Thief

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces its lowest frame rates. The High preset averages 20 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 35 FPS. Medium sits between them at 26 FPS average, with a recorded minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 30 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 19 FPS average. None of these settings approach the 60 FPS threshold, and the spread from Low to Ultra represents a 16 FPS gap, indicating that even the least demanding preset leaves substantial headroom for improvement before playability is achieved.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same combo shows meaningful gains. The High preset averages 34 FPS. Low jumps to 59 FPS, nearly touching the playable threshold. Medium averages 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. Ultra averages 33 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 26 FPS, a wider spread than at 4K, which suggests the GPU has more relative influence when pixel count drops. Still, no preset clears 60 FPS on average, and the closest value, 59 FPS at Low, falls just short of the mark.

At 1920x1080, the picture changes decisively. The Low preset averages 86 FPS. Medium averages 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 75 FPS. High averages 50 FPS, and Ultra averages 48 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 38 FPS, the largest spread across all resolutions. This pattern indicates that at 1080p, the preset selection has a pronounced effect on performance, and two settings, Low and Medium, manage to stay at or above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The recorded data shows that min and max values are only available for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 3840x2160 Medium, the frame time variance is 8 FPS between min and max. At 2560x1440 Medium, the variance is 14 FPS. At 1920x1080 Medium, the variance is 19 FPS. The increasing variance at lower resolutions suggests that CPU-bound scenes become more prominent as the GPU load decreases, leading to larger frame rate swings.

CPU and GPU Roles

Benchmark results indicate that the Intel Arc B390, being an integrated graphics solution with system shared memory, is the primary constraint across all tested configurations. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, a very low standing. The CPU, by contrast, scores in the 47th percentile among all CPUs, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935. This percentile gap, 38 points in favor of the CPU, strongly suggests the GPU is the bottleneck in most scenarios.

The scaling between resolutions confirms this. From 3840x2160 to 2560x1440, the Low preset improves from 35 FPS to 59 FPS, a 69% increase. From 2560x1440 to 1920x1080, Low improves from 59 FPS to 86 FPS, a 46% increase. The GPU's workload decreases as resolution drops, and the frame rate responds accordingly. If the CPU were the limiting factor, these gains would be much smaller because the CPU's work does not scale with resolution in the same way.

Preset scaling tells a similar story. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 38 FPS. At 4K, the same preset swing is only 16 FPS. When the GPU is heavily loaded at high resolution, lowering settings has less impact because the GPU is already saturated. When the GPU has spare capacity at lower resolution, raising settings reveals the GPU's limits more clearly. This is consistent with a GPU-bound configuration across all tested presets.

The CPU's role becomes more visible at 1080p Medium, where the minimum FPS of 56 is only 10 FPS below the average of 66. The maximum of 75 FPS shows that some scenes run faster, but the minimum suggests occasional CPU stalls or driver overhead. However, the CPU's six cores and six threads, based on Coffee Lake architecture with a 2.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost clock, are sufficient to keep the GPU fed at this level. The data does not show any resolution or preset where the CPU becomes the dominant bottleneck, as the GPU's low percentile ranking dominates the performance profile.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3307 out of 3720 tested combos in Thief. This places the combo in the 11th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 89% of tested configurations deliver higher frame rates. The ranking reflects the GPU's weak standing, as the CPU alone would rank higher if isolated. The GPU's 3DMark score of 1482 is in the 9th percentile, and the combo's overall rank of 3307 out of 3720, which is approximately the 11th percentile, closely tracks the GPU's percentile. This alignment reinforces that the GPU dictates the outcome.

In absolute terms, the combo delivers playable performance only at 1080p with Low or Medium settings. The verdict data confirms this: at 3840x2160 and 2560x1440, no settings are listed as playable, and at 1920x1080, only Low and Medium meet the 60 FPS threshold. The best settings at 1080p are Medium with an average of 66 FPS. This result is consistent with a GPU that ranks near the bottom of the database, as the Arc B390's integrated nature and system shared memory severely limit its throughput.

