Thief

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 delivers a robust 1080p gaming experience in Thief, though its performance at higher resolutions reveals the limits of this mid-range combination. The data shows a clear trend: as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the dominant constraint, while the CPU's strong single and multi-threaded performance ensures high frame rates at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What kind of frame rates can I expect at 1920x1080 with this combo?

A: At 1080p, the combo delivers a very playable experience across all settings. The average FPS ranges from 70 on Ultra to 128 on Low, with Medium and High settings hitting 97 and 74 average FPS respectively. This indicates that the setup is well-suited for high refresh rate monitors at 1080p.

Q: How does the GPU's memory capacity influence the game's performance?

A: The GTX 1070 comes with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. This capacity and bandwidth are sufficient for Thief at all measured settings, as there are no reported instances of average FPS being severely limited by memory constraints, even at 3840x2160.

*Q: What is the CPU's core configuration and how does it affect Thief?*

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. For a stealth game like Thief, which may not be fully optimized for many cores, the strong single-thread performance (evidenced by a 3dmark_single_thread score of 901) ensures solid performance. This proves that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p, as the GPU is the primary factor in frame rate output.

Q: What is the best resolution/settings combination for smooth gameplay (60 FPS or more)?

A: According to the data, the 1920x1080 resolution with High or Medium settings provides an excellent balance, with 74 and 97 average FPS respectively. At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 88 average FPS, which is also above 60 FPS. The 3840x2160 resolution with the High preset is the only one below 30 FPS, so for a consistent 60 FPS experience, 1080p is recommended.

Q: How does the combo rank in this game compared to other tested combinations?

A: This CPU and GPU combo ranks 3079 out of 3720 tested combos in Thief. While this places it in the lower half of tested setups, the actual frame rates at 1080p show it can still deliver a smooth experience, indicating that the rank is influenced by the many high-end combinations in the database.

Q: What are the CPU's strengths in the benchmark results?

A: The CPU's multi-core performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20655 and a passmark_multithread score of 24303. This shows high computational power, but in this game, the 8-core 16-thread design appears to be more than sufficient, as the GPU limits performance at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 combination holds the 3079th rank out of 3720 tested combos in Thief. This is a surprisingly low ranking that seems to understate the actual gaming experience, especially at 1080p. The data indicates that this combo's performance is heavily dictated by the GPU, which has a percentile of 47 when compared to all GPUs, meaning it sits just below the halfway point. The CPU, on the other hand, has a much more dominant percentile of 78, placing it in the top 22% of all CPUs.

In terms of raw comparison, the GTX 1070's average benchmark score of 9780 puts it on par with close rivals like the AMD FirePro W5000 (9803, -0.2% delta) and the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (9832, -0.5% delta). This indicates that the GPU is a solid mid-range component, but not a high-end performer. The CPU's performance is far more competitive, with an average score of 25517, placing it just 0.1% behind the Intel Xeon D-2752TER (25530) and 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 7640U (25485).

Given the 8-core, 16-thread processor, the combo's ranking is likely suppressed by the GPU at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the GPU can be fully utilized, and the CPU's strength becomes less of a factor. This combo is a prime example of a balanced 1080p machine, but it may struggle to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions where the GPU is the limiting factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is the primary driver of frame rates in this game, and its performance is heavily dependent on resolution and settings. The GPU clock speeds are 1506 MHz base and 1683 MHz boost, which are standard for this Pascal architecture model. The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a solid foundation for modern games, with a memory clock of 2002 MHz, delivering 8 Gbps effective speed. The memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s ensures data can be transferred quickly, which is crucial for maintaining frame rates in a game like this.

The GTX 1070's performance in synthetic benchmarks shows a strong result, with a 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 1082. The passmark_directx_11 test scores 100, while the passmark_directx_12 score is 48, suggesting a stronger show in DX11 than DX12, which is typical for Pascal architecture. The passmark_g3d score of 13498 indicates a well-rounded GPU relative to its generation.

In this game, the GPU's role is clear: it is the main gear at resolutions above 1080p. At 1080p, the GPU can run at high settings and achieve a 74 average FPS, which is good. But at 1440p, the frame rates drop to 51 at high settings, and at 4K, the high settings only manage 30 average FPS, showing the GPU's limits. For those aiming for a 60 FPS experience at 1440p, the Low preset is required, which achieves 88 average FPS, indicating that this GPU is best suited for 1080p or 1440p with lower settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark provides a comprehensive look at how the combo performs across three resolutions and four quality settings. The frame rate data is as follows:

At 3840x2160 (4K), the GPU is clearly stress-tested. The High preset yields an average of 30 FPS, which is borderline playable but not ideal. The Medium preset offers 39 average FPS with a minimum of 33 and maximum of 45, which is a good compromise. The Low preset achieves 51 average FPS, which is surprising and playable for 4K. The Ultra preset drops to 28 average FPS, the lowest of the entire set.

At 2560x1440, the performance picks up. The High preset gives an average of 51 FPS, Medium at 66 (56 min, 76 max), Low at 88, and Ultra at 48 FPS. The Medium preset here offers a balanced 66 FPS, which is a decent playable frame rate, though not quite reaching the 70+ smoothness of lower resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the combo shines. The High preset averages 74 FPS, Medium achieves 97 FPS (82 min, 111 max), Low hits 128 FPS, and Ultra still maintains 70 FPS. This shows that 1080p is the sweet spot for this setup, providing a fluid experience even on Ultra settings.

The data reveals a significant drop in FPS when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and an even more pronounced drop at 4K. For example, the High preset at 1080p (74 FPS) is cut to 51 FPS at 1440p, a 31% reduction. This indicates the GPU's pixel-pushing power is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is a Zen 3 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, based on the Cezanne codename. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The processor's SMT (Simultaneous Multi-Threading) capability is evident in the 16 threads, which is ideal for heavy multi-threaded, but for Thief the single-thread performance is more important.

The CPU's single-thread performance is very strong, as seen in the cinebench_r20_singlecore score of 1224 and geekbench_singlecore of 1907. This is crucial for a game like Thief that may not be optimized for many cores. The 3dmark_single_thread score of 901 and passmark_single_thread of 3296 further confirm the high IPC (instructions per clock) and clock speed. The large L3 cache of 16 MB also helps in delivering performance, ensuring that the CPU can quickly access frequently used data.

Despite its strong performance, the CPU's role in this combo is not the bottleneck. In the game, the frame rates are largely dictated by the GPU, especially at resolutions above 1080p. The CPU's high multi-thread scores, such as cinebench_r20_multicore of 8675 and the 3dmark_max_threads of 6617, show it can handle heavy loads, but Thief appears to be more GPU-limited. The CPU's 65W TDP and the fact it is a Zen 3 chip, with a 7 nm process, suggest it is a power-efficient choice for a gaming rig.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this combo, the data points to the 1920x1080 resolution as the optimal choice. At this resolution, the Medium preset provides an average of 97 FPS, which is a great balance between visual fidelity and performance. If a player prefers smoother gameplay, the Low preset at 1080p yields a ridiculous 128 average FPS, but this comes at the cost of reduced detail. The High preset at 1080p is also a good pick, offering 74 FPS, which is still higher than the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best choice for a solid 66 FPS average, but this requires a constant 60 FPS minimum, which the 56 FPS minimum might not guarantee. The Low preset at 1440p delivers 88 FPS, which is a more stable option if 1440p is a priority. However, the visual quality remains at the Low setting, which may be a trade-off for some players.

The 3840x2160 resolution is not recommended for a stable experience, as even the Low preset only achieves 51 FPS, and the High settings drop to 30 FPS. For a 4K experience, the Medium preset at 39 FPS is the best the combo can offer, but this is not enough for a comfortable 60 FPS gameplay.

In summary, the best experience per the measured data is the 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This provides a high frame rate, excellent visuals, and no significant drops (minimum 82 FPS). The High preset at 1080p is also a solid choice for those wanting a more detailed visual presentation. For a 1440p experience, the Medium preset is the best bet, but players should be prepared for occasional drops below 60 FPS. The 4K resolution, while possible with Low settings, is not recommended for a smooth experience, making 1080p the ultimate recommendation for this GPU and CPU combination.