Thief

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT paired with the Intel Arc B370 delivers a playable but constrained experience in Thief, with the GPU acting as the clear bottleneck at every resolution. At 1080p, the combination manages respectable frame rates at lower settings, but the Arc B370’s limited compute resources cap performance well below what the six-core CPU can feed. The data shows a system where the GPU’s 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 1280 shading units are the decisive factors, while the Ryzen 5 5600GT’s Zen 3 architecture provides ample headroom that remains largely unused in this title. Resolution scaling confirms this imbalance: dropping from 4K to 1080p nearly triples frame rates at Low settings, indicating the GPU is the limiting component across the board.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance curve as resolution increases, consistent with a GPU-bound workload. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 78 FPS, which falls to 53 FPS at 1440p Low and then to 31 FPS at 4K Low. That represents a 32% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 41% drop from 1440p to 4K. These are large proportional declines, demonstrating that pixel count heavily taxes the Arc B370’s 20 ROPs and 40 TMUs. The pattern repeats at Medium settings: 59 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p, and 24 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 31%, and from 1440p to 4K is 41%, mirroring the Low settings trend almost exactly.

At High settings, the scaling is slightly less severe in percentage terms but still steep: 45 FPS at 1080p, 31 FPS at 1440p, and 18 FPS at 4K. The 1080p-to-1440p drop is 31%, while the 1440p-to-4K drop is 42%. Ultra settings show the same pattern with lower absolute numbers: 43 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K, representing a 33% and 41% drop respectively. The consistency of these percentages across all four settings presets strongly indicates that resolution is the dominant variable, and the GPU’s fill rate and shading capacity are saturated even at the lowest preset.

The limiting component is unambiguous. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect frame rates to remain relatively flat as resolution rises, since the same number of draw calls and physics calculations would be required. Instead, the data shows a near-linear relationship between pixel count and frame rate, with 4K delivering roughly 40% of the 1080p performance at every setting. This is a textbook GPU-bound scenario. The Arc B370’s 48.00 GPixel/s pixel rate and 96.00 GTexel/s texture rate are simply insufficient for 4K workloads in this game, which was released in 2014 and relies on moderate geometry but heavy fill-rate demands for its lighting and shadow effects.

At 1080p, the system approaches playable territory at Medium and High settings, with 59 FPS and 45 FPS respectively. However, even at 1080p Low, the 78 FPS average is far from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, which places the GPU in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This percentile ranking underscores that the Arc B370 is a low-end part, and Thief’s performance reflects that. The data suggests that users targeting 4K should expect single-digit-to-low-20s frame rates, which is not viable for stealth gameplay requiring quick reactions. For 1440p, Medium settings at 41 FPS offer a borderline experience, but the min FPS of 35 at that resolution indicates occasional dips below 30 FPS, which could disrupt gameplay.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT provides six cores and twelve threads based on Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.60 GHz. In CPU benchmarks, the processor scores 17272 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2438 in single-core, placing it in the 74th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12490F, scores 20802 on average, a delta of -0.3%, meaning the Ryzen 5 5600GT is essentially tied with that chip. The data indicates the CPU is more than capable of handling Thief’s threading demands.

Thief is a 2014 title that typically uses fewer than four cores effectively, so the Ryzen 5 5600GT’s six cores and twelve threads are overkill for this workload. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 4968 and 4-thread score of 3446 suggest that even at moderate thread counts, the CPU delivers strong performance. The single-thread score of 913 in 3DMark and 2438 in Cinebench R23 single-core are more relevant for older games, and they indicate solid per-core performance that should not bottleneck a low-end GPU like the Arc B370.

However, the benchmark results show that the CPU’s potential is largely untapped in this pairing. At 1080p Low, the system averages 78 FPS, which is likely near the GPU’s maximum output for that resolution and preset. If the CPU were limiting, we would see frame rates plateau across different resolutions at the same settings. Instead, the frame rates vary dramatically with resolution, confirming that the CPU is not the constraint. The Ryzen 5 5600GT’s 16 MB L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for Thief’s asset streaming, and the 7 nm process node with 10,700 million transistors ensures efficient power delivery, though the 65 W TDP is not a factor in gaming performance.

The CPU’s benchmark scores relative to rivals further support the conclusion that it is not the weak link. The 3DMark max-thread score of 5554 and Geekbench multicore score of 7986 show that the processor scales well with additional threads, but Thief does not require that scaling. The Passmark single-thread score of 3348 and data compression score of 258882 indicate strong general-purpose performance, but these are irrelevant to the GPU-bound nature of this game. In summary, the Ryzen 5 5600GT is a capable mid-range CPU that would pair well with a more powerful GPU, but in this specific combo, its role is to provide consistent frame pacing without introducing CPU-side stutters, which the data confirms it does.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo in Thief?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system consistently exceeds 40 FPS at Medium settings or higher. At 2560x1440, only Low settings achieve above 50 FPS, and at 3840x2160, even Low settings drop to 31 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in raw performance?

A: The Arc B370’s average benchmark score is 1184, which is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570’s 1186 and 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770’s 1190. It is 1.4% faster than the AMD FirePro M2000’s 1168. This places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5600GT a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17272 and single-core score of 2438 are far above what Thief requires. The frame rate differences between 1080p and 4K at the same settings show the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured average is 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS. This is playable but may dip below 30 FPS in demanding scenes, which could affect stealth mechanics.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The average is 17 FPS, which is not playable. Even at 4K Low, the average is 31 FPS, indicating that 4K is not a viable target for this combo in Thief.

Q: What is the combo’s overall ranking in Thief?

