Microsoft Flight Simulator

# Microsoft Flight Simulator — AMD Ryzen 9 5900X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060

This combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 produces a playable but not exceptional experience in Microsoft Flight Simulator, ranking 1978th out of 3714 tested combos. The data reveals a system where the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the CPU's strong multi-threaded performance helps maintain frame rates at lower settings. The measured FPS values across three resolutions and four quality presets offer a clear picture of where this hardware pairing excels and where it struggles.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the magnitude of that decline varies significantly by settings preset. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 119 FPS at 1920x1080 to 96 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 23 FPS, and further to 71 FPS at 3840x2160, another 25 FPS drop. This scaling pattern suggests that at Low settings, the system retains enough headroom that the resolution transition from 1440p to 4K costs roughly the same as the jump from 1080p to 1440p, indicating neither component is fully saturated.

At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 93 at 1920x1080 to 75 at 2560x1440 (an 18 FPS decline), then to 55 at 3840x2160 (a 20 FPS decline). The consistency of these drops — about 19-20% per resolution step — points to a balanced workload where both CPU and GPU contribute to the frame rate. However, at High settings, the pattern shifts: 70 FPS at 1080p drops to 56 FPS at 1440p (14 FPS loss) and then to 42 FPS at 4K (another 14 FPS loss). The proportional decline becomes more severe at higher resolutions, suggesting the GPU begins to dominate the performance ceiling.

Ultra settings reveal the most pronounced resolution sensitivity. The average FPS goes from 66 at 1920x1080 to 54 at 2560x1440, and finally to 40 at 3840x2160. The 4K Ultra result of 40 FPS is only 60% of the 1080p Ultra figure, indicating that at this preset, the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface become limiting factors. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Ultra (a 14 FPS drop) is proportionally larger than the 1080p-to-1440p drop (12 FPS), reinforcing that the GPU is the bottleneck at the highest settings and resolution.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to push frame rates higher, but the GPU caps performance. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component across all settings, as the gap between Low (71 FPS) and Ultra (40 FPS) narrows to 31 FPS compared to the 53 FPS spread at 1080p (119 vs 66). This compression of the settings range at 4K is a classic sign of GPU-bound operation.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1830 MHz with a boost clock of 2460 MHz, and it contains 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. The RTX 4060 also includes 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores, though Microsoft Flight Simulator's measured results do not indicate heavy reliance on ray tracing.

The GPU's performance percentile sits at 61, meaning it outperforms 61% of all GPUs in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score is 17639, which places it in close competition with the AMD Radeon 780M (17588, 0.3% slower) and AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551, 0.5% slower), while slightly trailing the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, 0.2% faster). These rivals are largely integrated or older discrete solutions, indicating the RTX 4060's position is modest within the broader GPU landscape.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the GPU's role becomes evident when examining the measured FPS at 4K. At Ultra settings, the average of 40 FPS with no recorded minimum or maximum suggests the frame rate is tightly constrained by the GPU's rendering capabilities. The 8 GB VRAM capacity may be a factor at 4K Ultra, as flight simulators often load large texture sets for terrain and aircraft. The 128-bit memory bus, while providing adequate bandwidth for 1080p and 1440p, could contribute to the steeper performance drop at 4K.

The RTX 4060's boost clock of 2460 MHz is relatively high, and the data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 119 FPS, which is close to the practical ceiling for many displays. This suggests the GPU can handle lighter loads efficiently. However, the 4K Ultra result of 40 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold commonly desired for smooth gameplay, indicating the GPU is insufficient for maximum settings at that resolution.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture (Vermeer), manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, with 64 MB of L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and connects via PCIe Gen 4.

The CPU's benchmark results are strong: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16262 and a single-core score of 1527, along with a Geekbench multi-core score of 14118 and single-core score of 2083. Its PassMark multithread score is 39002, and the 3DMark max threads score is 10075. The processor ranks in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41376.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 5900X is closely matched: it trails the Intel Core i7-14650HX (41576) by 0.5%, while leading the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (41263) by 0.3%, the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (41215) by 0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (41208) by 0.4%. This clustering indicates that the 5900X's raw processing power is competitive with modern mid-range mobile and desktop parts.

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the CPU's 12 cores and 24 threads provide substantial headroom for the game's simulation and physics calculations. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 119 FPS, which is likely CPU-bound given the RTX 4060's capabilities. The single-thread performance, reflected in the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1527, is adequate for the game's primary thread, while the multi-core resources handle background tasks and world streaming.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s may also contribute to the frame rates, as flight simulators frequently load terrain data. However, the fact that the 1080p Ultra result (66 FPS) is only 11 FPS lower than 1080p High (70 FPS) suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher settings; instead, the GPU's workload scaling dominates the performance delta.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured frame rates span from 119 FPS at Low settings to 66 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset produces an average of 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS and maximum of 107 FPS, while High yields 70 FPS on average. The gap between Low and Medium is 26 FPS, and between Medium and High is 23 FPS, showing a steep decline as settings increase. The Ultra preset at 1080p delivers 66 FPS, which is 53 FPS lower than Low, representing a 45% reduction in performance.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 96 (Low), 75 (Medium), 56 (High), and 54 (Ultra). The Medium preset's minimum is 64 FPS and maximum is 86 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p costs 23 FPS at Low, 18 FPS at Medium, 14 FPS at High, and 12 FPS at Ultra. Notably, the difference between High and Ultra at 1440p is only 2 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns from the highest settings at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 71 at Low, 55 at Medium, 42 at High, and 40 at Ultra. The Medium preset records a minimum of 47 FPS and maximum of 64 FPS. The transition from 1440p to 4K costs 25 FPS at Low, 20 FPS at Medium, 14 FPS at High, and 14 FPS at Ultra. The 4K Ultra result of 40 FPS is identical to the 4K High result of 42 FPS within a narrow margin, indicating that the GPU is fully saturated regardless of whether High or Ultra is selected.

