Microsoft Flight Simulator

# CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is an 8-core, 16-thread 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, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, with a theoretical bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The processor sits on the AMD Socket AM5 platform and supports PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes (CPU only).

In benchmark terms, the Ryzen 7 9700F achieves a PassMark multithread score of 36,470 and a single-thread score of 4,691. Its average benchmark score is 69,996, placing it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs. The nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69,875 (0.2% higher), the Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70,163 (0.2% lower), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69,515 (0.7% higher), and the Intel Core i7-14700K scores 69,355 (0.9% higher). This indicates the 9700F is essentially performance-equivalent to those top-tier parts in general compute workloads, with deltas under 1%.

For Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's role is substantial because the simulation engine handles extensive physics, flight dynamics, and world-generation logic that scale with core count and single-thread throughput. The 9700F's 8 cores and 16 threads provide ample parallel capacity for the game's background tasks, while the 5.50 GHz boost clock gives strong single-thread performance for the primary simulation loop. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 101 FPS average, which is the highest measured value across all settings and resolutions. This suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor at lower graphical loads, as the frame rate is high enough to indicate headroom.

The PassMark physics score of 2,122 and floating-point math score of 77,955 further indicate strong computational throughput, which is relevant for flight simulation's continuous aerodynamic and environmental calculations. The integer math score of 120,788 and data compression score of 421,988 show robust general-purpose performance, useful for loading and streaming terrain data. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs means it outperforms the vast majority of installed processors, which is reassuring for a game that can be CPU-intensive in dense scenarios like urban areas or complex weather systems.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture (TU106 chip) using TSMC's 12 nm process. It features 2,176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units, along with 34 ray tracing cores and 272 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is connected via a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card has a 175 W TDP and requires a 450 W suggested PSU, using a single 8-pin power connector.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 2060 SUPER scores 16,462 in PassMark G3D and 6,721 in PassMark GPU Compute, with an average benchmark score of 18,093. It sits in the 62nd percentile among all GPUs. The nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile at 18,159 (0.4% lower), AMD Radeon Pro 5700 at 18,189 (0.5% lower), AMD Radeon RX 460 at 18,373 (1.5% lower), and Intel Arc A770M at 18,383 (1.6% lower). The RTX 2060 SUPER's scores are within 1.6% of these competitors, indicating it performs at a similar level to mid-range mobile and workstation parts from newer generations.

For Microsoft Flight Simulator, the GPU's role becomes more dominant as resolution and settings increase. The measured FPS data shows a clear trend: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 101 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 33 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but become strained at 4K, particularly with High and Ultra presets. The GPU's 62nd percentile ranking means it is below the median of all GPUs, which is expected for an end-of-life Turing card that was released in 2019.

The 7.181 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 224.4 GTexel/s texture rate are adequate for rendering the game's detailed scenery at lower resolutions, but the 105.6 GPixel/s pixel rate limits fill-rate-heavy scenarios at high resolutions. The 34 ray tracing cores are present but the game does not heavily rely on RT, so their impact is minimal. The memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is a key factor; at 4K with High settings, the average FPS of 35 suggests that bandwidth or VRAM capacity is a bottleneck, as the frame rate drops more sharply than would be expected from pure compute scaling.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how the combo scales across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 101, dropping to 81 at 1440p Low and 60 at 4K Low. That is a 19.8% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 40.6% drop from 1080p to 4K. At Medium settings, the averages are 78 FPS at 1080p, 63 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 19.2%, and from 1080p to 4K is 39.7%. For High settings, the averages are 59 FPS at 1080p, 47 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 20.3%, and from 1080p to 4K is 40.7%. At Ultra settings, the averages are 56 FPS at 1080p, 45 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K, with drops of 19.6% and 41.1%, respectively.

The consistency of these percentage drops—roughly 20% from 1080p to 1440p and 40% from 1080p to 4K across all settings—indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the scaling would be more pronounced at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work. Instead, the frame rate decreases almost linearly with pixel count, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The 1080p Low result of 101 FPS shows the CPU can push well beyond 60 FPS, so the CPU is not holding back the system at higher resolutions.

At 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 33 is marginal for a flight simulator, which typically requires smooth frame rates for precise control. The 4K High average of 35 FPS is only slightly better, while 4K Medium reaches 47 FPS, which is more playable but still below 60. The 4K Low average of 60 FPS is exactly at the threshold for smooth gameplay, suggesting that users targeting 4K must accept Low settings to maintain playable frame rates. At 1440p, the situation is better: Medium averages 63 FPS, High averages 47 FPS, and Ultra averages 45 FPS. The 1440p Low average of 81 FPS provides comfortable headroom.

The scaling pattern also reveals that the difference between settings at the same resolution is relatively consistent. At 1080p, the spread from Low to Ultra is 45 FPS (101 to 56); at 1440p, it is 36 FPS (81 to 45); and at 4K, it is 27 FPS (60 to 33). This narrowing spread at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU's compute and memory resources are increasingly taxed, reducing the impact of setting changes. The data suggests that the RTX 2060 SUPER is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring significant compromises.

# FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo, and at what settings?

A: The highest average FPS is 101, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only measured configuration that exceeds 100 FPS, indicating the CPU has sufficient headroom but the GPU limits higher settings.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700F compare to its nearest CPU rival, the Ryzen 9 7940HX?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69,996, while the Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69,875. The delta is 0.2%, meaning the 9700F is essentially equal to the 7940HX in overall CPU performance, despite the latter being a mobile HX-series part.

Q: Is the RTX 2060 SUPER capable of 4K gaming in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: At 4K, the combo achieves 60 FPS on Low settings, 47 FPS on Medium, 35 FPS on High, and 33 FPS on Ultra. Only the Low preset reaches 60 FPS, so 4K is playable only with significant graphical compromises.

Q: What is the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 59 at 1080p to 47 at 1440p and 35 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is approximately 40.7%, which is consistent with the GPU being the primary bottleneck.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER rank against all GPUs?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER is in the 62nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18,093. Its nearest rival, the RTX 3060 Mobile, scores 18,159, which is 0.4% higher.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for any configuration?

A: The only configuration with a reported minimum FPS is Medium settings across all resolutions. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 40 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it is 54 FPS; and at 1080p Medium, it is 67 FPS. No minimum FPS data is available for Low, High, or Ultra settings.

# How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 2,058 out of 2,996 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. This places it in the 31st percentile of all combos, meaning roughly 69% of tested configurations perform better in this specific game. The ranking is notably lower than the individual component percentiles: the CPU is in the 94th percentile, while the GPU is in the 62nd percentile. This discrepancy suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor for this combo's overall standing in the game.

The combo rank of 2,058 out of 2,996 indicates that while the CPU is top-tier, the GPU holds the system back significantly. The measured FPS data supports this: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 101 FPS, which is respectable, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 33 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the highest settings at 4K, as evidenced by the sharp FPS drops.

Compared to other combos, this pairing is in the lower third of tested configurations. The ranking implies that many systems with lower-end CPUs but faster GPUs outperform this combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The game's heavy GPU demands at higher resolutions mean that the RTX 2060 SUPER's age and memory capacity are more consequential than the CPU's strong multi-threaded performance. The data suggests that for this game, the GPU choice matters more than the CPU, and this combo's rank reflects that imbalance.

The 2,996 total combos tested provide a broad context. The 2,058 rank means there are 938 combos that perform worse, but the majority of tested systems deliver higher frame rates. This is not surprising given that the RTX 2060 SUPER is an end-of-life product from 2019, while the Ryzen 7 9700F is a 2025 release. The pairing of a new high-end CPU with an older mid-range GPU creates a bottleneck that is evident in the measured results, particularly at 1440p and 4K.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings levels, providing a comprehensive picture of performance. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves the following average FPS: Low settings at 101 FPS, Medium at 78 FPS (with a minimum of 67 and maximum of 90), High at 59 FPS, and Ultra at 56 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 23 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 19 FPS, and between High and Ultra is only 3 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset offers minimal improvement over High in terms of visual fidelity relative to the FPS cost.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low at 81 FPS, Medium at 63 FPS (with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73), High at 47 FPS, and Ultra at 45 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 18 FPS, from Medium to High is 16 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 2 FPS. The pattern is similar to 1080p, but the absolute values are lower. The 1440p Medium result of 63 FPS is the closest to a 60 FPS target at this resolution, while High and Ultra fall below 50 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the averages are: Low at 60 FPS, Medium at 47 FPS (with a minimum of 40 and maximum of 54), High at 35 FPS, and Ultra at 33 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 13 FPS, from Medium to High is 12 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 2 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings achieve 60 FPS, and Medium is the only other preset that remains above 40 FPS. The minimum FPS of 40 at 4K Medium indicates that even this setting can experience dips below playable levels in demanding scenes.

Comparing the same settings across resolutions, the scaling is consistent. For Low settings, the FPS drops from 101 at 1080p to 81 at 1440p (a 20 FPS loss) and then to 60 at 4K (a 21 FPS loss). For Medium, it goes from 78 to 63 (15 FPS loss) and then to 47 (16 FPS loss). For High, it goes from 59 to 47 (12 FPS loss) and then to 35 (12 FPS loss). For Ultra, it goes from 56 to 45 (11 FPS loss) and then to 33 (12 FPS loss). The absolute FPS loss is relatively constant across settings, but the percentage loss increases as the baseline FPS decreases.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and frame rate preference. For 1080p, the Medium preset at 78 FPS average is the best balance, as it provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while offering better visual quality than Low. The High preset at 59 FPS is just below 60, which may cause occasional stutters in a flight simulator. Ultra at 56 FPS is not worth the extra performance cost over High, given the minimal FPS difference. Therefore, for 1080p, Medium is recommended for smooth gameplay, with High acceptable for users who prefer visual fidelity over a strict 60 FPS target.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 63 FPS is the only setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS. Low at 81 FPS provides more headroom but sacrifices visual quality. High at 47 FPS and Ultra at 45 FPS are below 50 FPS, which may be playable in a slower-paced flight simulator but could feel less responsive. The recommended choice for 1440p is Medium, as it delivers a playable frame rate while maintaining reasonable graphical detail. Users with lower sensitivity to frame rate drops might consider High, but the data shows it averages 47 FPS, which is 21% lower than Medium.

For 4K, the situation is more constrained. Low settings at 60 FPS is the only preset that hits the 60 FPS target, making it the recommended choice for users who prioritize smoothness. Medium at 47 FPS is a compromise, offering better visuals but with a 22% FPS reduction. High at 35 FPS and Ultra at 33 FPS are below 40 FPS, which is generally considered too low for a flight simulator where precise control is needed. The minimum FPS of 40 on 4K Medium suggests that even this setting can drop below 40 in demanding moments, so Low is the safest recommendation for 4K.

The data shows that the RTX 2060 SUPER is best utilized at 1080p with Medium or High settings, or at 1440p with Medium settings. The 4K resolution is only viable with Low settings, and even then, the average FPS is exactly 60, leaving no headroom for stutters. The recommendation is to prioritize 1080p or 1440p gameplay over 4K, as the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and bandwidth are insufficient for higher presets at 4K. For users who must play at 4K, Low settings are the only option that provides a playable experience, and even that may require accepting occasional frame drops.