A: The combination ranks 2634 out of 2851 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. Low settings average 78 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate for this combo. Medium settings average 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS, providing a smooth experience with headroom for dips. High settings average 45 FPS, which is still playable but closer to the edge of comfort. Ultra settings average 43 FPS, only slightly lower than High, suggesting that the extra graphical features at Ultra do not impose a large additional cost at this resolution. The difference between Low and Ultra is 35 FPS, or 45%, indicating that the GPU’s shading units are the primary constraint rather than memory bandwidth, since the Arc B370 uses system shared memory.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 53 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution that exceeds 50 FPS. Medium settings average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS, making it a borderline playable option. High settings average 31 FPS, and Ultra settings average 29 FPS, both of which fall below the 30 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 24 FPS, or 45%, identical to the percentage drop at 1080p, reinforcing that the GPU is scaling linearly with workload.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles across all presets. Low settings average 31 FPS, which is technically playable but not smooth. Medium settings average 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS, indicating frequent dips below 25 FPS. High settings average 18 FPS, and Ultra settings average 17 FPS, both of which are far below playable thresholds. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 14 FPS, or 45%, again consistent with the other resolutions. This consistency suggests that the Arc B370’s fill rate is the dominant factor, and no amount of CPU headroom can compensate for the GPU’s 48.00 GPixel/s pixel rate.

The medium settings rows provide the only min and max FPS data in the pack, which offers insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the variance between min and max is 18 FPS (50 to 68), indicating relatively stable performance. At 1440p Medium, the variance is 12 FPS (35 to 47), showing tighter frame delivery but at a lower average. At 4K Medium, the variance is 7 FPS (20 to 27), suggesting that the GPU is fully saturated and frame times are more consistent but at an unplayable level. This data pattern is typical of a GPU that is hitting its compute limits rather than experiencing driver or memory bottlenecks.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 3 nm process. It features 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The memory is system shared, meaning bandwidth is system dependent, and the GPU’s 25 W TDP indicates it is designed for low-power integrated use rather than discrete gaming performance. The FP32 throughput is 6.144 TFLOPS, and the pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, both of which are modest figures.

In Thief, the GPU role is decisive. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places the Arc B370 in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1186 — statistically identical. This means the Arc B370 performs at the level of a mid-range GPU from over a decade ago, which explains why Thief (a 2014 game) runs at playable frame rates only at 1080p and Low/Medium settings. The GPU’s 40 TMUs are responsible for texture filtering, and the 96.00 GTexel/s texture rate is sufficient for 1080p but not for 4K, where the pixel count overwhelms the ROPs.

The system shared memory architecture is a notable limitation. With no dedicated VRAM, the GPU must share bandwidth with the CPU’s DDR4 memory, which is capped at 51.2 GB/s for the Ryzen 5 5600GT. This shared bandwidth likely contributes to the steep performance drop at higher resolutions, as the GPU must fetch larger textures and frame buffers over the same memory bus. However, the consistent 45% performance drop from Low to Ultra at all three resolutions suggests that raw compute capacity, not memory bandwidth, is the primary limiter. The RT cores (10) and DirectX 12 Ultimate support are present but irrelevant for Thief, which uses older DirectX features.

The GPU’s benchmark scores relative to rivals reinforce its low-end positioning. The 0.2% deficit to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and 0.5% deficit to the ATI Radeon HD 5770 show that the Arc B370 is not meaningfully faster than these legacy parts. The 1.4% advantage over the AMD FirePro M2000 is negligible. This places the GPU in a performance tier that is simply inadequate for modern resolutions in this game. The data shows that the Arc B370’s 6.144 TFLOPS FP32 is the ceiling for this combo, and the Ryzen 5 5600GT’s CPU performance is never the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal experience for this combo is 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This preset delivers an average of 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS. The 50 FPS minimum ensures that the game rarely drops below the 60 FPS target, and the 59 FPS average is close enough to that target for smooth gameplay. The gap between Medium (59 FPS) and High (45 FPS) is 14 FPS, or 24%, which is a significant trade-off for the visual improvements High provides. Given that Thief is a stealth game where reaction times matter, the higher frame rate at Medium is preferable to the marginal visual gains at High.

At 2560x1440, the only playable option is Low settings, which averages 53 FPS. However, the minimum FPS data is not available for Low settings at this resolution, so the frame pacing is uncertain. Medium settings at 1440p average 41 FPS, but the minimum of 35 FPS suggests that demanding scenes could cause stutters. For users who prioritize resolution over smoothness, 1440p Low is the best choice, but 1080p Medium offers a better balance of frame rate and visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, no preset is recommended. Even Low settings average only 31 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS minimum for playability in most titles. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 17 FPS, which is effectively a slideshow. Users with 4K displays should either lower the resolution to 1080p or accept that this combo is not suitable for 4K gaming in Thief.

The data also suggests that High settings at 1080p (45 FPS) are a viable alternative to Medium if the user prefers better shadows and textures, but the 14 FPS cost is steep. Ultra settings at 1080p (43 FPS) offer almost no benefit over High (45 FPS), so there is no reason to select Ultra at any resolution. The measured rows show that Ultra provides less than a 5% performance improvement over High in terms of average FPS, making it a poor choice for this GPU.

In summary, the best experience per the measured data is 1080p Medium, which provides a 59 FPS average and a 50 FPS minimum. For users willing to sacrifice visual quality, 1080p Low at 78 FPS is the smoothest option. For those who must use 1440p, Low at 53 FPS is the only recommended preset. 4K should be avoided entirely, as the highest average FPS at that resolution is 31 FPS on Low, which is not sufficient for a stealth game where precision is key.