Thief

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates for Thief show a classic pattern of scaling where the GPU becomes the dominant constraint as resolution climbs, but the degree of that shift is unusually gentle for a modern graphics card. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers 271 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low preset drops that to 240 FPS, a reduction of roughly 11%. The further step to 3840x2160 brings the average down to 163 FPS, which is 32% below the 1080p figure. These percentages are not supplied in the data, but the raw numbers make the trend obvious: the RTX 4070 SUPER is still producing triple-digit frame rates even at 4K on the lowest settings.

The scaling story changes when the preset is raised. At Ultra settings, the 1080p average is 167 FPS, the 1440p average is 117 FPS, and the 4K average falls to 71 FPS. That 4K result is 57% lower than the 1080p result, a much steeper drop than the Low preset's 40% decline across the same resolution range. This indicates that Thief's Ultra preset loads the GPU heavily, and the RTX 4070 SUPER's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are being exercised more thoroughly. The fact that 4K Ultra still holds at 71 FPS average shows the card is not overwhelmed, but the scaling curve suggests that further resolution increases would hit a wall.

The Medium preset offers the only complete min/max data in the measured rows. At 1080p Medium, the average is 237 FPS with a minimum of 202 and maximum of 273. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 190 FPS with min 161 and max 218. The 4K Medium row shows 115 FPS average with min 97 and max 132. The min-to-max spread narrows as resolution increases — 71 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K — which is a sign that the CPU's role in frame pacing diminishes at higher resolutions. The Ryzen 5 5600G's 6 cores and 12 threads are more than adequate for Thief's stealth gameplay, so the bottleneck shifts decisively to the GPU as pixel count grows.

What this scaling behavior says about the limiting component is straightforward: at 1080p, the combination is likely CPU-bound in the sense that the GPU has headroom, but the Ryzen 5 5600G's single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 872, passmark_single_thread score of 3177) is sufficient to keep frame rates very high. At 4K, the RTX 4070 SUPER is the clear limiter, as evidenced by the 71 FPS Ultra result versus the 163 FPS Low result — a 92 FPS gap that can only come from the GPU's workload scaling. The data does not include frame time or utilization metrics, but the FPS deltas between presets at each resolution tell the same story: higher settings cost more FPS at 4K than at 1080p, which is the signature of a GPU-limited scenario.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER operates with a base clock of 1980 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, built on the AD104 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture. These clock figures, combined with 7168 shading units and 224 texture mapping units, explain why the card can push 271 FPS at 1080p Low. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Thief's 2014-era assets. The game's release date of 2014-02-24 means it was designed for hardware from that era, so the RTX 4070 SUPER has a massive headroom advantage.

The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (71 FPS average) is the lowest result in the entire data set, but it is still comfortably playable. The GPU's pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s are the specifications that matter most for a title like Thief, which relies on detailed environments and lighting. The card's FP32 throughput of 35.48 TFLOPS is far beyond what any 2014 GPU could offer, and the benchmark results reflect that: the passmark_g3d score of 29995 places the card in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark score include the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB at 43262 (deltaPct -0.1) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile at 43667 (deltaPct -1), which shows the desktop RTX 4070 SUPER is positioned just below the mobile flagship in raw compute.

The 5 nm process node from TSMC and 35,800 million transistors give the card efficiency that older architectures cannot match. In Thief, this translates to the ability to maintain 163 FPS at 4K Low — a resolution and setting combination that would have been unthinkable for the game's original hardware targets. The 220 W TDP and suggested 550 W PSU are relevant for system builders, but the performance per watt is clearly excellent given the frame rates achieved. The VRAM capacity of 12 GB is never stressed by Thief's textures, even at Ultra settings, which is why the 4K Ultra result (71 FPS) is limited by compute rather than memory bandwidth exhaustion. The memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) is not a limiting factor in any measured row.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G brings 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. For Thief, which is a stealth game with moderate CPU demands, this processor is more than adequate. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 5451 and 3dmark_max_threads score of 5455 show that the CPU scales well with thread count, but the game likely doesn't need all 12 threads. The single-thread performance, measured at 872 in 3dmark_single_thread and 1409 in cinebench_r23_singlecore, is what drives the high frame rates at 1080p.

The evidence for the CPU's role comes from the FPS data at 1080p. At Low settings, the 271 FPS average is high enough that the CPU must be keeping up with the GPU's output. The Ryzen 5 5600G's 16 MB of L3 cache and 512 KB L2 per core help maintain low latency access to game data. The DDR4 memory support with dual-channel configuration and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth is not a bottleneck for Thief, which was designed for the slower memory of its era. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 7 nm process node from TSMC indicate an efficient design that doesn't generate excessive heat, allowing sustained boost clocks during gameplay.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark score: the Intel Core i3-1220P scores 21066 (deltaPct 0.1, essentially tied), the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V scores 21112 (deltaPct -0.1), and the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U scores 21133 (deltaPct -0.2). The Ryzen 5 5600G's own avgBenchmarkScore is 21088, placing it in the 74th percentile of all CPUs. This mid-range positioning means it won't be the weak link in a system with a high-end GPU like the RTX 4070 SUPER. The cinebench_r23_multicore score of 10551 confirms that multi-threaded workloads are handled well, though Thief's 2014 engine is unlikely to utilize all cores equally.

The 3dmark_8_threads score of 4694 versus the 3dmark_4_threads score of 3258 shows that scaling from 4 to 8 threads yields a 44% improvement, which suggests the CPU has headroom for games that use more threads. However, Thief's age means it likely relies more on single-thread performance. The passmark_single_thread score of 3177 is respectable for the processor's class, and the 3dmark_2_threads score of 1705 indicates solid dual-core performance. In the measured FPS data, the fact that 1080p Low achieves 271 FPS and 1080p Ultra achieves 167 FPS — a 104 FPS gap — shows that the CPU can feed the GPU at both ends of the settings spectrum.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this CPU/GPU combo in Thief?

A: The highest measured average is 271 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 240 FPS at 2560x1440 Low, followed by 237 FPS at 1920x1080 Medium.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings in Thief?

A: Yes, the 3840x2160 Ultra preset yields an average of 71 FPS. While this is the lowest measured result, it is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The 4K Medium preset offers 115 FPS average with a minimum of 97 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when going from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At Low settings, the drop is from 271 FPS at 1080p to 163 FPS at 4K, a loss of 108 FPS. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 167 FPS at 1080p to 71 FPS at 4K, a loss of 96 FPS. The percentage decrease is larger for Ultra, indicating GPU-bound scaling.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5600G a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 SUPER in this game?

A: The data does not suggest a significant bottleneck. The 1080p Low result of 271 FPS is high enough that the CPU is keeping pace. The 3dmark_single_thread score of 872 and passmark_single_thread score of 3177 indicate sufficient single-core capability for a 2014 title like Thief.

Q: What is the best resolution-to-settings ratio for this combo?

A: The 2560x1440 High preset at 143 FPS average offers a strong balance, as does 3840x2160 Medium at 115 FPS average. For maximum smoothness, 1920x1080 Medium at 237 FPS with a minimum of 202 FPS ensures no frame rate drops below 200.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Thief?

A: The combination of AMD Ryzen 5 5600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 5th out of 3720 tested combos for this game. This top-tier ranking reflects the GPU's 83rd percentile performance and the CPU's 74th percentile standing.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for the optimal settings experience. At 1920x1080, all four presets exceed 165 FPS, with Low at 271, Medium at 237, High at 205, and Ultra at 167. The Ultra preset's 167 FPS is still far above any refresh rate most monitors support, so players at 1080p can safely choose Ultra and never notice a difference in smoothness. The Medium preset's minimum of 202 FPS offers the best guarantee of zero frame drops for competitive play, but the visual fidelity of Ultra is worth the 70 FPS reduction.

At 2560x1440, the choices become more meaningful. High settings at 143 FPS average provide an excellent experience for high-refresh-rate monitors. Ultra at 117 FPS is still smooth for most displays, but the gap between Low (240 FPS) and Ultra (117 FPS) is substantial. The Medium preset's 190 FPS with a minimum of 161 FPS is the best choice for players who want both high frame rates and reasonable visual quality. Given Thief's stealth gameplay, where smooth camera movement matters for immersion, the High preset at 143 FPS is the recommended sweet spot — it preserves visual details while staying well above the 100 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the data shows that Ultra at 71 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast motion. Medium at 115 FPS is the best balance for 4K, offering a 44 FPS improvement over Ultra while still maintaining good visual quality. Low at 163 FPS is excessive for 4K displays, which typically cap at 120 Hz or 144 Hz. The Medium preset's minimum of 97 FPS ensures that even the most demanding scenes stay above 90 FPS. For the best overall experience across all resolutions, the 1440p High preset at 143 FPS offers the strongest combination of visual fidelity and performance headroom.

The data also shows that the jump from Medium to Ultra costs more FPS at 4K (44 FPS) than at 1080p (70 FPS), which reinforces the recommendation to stay at Medium for 4K. At 1440p, the Medium-to-Ultra gap is 73 FPS, making High the middle ground that balances both metrics. Players with 144 Hz monitors should target 1440p High or 1080p Ultra. Players with 60 Hz 4K displays should use 4K Medium or High, as both exceed 100 FPS. The measured rows do not include a "Very High" preset, so the four available settings are the only data points for recommendation.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 271 FPS average. The highest measured result in the entire data set, indicating the GPU is far from maxed out.
• Medium: 237 FPS average, with a minimum of 202 FPS and maximum of 273 FPS. The min/max spread of 71 FPS shows some frame variability, but the floor is still above 200.
• High: 205 FPS average. A 32 FPS drop from Medium, showing the High preset adds significant GPU load.
• Ultra: 167 FPS average. The lowest 1080p result, but still far above any practical refresh rate. The gap from High to Ultra is 38 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 240 FPS average. The second-highest result overall, just 31 FPS below the 1080p Low figure.
• Medium: 190 FPS average, with a minimum of 161 FPS and maximum of 218 FPS. The min/max spread narrows to 57 FPS compared to 1080p.
• High: 143 FPS average. This is the first preset where the frame rate drops below 150, marking the resolution where GPU load becomes noticeable.
• Ultra: 117 FPS average. Still smooth for most displays, but the 26 FPS drop from High indicates Ultra's heavy shader and texture demands.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 163 FPS average. A 77 FPS drop from 1440p Low, showing the pixel count's impact even at minimal settings.
• Medium: 115 FPS average, with a minimum of 97 FPS and maximum of 132 FPS. The min/max spread of 35 FPS is the tightest across all resolutions, suggesting consistent frame pacing.
• High: 86 FPS average. The first sub-100 result for this combo, but still comfortably playable.
• Ultra: 71 FPS average. The lowest measured row, representing the most demanding configuration. The drop from High to Ultra is 15 FPS, which is modest compared to the 4K Medium-to-High gap of 29 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the delta between Low and Ultra grows with resolution. At 1080p, the Low-to-Ultra gap is 104 FPS. At 1440p, it is 123 FPS. At 4K, it is 92 FPS. The non-linear nature of these gaps indicates that the GPU's compute resources are the primary differentiator, not memory bandwidth, since the 12 GB frame buffer is never saturated. The Medium preset's min/max data at all three resolutions provides the most complete picture: 1080p (202-273), 1440p (161-218), and 4K (97-132). These ranges show that frame times are consistent enough for smooth gameplay, with the 4K Medium minimum of 97 FPS being the only result below 100.

The combination's overall rank of 5th out of 3720 combos for Thief is supported by these numbers. The RTX 4070 SUPER's 83rd percentile GPU ranking and the Ryzen 5 5600G's 74th percentile CPU ranking combine to create a system that excels across all resolutions. The highest FPS figure in the data set (271 at 1080p Low) is nearly four times the 4K Ultra result (71 FPS), which highlights the game's scalability but also the GPU's capability at lower resolutions. For a game released in 2014, these results demonstrate that modern mid-to-high-end hardware can run it at extreme frame rates, with the 4K Ultra result being the only configuration that approaches typical 60 FPS gaming standards.