Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator presents an unusually demanding workload, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces a predictable, if not spectacular, experience. The data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the capable eight-core processor ensures that the simulation remains fluid when graphical settings are lowered. The benchmark results paint a clear picture of a pairing that can handle the sim, provided the user is willing to adjust expectations and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals a system heavily reliant on the graphics card. At 1080p with High settings, the average frame rate is 43 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 38.5 FPS, a modest decline of about 11%. However, the jump to 2160p High is far more punishing, with the average frame rate falling to 25.4 FPS. This represents a 41% reduction from the 1440p figure and a 41% drop from 1080p, indicating that the pixel-pushing demands of 4K are overwhelming the GTX 1660 SUPER.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the system manages 76.6 FPS at 1080p, which is a very playable number. At 1440p Low, it drops to 64.6 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 47.7 FPS. While the 4K Low result is technically playable, the gap between 1080p and 4K is still significant, showing that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the resolution increase takes a heavy toll on the GPU. The data suggests that the GTX 1660 SUPER’s 6 GB of VRAM and 192-bit memory interface are simply not equipped for the massive texture and shading workloads at 4K.

The most telling observation is the behavior at Ultra settings. At 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 44.4 FPS, which is actually higher than the 43 FPS at High settings. This anomaly suggests that the CPU is capable of pushing more frames, but the GPU is becoming the limiting factor, and the difference between High and Ultra at this resolution is marginal. The situation becomes clearer at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS collapses to 26.5, a figure that is only marginally better than the 25.4 FPS at High settings. This compression of frame rates at 4K across different settings is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck; the graphics card is saturated regardless of the quality preset, so the settings have less impact on the final frame rate. The limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT is a formidable processor, and its role in Microsoft Flight Simulator is to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain a stable frame rate. With 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, it offers substantial multi-threaded performance. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23794 and a single-core score of 3359. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7683 and max-thread score of 7680 indicate that the processor scales well with the workload, ensuring that the simulation's complex physics and AI calculations are handled without becoming a bottleneck.

The CPU's clock speeds are also a factor. With a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, the 5800XT has the single-thread performance that flight simulators often rely on for core game logic. This is evidenced by the fact that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 76.6 FPS, a figure that is significantly higher than the 43 FPS at High settings. This large jump when lowering the graphics load suggests that the CPU is capable of producing many more frames than the GPU can render, but the GPU is holding it back at higher settings. The processor is not the primary limiter here; it has the headroom to do more work.

The data also shows that the CPU's performance is in line with its direct competitors. Its average benchmark score is 29774, which places it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs. Compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS, its score is only 0.3% lower, and it is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE. This indicates that the 5800XT is a very solid performer, with the multi-threading capabilities to handle the demands of the simulation. The CPU's role is to provide a stable platform, and the results show that it does so effectively, with the frame rate limits being imposed by the graphics card, not the processor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the decisive factor in this pairing. The benchmark results indicate that it is the component that dictates the overall performance envelope, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The GPU has a boost clock of 1785 MHz and a base clock of 1530 MHz, with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. While this was a capable mid-range card at its launch, the data shows it is struggling with the demands of a modern simulation like Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K.

The GPU's performance profile is clear. Its PassMark G3D score is 12699, which places it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 14286. It is extremely close to its nearest rivals, with the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT being only 0.7% faster and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 being 0.5% slower. This indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER is a solid, if unspectacular, performer. However, the game-specific data shows that this performance is insufficient for high-fidelity 4K gaming, where the average FPS falls below 30 across all settings.

The GPU's role is most evident in the scaling between resolutions. At 1080p, the card can provide a playable experience, with a 63.1 FPS average at Medium settings and 44.4 FPS at Ultra. However, the move to 1440p cuts these numbers down to 49.4 FPS and 33 FPS, respectively. The drop to 4K is the final nail in the coffin for high-fidelity gaming, with the card only able to manage 36.9 FPS at Medium and 26.5 FPS at Ultra. The 6 GB VRAM is likely a limiting factor here, as 4K textures can easily exceed this capacity. The GPU is clearly the bottleneck in this system, and its capabilities define the boundaries of what is playable.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 63.1 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: At 3840x2160, the average frame rate is 25.4 FPS on High and 47.7 FPS on Low, indicating that 4K is not practical for a smooth experience, especially on higher presets.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT has an average benchmark score that is 0.7% higher than the GTX 1660 SUPER, making them effectively equivalent in performance.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5800XT a limiting factor in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 76.6 FPS, suggesting the CPU has ample headroom and the GPU is the main constraint.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the average frame rate is 38.5 FPS on High settings and 33 FPS on Ultra settings, a difference of 5.5 FPS.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking compared to all other processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT is in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performance processor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table outlines the exact measured average frame rates for the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER combination across all tested resolutions and settings.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 76.6 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 63.1 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 43.0 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 44.4 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 64.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 49.4 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 38.5 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 33.0 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 47.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 36.9 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 25.4 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 26.5 |

The data shows a clear hierarchy. The 1080p Low setting is the only configuration that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, providing a very smooth experience. For a consistent 60 FPS target, users would need to stay at 1080p with Medium or lower settings. At 1440p, the experience becomes more demanding, with only the Low preset exceeding 60 FPS. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p are playable but will require compromises. The 4K resolution is largely out of reach for a smooth experience, with all presets failing to reach 50 FPS. The system's overall rank in the game's benchmark database is 1558 out of 1795 combinations, which puts it in the lower half of tested hardware.