Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination delivers a solid, if not spectacular, experience in Microsoft Flight Simulator, landing in the 57th percentile of tested combos (rank 1023 out of 1795). The data shows a pairing that is capable of smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with adjusted settings, but one that will struggle to maintain high frame rates at 4K on higher presets. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to help you decide where to set your expectations and dial in your settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play this game with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based strictly on the measured average FPS, 1920x1080 is the most comfortable. At Low settings it hits 117 FPS, and even at Ultra it maintains 64.6 FPS. 2560x1440 is also viable, with a range from 92.5 FPS at Low to 54.8 FPS at Ultra.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K resolution?

A: It can, but with significant compromises. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 69.5 at Low settings down to 40.1 at Ultra. For a smooth experience, you would need to stay on Low or Medium settings, as the High preset only yields 42.7 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5600X compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600X has an average benchmark score of 20680. Its closest competitor, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT, scores 20740, putting the 5600X just 0.3% behind. It performs within a 0.7% margin of the Intel Core i7-10700, Intel Core i5-12490F, and Intel Xeon 6325P.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 stack up against similar GPUs?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 23181. The data shows it is nearly identical in performance to the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, which is only 0.6% faster. It also trades blows with the Intel Arc B580 and AMD Radeon 760M, which are 0.7% and 0.8% slower, respectively.

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

A: The jump from Low to Ultra at 1920x1080 results in a significant performance cost. The average FPS drops from 117 at Low to 64.6 at Ultra, a reduction of over 44%. This shows the heavy load that Ultra settings place on the GPU.

Q: At which resolution does this combo start to become CPU-bound?

A: The data suggests the system is likely more CPU-bound at 1080p. The difference between Low (117 FPS) and Ultra (64.6 FPS) is substantial, but the scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings (from 117 to 92.5 FPS) shows a clear GPU dependency as resolution increases.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a boost clock of 2460 MHz. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, a title heavily reliant on streaming terrain and scenery, this memory bandwidth and capacity are critical for maintaining consistent frame rates.

The benchmark results clearly show the GPU's influence on performance. At 3840x2160, the frame rate is heavily dependent on the graphics preset, with a 29.4 FPS difference between Low (69.5 FPS) and Ultra (40.1 FPS). This indicates that at 4K, the RTX 4060 is the primary limiting factor, as the rendering load overwhelms its capabilities on higher settings. The GPU's 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but is stretched thin at 4K with high-fidelity graphics. The data points to a card that performs admirably within its designed resolution target but is not built for maximum-detail 4K simulation.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS demonstrates a clear and expected scaling pattern as resolution increases. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 71.2 FPS at 1920x1080 to 55.4 FPS at 2560x1440, and further down to 42.7 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 40% decrease in performance from 1080p to 4K, highlighting the increased pixel load.

This scaling behavior provides insight into the system's bottleneck. The performance penalty for moving from 1440p to 4K is larger than the penalty for moving from 1080p to 1440p. This suggests that as resolution climbs, the RTX 4060's rendering capabilities become the dominant constraint. The CPU is able to feed the GPU enough data at lower resolutions, but the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The data indicates a classic GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the graphics card is working at its maximum capacity.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 holds the 1023rd position out of 1795 total combinations. This places it in the 57th percentile, indicating it performs better than a majority of other tested systems but is not among the top performers.

This ranking is consistent with the individual components' standings. The Ryzen 5 5600X sits in the 78th percentile among all CPUs, showing it is a strong processor. The RTX 4060, however, is in the 66th percentile among all GPUs, showing it is a more mid-range performer. The combination's overall rank is a reflection of its balanced but not top-tier components. It is a system that provides a good experience for most users, but it won't be at the top of any leaderboards for maximum frame rates in demanding titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the data points to the Medium preset as the sweet spot for this combo. At 1920x1080, Medium yields an average of 94.7 FPS, which is a significant jump from the 71.2 FPS on High and provides a noticeably smoother experience. At 2560x1440, Medium delivers 72.3 FPS, which is well within the range for a playable and visually detailed flight sim. Even at 4K, Medium's 55.2 FPS is more playable than the 42.7 FPS on High.

While the Low preset offers the highest frame rates, the visual compromise in a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, where scenery detail is paramount, is likely too great. The Ultra preset, conversely, provides the best visuals but drops the frame rate to 64.6 FPS at 1080p and below 60 FPS at 1440p. Therefore, Medium is the recommended setting, as it offers a substantial improvement in smoothness over High with a moderate visual trade-off.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following figures are the exact measured average FPS from the data for this specific hardware combination.

1920x1080:

At the native 1080p resolution, the combination shows strong performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 117 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 94.7 FPS. The High preset averages 71.2 FPS, while the Ultra preset brings up the rear with 64.6 FPS.

2560x1440:

At 1440p, the frame rates remain respectable. The Low preset averages 92.5 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 72.3 FPS. High settings yield an average of 55.4 FPS, and the Ultra preset is just slightly lower at 54.8 FPS. This shows a minimal difference between High and Ultra at this resolution.

3840x2160:

At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The Low preset is the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience, averaging 69.5 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 55.2 FPS. High settings average 42.7 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 40.1 FPS. The data shows that for 4K gaming, the user must significantly lower graphical fidelity to maintain playable frame rates.