Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is an exceptionally demanding title, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G and Intel Arc B370 produces a very specific performance profile. The measured data indicates that this system is positioned at the lower end of the spectrum for this simulator, with a combo rank of 2770 out of 2996 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom tier, meaning users should expect significant compromises in visual fidelity to achieve playable frame rates. The data shows a system that is heavily constrained, and the following analysis breaks down exactly what those constraints mean for the gaming experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark results place this hardware pairing at rank 2770 out of 2996 tested combos for Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the 8th percentile of all tested systems. This is a low ranking that reflects the fundamental performance ceiling of the components. The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution, and its performance percentile of 5 versus all GPUs confirms it is operating at the very entry-level. While the CPU is more capable, ranking in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, it cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations in this GPU-bound title.

The performance delta between this combo and the top-tier systems is substantial. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 50 FPS, but this drops to 28 FPS at Ultra settings. This is a clear indicator that the graphics processor is the primary bottleneck. The CPU, while not top-tier, is far more capable than the GPU. For context, the Ryzen 7 5700G's average benchmark score of 27051 puts it in the same league as the Intel Core i9-9900K, which scores 27097, a delta of -0.2%. This means the CPU is a solid mid-range performer, but it is paired with a GPU that scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is comparable to the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, delta -0.5%). This massive disparity between CPU and GPU capability defines the system's overall rank.

The low combo rank is not a surprise given the hardware profile. The Intel Arc B370's 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 25 W TDP are indicative of its limited compute resources for a complex simulation like Microsoft Flight Simulator. The system simply does not have the graphical horsepower to drive high resolutions or high detail settings smoothly.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is found at 1080p with Low settings. This is the only configuration that consistently provides a frame rate that approaches playability, with an average of 50 FPS. While 50 FPS is not ideal for a fast-paced action game, in a flight simulator where smoothness is less critical than stability, it provides a usable experience. The min FPS data is only available for Medium settings, where the 1080p row shows a minimum of 33 FPS, suggesting that Low settings would likely have a higher minimum, but this is not measured.

Moving to Medium settings at 1080p yields an average of 39 FPS. This is a significant visual upgrade over Low, but the drop of 11 FPS and the measured minimum of 33 FPS indicate a less stable experience. For users who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate, this is a viable option, but it will be more demanding on the system. High settings at 1080p drop the average to 30 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a simulator. Ultra settings at 1080p are not recommended, as the average of 28 FPS will feel sluggish, especially in dense urban areas or during complex weather scenarios.

At 1440p, the data shows that even Low settings only achieve 41 FPS. This is a considerable drop from 1080p and suggests that this resolution is only viable for the lowest visual preset. The 4K data is largely academic, with even Low settings only managing 30 FPS. The recommendation is clear: for the best balance of visual quality and performance, use 1080p with Low settings. If a smoother experience is not a priority, Medium settings at 1080p is the highest preset that keeps the average FPS above the 30 FPS threshold.

FAQ

Q: Is this system capable of running Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows that at 4K, the system achieves an average of 30 FPS on Low settings, 23 FPS on Medium, 18 FPS on High, and 17 FPS on Ultra. These frame rates are below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience, indicating that 4K is not a practical resolution for this combo.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware?

A: The benchmark results indicate that 1920x1080 with Low settings provides the highest average frame rate of 50 FPS. This is the only configuration that offers a comfortable level of performance for this simulator.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G's average benchmark score is 27051. This is 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i9-9900K (score 27097) and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 (score 26936). It also outperforms the Intel Core i7-1370P by 0.6% (26900).

