Thief

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a remarkably consistent performance profile in Thief, a 2014 stealth title. The measured data indicates that this combination is not merely capable of running the game, but does so with substantial headroom at every tested resolution. Across all three resolutions—1080p, 1440p, and 4K—the system clears the 60 FPS playability threshold with every preset, from Low to Ultra, which points to a GPU that is largely underutilized even at the highest settings. The following analysis breaks down the specific frame rates, component roles, and comparative standing of this hardware pairing based on the provided benchmark data.

Best Settings per Resolution

The "best settings" are defined as the most demanding preset that still maintains an average frame rate at or above the 60 FPS playability threshold. For this configuration, the data shows that the Ultra preset is achievable at every resolution, making it the definitive choice for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the Ultra preset delivers an average of exactly 60 FPS. This is a precise match to the playability threshold, indicating that while the game is playable at the highest settings, there is no margin for error in demanding scenes. The High preset offers a more comfortable average of 77 FPS, but the Ultra preset remains technically viable.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the Ultra preset is again the best choice, producing an average of 107 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold, providing a significant performance buffer. The data shows a clear jump from the Medium preset's 173 FPS down to the Ultra's 107 FPS, but the latter still leaves ample room for smooth gameplay.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the Ultra preset achieves an average of 163 FPS. This is an exceptionally high frame rate, far exceeding the needs of standard 60 Hz displays and even satisfying high refresh rate monitors. The performance scaling from 1440p to 1080p is notable, with the Ultra preset gaining 56 FPS, which suggests the CPU is becoming a more significant factor at this lower resolution.

The verdict is straightforward: for all three resolutions, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice, as it is the only preset that maximizes visual quality while staying at or above 60 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a distinct shift in workload distribution between the CPU and GPU as resolution changes. This is a classic pattern in PC gaming, where lower resolutions place a greater burden on the processor, while higher resolutions increasingly rely on the graphics card.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's role is most prominent. The frame rates are exceptionally high, with the Low preset hitting 320 FPS and the Ultra preset still managing 163 FPS. The scaling between presets is steep, with a 157 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. This indicates that the graphics card is not the primary bottleneck; instead, the Intel Core i5-13400F is working to feed frames as fast as possible. The 10-core, 16-thread processor is clearly capable of handling the game's logic at these speeds.

At 2560x1440, the balance begins to shift toward the GPU. The Low preset still produces a very high 219 FPS, but the Ultra preset drops to 107 FPS. The frame rate reduction from 1080p to 1440p is more pronounced at higher settings, suggesting the RTX 4080 is starting to work harder. The GPU's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth are likely being utilized more heavily to manage the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant component. The Ultra preset averages 60 FPS, a significant drop from the 107 FPS at 1440p. The Low preset also falls to 122 FPS, which is still high but shows a clear scaling penalty. The RTX 4080's 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is being taxed by the 4K resolution, while the CPU's frame rate ceiling is no longer the limiting factor. The data implies that at 4K, the game's visual complexity and pixel fill rate are the primary constraints.

The measured FPS values show that the i5-13400F is not a bottleneck even at 1080p, where it enables frame rates well above 200 FPS. Conversely, at 4K, the RTX 4080's performance is the deciding factor, with the CPU having ample headroom to spare.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section provides a detailed look at the exact frame rates recorded for each resolution and preset combination. The data includes average, minimum, and maximum FPS where available, though many entries only list the average.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Ultra: Average 60 FPS. No min/max data provided.
• High: Average 77 FPS. No min/max data provided.
• Medium: Average 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS. This is the only 4K entry with full frame time data, showing a 28 FPS variance between min and max.
• Low: Average 122 FPS. No min/max data provided.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Ultra: Average 107 FPS. No min/max data provided.
• High: Average 138 FPS. No min/max data provided.
• Medium: Average 173 FPS, with a minimum of 147 FPS and a maximum of 199 FPS. The 52 FPS variance here indicates some scene complexity fluctuations.
• Low: Average 219 FPS. No min/max data provided.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Ultra: Average 163 FPS. No min/max data provided.
• High: Average 210 FPS. No min/max data provided.
• Medium: Average 263 FPS, with a minimum of 223 FPS and a maximum of 302 FPS. This shows a 79 FPS spread, highlighting the CPU's ability to push very high frame rates.
• Low: Average 320 FPS. No min/max data provided.

