Thief

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the Intel Arc B570 delivers a mixed bag of results in Thief, depending heavily on your target resolution and visual expectations. At 1080p, this combo is a dominant force; at 1440p, it holds its ground; at 4K, it falls short of smooth playability. The measured frame rates reveal a clear hierarchy, with the system showing its strongest hand at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data for this combo covers three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a complete picture of its performance envelope.

1920x1080 (1080p): This is the system’s comfort zone. At the Low preset, the average frame rate is 133 FPS, which is exceptionally high and leaves massive headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 101 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 116 FPS. The High preset still delivers a strong 77 FPS average. Even the most demanding Ultra preset averages 73 FPS, which remains comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

2560x1440 (1440p): Performance scales down predictably but remains playable for the lighter presets. The Low preset averages 91 FPS, ensuring a fluid experience. Medium is the sweet spot here, averaging 69 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset averages just 50 FPS, indicating a significant performance cost for the highest visual quality.

3840x2160 (4K): This resolution proves too demanding for the Intel Arc B570 in this title. The Low preset averages 54 FPS, just missing the playable threshold. Medium is worse, averaging 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS. The High preset averages 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 29 FPS. None of the 4K presets manage to reach the 60 FPS target.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 3,720 tested hardware combinations for Thief, this specific pairing of the Ryzen 9 9900X and Arc B570 holds the 2,994th position. This rank places the combo in the lower half of the database, which is a direct consequence of the GPU’s performance ceiling. The CPU is a top-tier part, but the Arc B570’s capabilities in this older title limit the overall result.

The ranking reflects that while the system is more than capable of running the game at high frame rates at 1080p, it struggles to maintain playability at higher resolutions. A rank of 2994 out of 3720 suggests that a significant portion of tested combos, likely those pairing high-end CPUs with more powerful GPUs, outperform this setup. The data indicates the bottleneck is the graphics card, not the processor.

The GPU’s own benchmark standing reinforces this. The Intel Arc B570 sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20,556. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (scoring 20,534, a 0.1% delta) and the Intel Arc A750 (scoring 20,582, a -0.1% delta). These are close competitors, placing the B570 in a specific performance tier. It is neither a top-tier card nor a weak one; it is squarely in the mid-range, which explains its difficulty with 4K gaming.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data clearly shows that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting factor as resolution increases. The Ryzen 9 9900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is a high-performance processor that provides ample headroom for gaming. The system’s frame rates at 1080p and 1440p are high enough that the CPU is not the primary constraint.

The shift in responsibility is visible in the scaling between presets. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra reduces the average frame rate from 133 FPS to 73 FPS, a 45% drop. This significant decrease demonstrates that the GPU is handling the increased graphical load. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain more constant regardless of the preset.

At 4K, the GPU’s workload becomes even more intense. The frame rates at this resolution are universally low, ranging from 29 FPS to 54 FPS depending on the preset. This is a clear sign that the GPU is maxed out and cannot keep up with the pixel count and visual effects. The CPU, by contrast, is likely underutilized at this resolution, waiting for the GPU to send it data.

The role of the CPU is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. Given the high frame rates at 1080p (up to 133 FPS), the Ryzen 9 9900X is more than capable of this task. The bottleneck shifts decisively to the GPU at 1440p in the High and Ultra presets, and at all presets in 4K.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Thief? The answer depends on the resolution.

At 1920x1080, the answer is a definitive yes. All four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—achieve average frame rates above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Ultra preset averages 73 FPS, meaning you can run the game at its highest visual quality and still maintain a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the answer is a conditional yes. Only the Low (91 FPS) and Medium (69 FPS) presets clear the 60 FPS bar. The High (53 FPS) and Ultra (50 FPS) presets are not playable by this standard.

At 3840x2160, the answer is no. Every preset, from Low (54 FPS) to Ultra (29 FPS), fails to reach the 60 FPS target. The system cannot deliver a smooth 4K experience in this game.

In summary, the system is a solid 1080p performer and a capable 1440p machine for medium settings. It is not a 4K gaming solution for this title.

FAQ

Q: Can I play Thief at 4K with this hardware?

A: No. The measured frame rates at 3840x2160 are below the 60 FPS threshold for all presets. The best result is 54 FPS average at the Low preset, which is still not playable.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p to maintain 60 FPS?

A: The Medium preset is the most demanding option at 2560x1440 that stays at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 69 FPS (min 59 FPS, max 79 FPS).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor?

A: The data indicates the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. The system’s frame rates drop significantly with increased graphical load, while the Ryzen 9 9900X has the processing power to support higher performance.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: This pairing ranks 2,994th out of 3,720 tested combos for Thief. This places it in the lower half, largely due to the GPU’s performance.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 1080p?

A: The Ultra preset is playable at 1080p, achieving an average frame rate of 73 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B570 a high-end graphics card?

A: Based on its benchmark scores, it is a mid-range card. It sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 20,556. Its closest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and the Intel Arc A750.

Best Settings per Resolution

The goal is to find the most demanding preset that maintains an average frame rate of at least 60 FPS.

• 3840x2160: No preset is playable. The closest is Low, which averages 54 FPS.
• 2560x1440: The best playable setting is Medium, which averages 69 FPS. This provides a good balance of visual quality and smooth performance.
• 1920x1080: The best playable setting is Ultra, which averages 73 FPS. This allows you to experience the game with all visual features enabled while maintaining a playable frame rate.