Thief

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. This CPU was released in July 2019 and fits the AMD Socket AM4 platform. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and a 32 MB L3 cache. Memory support is DDR4 with dual-channel configuration, offering a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 7 3700X achieves a Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 2092 and a single-core score of 204. Its Geekbench multi-core score is 8899, with a single-core score of 1593. The PassMark multi-thread score is 22458, while the single-thread score is 2656. These numbers place the CPU in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 34260.

The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 7 3700X, based on average benchmark scores, are the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (score 34222, delta 0.1%), the AMD EPYC 4244P (score 34220, delta 0.1%), the Intel Core i5-13450HX (score 34333, delta -0.2%), and the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (score 34083, delta 0.5%). The performance deltas are minimal, with the largest difference being only 0.5% between the Ryzen 7 3700X and the Core Ultra 7 165H. Thus, the 3700X sits in a tightly contested performance band.

For a game like Thief, released in 2014, the requirement for CPU horsepower is modest compared to modern titles. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration is far beyond what a 2014-era game would typically utilize. Benchmark results indicate that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 130 FPS average, while at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 86 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p represents a 44 FPS reduction, or roughly 34% fewer frames. This suggests that while CPU performance remains ample, the game's engine and the graphics settings are influencing frame delivery.

The substantial thread count and high boost clock of the 3700X ensure that CPU-bound scenarios, such as minimum frame drops in complex scenes, are unlikely to be a bottleneck. The PassMark physics score of 1181 and the data compression score of 296379 indicate strong computational throughput, which supports consistent frame pacing. At 4K Ultra, the combo delivers 35 FPS average, a figure that points to the GPU being the limiting factor rather than the CPU, given that the processor's capability is unchanged across resolutions.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is a RDNA 3.0 architecture GPU, codenamed Hotpink Bonefish, fabricated on a 6 nm process by TSMC. It features a base clock of 1720 MHz, a game clock of 2250 MHz, and a boost clock of 2655 MHz. The memory configuration includes 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s, with memory clocked at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective). The GPU has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, along with 32 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 169.9 GPixel/s and texture rate is 339.8 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 21.75 TFLOPS.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 7600 achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2310, a Geekbench OpenCL score of 88051, and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 34401. The PassMark G3D score is 16634, with a GPU compute score of 8790. This GPU sits in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15171. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (score 15199, delta -0.2%), the AMD Radeon Pro 560X (score 15082, delta 0.6%), the AMD Radeon 680M (score 15270, delta -0.7%), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti (score 15063, delta 0.7%). The performance differences are negligible, all within a 0.7% band.

For Thief, the RX 7600's 8 GB VRAM is ample for the game's era; a 2014 title would not require high memory capacity. The GPU's clock speeds are high, with a boost of 2655 MHz, which helps maintain frame rates in GPU-bound scenarios. At 1080p, the combo delivers 130 FPS average on Low, 118 FPS on Medium, 90 FPS on High, and 86 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 44 FPS drop, which indicates that higher settings increase GPU load, but the card still maintains playable frame rates.

At 4K, the GPU's limitations become evident. The average FPS at 4K High is 36, which is a significant drop from the 90 FPS at 1080p High. This represents a 60% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings. The 4K Ultra setting yields only 35 FPS average. The 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus, while sufficient for lower resolutions, struggle to maintain high frame rates at 4K because the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth are stressed. The GPU's 64 ROPs and 128 TMUs are adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show that the card is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which indicates that the GPU becomes the dominant limiting factor at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average FPS values are 130 at 1080p, 107 at 1440p, and 63 at 4K. This represents a 23 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p (a 17.7% reduction) and a further 44 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K (a 41.1% reduction). The total drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 67 FPS, or a 51.5% decrease.

At Medium settings, the average FPS values are 118 at 1080p, 81 at 1440p, and 48 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 37 FPS (31.4% reduction), and from 1440p to 4K is 33 FPS (40.7% reduction). The total reduction from 1080p to 4K at Medium is 70 FPS, or a 59.3% decrease. At High settings, the values are 90 FPS at 1080p, 62 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 28 FPS (31.1% reduction), and from 1440p to 4K is 26 FPS (41.9% reduction). The total reduction at High is 54 FPS, or a 60% decrease.

At Ultra settings, the average FPS values are 86 at 1080p, 59 at 1440p, and 35 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 27 FPS (31.4% reduction), and from 1440p to 4K is 24 FPS (40.7% reduction). The total reduction at Ultra is 51 FPS, or a 59.3% decrease. The consistency of these percentage drops across settings—approximately 31% from 1080p to 1440p and 41% from 1440p to 4K—indicates uniform scaling behavior.

The data shows that the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial across all settings, with reductions ranging from 51.5% at Low to 60% at High and Ultra. This pattern strongly suggests that the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU's performance would not scale negatively with resolution. The RX 7600's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are likely the constraints, as higher resolutions require more memory bandwidth and fill rate. The 4K results, particularly the 35-36 FPS at High and Ultra, are below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the GPU cannot sustain smooth gameplay at this resolution regardless of settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 in Thief is ranked 2757 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the 74.1st percentile of all combos. This means that approximately 26% of all tested combinations perform better, while 74% perform worse. The rank is relatively low, which is notable given the hardware's modern specifications.

The CPU's percentile rank of 84 means it outperforms 84% of all CPUs in general benchmarks, but the GPU's percentile rank of 57 indicates it only outperforms 57% of all GPUs. The combo's overall rank of 2757 out of 3720 suggests that the GPU's lower percentile is dragging down the combined performance. The CPU is a strong performer, but the GPU's mid-pack standing limits the combo's overall position.

