Thief

Thief, a stealth title from 2014, responds predictably to modern hardware, and the data for the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 shows a combination that is decisively GPU-bound at higher settings. The benchmark results indicate a system that delivers high refresh rates across all tested configurations, with the CPU providing ample headroom and the GPU scaling performance based on resolution and preset.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved by this CPU and GPU combo in Thief?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded in the measured data is 170.7 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 5800X compare to its nearest rival in CPU benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X has an average benchmark score of 27606. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800, scores 27535, making the 5800X 0.3% faster. It also leads the Intel Core i5-12600KF by 0.8%.

Q: Is the RTX 4090's performance in this game closer to its rivals or significantly different?

A: The RTX 4090's average benchmark score is 66473. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla T4, scores 66733, which is a 0.4% difference. The performance is very closely matched to its listed rivals.

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

A: This combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 192nd out of 1642 tested combos for Thief.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution, the average frame rate drops from 124.6 FPS on Low settings to 83.2 FPS on Ultra settings, a difference of 41.4 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU have a higher percentile ranking compared to all other parts?

A: The GPU has a higher percentile ranking. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is in the 91st percentile of all GPUs, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is in the 84th percentile of all CPUs.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is built on the Zen 3 architecture and features 8 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock is 3.80 GHz, which can boost up to 4.70 GHz. This configuration is more than sufficient for Thief, a game from 2014, and ensures that the CPU will not be a limiting factor in the vast majority of scenarios. The benchmark data supports this, as the frame rates are consistently high across all resolutions.

In the context of this game, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. The 5800X's strong single-threaded performance, evidenced by a 3dmark_single_thread score of 943 and a cinebench_r23_singlecore score of 3327, is particularly relevant for a game engine from that era, which may rely heavily on one or a few threads. The processor's 32 MB of L3 cache also helps with keeping frequently accessed data close for quick processing. The 5800X's performance in the 84th percentile of all CPUs confirms its ability to handle the game's logic without creating a bottleneck.

The data shows that moving from 1080p to 4K has a significant impact on frame rates, which indicates the GPU becomes the primary performance constraint as resolution increases. The CPU's headroom is demonstrated by the fact that even at 1080p with Low settings, where the GPU load is lowest, the system achieves 170.7 FPS. While this is not the absolute ceiling for the CPU, it shows the 5800X is capable of driving the RTX 4090 to high performance levels. The processor's 105 W TDP and support for DDR4 memory are standard for its generation.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. This large memory pool and high bandwidth are more than adequate for Thief, even at maximum settings and 4K resolution. The GPU's core is the AD102 chip, which includes 16384 shading units and a boost clock of 2520 MHz.

The GPU's performance is the primary driver of the frame rates in this game. The data shows a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average FPS at Ultra settings is 138.0. At 2560x1440, it is 121.5 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it is 83.2 FPS. This demonstrates the increasing workload on the GPU as pixel count grows. The RTX 4090's 91st percentile ranking among all GPUs highlights its top-tier status, and its performance in Thief is consistent with that position.

The RTX 4090's memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s ensures that textures and geometry can be streamed quickly, which is crucial for maintaining smooth performance at high resolutions. The GPU's compute capabilities, including 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, also contribute to its ability to handle complex rendering tasks. While the game launched in 2014, the RTX 4090 handles it with ease, providing high frame rates even at the most demanding settings tested. The card's 450 W TDP is a factor for system power requirements, but it delivers the performance to justify it.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a rank of 192 out of 1642 tested combinations in Thief. This places the combo in the top 12% of all tested systems for this game. The data indicates this is a very strong pairing, as the high rank is a result of both components performing at a high level individually and working well together.

The ranking also reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU. A weaker CPU might hold the RTX 4090 back, while a less powerful GPU would not be able to take full advantage of the 5800X's capabilities. In this case, the 5800X's performance, which is in the 84th percentile of CPUs, and the RTX 4090's performance, which is in the 91st percentile of GPUs, combine to produce a system that is well-equipped for this title. The rank of 192 suggests that there are 191 other combinations that perform better, which would likely consist of even more powerful CPUs or specialized hardware. For the vast majority of users, this combo offers an excellent experience in Thief.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent performance hierarchy based on resolution and settings. The following is a detailed breakdown of the average frame rates:

• 3840x2160 (4K): At this resolution, the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The average frame rate ranges from 124.6 FPS on Low settings to 83.2 FPS on Ultra settings. The High preset achieves 86.1 FPS, while Medium produces 113.5 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 41.4 FPS, highlighting the significant impact of settings at this resolution.

• 2560x1440 (1440p): The performance at this resolution is higher, as the GPU has fewer pixels to render. The average FPS is 151.4 on Low, 136.5 on Medium, 120.6 on High, and 121.5 on Ultra. Interestingly, the High and Ultra presets produce very similar frame rates, with a difference of only 0.9 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset may not be significantly more demanding than High at this resolution.

• 1920x1080 (1080p): This resolution yields the highest frame rates. The average FPS is 170.7 on Low, 150.9 on Medium, 138.2 on High, and 138.0 on Ultra. The performance gap between High and Ultra is negligible, at just 0.2 FPS. This indicates that at 1080p, the system is likely becoming more CPU-bound, as the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can process them.

The data reveals that the scaling from Medium to High has a more pronounced effect on performance than the scaling from High to Ultra across all resolutions. For example, at 1440p, the drop from Medium to High is 15.9 FPS, while the drop from High to Ultra is only -0.9 FPS (an increase). This is a key insight for settings recommendations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend on the user's target resolution and preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity.

• For 4K (3840x2160) displays: The High preset is the best choice for a balanced experience. It delivers an average of 86.1 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. While the Ultra preset offers marginally better visuals, it reduces the average frame rate to 83.2 FPS. The Medium preset, at 113.5 FPS, is a good option for those prioritizing higher refresh rates, as it provides a significant performance boost over High with a modest visual compromise.

• For 1440p (2560x1440) displays: The Ultra preset is the recommended choice. It achieves an average frame rate of 121.5 FPS, which is nearly identical to the High preset's 120.6 FPS. Since there is no performance cost to using Ultra settings at this resolution, it is the best option for maximizing visual quality without sacrificing frame rate. Users with high refresh rate monitors (144Hz or higher) could also consider the Medium preset at 136.5 FPS.

• For 1080p (1920x1080) displays: The Ultra preset is the clear recommendation. It provides an average of 138.0 FPS, which is effectively the same as the High preset's 138.2 FPS. This allows for maximum visual settings with no performance penalty. The frame rate is high enough to fully utilize most high refresh rate monitors. The Low preset, at 170.7 FPS, would only be relevant for users with extremely high refresh rate displays (e.g., 240Hz or higher) who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the visual compromise is substantial.

In summary, the data suggests that the Ultra preset is the best choice at 1440p and 1080p due to its minimal performance impact relative to High. At 4K, the High preset offers a better balance, as the Ultra preset incurs a more noticeable frame rate drop.