Thief

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the Intel Arc B570 presents a balanced mid-range combination for running Thief, a 2014 stealth title. Benchmark data shows this system handles the game well at 1080p and 1440p, with clear limitations emerging at 4K. The recorded measurements place this combo at rank 3058 out of 3720 tested configurations, meaning it sits in the lower-middle portion of the database’s performance ladder. For a game of Thief’s era, this pairing delivers playable frame rates across most settings, though the GPU becomes the decisive factor at higher resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this system each have near-neighbor hardware that would produce similar gameplay experiences. For the AMD Ryzen 5 2600, the closest rival in average benchmark score is the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V, which scores 21440 compared to the Ryzen’s 21484, a difference of just 0.2 percent. The Intel Core i9-11900H sits 0.5 percent behind at 21367, while the AMD EPYC 9454 trails by 1.2 percent with a score of 21223. On the other side, the Intel Xeon D-1746TER leads the Ryzen by 0.7 percent at 21635. These deltas are small enough that in real-world gaming, the Ryzen 5 2600 would feel nearly identical to any of these alternatives for Thief’s CPU demands.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B570’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which scores 20534 versus the Arc’s 20556, a 0.1 percent gap. The Intel Arc A750 is even closer at 20582, just 0.1 percent ahead of the B570. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M scores 20480, 0.4 percent behind, and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X scores 20662, 0.5 percent ahead. For Thief, swapping the B570 for any of these cards would yield nearly identical frame rates, assuming the rest of the system remains unchanged.

What this means practically is that users with a Ryzen 5 2600 who are considering an upgrade to a newer CPU would see minimal gains in Thief, as the processor’s nearest rivals all fall within a 1.2 percent band. Similarly, the B570’s position among its rivals suggests that the GPU is not an outlier in either direction; it performs squarely within the expected range for its class. The data indicates that this combination is representative of a typical mid-range 2025-era setup, and Thief’s modest requirements mean the CPU and GPU are both adequate for the game’s core mechanics.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results for Thief show a clear pattern: the GPU becomes progressively more important as resolution increases, while the CPU remains a constant baseline. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 110 FPS on Low settings, 99 FPS on Medium, 77 FPS on High, and 73 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is 37 FPS, a 34 percent drop that is driven almost entirely by GPU workload. The CPU’s role at 1080p is to feed the GPU efficiently, and the Ryzen 5 2600’s six cores and twelve threads are sufficient for this task, as evidenced by the high frame rates even on Ultra.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same settings produce 91 FPS on Low, 69 FPS on Medium, 53 FPS on High, and 50 FPS on Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is substantial: Low falls by 19 FPS, Medium by 30 FPS, High by 24 FPS, and Ultra by 23 FPS. This scaling indicates that the Arc B570 is the limiting factor at 1440p, as the CPU’s performance headroom remains unchanged. The transition from 1080p to 1440p increases pixel count by 78 percent, and the frame rate decreases roughly proportionally, confirming GPU-bound behavior.

At 3840x2160, the pattern intensifies. Low settings yield 54 FPS, Medium drops to 41 FPS, High falls to 31 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 29 FPS. The 4K resolution quadruples the pixel count of 1080p, and the frame rates reflect that strain. The CPU’s influence here is negligible; the Ryzen 5 2600 has ample single-thread performance for Thief’s AI and physics, but the B570’s 10 GB of GDDR6 memory and 160-bit bus struggle to maintain fluidity at this resolution. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant component for Thief at every resolution, with the CPU only becoming relevant if the GPU were significantly faster.

For players targeting 60 FPS, the CPU can handle any preset at 1080p and 1440p, but the GPU limits the achievable settings. At 1080p, the system exceeds 60 FPS on all four presets, with Ultra averaging 73 FPS. At 1440p, only Low and Medium stay above 60 FPS, with Medium averaging 69 FPS. At 4K, no preset reaches 60 FPS, and the best average is 54 FPS on Low. This resolution-based scaling is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system, and it means that any performance tuning should focus on graphics settings rather than CPU-related tweaks.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides exact frame rates for each resolution and settings combination. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 110 FPS on Low, 99 FPS on Medium with a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 114, 77 FPS on High, and 73 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset’s min-max range of 30 FPS indicates some variance, but the average comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Low and High presets do not have recorded min or max values, so only averages are available, but those averages are solidly above the threshold.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 91 FPS on Low, 69 FPS on Medium with a minimum of 59 and a maximum of 79, 53 FPS on High, and 50 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset’s minimum of 59 FPS is just one frame below the 60 FPS threshold, meaning occasional dips could be perceptible, but the average of 69 FPS suggests smooth overall performance. Low settings provide a comfortable margin, while High and Ultra fall short of the threshold by 7 and 10 FPS respectively.

