Thief

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 delivers a clear performance picture in Thief, with results that scale predictably across resolutions and presets. Measured data shows this combination is firmly capable of 60 FPS gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with headroom to spare, while 4K requires a deliberate settings choice. The following breakdown details exactly what the benchmark results indicate for each configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination produces its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 170.7 FPS, which is the peak measured performance for this pairing. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 147.1 FPS, still a substantial margin above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The High preset averages 115.1 FPS, and the most demanding Ultra preset averages 109.5 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 61.2 FPS, showing that even the heaviest settings retain most of the performance headroom.

At 2560x1440, the averages remain strong but begin to show the cost of increased pixel count. Low averages 134.4 FPS, Medium averages 100.8 FPS, and High averages 76.8 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 74.5 FPS, which is still comfortably above 60 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 59.9 FPS, nearly identical to the 1080p spread, indicating that the GPU is still the dominant factor at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve steepens. Low averages 78.4 FPS, which is the only preset that clears 60 FPS by a large margin. Medium averages 60.3 FPS, placing it right at the playability threshold. High averages 48.6 FPS and Ultra averages 47.1 FPS, both falling short of 60 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 31.3 FPS, a narrower spread than at lower resolutions, which suggests the CPU begins to play a larger role in limiting performance at this resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best setting, averaging 109.5 FPS. This is the highest visual quality available and it still delivers nearly double the 60 FPS threshold. There is no reason to reduce settings at this resolution, as even the most demanding preset maintains a large performance buffer.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also holds the top spot, averaging 74.5 FPS. This is 14.5 FPS above the playability threshold, providing a comfortable margin for demanding scenes. The High preset averages 76.8 FPS, which is slightly higher, but Ultra offers the full visual experience while remaining playable.

At 3840x2160, the best setting is Medium, averaging 60.3 FPS. This is the only preset that combines visual quality above Low with a frame rate at or above the 60 FPS threshold. High and Ultra both fall below 60 FPS, with averages of 48.6 and 47.1 FPS respectively, making them unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows a clear shift in component responsibility as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is 61.2 FPS, and the average frame rates are high across all presets. This indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck, with the CPU able to feed frames quickly enough to keep the RTX 5060 fully utilized.

At 2560x1440, the pattern holds with a 59.9 FPS spread between Low and Ultra. The absolute frame rates are lower than at 1080p, but the relative scaling remains similar. This is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where the additional pixel workload is the main factor reducing performance.

At 3840x2160, the behavior changes. The spread between Low and Ultra narrows to 31.3 FPS, and the frame rates drop sharply. Low averages 78.4 FPS while Medium drops to 60.3 FPS, a reduction of 18.1 FPS. The smaller spread between presets at 4K suggests that the CPU, the Intel Core i5-12400F, is starting to limit the minimum frame delivery, preventing the GPU from fully expressing its performance differences across settings. The 6-core, 12-thread processor has a passmark multithread score of 19433, which is adequate for this game, but the data indicates it holds back the RTX 5060 more at 4K than at lower resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals are clustered very closely. The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS has an average score of 19047, which is 0% different from the Intel Core i5-12400F’s average benchmark score of 19039. The Intel Core 3 201E scores 19056, a -0.1% difference, and the Intel Core i5-1335U scores 18982, a 0.3% difference. The AMD EPYC 7773X scores 18979, also a 0.3% difference. All four alternatives are within a fraction of a percent of the i5-12400F’s performance, meaning any of them would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Thief. The data also shows the i5-12400F sits in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with a cinebench r23 multicore score of 12380 and a single-core score of 1680.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show a similar pattern. The AMD Radeon 860M has an average score of 26401, which is -0.3% relative to the RTX 5060’s average of 26331. The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 scores 26421, also -0.3%. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary scores 26553, a -0.8% difference, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT scores 26011, a 1.2% difference. These delta percentages are all small, so any of these GPUs would produce frame rates within a few FPS of the RTX 5060 in Thief. The RTX 5060 itself ranks in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, with a passmark g3d score of 20891.

The Verdict

The benchmark results show that this PC can run Thief at 60 FPS or higher in most configurations. At 1920x1080, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — are playable, with the Ultra preset averaging 109.5 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets are also playable, with Ultra averaging 74.5 FPS and High averaging 76.8 FPS. The only limitation appears at 3840x2160, where only Low and Medium presets clear the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 60.3 FPS, which is exactly at the playability threshold, while Low averages 78.4 FPS. High and Ultra at 4K are not playable, averaging 48.6 and 47.1 FPS respectively.

The verdict by resolution is clear: 1080p and 1440p can run the game at maximum settings with no compromises, while 4K requires reducing settings to Medium for a playable experience. The data shows this is a well-balanced pairing for Thief, with the GPU being the main performance driver at lower resolutions and the CPU becoming a limiting factor only at 4K Ultra.

FAQ

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

A: The Ultra preset averages 109.5 FPS, making it the best setting at this resolution.

Q: Can this PC run Thief at 4K with High settings?

A: No. The High preset at 3840x2160 averages 48.6 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 3840x2160?

A: Medium, which averages 60.3 FPS. Low is also playable with an average of 78.4 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F has an average benchmark score of 19039, while the closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores 19047, a 0% difference.

Q: Which component limits performance more at 4K?

A: The data shows a narrower FPS spread between presets at 3840x2160 compared to lower resolutions, indicating the CPU becomes a limiting factor at 4K.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p Ultra?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 74.5 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of an Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 1624 out of 3720 tested combos for Thief. This places it in the 56th percentile of all configurations in the database, meaning it performs better than the majority of tested systems. The rank reflects a pairing that is well-suited to the game’s demands, with strong 1080p and 1440p performance and a workable 4K experience at reduced settings. The data confirms that this is a mid-to-upper tier combination for Thief, capable of delivering smooth gameplay across most resolution and settings combinations.