Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator with an AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 produces a playable, but firmly mid-range experience. The data shows a system that is consistently GPU-limited at higher resolutions, yet capable of smooth frame rates at 1080p, especially when settings are managed. This combination ranks in the 22nd percentile of tested combos, indicating significant headroom for upgrades, but it remains a functional setup for the simulator's core experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly demonstrates where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 92 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops the average to 74 FPS, a 19.6% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 55 FPS, representing a 40.2% decline from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is typical for a configuration where the GPU is the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The trend becomes more pronounced at higher settings. With High settings, the average frame rate drops from 54 FPS at 1080p to 43 FPS at 1440p (a 20.4% loss) and then to 32 FPS at 4K (a 40.7% loss from 1080p). The Ultra preset tells a similar story, with averages of 51 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p, and 30 FPS at 4K. The consistent pattern of roughly a 40% performance penalty when moving from 1080p to 4K across all settings indicates that the RTX 2060's rendering throughput is saturated at the higher resolution, regardless of the graphical load.

Interestingly, the gap between 1080p and 1440p is smaller than the gap between 1440p and 4K. For example, at Medium settings, the frame rate drops from 71 FPS at 1080p to 58 FPS at 1440p, a 13 FPS or 18.3% decrease. However, moving from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings sees the average fall from 58 FPS to 42 FPS, a 16 FPS or 27.6% decrease. This non-linear scaling suggests that the RTX 2060 can still keep pace at 1440p, but the jump to 4K's 8.3 million pixels (versus 3.7 million at 1440p) overwhelms its 6 GB frame buffer and 192-bit memory bus, leading to a more severe performance collapse.

For users targeting a consistent 60 FPS experience, 4K is not viable with this hardware. The data shows that even at the lowest settings, 4K only manages 55 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, the Low preset achieves 74 FPS, and the Medium preset hits 58 FPS, making 1440p a realistic target for smoother gameplay. At 1080p, the system has ample headroom, with Low settings delivering 92 FPS and Medium hitting 71 FPS, both comfortably above 60 FPS. The analysis suggests that the RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are the limiting factors at 4K, as the CPU's performance is less likely to be the constraint at these lower frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F provides a solid foundation for this simulator. With 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, it offers a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The CPU's benchmark scores are respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21765 and a single-core score of 3072. The single-core performance is particularly relevant for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which relies heavily on a few main threads for game logic and physics.

The CPU's 83rd percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates it is a strong performer. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, has an average score of 32707, which is only 0.1% higher, showing that the Ryzen 5 7400F is competitively positioned in the mid-range segment. However, the game's frame rates suggest that even this capable processor is not the primary bottleneck in most scenarios. The fact that frame rates drop significantly when moving from 1080p to 4K, even at Low settings, points to the GPU being the limiting component.

At 1080p Low, the 92 FPS result indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently at this resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU's workload would remain constant. Instead, the frame rate scales down with resolution, confirming that the RTX 2060 is the limiting factor. The CPU's performance becomes more relevant at lower resolutions and settings where the GPU can render frames faster, but in this specific configuration, the GPU's limitations are exposed first.

The Ryzen 5 7400F's L3 cache of 32 MB shared and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient data throughput for flight simulation, which often involves streaming large terrain and scenery data. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 5 nm process node suggest efficient operation, but the benchmark results indicate that its raw compute power is more than adequate for this game. The data shows that the CPU is not the reason for the lower frame rates at 4K; rather, it is the GPU's inability to process the increased pixel load.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for this hardware combination. At 1080p, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 82 FPS. This preset maintains a stable 60+ FPS experience, which is ideal for a smooth flight simulation. The High preset at 1080p drops to 54 FPS, which is still playable but may introduce noticeable stuttering in demanding scenarios. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 92 FPS, but this comes at the cost of visual fidelity, which is a significant trade-off in a game where the scenery is a core part of the experience.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is also the recommended choice. It produces an average of 58 FPS with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS. While the average is slightly below 60 FPS, the minimum frame rate of 49 FPS suggests that the experience will be mostly smooth, with occasional dips in complex areas. The Low preset at 1440p achieves 74 FPS, which is smoother, but again sacrifices visual quality. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p drop to 43 FPS and 41 FPS respectively, which are less desirable for a game that requires precise control and visual awareness.

At 4K, the situation is more challenging. The Medium preset delivers an average of 42 FPS with a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 49 FPS. This is below 60 FPS and may feel sluggish for some users. The Low preset at 4K achieves 55 FPS, which is closer to playable but still not ideal. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 30 FPS, which is the minimum for playable, but it will likely feel choppy. For this resolution, the Low preset is the only viable option for a smoother experience, but even then, it falls short of 60 FPS.

