Microsoft Flight Simulator

# Microsoft Flight Simulator: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X + AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 1156th out of 3714 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the 68th percentile of all configurations evaluated. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier result for a flight sim known for its demanding rendering of vast landscapes and complex weather systems. The combo demonstrates that a 6-core CPU from the Zen 3 generation combined with a high-end RDNA 2 GPU can deliver playable framerates across most settings, though the data reveals clear scaling patterns that prospective users should understand before configuring their experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1156 out of 3714 tested combinations places it comfortably above the median, indicating that this pairing is more capable than roughly two-thirds of all systems benchmarked for this title. This position reflects a balanced partnership where neither component is severely bottlenecking the other at typical gaming resolutions.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU's percentile of 75 against all processors suggests it outperforms three-quarters of tested CPUs. The GPU's percentile of 85 against all graphics cards is even stronger, indicating the RX 6800 XT is a top-15% performer. The gap between these percentiles hints that in some scenarios, particularly at lower resolutions, the CPU may hold back the GPU, but at higher resolutions the GPU becomes the primary driver of performance.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this picture. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 21771 places it within 0.1% of the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H (21749), within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U (21874), and 0.5% behind the Intel Core i7-11700 (21891). The RX 6800 XT’s average score of 48477 puts it 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile (47743) but 2.5% behind the Intel Arc A550M (49737) and 3% behind both the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (49957) and AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (50001). These tight margins indicate that the combo’s overall rank is not due to an exceptional single component but rather the synergy of two well-matched mid-to-high-end parts.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a 65W TDP and support for DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The processor includes 32 MB of L3 cache, which is shared across the cores, and supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

For Microsoft Flight Simulator, a title that is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance due to its simulation physics and complex scenery streaming, the 5600X’s strong single-core capabilities are critical. The benchmark data shows a 3dmark single-thread score of 917 and a cinebench r23 single-core score of 1541, both indicating robust per-core throughput. This translates to the CPU's ability to handle the game's main simulation thread without becoming the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU takes on more of the rendering load.

However, the multi-threaded performance is also relevant. The CPU achieves a cinebench r23 multicore score of 11838 and a 3dmark max threads score of 5588, demonstrating that it can manage the game's background tasks, such as AI traffic, weather simulation, and scenery loading, without stuttering. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 153 FPS average, which is the highest measured across all configurations, suggesting that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU efficiently at lower graphical loads.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in benchmark scores—the Ryzen 7 4800H, Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U, and Core i7-11700—are all within 0.6% of its average score, meaning that swapping in any of these processors would yield nearly identical results in this game. This indicates that the 5600X is not a standout performer but is solidly within the expected range for its class.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 21 chip, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1825 MHz, a game clock of 2015 MHz, and a boost clock of 2250 MHz, with memory running at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). It includes 4608 shading units, 288 texture mapping units, and 128 raster operation units, along with 72 ray tracing cores.

The 16 GB VRAM capacity is particularly relevant for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which loads vast textures for terrain, aircraft, and photogrammetry cities. The high memory bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s ensures that these textures can be streamed quickly, reducing stutter when flying over dense areas. The GPU’s compute capabilities, including an FP32 throughput of 20.74 TFLOPS and a pixel rate of 288.0 GPixel/s, provide ample headroom for the game’s rendering demands.

The GPU’s benchmark scores show a strong DirectX 12 performance with a 3dmark steel nomad dx12 score of 3689, and a passmark g3d score of 24980. The GPU’s percentile of 85 against all graphics cards indicates it is a high-end part, and its average benchmark score of 48477 places it in close competition with the RTX A1000 Mobile and Arc A550M. The data suggests that the GPU is the dominant factor in this combo’s performance, particularly at 4K resolution where the CPU’s influence diminishes.

At 3840x2160 Ultra settings, the combo achieves 51 FPS average, which is the lowest measured but still playable. This drops further to 53 FPS at High settings, showing that the Ultra preset is not significantly more demanding than High at this resolution. The GPU’s ability to maintain these framerates at 4K reflects its raw compute power and memory subsystem.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo scales across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo delivers its highest framerates. At Low settings, it averages 153 FPS, which drops to 119 FPS at Medium (with a range of 101 to 137 FPS), 90 FPS at High, and 85 FPS at Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra is roughly linear, with a 44% reduction in average FPS from the lowest to highest preset.

