Thief

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the Intel Arc B570 delivers a clear picture for running Thief: 1080p and 1440p are viable, while 4K falls short of the 60 FPS threshold. The benchmark data shows a system that scales predictably with resolution and settings, with the most demanding playable preset at each resolution being the key takeaway for configuration.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the system achieves a playable experience across all four tested settings. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 73 FPS. This is the optimal choice for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The data shows a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS playable threshold, meaning even demanding scenes should remain fluid.

For 2560x1440, the ceiling drops to Medium settings, which produces an average of 69 FPS. This preset clears the 60 FPS bar with a modest buffer. High settings at this resolution fall to 53 FPS average, below the playable threshold, so Medium represents the best balance of quality and performance. The minimum FPS recorded at Medium is 59, which is just under the 60 FPS line but close enough that typical gameplay will feel consistent.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset reaches 60 FPS. The best option is Low, which averages 54 FPS — still below the playable threshold. Medium drops to 41 FPS, High to 31 FPS, and Ultra to 29 FPS. Consequently, the verdict data lists no playable settings for 4K, meaning users should either lower expectations to sub-60 performance or run the game at a lower resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, while the CPU has ample headroom. At 1080p, the Core i7-12700K’s strong multi-threaded performance — evidenced by its 19,784 Cinebench R23 multi-core score and 9979 3DMark max-threads score — allows the Arc B570 to stretch its legs. The jump from 1080p Medium (101 FPS) to 1440p Medium (69 FPS) represents a 32% reduction in frame rate, which is a typical GPU-bound scaling pattern.

The CPU’s role is most apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system hits 133 FPS average, and even at Ultra it maintains 73 FPS. These numbers suggest the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently at 1080p. However, when resolution increases to 1440p, the GPU’s workload grows, and the frame rate drops across all settings — from 91 FPS at Low to 50 FPS at Ultra. This pattern continues at 4K, where even Low settings only reach 54 FPS, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor.

The scaling between presets further clarifies the division. At 1440p, the difference between Low (91 FPS) and Medium (69 FPS) is 22 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High (53 FPS) is 16 FPS. These are significant declines that point to GPU shader and memory bandwidth limits. The Arc B570’s 380.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 11.52 TFLOPS FP32 performance are the specs that govern these results, not the CPU’s capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080: The data shows a full range of playable options. Low settings produce an average of 133 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo. Medium averages 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 116 FPS. High settings drop to 77 FPS average, and Ultra maintains 73 FPS. The narrow gap between High and Ultra (4 FPS) suggests that Ultra’s extra effects are relatively light on this hardware at 1080p.

2560x1440: Performance scales down noticeably. Low averages 91 FPS, still well above 60. Medium averages 69 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS and maximum of 79 FPS — this is the borderline playable preset. High falls to 53 FPS average, and Ultra to 50 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 1440p is just 3 FPS, indicating diminishing returns from the highest preset.

3840x2160: The system struggles across the board. Low averages 54 FPS, which is the only setting close to playable. Medium averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and maximum of 47 FPS. High averages 31 FPS, and Ultra averages 29 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is 13 FPS, a substantial drop that underscores the GPU’s inability to handle 4K rendering at higher quality levels.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-12700K’s nearest rivals in benchmark scores are all within a narrow band. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35,305 (deltaPct -0.1), meaning it performs virtually identically. The Intel Core i7-12700KF scores 35,365 (deltaPct -0.2), and the Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35,403 (deltaPct -0.3). The Intel Core 5 213PE at 35,428 (deltaPct -0.4) rounds out the group. Any of these CPUs would behave similarly in Thief, as the game is not heavily CPU-bound at higher resolutions.

For the GPU, the Arc B570’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile with an average score of 20,534 (deltaPct 0.1), which is essentially a tie. The Intel Arc A750 scores 20,582 (deltaPct -0.1), also matching. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M at 20,480 (deltaPct 0.4) and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X at 20,662 (deltaPct -0.5) are similarly close. Users with these GPUs should expect comparable frame rates in Thief, though the Arc A750 is the most likely direct alternative given its identical architecture family.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Thief at 4K with 60 FPS?

A: No. The best 4K result is 54 FPS at Low settings, which falls short of the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium averages 41 FPS, High 31 FPS, and Ultra 29 FPS.

Q: What is the highest quality setting that stays above 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Medium settings, which average 69 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS. High settings drop to 53 FPS average, below the playable line.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to the Arc A750 in this game?

A: The two GPUs have nearly identical benchmark averages — the B570 scores 20,556 and the A750 scores 20,582, a delta of -0.1%. Performance in Thief should be effectively the same.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for Thief at 1080p?

A: The GPU is the main factor, but the CPU has headroom. At 1080p Ultra the system reaches 73 FPS, and at Low it hits 133 FPS, indicating the Core i7-12700K is not limiting these results.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p on High settings?

A: An average of 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. This preset is not listed as playable in the verdict data.

Q: Does the system ever drop below 60 FPS at 1080p Medium?

A: No. The minimum recorded FPS at 1080p Medium is 86 FPS, well above the threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K and Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2994 out of 3720 tested combos in Thief. This places the system in the 19th percentile of all configurations, meaning roughly 80% of tested combos perform better. The ranking reflects the GPU’s mid-range positioning — the Arc B570 sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU is at the 84th percentile among all CPUs. The gap between CPU and GPU percentiles explains why the combo ranks lower than the CPU alone would suggest; the GPU holds the system back, particularly at higher resolutions.

Despite the low relative rank, the system still achieves playable performance at 1080p and 1440p with the right settings. The ranking is a measure of absolute performance across all resolutions, and the 4K results drag the overall standing down.

The Verdict

This PC can run Thief, but the playable envelope depends heavily on resolution. At 1920x1080, all settings clear 60 FPS, with Ultra averaging 73 FPS — this is the recommended configuration for the best visual experience. At 2560x1440, Medium is the highest playable preset at 69 FPS average, while High and Ultra fall below threshold. At 3840x2160, no settings reach 60 FPS; the closest is Low at 54 FPS average, which is not listed as playable.

For users prioritizing smooth gameplay, 1080p Ultra or 1440p Medium are the sweet spots. For those wanting 4K, the system cannot meet the 60 FPS bar without reducing resolution or accepting sub-60 performance. The data indicates a capable mid-range gaming setup that is best suited to 1080p and 1440p, with the GPU as the limiting factor at higher resolutions.