Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a uniquely demanding title, and the data for the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti reveals a system that is well-balanced across the board, though the bottlenecks shift predictably as the resolution climbs. The measured results show a component pairing that can handle the flight sim at high frame rates even at 4K, but the scaling from 1080p to 4K indicates where the architecture of this particular build starts to strain. This analysis will break down the measured FPS data, the roles of the CPU and GPU, and how this combination stacks up against the wider benchmark database.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the "High" preset, the average frame rate falls from 113 FPS at 1080p to 91 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 67 FPS at 4K. This represents a substantial decline of roughly 40% from the 1080p figure at 4K, which is a strong indicator that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The same pattern holds for the "Ultra" preset, where the average drops from 108 FPS at 1080p to 87 FPS at 1440p and 64 FPS at 4K.

The "Low" preset shows the most dramatic scaling, with the average FPS moving from 193 at 1080p to 156 at 1440p and 115 at 4K. This steep drop-off at lower settings suggests that the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates at 1080p, but the GPU's workload becomes more dominant as the resolution scales. Even at 4K with "Low" settings, the system maintains a respectable 115 FPS, indicating that the combination can handle the game's demands even in the most demanding resolution tested.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not linear. At "Medium" settings, the average FPS goes from 150 at 1080p to 121 at 1440p and 89 at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K widens as settings increase, which is classic behavior for a GPU-bound workload. The RTX 4070 Ti's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for the game, but the resolution scaling shows that the card's compute is what ultimately caps performance at higher resolutions.

The data shows that the system achieves playable frame rates at all tested resolutions, but the 4K results, especially at "Ultra" and "High" presets, are closer to the 60 FPS threshold. This suggests that for a smooth experience at 4K, the user may need to accept the "Medium" preset, which delivers 89 FPS. The resolution scaling data makes it clear that the RTX 4070 Ti is the decisive component for this game at higher resolutions, while the CPU's 6-core/12-thread configuration is not a bottleneck, even at 1080p with 193 FPS on "Low".

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is a substantial piece of hardware, and its role in this benchmark is clear. With 12 GB of GDDR6X memory, a 192-bit bus, and a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, the card provides enough memory and throughput for this simulation. The GPU's 7680 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs are all put to work, and its boost clock of 2610 MHz helps maintain high frame rates.

The GPU's percentile vs all GPUs is 84, which places it above the vast majority of cards in the database. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile (avg score 45152, with a deltaPct of -0.8), the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT (avg score 45384, deltaPct -1.3), and the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (avg score 44075, deltaPct 1.6). The RTX 4070 Ti's own avgBenchmarkScore is 44795, which is slightly below the RTX 5090 Mobile and the Radeon Pro 5500 XT, but above the RTX A6000. In the context of this game, the GPU's performance is more relevant than its synthetic score, but this ranking shows it is a top-tier card.

The 12 GB of VRAM is a notable consideration. At 4K, the game's texture and geometry data can be demanding, but the 12 GB capacity appears sufficient for the presets tested, as the card maintains playable frame rates. The GPU's memory clock is listed as 1313 MHz, which translates to 21 Gbps effective, and the memory bandwidth is 504.2 GB/s. The card's design includes a dual-slot cooler and a 16-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 600 W, but these are not relevant to the FPS numbers.

The GPU's role is to render the scene, and the data shows that it is doing so effectively. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 64, which is just under the 60 FPS line, but the "Medium" preset at 4K delivers 89 FPS. The "Low" preset at 4K hits 115 FPS. This suggests that the RTX 4070 Ti is not the limiting factor at lower presets, but at higher presets and resolutions, it is the component that determines the final frame rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its performance in this game is reflected in the 1080p results, where the CPU is not the bottleneck for most settings. At 1080p with "Low" settings, the system achieves 193 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU efficiently.

The CPU has an L3 cache of 32 MB shared, and its memory support is DDR5, which contributes to its strong performance. Its single-threaded performance is a key attribute for a flight simulator, which often relies on a primary thread. The Ryzen 5 9600X's 3dmark single-thread score is 1253, and its Geekbench single-core score is 2923. These are good numbers, but the game's performance is not solely dependent on them.

The CPU's percentile is 81, and its average benchmark score is 29713. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE (avg score 29656, deltaPct 0.2), the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (avg score 29868, deltaPct -0.5), and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT (avg score 29879, deltaPct -0.6). The Ryzen 5 9600X's score is lower than these, but the differences are minimal, within 0.8%.

In the context of this game, the CPU's role is to manage the simulation's logic and physics. The 6-core/12-thread design is more than sufficient for this title, as the 1080p "Ultra" preset still produces 108 FPS. This indicates that the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output, even at the highest settings tested. The 1080p "Medium" result of 150 FPS is further evidence that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU's boost clock of 5.40 GHz is high, which helps with the game's single-threaded nature, and the 32 MB L3 cache provides enough cache for the game's data.