The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 with a delta of -0.2%, the Intel Core i7-10710U with a delta of 0.3%, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 with a delta of 0.4%, and the Intel Core i3-10305 with a delta of -0.4%. These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, meaning the i5-9400's computational performance is essentially interchangeable with these chips. Any of these CPUs paired with the Arc B390 would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Thief, since the GPU is the limiting factor.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-9400's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, Intel Core i7-10710U, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and Intel Core i3-10305. All four have average benchmark scores within 0.4% of the i5-9400's average score of 2254. The i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, the i7-10710U scores 2248, the Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, and the i3-10305 scores 2264. In practical terms, swapping the i5-9400 for any of these would change Thief's frame rates by less than a single frame per second in most scenarios, because the GPU would remain the bottleneck.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B390's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, NVIDIA GeForce 800M, NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. The GT 520MX scores 1463 with a delta of 1.3% relative to the Arc B390's score of 1482. The GeForce 800M scores 1460 with a delta of 1.5%. The GT 625 OEM scores 1446 with a delta of 2.5%. The GT 710 scores 1443 with a delta of 2.7%. These GPUs are all within 3% of the Arc B390's performance, so users with these older discrete GPUs would see very similar results in Thief. The frame rates at 1080p Low would likely stay in the mid-80s, and at 1080p Medium, the averages would hover in the mid-60s, assuming the CPU keeps up.

Because the Arc B390 uses system shared memory, its performance depends on the host system's memory configuration, which the database notes as "System Dependent." This means that the exact frame rates recorded here could vary if paired with a different CPU or memory setup, but the nearest rival GPUs, all of which are low-end discrete parts, establish a clear performance tier. None of these rivals would enable higher settings at 1080p, nor would they make 1440p playable.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Thief at 1080p with High settings?

A: No. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average frame rate is 50 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Ultra preset is even lower at 48 FPS.

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

A: Medium is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. It averages 66 FPS at 1920x1080, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 75 FPS.

Q: Is 1440p playable with any settings?

A: No. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 59 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold. All other presets are lower: Medium at 45 FPS, High at 34 FPS, and Ultra at 33 FPS. The verdict data lists no playable settings at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 3307 out of 3720 combos, placing it in the lower 11% of all tested configurations. The GPU's 9th percentile standing drives this low rank.

Q: What GPUs perform similarly to the Intel Arc B390?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710 are all within 1.3% to 2.7% of the Arc B390's average benchmark score. These would produce comparable frame rates in Thief.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: No. The CPU's percentile (47th) is much higher than the GPU's (9th), and the frame rate scaling across resolutions follows the GPU's workload. The CPU has sufficient headroom at all tested settings.

The Verdict

The data shows that this PC can run Thief, but only under specific conditions. At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS, and the best average is 35 FPS at Low settings. At 2560x1440, the situation is nearly identical: no preset clears 60 FPS, and the Low preset peaks at 59 FPS, which is a single frame short of the threshold. At 1920x1080, the system becomes playable, with Low averaging 86 FPS and Medium averaging 66 FPS. The verdict data confirms that 1080p is the only resolution with playable settings, and it lists Low and Medium as the qualifying presets.

For users targeting 60 FPS, this system is limited to 1080p. The Medium preset at 1080p is the recommended choice because it delivers an average of 66 FPS, providing a small buffer above the threshold. The minimum of 56 FPS means there will be occasional dips below 60, but the average stays clear. High and Ultra at 1080p fall short at 50 FPS and 48 FPS respectively, so they are not viable for smooth gameplay. At higher resolutions, the GPU's limitations become insurmountable, and even the lowest settings fail to reach playable frame rates.

The overall ranking of 3307 out of 3720 combos places this system in the bottom tier of the database. It is a configuration that suits older or less demanding titles at modest settings, but Thief at 4K or 1440p is beyond its capabilities. The GPU, with its 9th percentile score, is the decisive factor, and no CPU upgrade would change the outcome without also replacing the GPU.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset meets the 60 FPS threshold. The highest average frame rate is 35 FPS at Low settings, which is 25 FPS below playability. Medium averages 26 FPS, High averages 20 FPS, and Ultra averages 19 FPS. The verdict data lists no playable settings at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the situation is the same. No preset reaches 60 FPS. Low comes closest at 59 FPS, missing the mark by one frame. Medium averages 45 FPS, High averages 34 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. The verdict data again lists no playable settings.

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 66 FPS. The Low preset also clears the threshold with 86 FPS, but Medium offers higher visual quality while maintaining playability. High and Ultra both fall below 60 FPS, so they are excluded. The best settings for this resolution are therefore Medium, delivering 66 FPS average, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 75 FPS.