Thief

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-12600KF sits in a tight cluster of processors with nearly identical average benchmark scores. The recorded data shows the closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE, which scores only 0.3% higher than the i5-12600KF. Three other CPUs fall within a 0.3% margin below: the Intel Core i9-10900K at -0.3%, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U at -0.3%, and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D at -0.3%. For practical purposes, any of these four processors would deliver essentially the same CPU performance in Thief, meaning the choice between them would come down to platform features rather than frame rate differences.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B390 is in a much more precarious position. Its nearest rivals are all NVIDIA parts from a much older generation, and all of them are within 2.7% of the Arc B390's score. The closest is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX at 1.3% faster, followed by the NVIDIA GeForce 800M at 1.5% faster, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM at 2.5% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 at 2.7% faster. The Arc B390's percentile ranking of 9 among all GPUs means it sits below the vast majority of graphics hardware in the database. In practical terms, if you already own a system with one of these four NVIDIA GPUs, upgrading to the Arc B390 would not produce a meaningful change in Thief performance.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 79 against all CPUs is a strong contrast to the GPU's ranking of 9. This means the processor is far more capable relative to its peers than the graphics solution is relative to its own peer group. When building a system around this combination, the GPU will be the clear limiting factor for Thief, regardless of which of the closely matched CPU alternatives you choose.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the recorded data shows no settings preset that reaches the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest average frame rate at this resolution comes from the Low preset at 35 FPS, followed by Medium at 26 FPS, High at 20 FPS, and Ultra at 19 FPS. The Medium preset has reported minimum and maximum values of 22 and 30 FPS respectively, confirming that even the most forgiving preset at 4K remains well below playable performance. No settings combination at this resolution clears 60 FPS, so the database marks the best settings as null.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves but still falls short of the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset achieves an average of 59 FPS, which is just one frame below playable. Medium drops to 45 FPS with a range of 38 to 52 FPS, High sits at 34 FPS, and Ultra at 33 FPS. The verdict data confirms that no settings at 1440p reach the playable threshold, with the best settings marked as null. The Low preset is tantalizingly close at 59 FPS, but it does not clear the bar.

At 1920x1080, the system finally achieves playable performance. The Low preset delivers 86 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset is the most demanding settings option that still clears the bar, averaging 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 FPS and maximum of 75 FPS. High drops to 50 FPS and Ultra to 48 FPS, both below playable. The database designates Medium as the best settings at 1080p, with an average FPS of 66. This is the only resolution where the system can run Thief with a comfortable margin above the playable threshold while using a preset that is not the lowest available.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows a clear pattern of GPU-bound performance in Thief for this system. At 3840x2160, the spread between Low and Ultra settings is 16 FPS (35 FPS at Low versus 19 FPS at Ultra), which indicates that graphics settings have a substantial impact on frame rates. The CPU has plenty of headroom at this resolution, as the processor's benchmark scores place it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 9th percentile. This imbalance means the Arc B390 is almost certainly the bottleneck at 4K.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds. The Low preset reaches 59 FPS, while Ultra drops to 33 FPS, a difference of 26 FPS across the settings range. The Medium preset's minimum of 38 FPS and maximum of 52 FPS shows that frame times are relatively consistent, but the overall performance is heavily constrained by the graphics solution. The CPU's strong multi-threaded scores, such as 23391 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 7956 in 3DMark 16 threads, indicate that processor load is not a limiting factor at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the picture changes slightly. The Low preset hits 86 FPS, which is the highest average recorded for this system in any configuration. The Medium preset at 66 FPS still clears the playable threshold, but High at 50 FPS and Ultra at 48 FPS fall short. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 38 FPS, which is a larger absolute drop than at higher resolutions. This suggests that as resolution decreases, the GPU becomes even more dominant in determining performance, since the CPU has ample capacity to feed frames but the GPU's pixel and texture throughput limits the final output.

