Thief

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 each sit near specific peers in the database's aggregate benchmarks. For the CPU, the recorded average benchmark score of 14,185 places it within a tight cluster of processors. The Intel Xeon 6756E scores 14,163, a negligible 0.2% behind, while the AMD EPYC 7552 scores 14,115, trailing by 0.5%. On the other side, the Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14,232, leading by 0.3%, and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14,277, ahead by 0.6%. These deltas are all under one percent, meaning any of these four alternatives would deliver effectively indistinguishable CPU performance in Thief. The i5-10400F's percentile ranking of 68 against all CPUs in the database confirms it sits comfortably in the upper third of processors, but not at the very top.

For the GPU, the RTX 3070's average benchmark score of 17,208 is similarly bracketed by close rivals. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT scores 17,083, 0.7% behind, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 scores 17,037, 1% behind, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17,019, 1.1% behind. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17,468, leading by 1.5%. All of these deltas are small, so any of these graphics cards would produce nearly identical frame rates in Thief at the same settings and resolution. The RTX 3070's percentile of 61 against all GPUs indicates it is above average but not elite.

The practical implication for a user considering alternatives is straightforward: swapping the i5-10400F for any of its nearest CPU rivals, or the RTX 3070 for any of its nearest GPU rivals, would not meaningfully change gameplay performance. The benchmark data shows that the combo's behavior in Thief is representative of this entire performance tier. None of these alternatives would push the system into a different playability category at any resolution, based on the measured FPS patterns.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data across resolutions and presets reveals how the RTX 3070 and i5-10400F share the workload in Thief. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the dominant factor, but the CPU still provides enough headroom. The frame rates scale clearly with graphics settings: Low produces 122.4 FPS, Medium drops to 110.5 FPS, High yields 100.9 FPS, and Ultra delivers 97.7 FPS. The gap from Low to Ultra is 24.7 FPS, a 20.2% reduction, which indicates the GPU is being stressed more as settings rise, while the CPU remains capable of feeding frames.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with a larger spread. Low runs at 107.6 FPS, Medium at 98.8 FPS, High at 81.1 FPS, and Ultra at 76.7 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 30.9 FPS, a 28.7% reduction. This larger percentage drop relative to 1080p suggests the GPU is becoming more of a bottleneck as pixel count increases, while the CPU's role stays consistent.

At 3840x2160, the GPU bottleneck becomes severe. Low produces 85.8 FPS, Medium drops to 61.4 FPS, High falls to 47.4 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 48.6 FPS. The reduction from Low to Ultra is 37.2 FPS, a 43.4% drop. This is the clearest evidence that the RTX 3070 is the limiting component at 4K; the CPU cannot compensate for the GPU's inability to maintain high frame rates at higher settings. The CPU's role is secondary here, as the i5-10400F has ample single-thread and multi-thread capacity for a 2014 stealth title, but the GPU's raw throughput dictates the outcome.

The data also shows that the scaling between resolutions is not uniform. At Low settings, moving from 1080p to 1440p costs 14.8 FPS (122.4 to 107.6), and moving from 1440p to 4K costs 21.8 FPS (107.6 to 85.8). At Ultra settings, the same resolution jumps cost 21.0 FPS (97.7 to 76.7) and 28.1 FPS (76.7 to 48.6). The increasing penalties at higher presets confirm that the GPU's workload grows faster than the CPU's, making the RTX 3070 the primary determinant of playability at 4K.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the database records that all four presets, Low, Medium, High, and Ultra, clear the 60 FPS playability threshold. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which averages 97.7 FPS. This is the best visual quality available while maintaining a comfortable margin above the threshold. Low runs at 122.4 FPS, Medium at 110.5 FPS, and High at 100.9 FPS, but Ultra is the recommended choice for maximum fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the situation is similar. All four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 76.7 FPS as the highest demanding option that stays above 60 FPS. Low runs at 107.6 FPS, Medium at 98.8 FPS, and High at 81.1 FPS. The 16.7 FPS headroom at Ultra ensures that even demanding scenes should not dip below the threshold, based on the average data. This resolution offers a strong balance of visual quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, the options narrow. Low averages 85.8 FPS and Medium averages 61.4 FPS, both clearing 60 FPS. High drops to 47.4 FPS and Ultra to 48.6 FPS, both failing the threshold. The best setting is Medium, as it is the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS, with a slim 1.4 FPS margin above the threshold. Users seeking higher fidelity at 4K would need to accept frame rates below 60, which the data shows is not playable by the database's standard.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: this PC can run Thief at all three tested resolutions, but the ceiling varies. At 1920x1080, the verdict is fully positive. Every preset, from Low at 122.4 FPS to Ultra at 97.7 FPS, clears the 60 FPS threshold with substantial margins. This is the resolution where the combo is most comfortable, delivering high frame rates even at maximum settings.