The data reveals that the Medium preset consistently offers the widest range between minimum and maximum FPS (e.g., 79-107 at 1080p, 64-86 at 1440p, 47-64 at 4K), suggesting variability in scene complexity. In contrast, Low and Ultra presets have no recorded minimum or maximum values, implying more consistent frame delivery, though at very different performance levels.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 119 FPS, Medium hits 93 FPS, and High reaches 70 FPS, all above 60 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low (96 FPS) and Medium (75 FPS) exceed 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS, with the highest being Low at 71 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4060's average benchmark score is 17639, which is 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666) and 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon 780M (17588). It also leads the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551) by 0.5% and the AMD Radeon Pro 460 (17509) by 0.7%.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5900X a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor at 1080p. The 119 FPS at Low settings and 70 FPS at High settings indicate the GPU is the primary constraint, as the CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16262 provides ample processing headroom for the game's simulation tasks.

Q: What is the FPS difference between High and Ultra at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the High preset averages 42 FPS while Ultra averages 40 FPS, a difference of only 2 FPS. This negligible gap indicates that the GPU is saturated at both settings, making the Ultra preset's additional visual features essentially free in terms of performance cost.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems?

A: This combination ranks 1978th out of 3714 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. The ranking reflects the RTX 4060's modest GPU performance relative to other systems.

Q: Does the Medium preset at 1440p offer playable performance?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 75, with a minimum of 64 FPS and maximum of 86 FPS. This provides a smooth experience that stays above 60 FPS even in the lowest recorded frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, Medium delivers 93 FPS on average, comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, while High drops to 70 FPS and Ultra to 66 FPS. The Medium preset also provides the most consistent frame delivery, with a documented minimum of 79 FPS at 1080p, ensuring no significant stutters.

At 2560x1440, Medium remains the optimal choice, producing 75 FPS average with a minimum of 64 FPS. This is the only preset at 1440p that maintains an average above 70 FPS while staying above 60 FPS in the minimum reading. The High preset at 56 FPS and Ultra at 54 FPS both fall below the 60 FPS line, making them less desirable for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. Low settings provide 71 FPS on average, which is the only preset at 4K to exceed 60 FPS. However, Medium delivers 55 FPS with a minimum of 47 FPS, which may still be acceptable for a flight simulator where precision is more important than fast reaction times. The High (42 FPS) and Ultra (40 FPS) presets dip below 45 FPS, which could feel sluggish.

For users prioritizing visual quality over frame rate, the High preset at 1080p (70 FPS) or 1440p (56 FPS) offers a good compromise, as the step from High to Ultra yields only marginal FPS gains (4 FPS at 1080p, 2 FPS at 1440p) while adding significant visual load. The data shows that Ultra settings are not worth the performance cost at any resolution, as the difference from High is consistently small (4 FPS or less) across all three resolutions.

The Medium preset at 1440p appears to be the sweet spot for this hardware combination, balancing the 75 FPS average with the documented 64 FPS minimum, ensuring smooth operation during complex scenes. At 1080p, Medium's 93 FPS average provides ample headroom, while at 4K, users should accept either Low for 60+ FPS or Medium for better visuals at 55 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

This system ranks 1978th out of 3714 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all combinations. This positioning reflects the RTX 4060's relatively modest standing in the GPU hierarchy (61st percentile) combined with the Ryzen 9 5900X's strong CPU performance (87th percentile). The CPU contributes significantly to the system's overall capability, but the GPU limits the final frame rates, especially at higher resolutions.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 17639 positions it near the AMD Radeon 780M, which is an integrated solution, and the result in this game shows that the RTX 4060 is not optimized for the demanding rendering workload of Microsoft Flight Simulator at 4K. The 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are likely contributors to the 40 FPS ceiling at 4K Ultra.

The CPU's ranking among its rivals shows a tight cluster, with the 5900X within 0.5% of the Intel Core i7-14650HX and 0.4% of the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H. This indicates that the processor choice is not the differentiator in this combo's performance; rather, the GPU determines the overall ranking. The 1978th position out of 3714 suggests that while this system is capable of running the game, it does not deliver the high frame rates that many other tested combos achieve, particularly at 1440p and 4K with higher settings.

The measured data shows that the system's best performance occurs at 1080p Low (119 FPS), which is competitive, but at 4K Ultra (40 FPS), it falls into the lower quartile of expected performance. The combo rank of 1978 reflects this variability, with the system being more capable at lower resolutions where the CPU's strength can shine, but less so at higher resolutions where the GPU's limitations become apparent.