Based on the data, the best experience per the measured rows is the Medium preset at 1080p. This configuration offers a balanced mix of visual quality and performance, with an average of 71 FPS and a minimum of 61 FPS that ensures the frame rate rarely drops below the 60 FPS threshold. For users with 1440p monitors, the Medium preset at that resolution is the next best option, offering a playable 58 FPS average. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it only yields 51 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p, and 30 FPS at 4K, all of which are below the 60 FPS target. The data strongly suggests that Medium settings are the optimal balance for this RTX 2060 and Ryzen 5 7400F combination.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2344 out of 2996 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the 22nd percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly 78% of tested combos deliver higher average frame rates. This ranking is a direct reflection of the RTX 2060's mid-range status, as indicated by its 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs. The CPU, in contrast, ranks in the 83rd percentile, highlighting a significant imbalance in this pairing.

The combo's rank indicates that it is a lower-tier performer in the context of all tested systems. The data shows that the RTX 2060's average benchmark score of 15290 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, which has a deltaPct of 0. This means the RTX 2060 is performing exactly at the level of a much older GPU in synthetic benchmarks, which confirms its age. However, in this specific game, the RTX 2060 manages to deliver playable frame rates at 1080p, which is the primary target for this class of hardware.

The ranking also suggests that users with this combo are likely playing at 1080p or 1440p with adjusted settings, as the 4K performance is not competitive. The large gap between the CPU's high percentile ranking and the combo's low overall ranking underscores that the GPU is the limiting factor. Upgrading the GPU would have a much more significant impact on the combo's rank than upgrading the CPU. The Ryzen 5 7400F is capable of supporting a much faster GPU, as its benchmark scores are well above average, but it is held back by the RTX 2060 in this configuration. The data clearly indicates that this combo is a budget-to-mid-range pairing that will struggle with high-resolution or high-settings gaming in this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it offers a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock is 1680 MHz, and it features 1920 shading units. Its benchmark scores show a mixed picture: a Passmark G3D score of 14111 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1242. Its 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the mid-range, but its nearest rivals include the GTX 580 and the AMD Radeon 680M, indicating that its performance is comparable to older or integrated solutions.

The GPU's role in this game's results is clearly defined by the resolution scaling data. The RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM is likely insufficient for 4K textures in Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is a known VRAM-heavy title. The frame rate drops from 55 FPS at 4K Low to 42 FPS at 4K Medium, a 23.6% decrease, and then to 32 FPS at 4K High, a further 23.8% decrease. This steep scaling with settings at 4K suggests that the GPU is struggling to handle the increased texture and shading complexity, not just the raw pixel count.

The GPU's compute capabilities are also a factor. Its FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS is modest by modern standards, and its 30 RT cores are not particularly relevant for this game, as it does not heavily utilize ray tracing. The GTX 580, which is a much older GPU, has a nearly identical average benchmark score, confirming that the RTX 2060 is not a high performer in synthetic tests. In practice, the data shows that the RTX 2060 can handle 1080p Medium settings well (71 FPS), but it quickly becomes overwhelmed at higher resolutions. The GPU's 160 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for its class, but its performance is what ultimately defines the combo's capabilities. The data shows that the RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM and 192-bit memory bus are not sufficient for 4K gaming at acceptable frame rates, making it the clear bottleneck in this system.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this combo for a smooth experience?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the optimal resolution. At Medium settings, it achieves an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS. At 1440p, the Medium preset drops to 58 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 42 FPS, both of which are below the 60 FPS target.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data indicates that 4K is not a viable option. Even at Low settings, the average frame rate is only 55 FPS, which is below 60 FPS. At Medium settings, it drops to 42 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 30 FPS.

Q: Which settings preset provides the most balanced experience?

A: The Medium preset is the most balanced. At 1080p, it offers 71 FPS average, and at 1440p, it offers 58 FPS average. The Low preset provides higher frame rates, but the Ultra preset offers no performance benefit, with 51 FPS at 1080p and 30 FPS at 4K.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its rivals in this context?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F ranks in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, has an average score that is only 0.1% higher, indicating that the CPU's performance is competitive and not the limiting factor in this game.

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

A: This combo ranks 2344 out of 2996 tested combos, placing it in the 22nd percentile. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU, as the RTX 2060's performance is comparable to older cards like the GTX 580, which has a 0% delta in average score.

Q: Is the GPU or the CPU the main bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The data shows that the GPU is the main bottleneck. This is evident from the resolution scaling, where frame rates drop significantly from 1080p to 4K, while the CPU's high percentile ranking (83rd) suggests it has more headroom than the GPU (58th percentile).