Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator presents an unusual scaling challenge for the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER pairing. The measured frame rates across resolutions reveal a system that is heavily dependent on the graphics settings chosen, with the CPU showing strong headroom at lower presets while the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor as resolution and visual fidelity increase. The data indicates a configuration that can deliver smooth performance at 1080p, but requires careful adjustment to maintain playability at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 produces a dramatic and consistent drop in frame rates across all settings, confirming that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary bottleneck at higher pixel counts. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 100.4 at 1080p to 55.9 at 4K, a reduction of 44.5 frames per second. This steep decline highlights the GPU's limited ability to handle the increased pixel throughput, even with reduced graphical complexity.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similarly pronounced, with averages dropping from 79.3 at 1080p to 45.3 at 4K. The High preset shows a less severe but still significant decrease, moving from 59.0 at 1080p to 36.3 at 4K. The Ultra preset exhibits the smallest absolute drop, from 59.1 at 1080p to 32.8 at 4K, but this is because the frame rates are already constrained at the lower resolution. The pattern suggests that the CPU, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, is not the limiting factor at 1080p, as the frame rates at Low and Medium settings are high enough to indicate substantial headroom. Instead, the data shows a GPU-bound scenario where the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are saturated as resolution increases.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is also telling. At Low settings, the average drops from 100.4 to 80.3, which is a 20% reduction. This indicates that even at 1440p, the system retains some CPU-bound characteristics, but the GPU is starting to become more involved. From 1440p to 4K, the drop is more pronounced, with Low settings falling from 80.3 to 55.9, a 30% decrease. This suggests that the GPU's compute capabilities, rated at 7.181 TFLOPS for FP32, are being fully utilized at 4K, while the CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 1049 and multi-thread score of 8484 provide sufficient processing power to keep up with the simulation's physics and AI at lower resolutions.

GPU Role

The RTX 2060 SUPER's specifications directly explain the observed performance characteristics. With a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, the GPU operates within a modest frequency range, and its 2176 shading units are tasked with rendering the complex scenery and dynamic lighting of Microsoft Flight Simulator. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, paired with a 256-bit bus, provides a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is adequate for 1080p and 1440p but becomes strained at 4K, especially at higher settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores further contextualize its role. Its Passmark G3D score of 16462 places it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating a mid-range performer. The nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with a deltaPct of 0.5, show that the 2060 SUPER is not far behind its more powerful sibling in synthetic tests. However, the measured FPS data reveals that in this specific game, the GPU is the dominant constraint at higher resolutions. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 suggests that the GPU can handle modern APIs, but the demanding nature of Flight Simulator's rendering pipeline, which includes extensive use of textures and geometry, overwhelms the 2060 SUPER at 4K.

The GPU's memory capacity is a critical factor. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS of 32.8 is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and this is likely due to the 8 GB VRAM being fully consumed, leading to potential texture swapping and reduced performance. The fact that the difference between High and Ultra at 4K is only 3.5 FPS (36.3 vs 32.8) suggests that the GPU is not only bandwidth-limited but also compute-limited, as the additional visual effects of the Ultra preset do not translate into a proportional frame rate penalty. This behavior points to a system where the GPU is working at its maximum capacity, and any further increase in settings yields diminishing returns.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance for this configuration is the High preset at 1920x1080. This setting yields an average FPS of 59.0, which is playable for a flight simulator, and it provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium, which averages 79.3 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra at 1080p is negligible in terms of performance, with only a 0.1 FPS difference (59.0 vs 59.1), but it is likely to consume more VRAM without providing a noticeable improvement in frame rate. Therefore, High is the sweet spot for 1080p, as it offers a stable experience without the unnecessary overhead of Ultra.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. The average FPS of 65.9 is smooth, and it is a substantial improvement over High, which averages 44.8 FPS. The Low preset at 1440p, which averages 80.3 FPS, is an option for users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, but Medium offers a better balance for a simulator where scenery detail is important. At 4K, the data suggests that only the Low preset, with an average of 55.9 FPS, provides a playable experience. The Medium preset at 45.3 FPS is borderline, and High and Ultra are not recommended due to their sub-40 FPS averages.

The measured data shows that the RTX 2060 SUPER is not capable of delivering high or ultra settings at 4K with this CPU. The best experience at 4K is achieved with Low settings, which still provides a relatively smooth 55.9 FPS average, but this comes at the cost of significant visual detail. For most users, the 1440p Medium preset is the best overall compromise, as it maintains a high frame rate while retaining enough graphical fidelity to appreciate the game's environments.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings is viable. Low settings produce the highest average FPS at 100.4, while Medium achieves 79.3. High and Ultra are nearly identical, with averages of 59.0 and 59.1 respectively. This near-identical performance between High and Ultra suggests that the CPU, with its 5.30 GHz boost clock, is not a limiting factor at this resolution, and the GPU is able to handle the increased load of Ultra without a significant penalty.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across all settings. Low averages 80.3 FPS, which is still very playable. Medium averages 65.9 FPS, providing a good balance. High drops to 44.8 FPS, which is acceptable for a flight simulator, but the difference between Medium and High is a 21.1 FPS reduction, indicating a steep performance cliff. Ultra averages 43.6 FPS, which is only slightly lower than High, suggesting that the GPU is reaching its limits.

At 3840x2160, the performance is heavily constrained. Low averages 55.9 FPS, which is the only setting that provides a smooth experience. Medium averages 45.3 FPS, which is marginal. High averages 36.3 FPS, and Ultra averages 32.8 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 9.0 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is only 3.5 FPS, further confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution. The data clearly shows that the RTX 2060 SUPER is not designed for 4K gaming in this title, and users should expect to use Low settings to achieve acceptable performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The 2560x1440 resolution with Medium settings provides the best balance, yielding an average FPS of 65.9. At 1920x1080, High settings also work well, with an average of 59.0 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 32.8, which is not playable. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM and compute capabilities are insufficient for this workload.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 19774, which is 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070's score of 19680. This indicates they are closely matched in performance.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No. At Low settings, the average FPS of 100.4 at 1080p indicates the CPU, with its 16 threads and 29302 Cinebench R23 multi-core score, provides ample processing power. The GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Medium at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 80.3 FPS, while Medium settings average 65.9 FPS. This is a difference of 14.4 FPS, showing a moderate performance cost for the visual upgrade.

Q: Does the Ultra preset offer any benefit over High at 1080p?

A: The measured data shows no performance benefit. At 1920x1080, High averages 59.0 FPS and Ultra averages 59.1 FPS, a negligible 0.1 FPS difference. The visual improvements come at no additional frame rate cost.