Thief

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a clear, no-compromise experience in Thief, a 2014 stealth classic. Benchmark data shows this combination is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but the CPU is more than capable of feeding the frame rate at 1080p. Across all three tested resolutions, every graphics preset—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—remains comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The data indicates that players can prioritize visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness, making this build a strong match for the game’s atmospheric, shadow-heavy environments.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is, in every case, Ultra. The data shows no preset drops below the 60 FPS playability threshold, so the choice comes down to maximizing visual quality.

• 1920x1080 (1080p): Ultra settings run at an average of 138 FPS. This is the highest preset available and it clears the 60 FPS target by more than double, leaving substantial headroom for any demanding scenes.
• 2560x1440 (1440p): Ultra settings run at an average of 122 FPS. Again, the top preset is fully playable, with a frame rate that is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors.
• 3840x2160 (4K): Ultra settings run at an average of 72 FPS. This is the only resolution where the frame rate dips near the threshold, but 72 FPS still provides a consistent, playable experience. For a more comfortable margin, High settings at 4K average 76 FPS, which is only marginally faster, so Ultra remains the recommended choice for maximum quality.

The measured data confirms that this system is overqualified for Thief. Even at 4K, the most demanding preset yields an average frame rate that is 20% above the playable threshold. At 1440p and 1080p, the margin is even more substantial, with Ultra presets delivering 122 FPS and 138 FPS respectively.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core i5-12400F and the RTX 4080 shifts noticeably as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU plays a more significant role, as the GPU is not fully taxed. The frame rate difference between Low (171 FPS) and Ultra (138 FPS) at 1080p is 33 FPS, a 19% drop that reflects the increased graphical load. However, the CPU’s six cores and twelve threads are sufficient to keep the GPU fed, as evidenced by the high frame rates.

At 1440p, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a modest reduction in frame rates: Ultra drops from 138 FPS to 122 FPS, Low drops from 171 FPS to 151 FPS. This 12-13% reduction indicates that the GPU is handling the increased pixel count, while the CPU maintains its output.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The frame rate drops are more pronounced: Ultra falls from 122 FPS at 1440p to 72 FPS at 4K, a 41% reduction. Low settings at 4K (127 FPS) are significantly slower than Low at 1440p (151 FPS), further confirming the GPU’s workload. The CPU’s performance remains consistent, as the average frame rates are still well above 60 FPS. The data suggests that the i5-12400F is never the limiting factor, even at 1080p with Low settings, where the GPU is at its least demanding.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a detailed look at how the system scales across resolutions and settings.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average 171 FPS.
• Medium: Average 155 FPS, with a minimum of 132 FPS and a maximum of 178 FPS.
• High: Average 140 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 138 FPS.

The 1080p results show a tight grouping, with only a 33 FPS spread between the lowest and highest presets. The Medium preset’s minimum of 132 FPS indicates that even in demanding moments, the frame rate remains far above the threshold.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average 151 FPS.
• Medium: Average 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS.
• High: Average 124 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 122 FPS.

At 1440p, the spread widens slightly to 29 FPS, but the performance remains consistently high. The Medium preset’s minimum of 116 FPS shows that the system holds its frame rate well, even during complex scenes.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average 127 FPS.
• Medium: Average 100 FPS, with a minimum of 85 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS.
• High: Average 76 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 72 FPS.

The 4K results demonstrate the GPU’s limits. The spread between Low and Ultra is 55 FPS, a significant gap that highlights the increased strain at this resolution. The Medium preset’s minimum of 85 FPS is still above 60 FPS, but the High and Ultra presets have no recorded minimums, suggesting they are closer to the edge of the GPU’s capabilities. Despite this, all presets remain playable.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Thief at 4K with the highest settings?*

A: Yes. The data shows Ultra settings at 3840x2160 run at an average of 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. All presets at 4K, including Ultra, are playable.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: At 2560x1440, Ultra settings deliver an average of 122 FPS. Since every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, Ultra is the recommended choice for maximum visual quality.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the GPU is less taxed, so CPU performance matters more. The i5-12400F handles this efficiently, with Low settings hitting 171 FPS and Ultra still achieving 138 FPS. The CPU is not a bottleneck at any preset.

Q: Is there a significant frame rate difference between High and Ultra settings?

A: The difference is minimal. At 1080p, High averages 140 FPS versus Ultra’s 138 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is 2 FPS (124 vs 122). At 4K, the gap is 4 FPS (76 vs 72). The visual upgrade from Ultra is essentially free in performance terms.

Q: What frame rate can I expect on a 4K monitor with Medium settings?

A: Medium settings at 3840x2160 run at an average of 100 FPS, with a minimum of 85 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS. This provides a very smooth experience with a solid safety margin.

Q: Does the system ever drop below 60 FPS?

A: No. The lowest recorded minimum frame rate is 85 FPS, which occurs at 4K with Medium settings. All other minimums are above 116 FPS, and every preset at every resolution averages well above 60 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearest rivals in the benchmark database, several other CPU and GPU combinations would deliver similar performance in Thief.

On the CPU side, the i5-12400F’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, which has a nearly identical average benchmark score (19047 vs 19039, a 0% difference). The Intel Core 3 201E scores 19056, which is just 0.1% higher, while the Intel Core i5-1335U trails by 0.3% (18982) and the AMD EPYC 7773X is also 0.3% behind (18979). In practice, these CPUs would all feed the RTX 4080 similarly, given the game’s moderate CPU demands.

For the GPU, the closest match is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54209 versus the RTX 4080’s 54247, a 0.1% difference. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% slower (54828), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6% faster (55698) and the AMD Radeon 8060S is 2.7% faster (55757). These small deltas mean that any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Thief, with differences of only a few FPS at most.

The Verdict

This PC can run Thief exceptionally well. The benchmark data shows that the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination clears the 60 FPS playable threshold at every resolution and every preset.

• 3840x2160 (4K): All settings are playable. Ultra is the best choice, running at an average of 72 FPS. This is the only resolution where the frame rate approaches the threshold, but it still provides a smooth, consistent experience.
• 2560x1440 (1440p): All settings are playable. Ultra runs at an average of 122 FPS, offering a significant margin above the threshold and ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.
• 1920x1080 (1080p): All settings are playable. Ultra runs at an average of 138 FPS, providing an extremely smooth experience with maximum visual fidelity.

The verdict is unambiguous: this hardware is more than capable of handling Thief at its maximum settings, even at 4K. Players can confidently enable Ultra settings and expect a frame rate that is well above the playable standard. The system’s overall rank of 508 out of 3720 tested combinations places it in the upper tier of configurations for this game, confirming its strong performance.