Microsoft Flight Simulator

# How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2665 out of 2996 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. That places this configuration in the bottom 11% of all tested systems, a poor result for a flight simulator that demands consistent frame delivery. The data shows a system that is severely held back by its graphics component, with the CPU's substantial multi-threading capabilities unable to compensate for the GPU's limitations in this title.

This ranking is not surprising given the GPU's benchmark percentile of 9, meaning the Intel Arc B390 performs better than only 9% of all GPUs in the database. The CPU, by contrast, sits in the 87th percentile among all processors. The stark contrast between these two components explains the overall system ranking. When a top-tier CPU is mated with a bottom-tier GPU, the result is a bottlenecked configuration that underperforms relative to what the processor alone could achieve.

The measured frame rates confirm this assessment. At 1080p Low settings, the combo manages 56 FPS, which is the only playable result in the entire dataset. Every other setting and resolution combination falls below 45 FPS. The system's best 4K performance is 33 FPS on Low settings, which is technically playable but far from smooth. The data indicates that this combo is only viable for Microsoft Flight Simulator at the lowest settings and resolutions, and even then, performance is marginal.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and boosts to 2500 MHz, with 12 ray tracing cores. Its compute capabilities include 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 15.36 TFLOPS of FP16 performance using a 2:1 ratio.

Memory is entirely system-shared, with no dedicated VRAM of its own. The memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent," meaning performance will vary based on the host system's RAM configuration. In this case, the Ryzen 9 5900X supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, which becomes the effective memory bandwidth for the GPU. This shared memory arrangement is a fundamental limitation for a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator, which streams vast amounts of terrain and scenery data.

The GPU's benchmark results are modest: a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it at the 9th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (scoring 1463, just 1.3% lower), the GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% lower), the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% lower), and the GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% lower). These are all entry-level or legacy discrete GPUs, which contextualizes the Arc B390's position in the market. It performs only slightly better than a GT 710, a card that was never intended for modern gaming.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator specifically, the GPU's limitations manifest clearly. The game's heavy reliance on detailed textures and complex geometry means the shared memory bandwidth becomes a bottleneck. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 19 FPS, identical to 4K High at 19 FPS, suggesting the GPU is saturated regardless of quality settings at this resolution. The Arc B390 simply does not have the raw throughput or memory bandwidth to handle this simulator at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-limited across all tested configurations. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 56 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops performance to 45 FPS, a 19.6% reduction. At 4K Low, the frame rate falls to 33 FPS, which is a 41.1% reduction from 1080p. These drops are consistent with a GPU that is overwhelmed as pixel count increases.

The Medium settings show a similar pattern. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 43, dropping to 35 FPS at 1440p Medium (an 18.6% decrease), and further to 26 FPS at 4K Medium (a 39.5% decrease from 1080p). The minimum FPS values at Medium settings are particularly telling: 37 FPS at 1080p, 30 FPS at 1440p, and 22 FPS at 4K. These minimums indicate that even the average frame rates are not consistent, with significant drops during demanding scenes.

High settings exhibit the same trend. At 1080p High, the average is 33 FPS; at 1440p High, it falls to 26 FPS (a 21.2% reduction); and at 4K High, it drops to 19 FPS (a 42.4% reduction from 1080p). Ultra settings show 31 FPS at 1080p, 25 FPS at 1440p, and 19 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra represents a 38.7% performance loss.

The data indicates that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The Ryzen 9 5900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is more than capable of feeding frames in this simulator. The resolution scaling pattern — where performance drops proportionally with pixel count — is classic GPU-bound behavior. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see less variation across resolutions, as the CPU workload remains relatively constant regardless of resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p with Low settings, where the system achieves 56 FPS. This is the only configuration in the entire dataset that approaches smooth, consistent frame rates for a flight simulator. The next closest is 1080p Medium at 43 FPS, which is playable but may exhibit noticeable stuttering during complex scenes, given the minimum FPS of 37.

At 1440p, the best option is Low settings at 45 FPS. This is a viable alternative for users with 1440p displays, though the frame rate is below the 60 FPS target that most players prefer. 1440p Medium drops to 35 FPS, which is borderline for a simulator that benefits from smooth camera pans and instrument readability.

4K is not recommended with this combo. Even at Low settings, the system only manages 33 FPS, and the minimum frame rates are likely to be lower, given the pattern observed at other settings. The 4K Medium measurements show a minimum of 22 FPS, which would make gameplay feel sluggish and unresponsive.

For users seeking the best visual quality while maintaining playability, 1080p Medium at 43 FPS represents the sweet spot. This setting provides a reasonable balance between visual fidelity and frame rate, with average performance that is acceptable for a flight simulator. The 37 FPS minimum is concerning but manageable for non-competitive play. Pushing to High or Ultra at 1080p yields only 33 FPS and 31 FPS respectively, which are marginal improvements in visual quality at a significant cost to smoothness.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: The data shows 1080p Low at 56 FPS is the highest frame rate achievable. For better visuals, 1080p Medium at 43 FPS is the recommended balance, with a minimum of 37 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. It is 1.3% faster than the GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GeForce GT 710.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5900X the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: No. The CPU ranks in the 87th percentile among all processors with a multi-thread score of 39002 in PassMark. The resolution scaling data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, as performance drops proportionally with pixel count.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the system averages 43 FPS. At 4K Medium, it drops to 26 FPS, a 39.5% reduction. The minimum FPS also falls from 37 to 22.

Q: Can this system run Microsoft Flight Simulator at Ultra settings?

A: Technically yes, but the results are poor. 1080p Ultra averages 31 FPS, 1440p Ultra averages 25 FPS, and 4K Ultra averages 19 FPS. None of these are recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance?

A: The Ryzen 9 5900X scores 1527 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 16262 in multi-core, a ratio of roughly 10.7:1. This reflects the 12-core, 24-thread configuration operating effectively.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor from the Ryzen 5000 series, based on the Zen 3 architecture codenamed Vermeer. It operates at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and boosts to 4.80 GHz, with a 105 W TDP. The CPU is manufactured on TSMC's 7 nm process and contains 8,300 million transistors across two 74 mm² dies. It supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, and it has 64 MB of L3 cache along with 512 KB of L2 cache per core and 64 KB of L1 cache per core.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 5900X demonstrates strong multi-threaded capabilities. It scores 9075 in 3DMark's 16-thread test, 6601 in the 8-thread test, and 10075 in the max-thread test. Cinebench R23 results show 16262 points in multi-core and 1527 in single-core. GeekBench scores are 14118 multi-core and 2083 single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score is 39002, with single-thread at 3469. These results place the CPU in the 87th percentile of all processors.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are closely matched. The Intel Core Ultra 7 366H scores 41263, just 0.3% lower than the 5900X's average benchmark score of 41376. The Intel Core Ultra 7 356H is 0.4% lower at 41215, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 is also 0.4% lower at 41208. The Intel Core i7-14650HX is 0.5% higher at 41576. This clustering indicates that the 5900X remains competitive with modern mid-range and upper-mid-range processors.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's role is to handle flight dynamics, AI traffic, and weather simulation, while the GPU renders the world. The 5900X's 12 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom for these tasks. The single-thread performance, measured at 941 in 3DMark's single-thread test and 250 in Cinebench R15 single-core, is sufficient for the simulator's primary game thread. However, the data shows that the CPU's capabilities are wasted in this configuration, as the GPU cannot keep up with the processor's output. The measured frame rates are consistently GPU-limited across all settings and resolutions, meaning the 5900X is waiting on the Arc B390 to finish rendering each frame.