Thief

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for this combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B390 in Thief shows a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 3840x2160, the results are consistently below playable thresholds. At High settings, the average FPS is 20, while Low settings improve to 35. Medium settings produce a 26 average with a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 30, and Ultra settings drop to 19 average. No settings at 4K approach the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the situation improves but remains insufficient. High settings yield a 34 average, Low settings reach 59, Medium settings produce 45 with a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 52, and Ultra settings settle at 33. The Low preset at 1440p comes closest to the playable threshold, sitting just one frame below 60 FPS on average.

At 1920x1080, the data shows a much more usable experience. High settings average 50 FPS, Low settings reach 86, Medium settings deliver 66 with a minimum of 56 and a maximum of 75, and Ultra settings fall to 48. The Medium preset at 1080p is the most demanding configuration that maintains an average above the 60 FPS threshold, though its minimum dips to 56.

The gaps between presets are consistent across resolutions. At 4K, the spread from Low to Ultra is 16 FPS (35 down to 19). At 1440p, the spread is 26 FPS (59 down to 33). At 1080p, the spread is 38 FPS (86 down to 48). This widening gap at lower resolutions suggests the GPU becomes less of a bottleneck as pixel count decreases, allowing the CPU to exert more influence on frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary limiting factor in this pairing. The i9-14900K is a high-end desktop processor with 24 cores and 32 threads, and its benchmark scores place it in the 95th percentile among all CPUs. The Arc B390, by contrast, sits in the 9th percentile among all GPUs in the database, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482.

The scaling between resolutions reveals the GPU bottleneck clearly. From 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 66 to 45, a reduction of about 32%. From 1440p to 4K at Medium settings, it drops from 45 to 26, another 42% reduction. This steep decline as resolution increases is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario, where the graphics card cannot maintain throughput as pixel workload grows.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at 1080p, where the gap between Low and Ultra settings is largest. At Low settings, the 86 FPS average suggests the GPU has headroom, and the CPU's strong single-thread performance (as shown by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2262.5) helps push frame rates higher. However, even at 1080p Low, the system does not reach the heights one might expect from a top-tier CPU, indicating the GPU still caps overall throughput.

At 4K, the CPU role diminishes almost entirely. The differences between presets are compressed, with Ultra only 16 FPS below Low. This compression indicates the GPU is saturated at all settings, and the CPU's contribution is minimal. The i9-14900K's powerful multi-core capabilities, reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5, do not translate into higher frame rates when the GPU is the bottleneck.

The data points to a fundamental imbalance: a CPU in the 95th percentile paired with a GPU in the 9th percentile. The recorded performance is dictated by the GPU in almost all scenarios, with the CPU only able to stretch frame rates at the lowest resolution and settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no settings achieve the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best average FPS comes from Low settings at 35, but this falls far short of playable. The verdict data confirms no playable settings exist at 4K for this combination.

At 2560x1440, the situation is similar. No settings reach 60 FPS on average. Low settings come closest at 59, but this is still below the threshold. The verdict data lists no playable settings at 1440p.

At 1920x1080, two settings clear the playable threshold. Low settings average 86 FPS, and Medium settings average 66 FPS. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 66 FPS. This is the best settings configuration for this combination, as it provides the highest visual quality while maintaining an average above the playable threshold. The minimum FPS at Medium is 56, which does dip below 60, but the average comfortably clears the threshold.

The verdict data confirms Medium at 1080p as the best playable settings, with an average FPS of 66. High and Ultra at 1080p fall below 60, at 50 and 48 respectively, and are therefore not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Intel Core i9-14900KF has an average benchmark score of 79371, which is 0.3% lower than the i9-14900K's score. This means the KF variant would perform nearly identically in Thief, with no meaningful difference in frame rates. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus scores 79574, 0.6% lower, again a negligible difference. The AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041, 1.2% higher, which could translate to marginally better performance in CPU-bound scenarios, though the GPU bottleneck would likely mask any difference. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740, which is 1.7% lower than the i9-14900K.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are all significantly weaker in benchmark terms. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX has a score of 1463, which is 1.3% lower than the Arc B390's 1482. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, 1.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, 2.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, 2.7% lower. All of these GPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Thief, meaning the experience would be equally constrained. None of these alternatives would offer a meaningful improvement, and all would fall below the 60 FPS threshold at 1080p Medium.

The data suggests that swapping the CPU for any of its nearest rivals would not change the gaming experience, since the GPU is the limiting factor. Swapping the GPU for any of its nearest rivals would also yield similar results, as the delta percentages are all within 3%.

FAQ

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

A: No. The recorded data shows no playable settings at 3840x2160. The highest average FPS at 4K is 35 on Low settings, which falls well below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1080p for this system?

A: Medium settings at 1920x1080 provide the best balance, with an average FPS of 66. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS on average. Low settings run at 86 FPS, but Medium offers higher visual quality while still clearing the threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its closest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX at 1463 (1.3% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M at 1460 (1.5% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM at 1446 (2.5% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 at 1443 (2.7% lower). All of these GPUs would perform within a few percent of each other.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 1440p?

A: The GPU is the dominant factor at 2560x1440. The average FPS ranges from 33 on Ultra to 59 on Low, and no settings reach 60 FPS. The i9-14900K's strong benchmark scores do not help overcome the GPU's limitations at this resolution.

Q: What minimum FPS can be expected at 1080p Medium settings?

A: The recorded minimum FPS at 1920x1080 Medium is 56. While the average is 66, the minimum dips slightly below the 60 FPS threshold, which could cause occasional stutters in demanding scenes.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Thief?

A: This combination ranks 3307 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the lower percentile of systems tested for this game. The low GPU percentile (9th) compared to the high CPU percentile (95th) explains this ranking.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the Intel Arc B390 can run Thief, but only at 1080p and with specific settings. The verdict data confirms that 1920x1080 is the only resolution with playable settings, and Medium is the best preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the system cannot reach the playable threshold at any settings. Low settings come closest with 59 FPS on average, but this is still below the 60 FPS line. The verdict data lists no playable settings at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the system is far from playable. The best average FPS is 35 on Low settings, and all other presets fall below 30. The verdict data confirms no playable settings at 4K.

The core issue is the GPU. The Arc B390's 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs means it is not suited for demanding gaming workloads. The i9-14900K, despite being in the 95th percentile among CPUs, cannot compensate for this limitation. Players seeking higher resolutions or better visual quality would need a significantly more powerful GPU.

For 1080p gaming, the system is viable. Medium settings at 66 FPS average provide a playable experience, and Low settings at 86 FPS offer a smoother feel. High settings at 50 FPS and Ultra at 48 FPS are not recommended for consistent smoothness.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks 3307 out of 3720 tested combos in Thief, placing it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems. The ranking reflects the severe GPU bottleneck. The i9-14900K's performance is wasted in this pairing, as the Arc B390 cannot translate the CPU's capabilities into higher frame rates.

The rank is consistent with the GPU's 9th percentile position among all GPUs. The nearest GPU rivals, all within 3% of the Arc B390's benchmark score, would likely produce similar ranks. The CPU's nearest rivals, all within 2% of the i9-14900K's score, would not change the ranking because the GPU limits performance.

The data suggests this combo is suitable only for 1080p gaming at Medium settings or lower. For Thief specifically, the experience is playable but not exceptional, and the system's overall ranking reflects its status as a low-performance gaming configuration.