that fails to reach 60 FPS on average.

The data shows a consistent pattern: each step up in resolution costs roughly 20-25% performance, and each step up in settings (from Low to Medium, Medium to High, High to Ultra) costs a similar amount. The only exception is the jump from High to Ultra at 1080p, which is only a 5% drop (104 to 99 FPS), suggesting that the CPU is limiting the frame rate at that resolution, preventing the GPU from being fully utilized.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 664 out of 3714 tested combos places this system in the 82nd percentile of all configurations tested for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is a strong showing, indicating that the Ryzen 5 5600GT and RX 7900 XT combination is well above average for this game. The ranking reflects the ability to achieve high frame rates at 1440p and playable frame rates at 4K, which is a significant accomplishment given the game's reputation for being demanding.

The CPU's individual percentile rank is 74th among all CPUs, while the GPU's percentile rank is 55th among all GPUs. This discrepancy is interesting, as it suggests that the CPU is a more capable component relative to its peers than the GPU is relative to its own peers. However, the combo rank is higher than the GPU's percentile rank, indicating that the pairing works well together for this specific game, likely because the CPU is strong enough to not bottleneck the GPU at higher resolutions.

The nearest rival data for the CPU shows it is nearly identical in average benchmark score to the Intel Core i5-12490F, with a delta of -0.3%. This suggests that the Ryzen 5 5600GT is competitive with a popular Intel alternative. For the GPU, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, which has a 1.5% higher score, and the AMD Radeon 660M, which is 0.5% lower. These close deltas indicate that the RX 7900 XT is positioned in a tightly contested performance tier.

The combo's overall ranking in the top 18% of all tested systems reflects its balanced performance. It is not a top-tier enthusiast setup, but it is far from a budget compromise. The data suggests that users can expect a very good experience at 1080p and 1440p, and a respectable one at 4K, making this a versatile combination for a wide range of monitors and preferences.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 4K gaming, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers an average of 62 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset at 4K falls to 59 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but the High preset provides a safer margin. The Medium preset at 4K offers 82 FPS, which is a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and would be the best choice for those who prioritize smoothness over maximum visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 84 FPS on average. This provides a smooth experience with high visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 80 FPS, which is also excellent, and the difference between High and Ultra is only 5%, so players with a high-refresh-rate 1440p monitor could opt for Ultra without a significant penalty. The Medium preset at 111 FPS is an option for those seeking very high frame rates, but the visual trade-off may not be worth it given the High preset's strong performance.

For 1080p, all presets deliver high frame rates, with even the Ultra preset hitting 99 FPS. The High preset at 104 FPS is a good balance, but the Medium preset at 138 FPS is the best choice for competitive or high-refresh-rate play, as it offers a substantial frame rate boost with only a moderate reduction in visual quality. The Low preset at 177 FPS is unnecessary for most users, as the Medium preset provides a much better visual experience at a still-very-high frame rate.

The data indicates that the Medium preset offers the most consistent performance, as it is the only one with min and max FPS data showing a reasonable range. At 4K Medium, the min is 70 FPS and the max is 94 FPS, which is a tighter spread than one might expect. This consistency suggests that the Medium preset avoids the most demanding graphical features that cause frame rate spikes, making it a reliable choice across all resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is a high-end graphics card based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, featuring 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus with a bandwidth of 800.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2394 MHz, and it has 5376 shading units. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 29009 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623 indicate strong raw performance, though its percentile rank of 55th among all GPUs suggests that there are many faster cards in the database.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the GPU's role is to render the detailed scenery, aircraft models, and weather effects. The 20 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for the game's highest texture settings at 4K, as flight simulators often use large texture packs for terrain and buildings. The high memory bandwidth of 800.0 GB/s ensures that these textures can be streamed quickly, which is crucial for a game that constantly loads new scenery as the player flies.

The GPU's performance in the measured data shows that it is capable of handling the game at 4K High with 62 FPS, but the Ultra preset pushes it to 59 FPS. This indicates that the RX 7900 XT is right at the edge of being able to handle 4K Ultra in this title. The 20 GB of VRAM ensures there is no memory bottleneck at 4K, so the 59 FPS result is likely due to the GPU's compute and shading capabilities being maxed out.

The GPU's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, has a 1.5% higher average benchmark score, which is a negligible difference in real-world performance. This suggests that the RX 7900 XT is positioned well within its performance tier. The fact that the GPU's percentile rank is lower than the CPU's suggests that, in this combo, the GPU is the more limiting component at higher resolutions, which is typical for a demanding game like Microsoft Flight Simulator. The data shows that the GPU's performance, while strong, is the primary factor determining the 4K Ultra frame rate of 59 FPS, and users looking to push beyond that would need a more powerful graphics card.