The CPU's performance does not scale as much as the GPU's when the resolution drops. At 4K, the CPU's workload is relatively lighter, since the GPU is rendering the bulk of the scene. The 4K "Low" result of 115 FPS is a clear sign that the CPU can still deliver high frame rates even when the GPU is less stressed. The data shows that a 6-core processor is sufficient for this game, and the Ryzen 5 9600X's performance is not a limiting factor in this benchmark.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset to use for a given resolution. At 1080p, the "Ultra" preset delivers 108 FPS, which is a great experience for most users. The "High" preset also delivers 113 FPS, so either is suitable. The "Medium" and "Low" presets are higher FPS, but the visual trade-offs may not be worth it.

At 1440p, the "High" preset averages 91 FPS, which is a smooth, playable experience. The "Ultra" preset at 87 FPS is also good, but the "Medium" preset at 121 FPS provides a significant FPS boost for a slight visual trade-off. For a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, the visual detail is important, so "High" or "Ultra" are the recommended presets.

At 4K, the "Ultra" preset's 64 FPS is just above the 60 FPS line, but it might not be stable for all scenes. The "High" preset at 67 FPS is also close to the threshold. The "Medium" preset, at 89 FPS, is the best choice for 4K, as it provides a solid performance. The "Low" preset at 115 FPS is the highest, but it sacrifices too much detail for a flight simulator.

The data shows that the "Medium" preset is the sweet spot for this system. At every resolution, the "Medium" preset provides a frame rate that is above the 60 FPS line, with the "Low" preset being the only one that goes higher. The "Medium" preset at 4K is 89 FPS, which is 25 FPS higher than "Ultra" and 22 FPS higher than "High". This makes it the most balanced choice for the game.

For the best experience, the "Medium" preset is recommended for all resolutions, as it offers the highest frame rates with a reasonable visual quality. The "High" preset is also a good choice for 1080p and 1440p, but it is a bit close to the 60 FPS line at 4K. "Ultra" is only for those who prioritize visual fidelity over a steady frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of 3714 tested combos, this combination of the Ryzen 5 9600X and the RTX 4070 Ti ranks 427th. This places it in the top 11.5% of all tested combos, which is a strong result. The rank of 427 indicates that this is a high-performance pairing, but it's not the absolute top, as there are 426 other combos that outperform it in this game.

The combo's rank is a reflection of both the CPU and GPU's performance in this specific game. The GPU's percentile of 84 and the CPU's percentile of 81 are both high, and they combine to form a powerful system. The rank of 427 is a good indicator of the system's ability to run Microsoft Flight Simulator well.

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU are all close in synthetic scores, but the actual game performance is what matters. The rank shows that this combo is better than most, but there are other combos with higher-end GPUs or CPUs that can push the frame rates higher. The 427th rank is a solid position, and it confirms that this is a system that can handle the game's high demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the performance of this combo across all resolutions and presets. At 4K, the "Medium" preset delivers an average of 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. The "Low" preset at 4K delivers 115 FPS, while the "High" preset delivers 67 FPS and the "Ultra" preset delivers 64 FPS.

At 1440p, the "Low" preset delivers 156 FPS, the "Medium" preset delivers 121 FPS (min 103, max 139), the "High" preset delivers 91 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset delivers 87 FPS. At 1080p, the "Low" preset delivers 193 FPS, the "Medium" preset delivers 150 FPS (min 128, max 173), the "High" preset delivers 113 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset delivers 108 FPS.

The min FPS values are only available for the "Medium" preset at each resolution. At 4K, the min is 76 FPS, at 1440p the min is 103 FPS, and at 1080p the min is 128 FPS. These min FPS figures are useful for understanding the worst-case performance, and they all stay above 60 FPS, which is a good sign for smoothness.

The data is comprehensive, and it shows a system that can handle this game at all settings, with the "Medium" preset being the most balanced. The "Low" preset is the fastest, but the "Ultra" preset is the slowest. The difference between the "Low" and "Ultra" presets at 1080p is 85 FPS, which is a large gap that reflects the GPU's workload.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this combo at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 4K Ultra is 64 FPS.

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

A: The Ryzen 5 9600X has an average benchmark score of 29713, which is 0.2% above the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5750GE (29656), 0.5% below the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (29868), and 0.6% below the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT (29879).

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K in this game?

A: The "Medium" preset at 4K delivers an average of 89 FPS, which is the highest average frame rate above 60 FPS for that resolution.

Q: What is the min FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The min FPS at 1080p with Medium settings is 128 FPS, with an average of 150 FPS and a max of 173 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's performance rank among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti is in the 84th percentile for all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44795.

Q: What is the combo rank for this system in this game?

A: This system ranks 427 out of 3714 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator.