Thief

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT and Intel Arc B570 combination delivers playable performance in Thief, but the data reveals a clear hierarchy: 1080p is smooth, 1440p is acceptable, and 4K is only viable at Low settings. This pairing ranks in the bottom 20% of tested combos, indicating that while it handles the game, it does not excel relative to other systems in the database.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable but steep decline as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 133 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 91 FPS, a reduction of 42 FPS. At 4K, the average falls to 54 FPS at Low settings. This pattern—a 31.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p and another 40.7% drop from 1440p to 4K—indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The Ultra preset tells a similar story. At 1080p, the average is 73 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 50 FPS, and at 4K, it plummets to 29 FPS. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Ultra is 44 FPS, which is a 60.3% reduction. This steep scaling curve suggests that the Intel Arc B570's 10 GB memory buffer and 160-bit bus are being saturated at 4K, especially with higher-quality textures and effects.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data with min/max FPS values. At 1080p, the average is 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 116 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 69 FPS with a range of 59 to 79 FPS. At 4K, the average is 41 FPS with a range of 35 to 47 FPS. The minimum FPS figures are crucial: at 4K Medium, the 35 FPS minimum means the system dips below the 60 FPS threshold consistently, which would be noticeable in a stealth game requiring precision.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this scenario. The Ryzen 5 5600GT, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, has a boost clock of 4.60 GHz and a 3DMark single-thread score of 913. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU has the least work, the system achieves 133 FPS, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. The limiting component is clearly the GPU, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops with each resolution step-up.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1080p is the standout choice. The data shows an average of 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS. This means the system rarely drops below a smooth 60 FPS, and the 86 FPS minimum provides headroom for demanding scenes. The High preset at 1080p is also viable at 77 FPS average, but the Medium preset offers a 24 FPS advantage over High, which is a 31.2% improvement for what is likely a minimal visual difference.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point. The 69 FPS average is above the 60 FPS target, and the 59 FPS minimum is close to that threshold. Players who prioritize frame rate over fidelity should consider Low, which delivers 91 FPS average. The High preset at 53 FPS average is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 50 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 4K, the options are limited. The Low preset achieves 54 FPS average, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset drops to 41 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets fall to 31 FPS and 29 FPS, respectively. The data suggests that 4K gaming with this combo requires significant compromises. The Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, and even then, the lack of min/max data for that setting means there is no guarantee of consistent frame times.

The Ultra preset is consistently the worst performer at every resolution. At 1080p, it delivers 73 FPS, which is 28 FPS less than Medium. At 1440p, it drops to 50 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 29 FPS. The visual upgrade from High to Ultra is not worth the performance cost in this game, especially given the stealth genre's need for responsive controls and smooth camera movement.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT and Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2296 out of 2851 tested combos in Thief. This places it in the 19.5th percentile, meaning that approximately 80% of tested systems perform better in this game. This is a low ranking, reflecting the GPU's mid-range positioning rather than any CPU deficiency.

To contextualize this ranking, consider the individual component standings. The CPU has a percentile of 74 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20733. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12490F, has an average score of 20802, a difference of only -0.3%. The GPU has a percentile of 65 among all GPUs, with an average score of 20556. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, scores 20534, a difference of 0.1%.

The discrepancy between the CPU's 74th percentile and the GPU's 65th percentile, combined with the combo's 19.5th percentile ranking, suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor in this specific game. In Thief, the GPU's performance at higher resolutions directly impacts the overall experience. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for the game's demands, but the Arc B570's 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 380.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are not enough to push high frame rates at 1440p and 4K.