At 2560x1440, the performance decreases as expected. The combo averages 123 FPS at Low, 96 FPS at Medium (ranging from 82 to 110 FPS), 72 FPS at High, and 69 FPS at Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is approximately 44%, consistent with the 1080p scaling, indicating that the GPU is still the primary limiter at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, the combo averages 91 FPS at Low, 71 FPS at Medium (with a range of 60 to 81 FPS), 53 FPS at High, and 51 FPS at Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra is steeper here, with a 44% reduction from Low to Ultra, but the absolute numbers show that even at 4K, the combo remains playable at all settings. The minimum FPS of 60 at 4K Medium is noteworthy, as it indicates that this configuration can hold a stable 60 FPS at this resolution and preset.

The data shows that the combination of the 5600X and 6800 XT is well-balanced across all tested resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU provides enough headroom to push framerates above 150 FPS at Low settings, while at 4K, the GPU’s power is the limiting factor, but it still manages to exceed 50 FPS at Ultra.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data shows playable framerates at all tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combo averages 90 FPS at High and 85 FPS at Ultra. At 2560x1440, it averages 72 FPS at High and 69 FPS at Ultra. At 3840x2160, it averages 53 FPS at High and 51 FPS at Ultra. Users seeking high refresh rates should use 1080p, while those prioritizing visual fidelity can use 4K.

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

A: The Ryzen 5 5600X has an average benchmark score of 21771, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H (21749), 0.5% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U (21874) and Intel Core i7-11700 (21891), and 0.6% higher than the AMD EPYC 9554P (21899). This indicates that the 5600X is effectively tied with these processors in overall performance.

Q: Is the GPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 Low settings, the combo achieves 153 FPS average, which is the highest measured. At Ultra settings, it drops to 85 FPS. The CPU’s single-thread performance (3dmark single-thread score of 917) is sufficient to drive high framerates, but the GPU’s capabilities (passmark g3d score of 24980) are the limiting factor at higher settings in this resolution.

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and High settings?

A: At 1920x1080, Medium averages 119 FPS while High averages 90 FPS, a 24% difference. At 2560x1440, Medium averages 96 FPS and High averages 72 FPS, a 25% difference. At 3840x2160, Medium averages 71 FPS and High averages 53 FPS, a 25% difference. The consistent scaling suggests that moving from Medium to High costs roughly a quarter of the framerate.

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

A: At 3840x2160 Medium settings, the combo averages 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS, indicating it can hold 60 FPS. At High settings, the average drops to 53 FPS, which is below 60 FPS. Therefore, 4K Medium is the highest preset that reliably maintains 60 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU’s benchmark score compare to its rivals?

A: The RX 6800 XT has an average benchmark score of 48477, which is 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile (47743), 2.5% lower than the Intel Arc A550M (49737), and 3% lower than both the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (49957) and AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (50001). This places it in close competition with these cards.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings based on the user’s display and performance preferences. For users with a 1920x1080 display, the Ultra preset offers an average of 85 FPS, which is smooth for most players. If higher framerates are desired, the High preset at 90 FPS provides a marginal improvement, while Medium at 119 FPS is a significant step up for competitive or fast-paced flying. The Low preset at 153 FPS is only recommended for users with high refresh rate monitors seeking maximum responsiveness, as the visual quality trade-off is substantial.

For 2560x1440 displays, the Ultra preset averages 69 FPS, which is playable but may dip below 60 FPS in dense areas. The High preset at 72 FPS is nearly identical in performance, so Ultra is recommended for the best visual fidelity at this resolution. The Medium preset at 96 FPS offers a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, making it the preferred choice for users who prioritize smoothness over maximum detail. The Low preset at 123 FPS is suitable for high refresh rate monitors but sacrifices significant visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the data shows that the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It averages 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS, ensuring a stable experience without drops below the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 53 FPS and Ultra at 51 FPS are both below 60 FPS, which may result in noticeable stuttering during scene transitions. The Low preset at 91 FPS is an option for users who want high framerates at 4K, but the visual compromise is severe.

In summary, the recommended presets are Ultra at 1080p, High or Ultra at 1440p depending on preference, and Medium at 4K. These choices balance the measured average FPS with the minimum FPS data where available, ensuring that the gameplay experience remains fluid without exceeding the hardware’s capabilities. The combo of the Ryzen 5 5600X and RX 6800 XT is versatile enough to handle all tested settings, but the data shows that Medium at 4K provides the best combination of visual quality and performance stability.