The pattern is clear: as resolution decreases, average frame rates increase significantly. The Medium preset consistently provides the only min/max data, which allows for a rough estimation of frame time consistency. The 1080p Medium data shows the largest variance, which is typical when a CPU is pushing frame rates to their limit. The 4K Medium data shows the smallest variance, suggesting the GPU is maintaining a more consistent workload.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals data provides context for how this specific CPU and GPU compare to other hardware. For the Intel Core i5-13400F, the closest matching processors in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, the Intel Core 5 120, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H. The i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25,292, which is nearly identical to the Ryzen 9 6900HS (25,284, a 0% delta). The Intel Core 5 120 and Ryzen 5 5600X3D both score slightly higher at 25,362 and 25,365 respectively, which is a -0.3% delta from the i5-13400F. The Ryzen 7 6800H trails slightly at 25,201, a 0.4% delta. This indicates that in CPU-bound scenarios, any of these processors would deliver similar performance to the i5-13400F.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, the nearest rivals by average benchmark score are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, and the AMD Radeon 8060S. The RTX 4080 has an average score of 54,247. The RTX 4080 SUPER is essentially a tie, scoring 54,209 (0.1% delta). The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828, which is -1.1% relative to the RTX 4080, indicating it is slightly faster. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S score 55,698 and 55,757 respectively, which are -2.6% and -2.7% deltas, meaning they are marginally more powerful. In practical terms, the RTX 4080 would perform nearly identically to the 4080 SUPER, and very close to the listed AMD options in GPU-bound scenarios.

This data suggests that if a user had a system with a Ryzen 9 6900HS instead of the i5-13400F, or an RTX 4080 SUPER instead of the standard RTX 4080, the frame rates in Thief would be almost indistinguishable from the measured results.

The Verdict

Based on the verdictByResolution data, this PC can definitively run Thief at playable frame rates across all tested settings and resolutions. The playable settings list for each resolution includes High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, confirming that every preset meets the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the system is playable, but the Ultra preset sits precisely at the 60 FPS threshold. This means it is viable, but there is no performance headroom. Players who prefer a safety margin might opt for the High preset, which averages 77 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the system is not only playable at all presets but also offers excellent performance. The Ultra preset averages 107 FPS, which is 47 FPS above the threshold, providing a smooth and responsive experience.

At 1920x1080, the system is overwhelmingly playable. The Ultra preset achieves 163 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS threshold. This makes it ideal for high refresh rate monitors, as even the most demanding settings are easily handled.

The conclusion is that this combination of Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 provides a top-tier experience in Thief, with the ability to max out the game's settings at any resolution without dropping below the playable frame rate.

FAQ

*Q: Can the Intel Core i5-13400F and RTX 4080 run Thief at 4K with maximum settings?*

A: Yes. The measured data shows the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 produces an average of 60 FPS, which meets the playability threshold.

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

A: The highest average frame rate is 320 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

Q: Is there any resolution where the system fails to reach 60 FPS?

A: No. According to the verdictByResolution data, all four presets (High, Low, Medium, Ultra) are playable at all three resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the RTX 4080 scoring 54,247 and the RTX 4080 SUPER scoring 54,209, a delta of 0.1%. Performance in Thief should be effectively the same.

Q: Which component is more important at 1080p, the CPU or GPU?

A: The data suggests the CPU is more important at 1080p, as frame rates are extremely high (320 FPS on Low), indicating the i5-13400F is the primary driver of performance at this resolution.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is 147 FPS, with a maximum of 199 FPS and an average of 173 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination holds a rank of 20 out of 3,720 tested combos in Thief. This places it in the top 0.5% of all configurations tested. This high ranking is consistent with the measured performance, which shows the system achieving playable frame rates at all settings and resolutions, with the only caveat being a tight 60 FPS average at 4K Ultra.

The rank of 20 indicates that while this combo is exceptionally powerful, there are 19 other combinations that perform better in this specific game. Those likely include more powerful CPUs or GPUs, such as higher-end Core i7 or i9 processors paired with an RTX 4090, which would offer even more headroom at 4K. However, for the vast majority of users, a rank of 20 out of 3,720 is an outstanding result, confirming that this system is more than sufficient for a definitive Thief experience. The data shows that the performance is not just good enough, but it is near the top of the heap, making it a highly capable and future-proof choice for this title.