Thief

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents an unusual combination for a 2014 stealth classic. The recorded data shows a system that is heavily balanced toward CPU capability, with the GPU acting as a clear bottleneck in nearly every scenario. For Thief, the measured FPS values reveal a playable experience only at 1080p with specific presets, while higher resolutions fall short of the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the results are consistently below playable levels. The High preset averages 20 FPS, while Low settings improve this to 35 FPS. Medium settings record an average of 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 and maximum of 30. Ultra settings drop to 19 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K resolution is not viable with this hardware, regardless of quality level.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance improves but remains insufficient. High settings produce an average of 34 FPS, while Low settings reach 59 FPS, just short of the 60 FPS target. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a range from 38 to 52 FPS. Ultra settings yield 33 FPS. The data suggests that even at reduced quality, 1440p cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS experience.

At 1920x1080, the picture changes significantly. High settings average 50 FPS, while Low settings jump to 86 FPS. Medium settings deliver 66 FPS on average, with a minimum of 56 and maximum of 75 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 48 FPS. The measured results show that 1080p is the only resolution where the system can hit the playable threshold, and only with Low or Medium presets.

The scaling across resolutions is steep. Dropping from 1080p Low at 86 FPS to 1440p Low at 59 FPS represents a 31% reduction in frame rate. Moving from 1440p Low to 4K Low further reduces performance to 35 FPS, another 41% drop. This pattern indicates that the GPU's capabilities are exhausted quickly as pixel count increases.

FAQ

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

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 35 FPS on Low settings, which falls well below the 60 FPS playable threshold. All other presets at this resolution average between 19 and 26 FPS.

Q: What is the best achievable setting at 1080p?

A: Medium settings provide the highest quality that maintains playability, averaging 66 FPS. Low settings average 86 FPS, while High and Ultra both drop below 60 FPS at 50 and 48 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the CPU compare to nearby processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279, placing it 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i9-11900, 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i7-12800H, and 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS. This places it in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs.

Q: What GPU performance tier does the Intel Arc B390 occupy?

A: The GPU scores 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, placing it in the 9th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which is 1.3% slower, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which is 2.7% slower.

Q: Does the game run better at 1440p with lower settings?

A: Low settings at 2560x1440 average 59 FPS, which is still below the 60 FPS threshold. While this is the best result at this resolution, it does not meet the playable standard.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU sits in the 83rd percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile. The measured FPS scaling between resolutions closely follows GPU workload expectations.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves the 60 FPS threshold. The closest is Low settings at 35 FPS, but this is far from playable. The database records no playable settings for this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the situation is similar. Low settings yield 59 FPS, just one frame short of the target. The verdict data confirms no playable settings exist at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, Medium settings provide the best playable experience with an average of 66 FPS. This preset balances visual quality with performance, maintaining a minimum of 56 FPS and maximum of 75 FPS. Low settings offer higher performance at 86 FPS, but Medium represents the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in benchmark scores offer comparable processing power. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores 32233, essentially identical to the i5-14400F's 32279. The Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226, and the Intel Core i7-12800H scores 32121. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354, slightly higher. Any of these processors would likely behave similarly in Thief, given that the game's frame rates are constrained by the GPU.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B390's nearest rivals are all NVIDIA entries from older generations. The GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, the GeForce 800M scores 1460, the GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, and the GeForce GT 710 scores 1443. These deltas range from 1.3% to 2.7%, meaning all of these GPUs would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Thief. The performance gap between any of these options is negligible in practice.

Combining a high-end CPU with a low-end GPU creates a system where swapping the processor for any of its rivals would change little, while swapping the GPU for one of its rivals would also produce minimal differences. The bottleneck is so pronounced that component choice within these tiers has limited impact on actual gameplay.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the CPU and GPU is stark. The Intel Core i5-14400F is a capable processor with 10 cores and 16 threads, scoring in the 83rd percentile. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.5% of its average benchmark score, indicating a tight cluster of similar performance. The CPU is not limiting Thief's frame rates in any meaningful way.

The Intel Arc B390, by contrast, ranks in the 9th percentile among GPUs. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 places it among the lowest-performing graphics solutions in the database. The GPU's nearest rivals are all older NVIDIA parts, and the performance deltas are small.

The scaling between resolutions confirms the GPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system produces 86 FPS. Doubling the pixel count to 1440p Low drops performance to 59 FPS, a 31% reduction. Quadrupling to 4K Low yields 35 FPS, a 59% reduction from 1080p. These drops align with the increased rendering workload that the GPU must handle, while the CPU's workload remains relatively constant.

At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to push the GPU to its limits. The difference between Low and Ultra presets at this resolution is 38 FPS (86 versus 48), which reflects the GPU's struggle with higher graphical demands. The CPU's role is passive, providing enough processing power to avoid becoming a secondary constraint.

The Verdict

This PC can run Thief, but only under specific conditions. The verdict data shows playable settings exclusively at 1920x1080. Low and Medium presets both clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Medium being the best playable option at 66 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the system cannot maintain 60 FPS on any preset. Low settings come closest at 59 FPS, but this falls short of the playable threshold. The database records no playable settings for this resolution.

At 3840x2160, performance is far below playable levels. The best result is 35 FPS on Low settings, which is well under half the target frame rate. No preset at 4K is viable.

The practical takeaway is that this combination works for 1080p gaming on this title, provided the user selects Medium settings or lower. Higher resolutions require a more capable GPU, as the CPU has ample headroom to support faster graphics hardware.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 3720 tested combinations in the database, this specific CPU and GPU pairing ranks 3307th for Thief. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems, reflecting the GPU's low performance tier.

The rank is primarily driven by the Intel Arc B390's position in the 9th percentile of GPUs. The CPU's 83rd percentile ranking does little to boost the overall standing because Thief's frame rates are so heavily dependent on graphics processing. A system with a lower-ranked CPU but a mid-range GPU would likely outperform this combination in this game.

The data suggests that this pairing is poorly matched for Thief at higher resolutions. The CPU is overqualified for the GPU's capabilities, and the GPU cannot translate the processor's strength into playable frame rates beyond 1080p. For users with this combination, the recorded measurements indicate that 1080p Medium is the ceiling for a smooth experience.