Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a demanding flight simulation title that stresses both the CPU and GPU heavily. The data for the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER shows a system that is capable of delivering high frame rates across all tested resolutions, with the performance scaling revealing a clear shift in the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. The measured results provide a clear picture of what this combination can achieve, from smooth 1080p gameplay to very playable 4K performance.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 demonstrates how the system's load shifts between components. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 200.6 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops this to 166.2 FPS, a reduction of 34.4 FPS. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls further to 122.5 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that at 1080p, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames quickly but is constrained by the CPU's ability to feed it data. The 6-core, 12-thread processor, with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, shows strong single-thread performance that is crucial for flight simulators, but it still becomes the bottleneck at lower resolutions.

The scaling becomes more pronounced with higher graphical presets. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 124.6 at 1080p to 98.8 at 1440p, and then down to 71 at 4K. This represents a 43% drop from 1080p to 4K. The Ultra preset shows a similar trend, with averages of 118 FPS at 1080p, 92 FPS at 1440p, and 68.3 FPS at 4K. The diminishing returns when moving from 1440p to 4K, especially at higher settings, suggests that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is becoming the primary bottleneck at 4K. The GPU's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth are being fully utilized to process the increased pixel count and visual complexity, which is a more demanding task than the CPU-side physics and simulation calculations at these higher resolutions.

The data shows a system that is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where neither component is severely limiting the other. At 1080p, the CPU holds back the GPU, preventing it from reaching its maximum potential. At 4K, the GPU's workload becomes the limiting factor, as is typical for high-resolution gaming. The sweet spot for this pairing appears to be 2560x1440, where the frame rates remain high across all settings, indicating a good equilibrium between the processor's simulation capabilities and the graphics card's rendering power.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a high-end graphics card with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This substantial memory pool and bandwidth are critical for Microsoft Flight Simulator, which loads vast amounts of terrain and texture data. The GPU's 10240 shading units and 320 texture mapping units, running at a boost clock of 2550 MHz, are responsible for the complex lighting and shadow calculations that define the game's visual fidelity. The card's 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores also support the advanced rendering features that can be enabled in the game.

The GPU's role becomes more evident when analyzing the frame rate differences between settings at a fixed resolution. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 122.5 at Low settings to 68.3 at Ultra. This 54.2 FPS difference is a direct result of the GPU's workload increasing with more demanding presets. The RTX 4080 SUPER's performance is strong, but the Ultra preset at 4K pushes it to its limits, resulting in a lower, though still playable, frame rate. The data indicates that the GPU's architecture, based on Ada Lovelace and fabricated on a 5 nm process, is efficient but that the sheer pixel throughput required at 4K Ultra is a significant challenge.

The GPU's importance is further highlighted when comparing its benchmark scores to the CPU. The RTX 4080 SUPER's average benchmark score is 53610, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. This is a much higher percentile than the CPU's 82nd percentile, suggesting that the GPU is the more powerful component in this pairing. This disparity explains why the CPU becomes the bottleneck at lower resolutions, as the GPU has the raw power to render frames faster than the CPU can issue draw calls and process game logic. The GPU's 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is a clear indicator of its high compute capability.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER pairing holds a rank of 114 out of 1795 tested combos. This places it in the top 6.4% of all systems tested, indicating that it is a very high-performing combination for this specific game. This ranking reflects the strong synergy between the two components, allowing the system to achieve high frame rates even at demanding settings.

The CPU's individual performance is also notable. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F has an average benchmark score of 24993, which puts it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. When compared to its nearest rivals, it is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-11850H, which has an average score of 24974, a difference of just 0.1%. It is also closely matched with the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, which scores 25057, a delta of -0.3%. This shows that the 7500F is a competitive mid-range processor with performance that rivals older high-end chips.

Similarly, the RTX 4080 SUPER's individual performance is excellent, with an average benchmark score of 53610, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. It is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT and 2.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. This high individual performance from both components contributes to the strong overall combo rank. The data suggests that this system is not just a collection of powerful parts, but a well-matched pair that performs effectively in a demanding game like Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 200.6. Medium settings reduce this to 165.1 FPS, while High settings drop it to 124.6 FPS. The Ultra preset yields an average of 118 FPS. These numbers show a clear performance hierarchy, with a 82.6 FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings, highlighting the significant impact of graphical fidelity on frame rate at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a noticeable decrease. The Low preset achieves an average of 166.2 FPS. Medium settings produce 130 FPS, and High settings average 98.8 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 92 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 74.2 FPS, which is slightly less than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is starting to become a more significant factor.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are lower but still respectable. The Low preset averages 122.5 FPS. Medium settings drop to 92.4 FPS, and High settings average 71 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of 68.3 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 54.2 FPS, the smallest gap across all resolutions. This indicates that at 4K, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, and the CPU has less influence on the overall performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends on the user's target resolution and preference for visual quality. For users with a 1920x1080 display, the High preset offers an excellent balance, providing an average of 124.6 FPS. This is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay and represents a significant visual upgrade over the Medium preset, which averages 165.1 FPS. While Low settings achieve 200.6 FPS, the visual compromise is substantial for a flight simulator where scenery detail is a core part of the experience.

For 2560x1440 displays, the Medium preset is a strong choice, delivering an average of 130 FPS. This provides a comfortable frame rate while maintaining a good level of detail. The High preset, at 98.8 FPS, is also viable for users who prioritize visual quality over maximum frame rate. The Ultra preset at 92 FPS is playable but may not be ideal for all users, especially in complex scenes with dense terrain and weather effects.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only setting that delivers a frame rate above 120 FPS, averaging 122.5 FPS. For a more balanced experience, the Medium preset at 92.4 FPS is recommended, as it provides a playable frame rate with a much better visual presentation than Low. The High preset at 71 FPS is still playable for many, but the Ultra preset at 68.3 FPS is the most demanding and may result in occasional frame drops in the most graphically intensive scenarios. The data suggests that 1440p Medium is the overall sweet spot for this combination, offering high frame rates and good visual quality.

FAQ

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

A: The data suggests that 2560x1440 is the optimal resolution. It provides a good balance between high frame rates (ranging from 92 FPS on Ultra to 166.2 FPS on Low) and visual fidelity, without either component becoming a severe bottleneck.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F appears to be the primary limiting factor. The frame rates are very high, with a maximum of 200.6 FPS on Low settings, but the scaling between settings suggests the GPU is not being fully utilized, indicating a CPU bottleneck.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in this title?

A: Yes, it can. At 3840x2160, the system delivers an average of 71 FPS on High settings and 68.3 FPS on Ultra. While not as high as at lower resolutions, these frame rates are playable and indicate the RTX 4080 SUPER is capable of handling 4K.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the difference between Low and Ultra presets is 74.2 FPS. The Low preset averages 166.2 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 92 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for maximum visual quality.

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

A: This combination ranks 114th out of 1795 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the top 6.4% of all systems tested, indicating it is a very high-performing setup for this game.

Q: Is the GPU more powerful than the CPU in this pairing?

A: The benchmark data suggests yes. The RTX 4080 SUPER scores in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, while the Ryzen 5 7500F scores in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. This performance disparity is the reason why the CPU becomes the limiting factor at lower resolutions.