Compared to the nearest rival GPUs, the RX 7600's performance is very close to the RTX 3050 OEM, with a delta of -0.2%, meaning the RTX 3050 OEM has a slightly higher average score. The Radeon Pro 560X and GTX 660 Ti have lower scores, with deltas of 0.6% and 0.7% respectively, indicating the RX 7600 is slightly better. The Radeon 680M has a higher score, with a delta of -0.7%, meaning the RX 7600 is slightly worse. These small deltas suggest that the RX 7600 is in a performance class with these rivals, and the combo's rank reflects this mid-tier positioning.

In the context of Thief, which is a 2014 title, the combo's rank of 2757 out of 3720 might seem low for a modern GPU. However, the benchmark data is based on all tested combos, which likely includes many high-end systems. The measured FPS shows that the combo can achieve 130 FPS at 1080p Low, which is respectable, but the 4K results are weak. The rank of 2757 indicates that while the combo is not at the bottom, it is also not in the top tier for this game. The 74.1st percentile position suggests that the hardware is sufficient for smooth gameplay at lower resolutions, but it falls short of the highest-performing combos.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves in Thief?

A: The maximum average FPS is 130, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: At what resolution and settings does the combo fail to reach 60 FPS?

A: At 4K resolution (3840x2160), the combo fails to reach 60 FPS on all settings, with averages of 63 FPS on Low, 48 FPS on Medium, 36 FPS on High, and 35 FPS on Ultra.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Ryzen 7 3700X has an average benchmark score of 34260, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (score 34222) and 0.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4244P (score 34220). It is 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i5-13450HX (score 34333) and 0.5% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (score 34083).

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 130 on Low to 86 on Ultra, a difference of 44 FPS, representing a 33.8% reduction.

Q: Does the GPU or CPU limit performance at 4K?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, as the FPS drops significantly with resolution while the CPU's capabilities remain constant. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 35, compared to 86 at 1080p Ultra, showing a 59.3% reduction.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combos?

A: The combo is ranked 2757 out of 3720 tested combos, placing it in the 74.1st percentile. This means 74% of tested combos perform worse, while 26% perform better.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, all settings achieve playable frame rates, with Low at 130 FPS, Medium at 118 FPS, High at 90 FPS, and Ultra at 86 FPS. For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1080p, any setting is viable, but Medium or High offers a balance between visual quality and performance. High provides 90 FPS, which is 4 FPS less than the 94 FPS that would be 60% of the maximum, but the reduction from Medium to High is 28 FPS. Ultra only drops 4 FPS from High, making it a reasonable choice for maximum quality if the user can tolerate 86 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the data shows 62 FPS on High and 59 FPS on Ultra, both near the 60 FPS threshold. Medium provides 81 FPS, which is a safer option for maintaining headroom above 60 FPS. Low at 1440p achieves 107 FPS, but this sacrifices visual fidelity. For a 60 FPS target at 1440p, High is the best choice, as it delivers 62 FPS average, just above the threshold. Ultra at 59 FPS is marginally below 60 FPS and may result in occasional dips, so High is recommended over Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the combo cannot maintain 60 FPS on any setting. The highest average is 63 FPS on Low, which is only slightly above 60 FPS. Medium drops to 48 FPS, High to 36 FPS, and Ultra to 35 FPS. For 4K, Low is the only setting that achieves an average above 60 FPS, but it is marginal. If the user prioritizes frame rate over quality, Low at 4K is the only option. If visual quality is more important, Medium at 48 FPS is the highest quality setting that remains somewhat playable, though it falls below 60 FPS. High and Ultra at 4K are not recommended due to the low frame rates.

The best overall experience for this combo is at 1440p with High settings, which provides 62 FPS average with good visual quality. At 1080p, Ultra at 86 FPS offers the highest quality without sacrificing smoothness. For users willing to accept lower quality, 1080p Low at 130 FPS is the highest frame rate available. The data shows that the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for low settings only.

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

The measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and AMD Radeon RX 7600 in Thief is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 130 FPS average
• Medium: 118 FPS average, with a minimum of 100 FPS and maximum of 135 FPS
• High: 90 FPS average
• Ultra: 86 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo delivers a smooth experience across all settings. The range from Low to Ultra is 44 FPS, with the largest drop occurring between Medium and High (28 FPS). The minimum FPS at Medium is 100, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating consistent frame delivery.

2560x1440:

• Low: 107 FPS average
• Medium: 81 FPS average, with a minimum of 69 FPS and maximum of 93 FPS
• High: 62 FPS average
• Ultra: 59 FPS average

At 1440p, the combo remains playable on all settings, but the margin above 60 FPS narrows. Low and Medium are comfortably above 60 FPS, while High is just above at 62 FPS, and Ultra is just below at 59 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium is 69, which is still above 60 FPS, but the average at Ultra suggests occasional dips below 60 FPS.

3840x2160:

• Low: 63 FPS average
• Medium: 48 FPS average, with a minimum of 41 FPS and maximum of 55 FPS
• High: 36 FPS average
• Ultra: 35 FPS average

At 4K, the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates. Only Low settings achieve an average above 60 FPS, at 63 FPS. Medium drops to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, and High and Ultra are in the mid-30s. The minimum FPS at Medium is 41, indicating significant frame drops during demanding scenes. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a recommended resolution for this combo, as even Low settings provide a minimal margin above 60 FPS, and higher settings result in sub-60 FPS averages.

The FPS breakdown confirms the analysis that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance is sufficient to handle the game's demands at all settings, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. The GPU's limitations become apparent at 1440p and especially at 4K, where frame rates drop significantly. For users seeking the best experience, 1080p Ultra at 86 FPS or 1440p High at 62 FPS are the optimal choices, balancing visual quality with playable frame rates.