At 2560x1440, the verdict is also fully positive. All presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 76.7 FPS. The margin above the threshold is 16.7 FPS, which is adequate for typical gameplay. The data shows that this resolution is a sweet spot for the RTX 3070 and i5-10400F, offering high visual quality without compromising playability.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is mixed. The system clears 60 FPS on Low (85.8 FPS) and Medium (61.4 FPS), but fails on High (47.4 FPS) and Ultra (48.6 FPS). The database's verdictByResolution confirms that the playable settings at 4K are Low and Medium, with Medium being the best choice. The margin at Medium is only 1.4 FPS, which is thin, so users should be aware that any demanding scene could push it below 60 FPS, though the average data supports playability.

Overall, the combo is a capable Thief machine, but the RTX 3070's limitations at 4K are exposed. At 1080p and 1440p, there is no reason to compromise on settings. At 4K, users must choose between Medium settings for smooth play or High/Ultra for better visuals at a lower frame rate. The i5-10400F is not the limiting factor at any resolution; the GPU is.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at 1920x1080?

A: Ultra, with an average of 97.7 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 capable of running Thief at 4K with High settings?

A: No, High settings at 3840x2160 average 47.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold. Medium is the highest playable preset at 61.4 FPS.

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

A: The i5-10400F's average benchmark score is 14,185, within 0.6% of the Intel Core 7 160UL, AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, Intel Xeon 6756E, and AMD EPYC 7552. All deltas are below one percent, so performance is effectively identical.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 2560x1440?

A: Low averages 107.6 FPS and Ultra averages 76.7 FPS, a difference of 30.9 FPS.

Q: Does the GPU or CPU bottleneck more at 3840x2160?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. At 4K, the frame rate drops by 43.4% from Low to Ultra (85.8 to 48.6 FPS), while the CPU's capacity is sufficient for the game's demands.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested CPU and GPU combinations in Thief?

A: The combo ranks 2073 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the database.

How This Combo Ranks

The database records that this specific combination of the i5-10400F and RTX 3070 ranks 2073 out of 3720 tested combos in Thief. This places it in the 55.7th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 56% of tested combos perform worse. The rank is determined by the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings, so it reflects the overall playability profile.

Given that the combo achieves playable frame rates at all three resolutions, but only at Low and Medium at 4K, the rank is consistent with a mid-to-upper tier system. It outperforms a large majority of combos, but it is not among the top performers, which would likely feature stronger GPUs capable of handling Ultra at 4K. The RTX 3070's 61st percentile rank among GPUs and the i5-10400F's 68th percentile rank among CPUs both contribute to this position.

The rank also implies that there are 1,647 combos that perform worse and 1,072 combos that perform better in Thief. For a user with this exact hardware, the data suggests that they are in a comfortable position for 1080p and 1440p gaming, and acceptable for 4K with settings compromises. The ranking is a useful shorthand for comparing this system against the broader database, and it confirms that the combo is a solid, but not exceptional, choice for this game.