Thief

This analysis examines the recorded performance of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination when running Thief. The data is drawn directly from our benchmark database, which measures actual frame rates across multiple resolutions and settings presets. All figures cited below come from these measurements, and the focus is on what the numbers indicate about playability, component scaling, and comparative standing within the database.

Best Settings per Resolution

The objective for each resolution is to identify the most demanding preset that still maintains an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS. The data shows this system clears that threshold comfortably at every tested resolution, allowing for the maximum visual preset in each case.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 118 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available in the test suite, and it remains far above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The 1080p resolution is clearly not a limiting factor for this hardware configuration, as even the most demanding settings leave a large performance buffer.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again qualifies as the best setting. The average frame rate here is 104 FPS, which represents a modest drop from the 1080p result but still provides a smooth experience. The 1440p Ultra setting is the most demanding configuration that stays above 60 FPS, and the recorded average of 104 FPS indicates there is substantial headroom for demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, also known as 4K, the Ultra preset remains the best choice. The average frame rate at this resolution and setting is 72 FPS. This is the lowest average among the three resolutions, but it still exceeds the 60 FPS target by a noticeable margin. The database confirms that Ultra is the recommended setting for 4K, with the recorded average of 72 FPS serving as the benchmark for this configuration.

For all three resolutions, the pattern is consistent: the RTX 4080 paired with the i5-11400F can run Thief at its highest preset level while maintaining playable frame rates. The lowest average recorded across the entire matrix is 72 FPS at 4K Ultra, which means no setting combination falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

Understanding which component drives performance in Thief requires examining how frame rates scale when resolution changes. Resolution scaling is primarily a GPU workload: higher pixel counts demand more from the graphics card, while the CPU's workload remains relatively stable.

The data shows a clear progression. At 1080p Medium, the average is 132 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 117 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average falls further to 98 FPS. This represents a 15 FPS decline from 1080p to 1440p, and then a 19 FPS decline from 1440p to 4K. The consistent reduction with each step up in resolution indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as expected.

The High preset tells a similar story. From 120 FPS at 1080p, the average drops to 106 FPS at 1440p, then to 76 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K is 30 FPS, the largest single jump in the dataset. This reinforces that the RTX 4080 is being pushed progressively harder as pixel count increases, while the CPU likely has less influence on the outcome.

The Low preset shows the smallest resolution scaling. At 1080p Low, the average is 146 FPS. At 1440p Low, it is 129 FPS. At 4K Low, it is 108 FPS. The differences are 17 FPS and 21 FPS respectively. Even at the lowest settings, where the GPU workload is reduced, the frame rate still drops substantially at 4K. This suggests that even with simplified graphics, the RTX 4080 remains the limiting factor at high resolutions.

The CPU's role is more evident when comparing presets at a fixed resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 28 FPS (146 down to 118). At 1440p, the difference is 25 FPS (129 down to 104). At 4K, the difference is 36 FPS (108 down to 72). The larger spread at 4K indicates that raising settings at high resolution taxes the GPU heavily, while the CPU maintains consistent performance.

The i5-11400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides sufficient processing power to keep pace with the RTX 4080 in this game. The benchmark results show no signs of a CPU bottleneck at 1080p, where frame rates exceed 140 FPS on Low settings. The component that matters more for achieving higher frame rates in Thief is the GPU, particularly as resolution increases. At 4K, the RTX 4080 is clearly the dominant factor, and its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth are well suited to the demands of high-resolution rendering.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this system in Thief?

A: The highest average is 146 FPS, recorded at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system run Thief at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data shows playable frame rates at 3840x2160 across all tested presets. The lowest average is 72 FPS at Ultra settings, which exceeds the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1440p to 4K on Medium settings?

A: The average frame rate drops from 117 FPS at 2560x1440 to 98 FPS at 3840x2160, a decrease of 19 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded at 1080p Medium settings?

A: The recorded minimum is 112 FPS, with a maximum of 152 FPS and an average of 132 FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings.

Q: Which preset provides the best balance of quality and performance at 4K?

A: According to the database, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 is the best setting, with an average frame rate of 72 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS.

Q: Does the system maintain playable frame rates at all tested settings?

A: Yes, every combination of resolution and settings in the measured data shows an average frame rate above 60 FPS. The lowest recorded average is 72 FPS at 4K Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined performance of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 in Thief places this configuration at rank 1061 out of 3720 tested combinations in the database. This positions the system in the upper portion of all recorded results, roughly in the 71st percentile of tested combos (calculated from the rank and total count).

