Microsoft Flight Simulator

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is an 8-core, 16-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using TSMC's 4 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, backed by a 32 MB shared L3 cache plus 1 MB L2 per core. The chip's 65 W TDP classifies it as a mainstream power envelope, and it supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The CPU sits at the 94th percentile among all processors in the benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 69,996.

In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's single-thread performance is critical because flight simulation workloads often involve complex flight dynamics, weather systems, and autogen scenery processing that rely heavily on high-frequency cores. The 9700F's passmark single-thread score of 4,691 places it in strong territory for this title. The multi-thread score of 36,470 indicates that the 8-core/16-thread configuration provides ample parallel headroom for background tasks like terrain streaming and AI traffic, though the game's primary simulation loop tends to favor fewer, faster cores.

Benchmark comparisons show the 9700F is tightly clustered with several high-end rivals. It edges out the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX by 0.2% (69,996 vs. 69,875), trails the Intel Core i7-14700KF by 0.2% (70,163), leads the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by 0.7% (69,515), and sits 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700K (69,355). This grouping suggests the 9700F delivers performance parity with some of the strongest desktop and mobile chips available, meaning the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck in this game at most settings.

The measured FPS data reveals that the CPU's capabilities become more evident at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 127 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the 9700F can feed frames quickly when the graphics load is minimal. As resolution increases and the GPU becomes more constrained, the CPU's contribution diminishes relative to the graphics card, but the 9700F's high boost clock ensures it never drags down performance in CPU-bound scenarios like dense urban areas or complex weather systems.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 22 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 7 nm process. It features 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units, along with 40 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2150 MHz, a game clock of 2495 MHz, and a boost clock of 2600 MHz. Memory configuration includes 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s with an effective memory speed of 18 Gbps. The card's pixel rate is 166.4 GPixel/s, and its texture rate reaches 416.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance at 13.31 TFLOPS.

In the benchmark database, the RX 6750 XT holds the 71st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 26,011. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are all older or mobile parts: the AMD Radeon R9 M395X scores 25,891 (0.5% behind), the AMD FirePro W7100 scores 25,856 (0.6% behind), the AMD FirePro D700 scores 25,842 (0.7% behind), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile scores 25,740 (1.1% behind). This indicates the RX 6750 XT is a solid mid-range performer, though not a top-tier card.

For Microsoft Flight Simulator, the GPU's 12 GB VRAM is a notable asset. The game is known for loading large texture packs and detailed scenery, and the 12 GB capacity helps avoid texture swapping at higher settings. The 432.0 GB/s memory bandwidth supports the high-resolution textures and complex geometry that the game renders, particularly when flying over photogrammetry cities or dense forests. The boost clock of 2600 MHz provides the raw computational throughput needed to maintain playable frame rates, though the data shows the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings.

The measured FPS results illustrate the GPU's scaling behavior. At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 42 FPS, while at 4K High it reaches 44 FPS, and 4K Medium hits 59 FPS. The jump to 4K Low yields 75 FPS. This pattern suggests that the RX 6750 XT can handle 4K only at reduced settings, while 1440p and 1080p offer more comfortable margins. The GPU's end-of-life production status does not diminish its current capability, but the data shows it is better suited to 1080p and 1440p gaming than to maxed-out 4K in this title.

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

Examining the measured FPS data across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently delivers the best balance between visual quality and performance. At 1080p, Medium averages 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS and maximum of 113 FPS, which provides a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, Medium averages 79 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS and maximum of 91 FPS, still comfortably playable. At 4K, Medium averages 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 FPS and maximum of 67 FPS, which is borderline but workable for a flight simulator where frame pacing matters less than in fast-action games.

The High preset offers a modest visual uplift over Medium but incurs significant performance costs. At 1080p High, the average drops to 74 FPS, at 1440p High to 60 FPS, and at 4K High to 44 FPS. The Low preset provides the highest frame rates — 127 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, and 75 FPS at 4K — but the visual fidelity loss is substantial for a game that relies heavily on scenery detail and lighting.

The Ultra preset yields the worst performance, with averages of 71 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p, and 42 FPS at 4K. Given that Ultra only provides a marginal visual improvement over High in most flight simulator scenarios, the performance hit is not justified for this hardware combination.

For the best overall experience, the data supports Medium as the recommended preset. It maintains playable frame rates at all three resolutions while preserving enough visual detail to appreciate the game's scenery. At 1080p, users could experiment with High if they prioritize visuals, since 74 FPS is still acceptable, but Medium offers a larger safety margin. At 1440p and 4K, Medium is the clear choice to avoid dropping below 60 FPS.

# How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT ranks 1,304 out of 2,996 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the 56th percentile of all configurations. This middle-of-the-pack ranking reflects the balanced nature of the pairing: the CPU is strong, but the GPU is mid-range, and the combination lands in the upper-mid tier of tested systems.

This rank suggests that while the combo is not among the top performers, it is also not a weak pairing. The 9700F's high single-thread and multi-thread scores ensure that the CPU does not hold back the GPU in most scenarios, and the RX 6750 XT's 12 GB VRAM and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth provide adequate graphics throughput for the game's demands. The rank of 1,304 indicates that many combos with more powerful GPUs or newer architectures outperform this pairing, but it also means that a significant number of tested configurations fall below it.

The data shows that the combo's performance is more limited by the GPU than the CPU, as evidenced by the FPS scaling across resolutions. At 1080p, the combo achieves 127 FPS on Low settings, which is a strong result, but at 4K Ultra it drops to 42 FPS, indicating the GPU cannot sustain high frame rates at that resolution. This pattern is typical for a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1080p to 1440p to 4K. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 127 at 1080p to 102 at 1440p (a 19.7% decrease), and then to 75 at 4K (a 26.5% decrease from 1440p). At Medium settings, the averages are 99 FPS at 1080p, 79 FPS at 1440p (a 20.2% decrease), and 59 FPS at 4K (a 25.3% decrease). At High settings, the averages are 74 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p (an 18.9% decrease), and 44 FPS at 4K (a 26.7% decrease). At Ultra settings, the averages are 71 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p (a 19.7% decrease), and 42 FPS at 4K (a 26.3% decrease).

The consistent pattern of roughly 20% performance loss from 1080p to 1440p and another 25% from 1440p to 4K across all settings indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component. The percentage drops are relatively uniform regardless of the preset, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where the rendering resolution directly impacts the workload. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain more constant across resolutions, particularly at lower settings where the GPU has less work to do.

The fact that the 1080p Low setting (127 FPS) is more than double the 4K Ultra setting (42 FPS) further confirms this analysis. The RX 6750 XT simply does not have enough raw compute power to maintain high frame rates at 4K with demanding settings, while the 9700F's strong single-thread performance allows it to keep up at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames faster. This suggests that users who want to play at 4K should stick to Medium or Low settings, while those at 1080p or 1440p can enjoy higher presets.

# FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1080p Medium averages 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS, while 1440p Medium averages 79 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS. Both are playable, but 1080p offers a larger performance margin, while 1440p provides a better visual experience at still-acceptable frame rates.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: At 4K, the combo averages 59 FPS on Medium settings with a minimum of 50 FPS, and 44 FPS on High. The 4K Medium result is borderline playable, but 4K High and Ultra are not recommended due to the sub-45 FPS averages.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69,996 on average, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (69,875), 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i7-14700KF (70,163), 0.7% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69,515), and 0.9% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700K (69,355).

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT scores 26,011 on average, which is 0.5% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 M395X (25,891), 0.6% higher than the AMD FirePro W7100 (25,856), 0.7% higher than the AMD FirePro D700 (25,842), and 1.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile (25,740).

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

A: The resolution scaling data indicates the GPU is the primary limiting component. FPS drops by roughly 20% from 1080p to 1440p and another 25% from 1440p to 4K across all settings, which is a GPU-bound pattern. The CPU's strong single-thread score of 4,691 suggests it can keep up at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the rank of this combo among all tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 1,304 out of 2,996 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems.

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

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: average 127 FPS
• Medium: average 99 FPS, minimum 84 FPS, maximum 113 FPS
• High: average 74 FPS
• Ultra: average 71 FPS

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: average 102 FPS
• Medium: average 79 FPS, minimum 68 FPS, maximum 91 FPS
• High: average 60 FPS
• Ultra: average 57 FPS

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: average 75 FPS
• Medium: average 59 FPS, minimum 50 FPS, maximum 67 FPS
• High: average 44 FPS
• Ultra: average 42 FPS

The data shows a consistent hierarchy across all resolutions: Low > Medium > High > Ultra, with Medium providing the best balance of performance and visual quality. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings (84 at 1080p, 68 at 1440p, 50 at 4K) indicate that even in demanding scenes, the combo maintains playable frame rates at Medium across all resolutions. The maximum FPS values for Medium (113 at 1080p, 91 at 1440p, 67 at 4K) show that there is headroom in less demanding scenarios, such as high-altitude cruising or sparse terrain. At Low settings, the combo exceeds 100 FPS at both 1080p and 1440p, demonstrating the CPU's ability to drive high frame rates when the GPU workload is light. At Ultra settings, all resolutions fall below 72 FPS, with 4K dropping to 42 FPS, making Ultra impractical for this hardware combination in Microsoft Flight Simulator.