At 3840x2160, the averages drop to 54 FPS on Low, 41 FPS on Medium with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 47, 31 FPS on High, and 29 FPS on Ultra. None of these averages reach the 60 FPS threshold, and even the best case, Low at 54 FPS, is 6 FPS short. The Medium preset’s min-max range of 12 FPS shows relatively stable performance, but the overall frame rates are too low for a smooth experience. The High and Ultra presets are barely above slideshow territory, with averages in the 29-31 FPS range.

The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: Low settings offer the highest frame rates, Medium provides a balanced middle ground, and High and Ultra impose a significant penalty. For Thief, the gap between Low and Ultra is roughly 34 percent at 1080p, 45 percent at 1440p, and 46 percent at 4K. This suggests that the game’s higher presets add substantial GPU load, likely through increased shadow quality, texture filtering, and post-processing effects.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Thief at 60 FPS on 1920x1080?

A: Yes, the data shows all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) average above 60 FPS at 1080p. The lowest average is 73 FPS on Ultra, while Low reaches 110 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 2560x1440?

A: Medium is the highest preset that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 69 FPS. Low also exceeds the threshold at 91 FPS, but Medium offers better visual quality while maintaining playability.

Q: Does this system support 4K gaming for Thief?

A: No preset reaches 60 FPS at 3840x2160. The best average is 54 FPS on Low, which is 6 FPS short of the playable threshold. Medium averages 41 FPS, and High and Ultra are in the 29-31 FPS range.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600 has an average benchmark score of 21484, which is 0.2 percent ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V and 0.5 percent ahead of the Intel Core i9-11900H. It trails the Intel Xeon D-1746TER by 0.7 percent and leads the AMD EPYC 9454 by 1.2 percent.

Q: What is the GPU’s performance position relative to similar cards?

A: The Intel Arc B570 scores 20556 in average benchmarks, which is 0.1 percent ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and 0.1 percent behind the Intel Arc A750. It leads the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M by 0.4 percent and trails the AMD Radeon R9 M390X by 0.5 percent.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080, the minimum is 84 FPS with an average of 99 FPS. At 2560x1440, the minimum is 59 FPS with an average of 69 FPS. At 3840x2160, the minimum is 35 FPS with an average of 41 FPS.

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and Intel Arc B570 can run Thief with playable frame rates, but only at specific resolutions and settings. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on every preset, including Ultra, which averages 73 FPS. This makes 1080p the ideal resolution for this combination, offering full visual fidelity without compromising smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable but with reduced settings. The data shows Low and Medium both exceed 60 FPS, with Medium averaging 69 FPS as the best visual quality option. High and Ultra fall short, averaging 53 and 50 FPS respectively, which would result in noticeable stuttering during fast-paced stealth sequences. For players who prioritize frame rate over graphics, Medium at 1440p is the sweet spot.

At 3840x2160, the system does not meet the 60 FPS threshold on any preset. The best average is 54 FPS on Low, which is below the playable threshold and would feel less responsive. Medium averages 41 FPS, and High and Ultra are in the 29-31 FPS range, making them unsuitable for gameplay. The verdict is that 4K is not viable for Thief with this hardware, and players should stick to 1440p or lower.

Overall, this system is a capable Thief machine for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The CPU’s benchmark scores place it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, indicating solid processing power for a game from 2014. The GPU’s 65th percentile ranking shows it is above average but not exceptional, which aligns with the observed performance. For the vast majority of players using 1080p or 1440p monitors, this combination provides a smooth, enjoyable experience.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS average varies by resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 73 FPS, which is the highest quality option that clears the threshold. This means players can enable all visual effects without sacrificing frame rate, and the data shows no recorded dips below 60 FPS for this setting.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best choice, averaging 69 FPS. The minimum recorded FPS for Medium is 59, which is just one frame below the threshold, but the average provides a comfortable margin. Low also exceeds 60 FPS at 91 FPS, but Medium offers a better balance of visual quality and performance. High and Ultra do not meet the threshold, so they should be avoided at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS, and therefore no best settings recommendation exists. The closest option is Low, averaging 54 FPS, but this falls short of the playable threshold. Players who insist on 4K would need to accept lower frame rates or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p. The database records no playable settings for 4K, confirming that this resolution is outside the system’s capabilities for Thief.