Thief

The data for Thief with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Intel Arc B370 shows a combination that is heavily constrained by the graphics solution. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings reveal a system that can handle the game’s older engine at lower loads but struggles to maintain playable rates as graphical demands increase. This analysis breaks down the performance metrics, contextualizes the rankings, and provides actionable settings guidance based strictly on the measured results.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, indicating that the Intel Arc B370 is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 78 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset reduces that average to 53 FPS, a decline of 25 FPS. Pushing further to 4K at Low settings yields just 31 FPS on average, meaning the transition from 1080p to 4K at Low settings cuts performance by more than half, from 78 FPS down to 31 FPS.

This scaling pattern is even more pronounced at higher settings. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 45 at 1080p to 31 at 1440p, and then to 18 at 4K. The Ultra preset shows a similar trend: 43 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K. The fact that the 4K results for High, Medium, and Ultra all fall between 17 and 24 FPS suggests that the GPU is saturated; resolution scaling has a dramatic effect because the Arc B370’s compute resources are quickly overwhelmed by the pixel count.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this scaling. If the Ryzen 5 3600 were limiting performance, we would expect to see smaller FPS gaps between resolutions, especially at lower settings where the GPU has less work. Instead, the large drops—such as the 25 FPS difference between 1080p Low (78 FPS) and 1440p Low (53 FPS)—point directly to the GPU’s fill rate and shading capabilities being the constraint. The Arc B370’s 20 ROPs and 1280 shading units are simply not sufficient for 4K rendering in this title, even at the lowest preset.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Thief, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2634 out of 2851 total combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems for this game. The rank is a clear reflection of the GPU’s limitations, as the CPU is a relatively capable mid-range part from its generation.

The combo rank of 2634 is heavily influenced by the GPU’s position in the overall hardware landscape. The Arc B370’s average benchmark score is 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (scoring 1186, a delta of -0.2%), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (scoring 1190, a delta of -0.5%), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (scoring 1192, a delta of -0.7%). These are all older or lower-tier parts, which contextualizes the GPU’s performance level.

The CPU, on the other hand, is far more competitive. The Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035, placing it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1260P (17007, delta 0.2%), the Intel Core i5-11400 (17067, delta -0.2%), and the AMD EPYC 7573X (17070, delta -0.2%). This CPU is performing within 0.2% of its direct competitors, showing that it is not a weak link in the system. The disparity between the CPU’s solid percentile ranking and the GPU’s bottom-tier percentile ranking is the primary reason this combo sits at rank 2634.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 3 nm process. Its clock speeds are listed with a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz, but the memory configuration is entirely “System Shared,” meaning it relies on the system’s main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This is a critical detail for Thief, as the game’s texture loading and frame buffering will compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

The GPU’s specifications explain the low FPS numbers. With 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 render output units, the Arc B370 is designed for low-power, portable scenarios rather than high-end gaming. Its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, which are modest figures for 2014’s Thief at higher resolutions. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, which is insufficient for maintaining 60 FPS at 1440p or 4K in this title, as the measured data confirms.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score of 1184 for this GPU is the only dedicated graphics benchmark provided. This score aligns with its rivals in the database, all of which are older discrete or mobile parts. The fact that the GPU’s memory bandwidth is listed as “System Dependent” means that the actual performance in Thief could vary based on the system’s RAM speed and configuration, though the measured FPS data already reflects a real-world scenario where the GPU is the bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. The Low preset achieves an average of 78 FPS, which is the highest score across all tested settings and resolutions. Medium settings drop to 59 FPS on average, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS. High settings average 45 FPS, and Ultra settings average 43 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system can provide a smooth experience at Low and a borderline playable one at Medium, but High and Ultra fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degrades significantly. Low settings average 53 FPS, which is still playable but noticeably less smooth than at 1080p. Medium settings average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS. High settings drop to 31 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 29 FPS. None of the 1440p presets achieve 60 FPS, indicating that this resolution is too demanding for the GPU in this game.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable for most presets. Low settings average 31 FPS, which is technically above the 30 FPS threshold but still feels choppy. Medium settings average 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS. High settings average 18 FPS, and Ultra settings average 17 FPS. The 4K data shows that the GPU is completely overwhelmed, with even the lowest preset failing to reach a comfortable playable frame rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Matisse. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU’s cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a capable processor for gaming, as evidenced by its benchmark scores: a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15045 and a single-core score of 2124, alongside a Geekbench multicore score of 7372 and single-core score of 1536.

In the context of Thief, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. The measured FPS data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor, as the performance scales directly with resolution and settings. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see similar FPS numbers across different resolutions at the same settings. Instead, the data shows a clear drop from 78 FPS at 1080p Low to 53 FPS at 1440p Low, which is a GPU-side limitation.

The Ryzen 5 3600’s single-thread performance, as measured by the Passmark single-thread score of 2562, is sufficient for a 2014 title like Thief, which relies on a few heavily threaded tasks. The CPU’s 12 threads provide ample headroom for background processes and the game’s engine. The benchmark data confirms that the CPU is performing at a level comparable to its peers, with a delta of only 0.2% against its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1260P.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p with the Low preset, which delivers an average of 78 FPS. This is the only setting that provides a clearly smooth frame rate above the 60 FPS threshold. For users who prefer higher visual fidelity, the Medium preset at 1080p is the next best option, averaging 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 FPS. This is close to 60 FPS and may be acceptable for most players, though there will be occasional dips.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option for a moderately playable experience, averaging 53 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to 41 FPS, which may be tolerable for some but is not ideal for a stealth game that requires precise timing and awareness. High and Ultra presets at 1440p should be avoided, as they fall below 31 FPS, which can feel sluggish.

At 4K, none of the presets are recommended for a decent experience. The Low preset at 31 FPS is borderline, but the frame pacing will likely be inconsistent. The Medium preset at 24 FPS and High/Ultra at 18 FPS and 17 FPS respectively are not playable for a game like Thief, where quick reactions and smooth camera movement are important. The data suggests that users should stick to 1080p for this combo, using the Low or Medium presets depending on their preference for smoothness over visual quality.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this system in Thief?*

A: The best measured results are at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which averages 78 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p also performs well, averaging 59 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184, which is within -0.7% to 1.4% of its nearest rivals, including the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190), and AMD FirePro M2000 (1168).

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 a bottleneck in this configuration?

A: No, the CPU is not the bottleneck. The measured FPS scales significantly with resolution and settings, indicating the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 17035 places it in the 71st percentile.

*Q: What is the combined rank of this CPU and GPU for Thief?*

A: This combo ranks 2634 out of 2851 tested combinations for Thief, placing it in the lower portion of the database.

*Q: Can this system run Thief at 4K?*

A: The measured data shows that 4K performance is poor across all settings. The best 4K result is 31 FPS on Low, with High and Ultra averaging only 18 FPS and 17 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory configuration, and how does it affect performance?

A: The Intel Arc B370 uses “System Shared” memory, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM. Its memory bandwidth is listed as “System Dependent,” which means performance can vary based on system RAM, but the measured FPS data shows it is insufficient for high-resolution gaming in Thief.