Q: How does the GPU performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B370's average benchmark score is 1184. This is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186) and 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190). It is 1.4% higher than the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data strongly suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The system's rank of 2770 out of 2996 is far more consistent with the GPU's 5th percentile ranking than the CPU's 79th percentile. The steep FPS drops when increasing resolution and settings further confirm that the graphics processor is overwhelmed.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 50 FPS on Low settings and 28 FPS on Ultra settings. This represents a 44% decrease in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. The data is most complete for the Medium preset, which includes minimum and maximum frame rates for all resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system's best performance is with Low settings, averaging 50 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 39 FPS, with a minimum of 33 and a maximum of 45 FPS. High settings average 30 FPS, and Ultra settings average 28 FPS. This shows a clear and consistent degradation in performance as visual fidelity increases. The 1080p resolution is the only one where the system can consistently achieve 30 FPS or higher across all settings, making it the recommended resolution.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings average 41 FPS, which is a 9 FPS drop from the same settings at 1080p. Medium settings average 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 36 FPS. High settings average 24 FPS, and Ultra settings average 23 FPS. The drop to below 30 FPS for High and Ultra presets makes these settings difficult to recommend at this resolution. Even at Low settings, the 41 FPS average is noticeably less smooth than at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings manage an average of 30 FPS, which is the bare minimum for playability. Medium settings average 23 FPS, with a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 27 FPS. High settings average 18 FPS, and Ultra settings average 17 FPS. The 4K data confirms that this resolution is not viable for this hardware combination, as all settings produce frame rates well below the 30 FPS target for a comfortable experience.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the decisive component in this system's performance. Its integrated nature is the key factor, with a TDP of just 25 W and shared system memory. The GPU has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 render output units, with a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The data shows that its performance ceiling is extremely low, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs.

This GPU's limitations are immediately apparent in the FPS data. The system's inability to maintain high frame rates at any resolution above 1080p is a direct consequence of the B370's compute capabilities. The FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS is insufficient for the complex lighting, shadow, and terrain rendering required by Microsoft Flight Simulator. The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means it shares bandwidth with the CPU, further limiting performance in a memory-intensive title.

The GPU's 10 ray tracing cores are present, but the low pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s indicate that enabling such features would severely cripple performance. The data suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as increasing visual settings from Low to Ultra at 1080p results in a 22 FPS drop. This is a clear sign that the graphics processor is working at its absolute limit even at the lowest settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G provides a solid foundation for this system, though its capabilities are largely untapped in this title. With 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, it has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The CPU's performance is respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12830.5 and a single-core score of 1494. Its average benchmark score of 27051 places it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The system's performance rank of 2770 out of 2996 is far worse than what the CPU's 79th percentile ranking would suggest. This indicates that the CPU has significant headroom, but the GPU cannot deliver the frames for the CPU to process.

The 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support provide adequate bandwidth for the CPU to operate efficiently. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 6629 and 8-thread score of 5648 show that multi-threaded performance is strong. However, in this specific game, the GPU is so weak that even the single-thread performance of the CPU, which scores 899 in 3DMark single-thread, is not the primary concern. The CPU is ready to do more work, but the graphics processor holds the entire system back.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is a clear diagnostic tool for identifying the system's bottleneck. The data shows a consistent and significant drop in performance as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound system.

At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 50 at 1080p to 41 at 1440p (an 18% decrease) and then to 30 at 4K (a further 27% decrease). This linear degradation with pixel count is a strong indicator that the GPU is being pushed to its limits. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 39 at 1080p to 32 at 1440p (an 18% decrease) and then to 23 at 4K (a further 28% decrease). The pattern is consistent.

At High settings, the drop is from 30 at 1080p to 24 at 1440p (a 20% decrease) and then to 18 at 4K (a 25% decrease). At Ultra settings, the system averages 28 FPS at 1080p, 23 at 1440p, and 17 at 4K. The percentage decreases are relatively uniform across all settings, which is typical for a GPU bottleneck.

The data clearly shows that the frame rate is heavily dependent on the number of pixels being rendered. This is a definitive sign that the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting component. A CPU-bound system would show a much smaller FPS drop when moving from 1080p to 4K, as the CPU would be the limiting factor at all resolutions. Here, the FPS drops by roughly 40% to 50% from 1080p to 4K, which confirms that the GPU is saturated and cannot handle the increased pixel workload. The system is fundamentally limited by its graphics processor, and no amount of CPU headroom can overcome this physical constraint.