Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is notoriously demanding, and this pairing of an AMD Ryzen 7 5700G with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 creates a fascinating bottleneck dynamic. The data shows a system where the CPU is firmly in the mid-range while the GPU is a flagship part, and the benchmark results clearly illustrate where the ceiling lies. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, focusing on how the processor’s capabilities shape the experience across resolutions and settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, using the Cezanne codename on a 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. This is a 5000-series chip on the AM4 socket, supporting DDR4 memory. Its cache layout includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a 16 MB L3 cache. The processor’s benchmark scores place it in the 79th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27051. Its nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Core i9-9900K, which scores 27097 (a 0.2% difference), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 445, which scores 26936 (a 0.4% difference). This puts the 5700G in a competitive position against older high-end parts, but it is not a top-tier performer by modern standards.

In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU’s role is substantial. This game is known for its complex flight models and scenery generation, which rely heavily on single-thread performance and cache efficiency. The 5700G’s single-thread scores, such as 899 in 3dMark single-thread and 1494 in Cinebench R23 single-core, indicate a moderate capability for handling the game’s primary simulation thread. The multithreaded scores, like 12830.5 in Cinebench R23 multicore, show that it can manage the additional background tasks, but the game’s core simulation logic often cannot utilize all 16 threads effectively. This means the CPU can become a limiting factor, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU has headroom to render more frames. The data suggests that while the 5700G is a capable processor, its performance profile is the primary constraint in this combination, preventing the RTX 5090 from achieving its full potential in frame rate output.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The performance of this specific combination—the Ryzen 7 5700G paired with the RTX 5090—is recorded in the database with a combination rank of 158 out of 3714 tested combos. This places the system in the top 5% of all tested configurations for this game, which is a strong overall result. However, the rank is heavily influenced by the GPU’s immense power, and it does not reflect a balanced pairing. The data shows that the RTX 5090 alone sits in the 92nd percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79842. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB and 12 GB variants, which score 79605 and 79396, respectively, with a 0.3% and 0.6% difference.

The combo rank of 158 is an indication of the absolute performance ceiling, but it is not the whole story. When compared to other combos, this rank is achieved despite the CPU’s mid-range standing. The 5700G’s 79th percentile CPU rank is significantly lower than the GPU’s 92nd percentile rank. This disparity suggests that the combo is not optimized for balanced performance; instead, it is a high-end GPU held back by a mid-range processor. The benchmark results show that the system is capable of high frame rates, but the CPU limits the consistency and the ability to push higher FPS at lower resolutions. In essence, the rank of 158 reflects the GPU’s dominance, but a builder should understand that the CPU is the component that will prevent this system from climbing higher in the rankings.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data across resolutions provides a clear picture of the system’s scaling behavior and identifies the limiting component. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 174 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the average drops to 161 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 142 FPS. This is a relatively modest decline from 1080p to 4K, with the 4K score being about 18% lower than the 1080p score. This pattern indicates that the CPU is the primary limiter at lower resolutions, as the GPU is not being fully utilized. The frame rate is being capped by the CPU’s ability to process the game’s simulation logic, not by the GPU’s rendering capabilities.

The scaling becomes more pronounced when looking at higher settings. At Ultra settings, the 1080p average is 133 FPS, 1440p is 107 FPS, and 4K is 79 FPS. In this case, the 4K score is about 41% lower than the 1080p score. This larger drop suggests that the GPU is now becoming more of a limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. The RTX 5090 is still powerful, but the increased computational load at 4K Ultra is starting to strain it, even with the CPU being a bottleneck. The difference in scaling between Low and Ultra settings shows that at low settings, the CPU is the hard limit, while at high settings, the load shifts more toward the GPU. For this combo, the sweet spot is likely at 1440p, where the balance between CPU and GPU load results in a playable experience without the CPU being the sole constraint.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The detailed measured FPS numbers across all resolutions and settings are as follows. At 1920x1080, the system produces an average of 174 FPS on Low, 158 FPS on Medium, 139 FPS on High, and 133 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting shows a minimum of 135 FPS and a maximum of 182 FPS, providing a frame time variance that is typical for this title. At 2560x1440, the averages are 161 FPS on Low, 147 FPS on Medium, 112 FPS on High, and 107 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting at this resolution has a minimum of 125 FPS and a maximum of 170 FPS. Finally, at 3840x2160, the averages are 142 FPS on Low, 110 FPS on Medium, 83 FPS on High, and 79 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Medium setting records a minimum of 94 FPS and a maximum of 127 FPS.

These numbers reveal a specific trend. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is only 41 FPS, while at 4K, the difference is 63 FPS. This indicates that the CPU is more of a restriction at lower resolutions, where the GPU can easily keep up, but the CPU limits the frame rate ceiling. At 4K, the GPU is also being taxed, and the gap between settings widens as the GPU becomes a more significant factor. The 1080p Low result of 174 FPS is the highest average recorded, but it is far below what the RTX 5090 could achieve with a stronger CPU. The 4K Ultra result of 79 FPS is respectable but shows that the CPU is still holding back the GPU from pushing higher frame rates at the most demanding settings.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a flagship GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. It has a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, with a TDP of 575 W. The GPU architecture is Blackwell 2.0, built on a 5 nm process, and it features 21760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster operation units. Its benchmark scores place it in the 92nd percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79842. The GPU’s nearest rivals, as listed in the database, are the NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants, which are significantly older and have lower specifications, indicating the RTX 5090’s dominance in raw compute.

In this game, the GPU’s role is to render the vast landscapes and detailed aircraft, and its 32 GB of VRAM ensures that even the highest resolution textures will not cause memory limitations. The boost clock of 2407 MHz allows for substantial processing power, but the measured FPS results show that the GPU is not always the limiting factor. At 1080p, the GPU is underutilized because the CPU cannot feed it enough data, leading to lower frame rates than the GPU could theoretically produce. At 4K, the GPU becomes more engaged, and the FPS drops are more noticeable as the GPU’s rendering workload increases. The data implies that the RTX 5090 is a capable component, but its performance is capped by the 5700G’s processing power, especially at lower resolutions. For a game like Flight Simulator, which is CPU-intensive, the GPU’s massive memory and bandwidth are beneficial for texture streaming, but the core simulation speed remains the bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the best experience for this combination is achieved at 1440p with High settings. This configuration yields an average of 112 FPS, which is a smooth and playable frame rate for a flight simulator. The 1080p High setting provides a higher average of 139 FPS, but the increase from 1440p to 1080p is not worth the loss in visual fidelity for a game that relies heavily on scenery detail. The 4K High setting drops to 83 FPS, which is still playable but may not be consistent enough for a smooth experience during complex flight maneuvers.

For users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, the 1440p Ultra setting, with an average of 107 FPS, is a strong choice. It offers a significant visual upgrade over High while maintaining a playable frame rate. The 4K Ultra setting at 79 FPS is the most demanding option, and while it is playable, it shows the CPU’s limitations, as the frame rate is not high enough to fully take advantage of the RTX 5090’s capabilities. The Low settings are not recommended, as they produce high frame rates (174 FPS at 1080p, 161 FPS at 1440p, 142 FPS at 4K) but sacrifice too much visual detail for a game where immersion is key. The Medium settings offer a middle ground, with 158 FPS at 1080p and 147 FPS at 1440p, but the jump to High provides a better balance of performance and visual quality. In summary, the data suggests that 1440p High or Ultra is the optimal target, providing a solid frame rate while leveraging the GPU’s power without being excessively held back by the CPU.