Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator with the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 570 is a pairing that produces a profoundly constrained experience. The benchmark data for this combination yields an average frame rate of 28 FPS at 1080p High settings, dropping to a near-unplayable 17 FPS at 4K High. The results indicate that this is a configuration for those who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness, as the measured performance consistently falls below the 60 FPS threshold considered standard for modern gaming, even at the lowest settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance degradation across resolutions in this title is steep and reveals a system that is heavily taxed by the GPU. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 28 FPS to 23 FPS, a significant reduction of 17.9%. This trend is not linear, however; the scaling suggests that the GPU is being pushed to its absolute limit, as the gap between 1440p and 4K narrows. At 4K High, the system manages only 17 FPS, a 26.1% decrease from the 1440p figure.

This scaling pattern is characteristic of a system where the graphics processor is the primary bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would typically remain relatively stable as resolution increases, since the CPU workload is largely independent of resolution. Here, the data shows a clear and consistent decline in performance with every increase in pixel count, indicating that the Radeon RX 570 is saturating its resources. The transition from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p further confirms this: performance drops from 48 FPS to 27 FPS, a 43.8% reduction. This large swing in performance based on graphical settings is the definitive signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and 10 threads, is likely waiting on the GPU to deliver frames, leaving its computational headroom largely unused in this specific configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Low settings is 48 FPS. This is the highest average frame rate recorded for this configuration in the measured data.

Q: How does the performance at 1440p compare to 1080p?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average frame rate is 30 FPS, compared to 38 FPS at 1920x1080 with the same settings. This represents a 21.1% performance drop when moving up in resolution.

Q: Is this system capable of running the game at 4K?

A: The data indicates that 4K performance is marginal. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average frame rate is 29 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. However, at High settings, it drops to 17 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 16 FPS, rendering the game effectively unplayable.

Q: What is the best-case scenario for frame rate with this hardware?

A: The best-case scenario is the 1080p Low settings preset, which yields an average of 48 FPS. This is the only configuration in the measured data that approaches a playable frame rate, though it still falls short of 60 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Radeon RX 570's average benchmark score is 28,766. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, has a score of 28,874, which is 0.4% higher. Another rival, the AMD Radeon RX 470, scores 28,996, a 0.8% difference.

Q: Where does this CPU+GPU combo rank among other tested combinations?

A: In this game, the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 570 ranks 2,870 out of 2,996 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 4.2% of all configurations tested.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its performance data shows a strong single-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,655 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4,412. In multi-threaded workloads, it achieves a Cinebench R23 score of 25,891 and a Passmark multithread score of 30,459. This places the CPU in the 85th percentile of all processors, indicating that it is a capable component.

However, in the context of this game, the CPU's power is largely untapped. The measured FPS data shows a clear GPU bottleneck; the frame rates are low across all resolutions, and the performance scales directly with graphical settings. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see similar frame rates at 1080p and 4K, as the CPU work would be consistent. Instead, we see a 41.2% reduction in average FPS from 1080p High (28 FPS) to 4K High (17 FPS). This indicates that the Radeon RX 570 is unable to keep pace with the CPU's output. The only scenario where the CPU might become more relevant is at 1080p Low settings, where the 48 FPS average is still below what this processor could theoretically support. The data suggests that the CPU has significant headroom, but the GPU prevents it from being utilized.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured performance for this combination paints a sobering picture of its capabilities. At 1920x1080, the resolution most likely to be used with this GPU, the results are as follows: with Low settings, the average frame rate is 48 FPS; with Medium settings, it drops to 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 43; High settings yield an average of 28 FPS; and Ultra settings bring the average down to 27 FPS. The 20 FPS gap between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p demonstrates the GPU's sensitivity to graphical load.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance declines across the board. The Low preset averages 39 FPS, while Medium averages 30 FPS (min 26, max 35). High settings average 23 FPS, and Ultra settings average 22 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 17 FPS, but this is simply because the GPU is already struggling. At 3840x2160, the system is clearly overmatched. Low settings produce an average of 29 FPS, Medium averages 22 FPS (min 19, max 26), High averages 17 FPS, and Ultra averages 16 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 4K is only 1 FPS, indicating that the GPU has hit a performance wall and additional visual features have a negligible impact on the already-crushed frame rate.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is a 2017-era graphics card based on the Polaris 20 chip and GCN 4.0 architecture. It features 2,048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. Its memory configuration consists of 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1168 MHz and a boost clock of 1244 MHz, with a TDP of 150 W. Its compute capability is rated at 5.095 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. The GPU is positioned in the 74th percentile of all GPUs, but its benchmark scores, such as a Steel Nomad DX12 score of 880, highlight its age.

The benchmark results in Microsoft Flight Simulator clearly show that the RX 570 is the limiting factor. The game's high-resolution textures and complex rendering algorithms place a significant load on the GPU, and the 4 GB VRAM is likely a contributing factor to the low performance at higher resolutions. The data shows a direct correlation between resolution and frame rate, which is the hallmark of a GPU bottleneck. The GPU's performance is also well below its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 470, which scores 0.8% higher in average benchmarks. This indicates that the RX 570 is already at the lower end of the performance spectrum, and its age shows in this demanding simulation title.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal settings for this configuration prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The only preset that yields an average frame rate above 40 FPS is 1080p Low, which produces 48 FPS. This is the only configuration that provides a semblance of smooth gameplay, though it still falls short of the 60 FPS target. For users who accept a lower frame rate, 1080p Medium offers a better visual experience at 38 FPS, but the drop from Low is significant.

At higher resolutions, the game becomes increasingly unplayable. The data suggests that 1440p and 4K should be avoided entirely, as even the Low preset at 1440p only manages 39 FPS, and 4K Low averages 29 FPS. The recommendation is clear: for the best experience, users must run the game at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This is the only combination of resolution and settings that allows the game to run at a pace that could be considered acceptable, albeit not ideal. Moving to Medium settings at 1080p might be tempting for better visuals, but the 10 FPS cost is substantial, representing a 21.1% performance decrease.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of hardware testing for Microsoft Flight Simulator, this combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 570 is positioned at the very bottom of the performance barrel. The combo ranks 2,870 out of a total of 2,996 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 4.2% of all systems tested, a clear indication of its limited capabilities in this specific game.

This low ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance. While the CPU is a modern, capable processor, it is paired with a graphics card that is several generations old. The data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck, and its age and performance level drag the entire system down. Even when compared to other GPUs, the RX 570 is not a standout performer; its average benchmark score of 28,766 is only slightly above the AMD Radeon R9 M295X, which scores 28,580. The combination of an old, low-end GPU with a demanding simulation game results in a ranking that is near the bottom of the charts. This ranking serves as a quantitative measure of the overall experience: for users of this hardware, Microsoft Flight Simulator will be a challenging game to run at acceptable performance levels.