This ranking reflects the strong GPU performance of the RTX 4080, which sits at the 86th percentile when compared against all GPUs in the database. The CPU, meanwhile, holds a 71st percentile ranking among all tested processors. The combination of a high-end graphics card with a mid-range processor results in a system that performs well above average for this game, but not at the very top of the list.

The rank of 1061 out of 3720 means there are 1060 combinations that deliver higher frame rates in Thief, while 2659 combinations deliver lower performance. This is a favorable position, indicating that the RTX 4080 provides a significant boost over what the i5-11400F could achieve on its own. The GPU's percentile ranking of 86 is notably higher than the CPU's 71, which aligns with the resolution scaling analysis showing that the graphics card is the primary driver of performance in this title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering this specific CPU-GPU pairing, the database offers insight into nearby hardware that would produce similar results. The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-11400F are based on average benchmark scores, with minimal percentage differences.

The AMD EPYC 7H12 scores 17120, which is 0.3% lower than the i5-11400F's average of 17177. The Intel Core i5-12450H scores 17239, which is 0.4% higher. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G scores 17278, which is 0.6% higher. The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U scores 17074, which is 0.6% lower. These four processors are all within a full percentage point of the i5-11400F's average score, meaning any of them would behave nearly identically in Thief when paired with the RTX 4080.

On the GPU side, the nearest rivals to the RTX 4080 show similarly tight clustering. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54209, just 0.1% lower than the RTX 4080's 54247. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828, which is 1.1% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698, which is 2.6% higher. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757, which is 2.7% higher. These deltas indicate that swapping the RTX 4080 for any of these alternatives would yield nearly the same frame rates in Thief, with differences too small to consistently affect playability.

When considering a full system swap, pairing any of the rival CPUs with any of the rival GPUs would produce results very close to the measured data. The largest delta in either group is under 3%, so the overall ranking and playability verdict would remain essentially unchanged.

The Verdict

The question is whether this PC can run Thief, and the database provides a definitive answer. According to the verdict by resolution, this system achieves playable frame rates at all three tested resolutions and across every settings preset.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 118 FPS. At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 104 FPS. At 3840x2160, the best settings remain Ultra, with an average of 72 FPS. In every case, the average exceeds the 60 FPS playability threshold.

The verdict is clear: this configuration can run Thief at maximum settings on all resolutions up to and including 4K. The lowest performance point in the entire measurement set is 72 FPS at 4K Ultra, which still leaves a 12 FPS buffer above the playability threshold. For users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, the Low settings at 1080p provide 146 FPS, more than double the minimum requirement.

The combination of the i5-11400F and RTX 4080 delivers a strong experience for Thief. The CPU provides sufficient single-thread and multi-thread performance to avoid bottlenecking the GPU, while the RTX 4080 handles the graphical demands of the game efficiently across all resolution levels. This system is fully capable of running Thief at its highest quality settings with playable performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following section details the exact measured frame rates for every resolution and settings combination recorded in the database. All figures are averages unless otherwise specified.

At 1920x1080, the Low settings produce an average of 146 FPS. The Medium settings produce an average of 132 FPS, with a minimum of 112 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. The High settings produce an average of 120 FPS. The Ultra settings produce an average of 118 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline, with the largest drop occurring between Low and Medium, a difference of 14 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low settings produce an average of 129 FPS. The Medium settings produce an average of 117 FPS, with a minimum of 99 FPS and a maximum of 134 FPS. The High settings produce an average of 106 FPS. The Ultra settings produce an average of 104 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 12 FPS, while the drop from Medium to High is 11 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal at just 2 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low settings produce an average of 108 FPS. The Medium settings produce an average of 98 FPS, with a minimum of 83 FPS and a maximum of 112 FPS. The High settings produce an average of 76 FPS. The Ultra settings produce an average of 72 FPS. The scaling here is more pronounced: Low to Medium drops 10 FPS, Medium to High drops 22 FPS, and High to Ultra drops 4 FPS.

The complete dataset shows that the system's performance degrades predictably as resolution and settings increase. The most demanding configuration, 4K Ultra, still maintains an average of 72 FPS. The least demanding configuration, 1080p Low, reaches 146 FPS. The minimum frame rates recorded for Medium settings at each resolution are 112 FPS at 1080p, 99 FPS at 1440p, and 83 FPS at 4K, all of which remain comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold.