Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator pairs the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, a combination that ranks 273rd out of 1795 tested combos. This places the setup firmly in the top 15% of all configurations, suggesting a well-balanced pairing for a notoriously demanding title. The data reveals a system that scales predictably across resolutions, with the GPU becoming the primary bottleneck at higher pixel counts while the CPU holds its own at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and tells a clear story about component balance. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 184.5 FPS, but this falls to 103.9 FPS at 4K Low — a 43.7% reduction. This massive gap indicates that at 1080p, the system is not GPU-limited; the frame rate is likely constrained by CPU and memory bandwidth. The RTX 4070 SUPER has ample headroom at this resolution, as evidenced by the jump from 105.2 FPS at 1080p Ultra to 184.5 FPS at 1080p Low, a 75.3% improvement purely from lowering settings.

Moving to 1440p, the scaling becomes more moderate. The average FPS at High settings is 88.4, which drops to 62.9 at 4K High — a 28.8% decline. This narrower gap suggests the GPU is beginning to assert itself as the limiting factor, but the CPU still contributes meaningfully. The trend continues at 4K, where the difference between Low (103.9 FPS) and Ultra (60.9 FPS) is 41.3%, showing that the RTX 4070 SUPER's rendering load dominates at this resolution.

The data implies that at 4K, the RTX 4070 SUPER is the clear bottleneck. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are likely being fully utilized, while the Ryzen 5 7600's 6 cores and 12 threads provide sufficient throughput. At 1080p, the situation reverses: the CPU's single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 999) becomes more relevant, and the GPU waits for data. The 184.5 FPS at 1080p Low suggests the CPU can push beyond that figure, making this a case where users with high-refresh 1080p monitors might see CPU limitations.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The maximum average FPS is 184.5, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 273rd out of 1795 total combos, placing it in the top 15.2% of all tested systems.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS in the measured data?

A: The lowest average is 60.9 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: Does performance scale linearly with resolution?

A: No. The drop from 1440p High (88.4 FPS) to 4K High (62.9 FPS) is 28.8%, while the drop from 1080p High (109.3 FPS) to 1440p High (88.4 FPS) is 19.1%. The larger relative drop at higher resolutions indicates GPU-bound behavior.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, Low achieves 103.9 FPS while Ultra achieves 60.9 FPS, a difference of 43.0 FPS or 70.6% higher performance on Low.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to limit performance at 1440p?

A: The data suggests a balanced state. At 1440p, the gap between Low (145.7 FPS) and Ultra (81.9 FPS) is 77.9%, which is less extreme than at 1080p but more than at 4K, indicating neither component is a sole bottleneck.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with 7168 shading units and 80 ROPs. Its boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1980 MHz provide the raw throughput needed for Flight Simulator's dense scenery rendering. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for streaming terrain and aircraft models at high resolutions.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce its position. With a passmark_g3d score of 29995 and a 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 4627, it outperforms its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A6000, by 0.2% in average benchmark score (42576 vs 42653, with a deltaPct of -0.2% for the A6000). The GPU sits at the 84th percentile of all GPUs, indicating strong but not top-tier performance.

In this game, the GPU's role becomes dominant at 4K. The 60.9 FPS at 4K Ultra is close to the 62.9 FPS at 4K High, suggesting that the GPU is nearly saturated at both settings. The 103.9 FPS at 4K Low shows that reducing graphical load frees up GPU resources, but the 12 GB VRAM may still be a limiting factor for texture-heavy scenes. The RTX 4070 SUPER's 220 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest it can sustain high clocks under load, which is essential for maintaining 60+ FPS at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest performance across all settings. Low settings produce 184.5 FPS, Medium 142.2 FPS, High 109.3 FPS, and Ultra 105.2 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal (4.1 FPS), suggesting that Ultra settings at 1080p are not significantly more demanding than High. The jump from Medium to Low is 42.3 FPS, indicating that Medium settings still impose a substantial GPU load.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but drops noticeably. Low achieves 145.7 FPS, Medium 116.9 FPS, High 88.4 FPS, and Ultra 81.9 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to 6.5 FPS, while the gap between Low and Medium is 28.8 FPS. This resolution is likely the sweet spot for this combo, offering a balance between visual fidelity and frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4070 SUPER is clearly strained. Low delivers 103.9 FPS, Medium 80.4 FPS, High 62.9 FPS, and Ultra 60.9 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is just 2.0 FPS, indicating that Ultra settings at 4K provide marginal visual gains for significant performance cost. The 43.0 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K highlights how resolution scaling affects GPU load.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 273 out of 1795 places it in the 84.8th percentile of all tested configurations. This is a strong result, indicating that the Ryzen 5 7600 and RTX 4070 SUPER work well together for Flight Simulator. The CPU's average benchmark score of 26617 puts it on par with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (26574, deltaPct 0.2%) and the Intel Core i9-12900HK (26672, deltaPct -0.2%). This suggests the CPU is not a weak link in the system.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 42576 is competitive with the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (42723, deltaPct -0.3%) and the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (42653, deltaPct -0.2%). The RTX 4070 SUPER's 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs means it outperforms the vast majority of graphics cards, but the top 16% of GPUs would offer higher frame rates. The combo's 273rd rank suggests that many systems with higher-end GPUs and CPUs exist, but this pairing remains solidly above average.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the data suggests that High settings (109.3 FPS) offer the best experience. Ultra (105.2 FPS) provides only a 4.1 FPS improvement over High, while Medium (142.2 FPS) sacrifices visual quality for a 30% performance gain. Users with 144Hz monitors might prefer Medium for smoother gameplay, but High is the balanced choice.

At 1440p, High settings (88.4 FPS) are recommended for most users, as they maintain a frame rate above 60 FPS while offering good visual quality. Ultra (81.9 FPS) is viable but the 6.5 FPS difference from High does not justify the increased load. Medium (116.9 FPS) is ideal for those prioritizing frame rate, especially on 120Hz+ displays.

At 4K, the choice is between High (62.9 FPS) and Ultra (60.9 FPS), with both hovering near 60 FPS. High is the safer recommendation for consistent performance, while Ultra offers a marginal visual upgrade. Low (103.9 FPS) is only suitable for users who prioritize frame rate over all visual fidelity, as the drop from Medium (80.4 FPS) is substantial.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 features 6 cores and 12 threads with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Its Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm process delivers strong single-thread performance, as shown by its 3dmark_single_thread score of 999 and cinebench_r23_singlecore score of 3246. This is critical for Flight Simulator, which relies heavily on single-threaded physics and AI calculations.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also notable, with a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 22992 and a 3dmark_max_threads score of 6503. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support (83.2 GB/s bandwidth) help feed the GPU efficiently. The CPU's 65 W TDP is low, but its boost clock of 5.10 GHz ensures it can keep up with the RTX 4070 SUPER's demands.

In this game, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p and lower settings. The 184.5 FPS at 1080p Low indicates that the CPU can drive high frame rates, but the Ryzen 5 7600's 83rd percentile ranking among all CPUs means it is not a top-tier processor. The nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-11900K, scores 26546 (deltaPct 0.3%), showing the 7600 is competitive but not exceptional. The CPU's 6 cores might limit performance in scenarios with heavy AI traffic, but for most Flight Simulator sessions, the 7600 provides sufficient compute power.