Looking at resolution scaling specifically, the Low preset drops from 86 FPS at 1080p to 59 FPS at 1440p and then to 35 FPS at 4K. This is a 51 FPS reduction from 1080p to 4K, which translates to roughly a 59% decrease. The Medium preset shows a similar trend: 66 FPS at 1080p, 45 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. The consistent halving of performance as resolution increases confirms that the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are the primary constraints. The CPU's role is largely static across resolutions, as its benchmark scores remain constant regardless of display output.

For a builder deciding where to invest, the data is unambiguous: the Arc B390 is the component that decides whether Thief is playable. Upgrading the CPU would not change the outcome at any resolution, since the processor already outperforms the GPU by a wide margin. The practical recommendation is to treat this as a GPU-limited system for Thief and prioritize graphics hardware improvements if higher resolutions or presets are desired.

The Verdict

This system can run Thief, but only under specific conditions. The verdict data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where playable settings exist, and there are exactly two presets that clear the 60 FPS threshold: Low at 86 FPS average and Medium at 66 FPS average. The best settings at 1080p are Medium, which provides a 66 FPS average with a minimum of 56 FPS and maximum of 75 FPS. This is a playable experience, though the minimum frame rate does dip slightly below the 60 FPS line.

At 2560x1440, the system cannot run Thief at any settings preset above the playable threshold. The closest option is Low at 59 FPS average, which is just one frame short of the 60 FPS requirement. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall further behind at 45, 34, and 33 FPS respectively. The database marks no playable settings at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the situation is worse. No preset reaches even 40 FPS, with Low at 35 FPS, Medium at 26 FPS, High at 20 FPS, and Ultra at 19 FPS. The GPU simply does not have the throughput to handle 4K in this game.

The practical verdict is straightforward: use this system with a 1080p display and set Thief to Medium for a balanced experience, or drop to Low if you want a larger frame rate cushion. If you have a 1440p or 4K monitor, the data indicates you will need to lower resolution or upgrade the graphics solution to achieve playable frame rates.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Thief at 1920x1080?

A: Yes. The Low preset averages 86 FPS and the Medium preset averages 66 FPS, both clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium is the highest settings preset that remains playable at this resolution.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1440p?

A: None of the presets are playable at 2560x1440. The Low preset comes closest at 59 FPS average, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold, while Medium, High, and Ultra average 45, 34, and 33 FPS respectively.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF is within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE, Intel Core i9-10900K, AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D in average benchmark score. Any of these processors would perform nearly identically in Thief.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor for Thief?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU ranks in the 79th percentile. Frame rates drop substantially as resolution and settings increase, which is characteristic of GPU-limited performance.

Q: What frame rate does the Medium preset produce at 1080p?

A: The Medium preset at 1920x1080 averages 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS and maximum of 75 FPS. This is the best playable preset according to the database.

Q: How does this combination rank among all tested combos for Thief?

A: This CPU and GPU pairing ranks 3307 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the lower tier of systems for this game. The GPU's low percentile ranking is the main contributor to this position.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 3307 out of 3720 tested combos in Thief, placing it near the bottom 11% of all systems in the database. This ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU, which sits in the 9th percentile of all graphics cards. The CPU, by contrast, is in the 79th percentile, meaning the processor is performing at a level consistent with much higher overall system rankings.

The practical implication of this rank is that most other tested systems will deliver better frame rates in Thief, particularly at higher resolutions. The 1080p Medium result of 66 FPS is playable, but it is not a strong showing relative to the broader field. The gap between the CPU's strong relative position and the GPU's weak one creates an unusual profile: a system with ample processor headroom that is held back by graphics throughput.

For the builder, the rank reinforces the verdict data. This combo is a 1080p machine for Thief, and even there it cannot run the High or Ultra presets above 60 FPS. If the goal is higher settings or higher resolutions, the data suggests that replacing the GPU would yield a much larger improvement than replacing the CPU. The CPU's rivals are all within 0.3% of its score, so there is no meaningful processor upgrade path within this performance class, but the GPU has substantial room for improvement given its low percentile standing.