The ranking also indicates that this combo is not well-suited for Thief specifically. While the GPU performs adequately in synthetic benchmarks, the game's engine appears to favor other graphics architectures. The Arc B570's nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark, including the Intel Arc A750 with a -0.1% delta, do not necessarily translate to in-game performance advantages.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 133 FPS average
• Medium: 101 FPS average, 86 FPS minimum, 116 FPS maximum
• High: 77 FPS average
• Ultra: 73 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 91 FPS average
• Medium: 69 FPS average, 59 FPS minimum, 79 FPS maximum
• High: 53 FPS average
• Ultra: 50 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 54 FPS average
• Medium: 41 FPS average, 35 FPS minimum, 47 FPS maximum
• High: 31 FPS average
• Ultra: 29 FPS average

The 1080p Low setting at 133 FPS is the highest measured performance, indicating that the system has significant headroom at lower resolutions. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p reduces performance by 32 FPS, which is a 24.1% decrease. The jump from Medium to High is 24 FPS, a 23.8% decrease. The jump from High to Ultra is only 4 FPS, a 5.2% decrease, suggesting diminishing returns at the highest preset.

At 1440p, the performance scaling is more consistent. Low to Medium is a 22 FPS drop (24.2%), Medium to High is 16 FPS (23.2%), and High to Ultra is 3 FPS (5.7%). At 4K, Low to Medium is a 13 FPS drop (24.1%), Medium to High is 10 FPS (24.4%), and High to Ultra is 2 FPS (6.5%). The consistent percentage drops across resolutions indicate that the GPU's workload scales linearly with settings, but the absolute FPS values at 4K are too low for comfortable play.

The Medium preset's min/max data reveals the frame time consistency. At 1080p, the 86 FPS minimum is 85.1% of the average. At 1440p, the 59 FPS minimum is 85.5% of the average. At 4K, the 35 FPS minimum is 85.4% of the average. This consistent ratio suggests that the system maintains stable frame pacing, but the low absolute values at 4K make it impractical for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

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

A: The data indicates 1920x1080 is the best resolution. At Medium settings, the average FPS is 101 with a minimum of 86 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. At 1440p, the Medium preset averages 69 FPS with a 59 FPS minimum, which is playable but closer to the edge. At 4K, all presets except Low drop below 60 FPS average.

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K?

A: No. The highest 4K average is 54 FPS at Low settings. The Medium preset averages 41 FPS, High averages 31 FPS, and Ultra averages 29 FPS. None of these meet the 60 FPS target.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting component. The CPU has a 3DMark single-thread score of 913 and a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17272, indicating sufficient processing power. The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are consistent with GPU limitations, not CPU constraints.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, scores 20534, a delta of 0.1%. The Intel Arc A750 scores 20582, a delta of -0.1%. These differences are negligible in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1440p Medium?

A: The minimum FPS at 1440p Medium is 59 FPS, with an average of 69 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS. This means the system occasionally dips below 60 FPS but generally maintains a playable frame rate.

Q: Is the Ultra preset worth using at 1080p?

A: The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 73 FPS, which is 28 FPS less than Medium at 101 FPS. The performance cost is substantial, and given the small difference between High (77 FPS) and Ultra (73 FPS), the Ultra preset is not recommended.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Cezanne. It operates on the AMD Socket AM4 platform with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The CPU has a 65 W TDP and supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration, providing a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

In Thief, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The 6 cores and 12 threads are more than adequate for a 2014 game, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. The CPU's benchmark scores support this: it achieves a 3DMark max threads score of 5554 and a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 17272. The single-thread performance, crucial for game logic, is represented by a 3DMark single-thread score of 913 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1843.

The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and a 16 MB L3 cache. This cache configuration helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for game performance. However, the CPU's PCIe Gen 3 interface with 16 lanes may limit the GPU's bandwidth compared to newer platforms, though the Arc B570 uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, which is backward compatible.

The CPU's integrated graphics, Radeon Vega 7, are not used in this configuration since the Arc B570 is a discrete GPU. The CPU's 10,700 million transistors on a 7 nm process from TSMC indicate a modern design, but the performance in Thief is ultimately constrained by the GPU. The data shows that the CPU does not bottleneck the system: at 1080p Low, the system achieves 133 FPS, which is near the limit of what a 2014 game would require. The CPU's 74th percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms its capability, but the combo's 2296th rank out of 2851 in Thief highlights that the GPU holds the system back.