Thief

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B570 presents a clear performance profile for Thief, a 2014 stealth title with modest hardware demands by modern standards. Based on measured data, this combination ranks 2994th out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of overall system performance for this specific game. While the percentile rankings for the individual components are respectable—the CPU sits at the 85th percentile and the GPU at the 65th—the in-game results reveal that this pairing is only partially effective, delivering a solid 1080p experience but struggling significantly at 4K. The data shows a system that can handle the game comfortably at standard resolutions but falls short of the 60 FPS threshold when pixel count rises.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2994 out of 3720 tested configurations indicates that roughly 80% of other system pairings outperform it in Thief. This is a notable finding because the individual components do not appear weak on paper—the i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365, and the Arc B570 averages 20556. However, the measured FPS results across resolutions suggest that the Arc B570 becomes a limiting factor at higher pixel counts, dragging the overall combo ranking down despite the CPU’s strong compute capabilities. The nearest CPU rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-13700T (deltaPct -0.1) and Intel Core i5-13600T (deltaPct 0.2), show that the i7-12700KF is essentially on par with slightly newer or lower-power parts, meaning the CPU is not the bottleneck in this scenario. Similarly, the GPU’s nearest rivals—the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (deltaPct 0.1) and Intel Arc A750 (deltaPct -0.1)—indicate that the Arc B570 performs within a narrow band of comparable hardware, but none of these alternatives would dramatically change the outcome. The rank reflects a system that is adequate for 1080p gaming but not optimized for high-resolution play, which is consistent with the measured FPS data showing a steep drop-off at 4K.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals that the GPU is the dominant factor in Thief’s performance, particularly as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the CPU’s strong single-thread performance—evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 1043 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4071—allows the system to reach high frame rates across all presets, with the Ultra preset averaging 73 FPS. This suggests the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU at this resolution. However, when resolution scales to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops by roughly 30-40% across presets (e.g., from 77 to 53 FPS on High), indicating that the GPU’s rendering load is increasing while the CPU’s role diminishes. At 3840x2160, the trend accelerates sharply: the High preset falls to 31 FPS, and Ultra drops to 29 FPS, while Low still only manages 54 FPS. This pattern implies that the Arc B570’s pixel throughput—with a pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s—is insufficient for 4K, regardless of the CPU’s capabilities. The CPU’s role is more pronounced at lower resolutions, where its high multi-threaded scores (e.g., Cinebench R23 multi-core of 28838) help maintain frame pacing, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the sole constraint, as evidenced by the minimal variation between Low and Ultra settings (54 vs 29 FPS), which is a sign of GPU-bound operation.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable performance across all settings. The Low preset averages 133 FPS, providing a high-refresh-rate experience, while Medium averages 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 and a maximum of 116 FPS. High settings yield 77 FPS, and Ultra averages 73 FPS, still comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. Moving to 2560x1440, the same presets show a noticeable decline: Low drops to 91 FPS, Medium to 69 FPS (with a minimum of 59 and a maximum of 79), High to 53 FPS, and Ultra to 50 FPS. The Medium preset remains playable, but High and Ultra fall below the 60 FPS mark. At 3840x2160, the results are marginal at best: Low averages 54 FPS, Medium 41 FPS (minimum 35, maximum 47), High 31 FPS, and Ultra 29 FPS. None of these 4K settings reach the playable threshold, and even the lowest preset misses 60 FPS by a meaningful margin. The data shows a consistent scaling pattern: each resolution step up reduces average FPS by roughly 30-40%, with the most severe drop occurring between 1440p and 4K, where the GPU’s limited memory bandwidth (380.0 GB/s) and 160-bit bus width become constraining factors.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in benchmark scores are the Intel Core i7-13700T (avgScore 35403, deltaPct -0.1) and the Intel Core i5-13600T (avgScore 35305, deltaPct 0.2), both of which perform nearly identically to the i7-12700KF. This means that swapping to either of those parts would yield virtually no change in Thief’s frame rates, as the CPU is not the bottleneck in most scenarios. The Intel Core 5 213PE (avgScore 35428, deltaPct -0.2) and Intel Core i7-12700K (avgScore 35287, deltaPct 0.2) also fall within a 0.2% performance band, reinforcing that the CPU’s contribution is stable across similar parts. On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (avgScore 20534, deltaPct 0.1) and Intel Arc A750 (avgScore 20582, deltaPct -0.1) are the closest alternatives, with performance deltas under 0.2%. The AMD Radeon R9 M390X (avgScore 20662, deltaPct -0.5) and NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (avgScore 20480, deltaPct 0.4) round out the nearest rivals, but none of these GPUs would significantly alter the 4K results, as they all share similar compute profiles. For users seeking better 4K performance, the data suggests that a higher-tier GPU would be necessary, though such a change is outside the scope of this analysis.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that maintains at least 60 FPS, averaging 73 FPS. This allows for maximum visual quality without sacrificing playability. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best choice, averaging 69 FPS, while Low also clears the threshold at 91 FPS but with reduced visuals. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p fall short at 53 and 50 FPS, respectively, making them unsuitable for a smooth experience. At 3840x2160, no preset achieves the 60 FPS target; the closest is Low at 54 FPS, which is still below playable. Consequently, the system is not recommended for 4K gaming in Thief, as even the lowest settings fail to deliver consistent frame rates. The verdict data confirms this: the playable settings list is empty for 4K, while 1440p supports Low and Medium, and 1080p supports all presets.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Thief at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the best average FPS is 54 on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium averages 41 FPS, High 31 FPS, and Ultra 29 FPS, so no preset is playable at this resolution.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 2560x1440?

A: The Medium preset is the best playable option, averaging 69 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS. Low also works at 91 FPS, but High (53 FPS) and Ultra (50 FPS) do not meet the 60 FPS requirement.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T, scores 35403 with a deltaPct of -0.1%, and the Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35305 with a deltaPct of 0.2%, meaning performance differences are negligible.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more important for Thief at higher resolutions?

A: The GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K, as evidenced by the small FPS gap between Low (54 FPS) and Ultra (29 FPS) settings. At 1080p, the CPU’s strong single-thread performance allows all presets to exceed 60 FPS, but this advantage disappears as resolution increases.

Q: What are the FPS figures for the Medium preset at each resolution?

A: At 1920x1080, Medium averages 101 FPS (minimum 86, maximum 116). At 2560x1440, it averages 69 FPS (minimum 59, maximum 79). At 3840x2160, it averages 41 FPS (minimum 35, maximum 47).

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS at 1920x1080 on Ultra?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 1920x1080 averages 73 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the highest preset that remains playable at this resolution.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and Intel Arc B570 combination can run Thief, but only at lower resolutions and with specific settings. At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS on all presets, including Ultra at 73 FPS, making it fully playable with maximum visual fidelity. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best playable option at 69 FPS, while High and Ultra fall below the threshold at 53 and 50 FPS, respectively. At 3840x2160, no settings achieve playable frame rates—the highest average is 54 FPS on Low—so 4K gaming is not viable with this hardware. The verdict data lists playable settings as High, Low, Medium, and Ultra for 1080p, and Low and Medium for 1440p, with no playable options at 4K. Overall, this system is well-suited for 1080p gaming in Thief, adequate for 1440p with reduced settings, and unsuitable for 4K. Users prioritizing higher resolutions would need to consider a more powerful GPU, as the CPU’s performance is more than sufficient for this title.