Microsoft Flight Simulator

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination places 546th out of 1,795 tested combos in Microsoft Flight Simulator. That puts this pairing in the top 30% of all configurations tested for this title, a strong showing for a desktop platform that pairs a 12-core Zen 4 processor with an Ampere-generation GPU. The ranking reflects a system that can handle the sim’s demanding flight dynamics and scenery streaming without falling behind the pack, though it is not at the absolute high-end of the leaderboard. The data shows the CPU’s 93rd percentile standing among all processors, paired with the GPU’s 80th percentile, creates a balanced platform where neither component is likely to be the sole bottleneck at most settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s 546th position out of 1,795 tested configurations places it firmly in the upper third of the field. In practical terms, this means the system outranks roughly 1,249 other CPU-GPU pairings tested in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The ranking is driven by the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X’s strong multi-threaded performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 43,695 and PassMark multi-thread score of 51,406. These numbers indicate the 12-core, 24-thread processor can feed the RTX 3080 efficiently, even when the sim’s complex flight models and terrain rendering tax multiple cores simultaneously.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 35,787 places it just 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon Pro Duo and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon 880M in the nearest rival comparisons. The RTX 3080 sits within a tight performance band, with the gap to the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE being only 0.9% and the distance to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile at 1.0%. This clustering suggests the GPU is performing as expected for its class, with no anomalous deviation in the benchmark data.

For the CPU, the Ryzen 9 7900X’s average benchmark score of 50,556 is nearly indistinguishable from its nearest rivals. It trails the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 by just 0.1%, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT by 0.4%, the Intel Core i7-13850HX by 0.5%, and the Intel Core i9-13980HX by 0.8%. These sub-1% deltas indicate the processor is operating right at the expected performance envelope for its specifications, with no thermal or power anomalies dragging down results.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 brings 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, this memory configuration proves sufficient for the measured resolutions, with the card’s 8,704 shading units and 272 texture mapping units handling the sim’s detailed cockpit instruments and ground textures. The GPU’s boost clock of 1710 MHz, up from a base of 1440 MHz, provides the headroom needed to maintain consistent frame pacing during dense urban flyovers.

The RTX 3080’s 68 ray tracing cores and 272 tensor cores are present in the spec sheet, though the measured FPS data does not isolate ray tracing workload. The card’s FP32 performance of 29.77 TFLOPS suggests ample raw compute for the sim’s physics calculations. The 10 GB frame buffer is a notable consideration, as the data shows 4K Ultra settings drop to 53.7 FPS average, indicating the memory capacity and bandwidth are being taxed at the highest preset.

The GPU’s 80th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35,787, places it just 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon Pro Duo. The PassMark G3D score of 25,086 and DirectX 12 score of 100 align with expectations for a card of this class. The 320 W TDP and dual-slot cooler design are consistent with the performance on offer, and the PCIe 4.0 x16 interface provides sufficient bandwidth for the game’s asset streaming.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 7900X compare to its closest CPU rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 9 7900X scores 50,556 on average, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 235, 0.4% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT, 0.5% lower than the Intel Core i7-13850HX, and 0.8% lower than the Intel Core i9-13980HX.

Q: What is the best 1080p setting for this combo in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 156.6 FPS average, while Medium drops to 122.8 FPS and High reaches 90.8 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 86.7 FPS average.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in this sim?

A: At 3840x2160, the measured results show 57.1 FPS on High, 72.6 FPS on Medium, and 92.3 FPS on Low. The Ultra preset at 4K drops the average to 53.7 FPS, which is the lowest measured result across all resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 3080’s benchmark performance compare to the AMD Radeon 880M?

A: The RTX 3080 has an average benchmark score of 35,787, which is 0.4% higher than the AMD Radeon 880M’s average score of 35,646. The deltaPct of 0.4 indicates the RTX 3080 is slightly ahead.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 124.5 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 69.5 FPS. This represents a drop of 55 FPS when moving from the lowest to highest quality settings.

Q: Is the RTX 3080’s memory bandwidth sufficient for this game?

A: The card’s 760.3 GB/s bandwidth, paired with 10 GB of GDDR6X memory, supports the measured frame rates. The 4K Ultra result of 53.7 FPS suggests the memory subsystem is adequate but near its limits at the highest resolution and preset combination.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a complete picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the system shows strong headroom: Low settings produce 156.6 FPS, Medium drops to 122.8 FPS, High reaches 90.8 FPS, and Ultra maintains 86.7 FPS. The 1080p results show a 69.9 FPS difference between Low and Ultra, indicating the CPU-GPU combination is well-matched for high-refresh-rate monitors at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain playable across all presets. Low averages 124.5 FPS, Medium hits 95.7 FPS, High runs at 72.5 FPS, and Ultra delivers 69.5 FPS. The 1440p data shows a 55 FPS gap between the lowest and highest settings, with the scaling from Medium to High being the most pronounced single-step drop at 23.2 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits. Low produces 92.3 FPS, Medium maintains 72.6 FPS, High drops to 57.1 FPS, and Ultra falls to 53.7 FPS. The 4K results reveal a 38.6 FPS difference between Low and Ultra, with the step from Medium to High being the largest single reduction at 15.5 FPS. The data indicates that 4K gaming is feasible, but users will need to accept lower presets for smoother frame rates.

Across all resolutions, the scaling from Low to Medium is consistent, typically reducing frame rates by 30-40%. The transition from Medium to High shows the most significant performance cost, while High to Ultra produces a smaller additional penalty. This pattern holds true at every measured resolution, suggesting the game’s rendering pipeline is particularly sensitive to the settings changes between Medium and High presets.

Settings Recommendations

For users prioritizing frame rate at 1920x1080, the Low preset’s 156.6 FPS average provides the smoothest experience, while the Medium preset at 122.8 FPS still offers excellent fluidity. The High preset at 90.8 FPS and Ultra at 86.7 FPS both remain above common 60 Hz display thresholds, making any preset viable at this resolution depending on visual quality preferences.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset’s 95.7 FPS average represents the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, outpacing High by 23.2 FPS while remaining well above the 60 FPS mark. The Low preset at 124.5 FPS is the choice for competitive or fast-paced flight, while Ultra at 69.5 FPS stays playable for users who prioritize maximum visual quality over frame rate headroom.

For 4K gaming at 3840x2160, the Medium preset’s 72.6 FPS average is the recommended sweet spot, providing a stable experience above 60 FPS. The High preset at 57.1 FPS dips below the 60 FPS threshold but remains smooth enough for a flight simulator, while Ultra at 53.7 FPS is best reserved for scenic flights where frame rate is secondary to visual immersion. The Low preset at 92.3 FPS is available for users who want maximum smoothness at 4K, though it sacrifices the visual richness that the game is known for.

The data suggests that the Medium preset offers the most consistent experience across all three resolutions, with frame rates of 122.8 FPS at 1080p, 95.7 FPS at 1440p, and 72.6 FPS at 4K. This preset appears well-optimized for the Ryzen 9 7900X and RTX 3080 combination, avoiding the steep performance drop observed when moving to High while still delivering substantially better visuals than Low. Users targeting specific frame rate targets should adjust accordingly, with the measured data providing clear guidance on what each preset delivers at each resolution.