Thief

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a playable, if not spectacular, experience in Thief, a 2014 stealth title that remains accessible on modern hardware. The benchmark results in the data indicate a combination that performs best at 1440p and 1080p, with 4K requiring settings compromises. This analysis draws strictly from the measured FPS data and hardware specifications to outline what users can expect from this pairing.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is placed at rank 2091 out of 3720 tested combos for Thief. This places it in the middle of the tested field, meaning that while it is not a top-tier performer, it comfortably outpaces a significant portion of other tested configurations. The rank is a composite result of the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance and the GPU’s aging mid-range capabilities, with the overall ranking being dragged down by the graphics card’s 65th percentile standing among all GPUs.

The Ryzen 7 9700F, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, but its average benchmark score of 69996 is very closely matched by its nearest rivals. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, for example, has an average score of 69875, which is a 0.2% difference, while the Intel Core i7-14700KF is at 70163, a 0.2% gap in the other direction. This indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this setup; it performs on par with these top-tier chips. In contrast, the RTX 2070 SUPER has an average score of 20282, with its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, at 20480, a 1% delta. This puts the GPU’s performance in a lower bracket, directly affecting the combo’s overall standing in the game. The rank reflects that while the CPU is powerful, the GPU is the limiting factor for achieving the highest frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the primary component limiting this combo's performance in Thief. The card has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is adequate for the game’s textures and data at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, it can be a constraining factor, as higher resolutions demand more memory and bandwidth. The GPU’s base clock is 1605 MHz, with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. These frequencies are fixed in the data, and the performance in game reflects a card that struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions.

In the measured results, the GPU's limitations are evident in the 4K Ultra setting, where the average FPS is 38. The 8 GB VRAM is a key detail here, as Thief at 4K with high settings can approach or exceed this capacity, leading to the lower frame rates. The same card produces 171 FPS at 1080p Low, a much more comfortable scenario. This shows the GPU is the dominant factor in the game’s performance, as the CPU is clearly not the primary bottleneck. The GPU’s 65th percentile rank among all GPUs and its average score of 20282 are representative of its mid-range performance, which is the main reason the combo rank is not higher.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a powerful processor that does not hold back the RTX 2070 SUPER in Thief. With 8 cores and 16 threads, it has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, which are plenty for this game. The CPU’s performance in the data is evidenced by its high scores in various Passmark tests, such as a multi-thread score of 36470 and a single-thread score of 4691. These benchmarks suggest that the CPU can handle the game’s logic and physics without being a limiting factor.

The CPU’s score of 69996 and its 94th percentile rank place it well above the GPU’s tier, and its nearest rivals (AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, Intel Core i7-14700KF) are all within 0.9% of its average score. In Thief, this means the CPU is not causing frame drops or stutters; at the measured settings, the bottleneck is firmly on the GPU. The game is not CPU-intensive in the way that modern titles are, and the 9700F’s 8 cores are more than sufficient. This is confirmed by the FPS scaling: when the resolution drops from 4K to 1440p, the frame rates increase significantly, which is a classic sign of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU’s role is to ensure that the GPU is fed with data, and it does this effectively.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Thief shows a clear pattern across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the RTX 2070 SUPER and Ryzen 7 9700F combo delivers high frame rates. The Low preset achieves an average of 171 FPS, which is well above anything a monitor’s refresh rate would. The Medium preset averages 130 FPS, with a minimum of 111 FPS and a maximum of 150 FPS, indicating a very smooth experience. The High preset averages 99 FPS, which is still highly playable. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 94 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the user can play at any setting, with even Ultra being above 90 FPS.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the frame rates are lower but still solid. The Low preset averages 118 FPS, providing a big headroom. The Medium preset averages 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103, which ensures a consistent experience. The High preset averages 68 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS for most players. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 65 FPS, which is the minimum for a smooth experience, and this is playable.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the GPU’s limitations become clear. The Low preset averages 69 FPS, which is the only 4K setting that hits the 60 FPS mark. The Medium preset averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 45 and a maximum of 60, meaning it will dip below 60 FPS often. The High preset averages 40 FPS, which is not ideal. The Ultra preset averages 38 FPS, making it the hardest to run. These numbers show that 4K gaming is possible with this combo, but it requires a compromise on settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are significant and highlight the GPU’s role as the limiting factor. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 94, while at 1440p High, it is 68, and at 4K High, it is 40. From 1080p to 1440p, the FPS drops by 26, and from 1440p to 4K, it drops by 28. This pattern is consistent across all settings. For example, at Medium, the FPS is 130 at 1080p, 89 at 1440p, and 52 at 4K. At Low, the FPS is 171 at 1080p, 118 at 1440p, and 69 at 4K.

This scaling is a classic example of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is powerful enough to handle the game at all resolutions, as its performance does not change. The frame rate drop is directly proportional to the increased pixel count, which the GPU must process. The 4K Ultra at 38 FPS and 4K High at 40 FPS are particularly telling, as they show the GPU is overwhelmed. The data indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is best suited for 1080p and 1440p, where it can maintain high frame rates, but it cannot handle 4K at these settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the best experience for this combo is at 1440p with High settings. This resolution gives an average of 68 FPS, which is above 60 and provides a good balance between visual quality and performance. The High preset is a good choice because it offers a significant improvement over Medium, but it is still playable. For users who want a higher frame rate, the Medium preset at 1440p is also an option, with an average of 89 FPS. This is a better choice for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 1080p, the Ultra preset is also viable, with an average of 94 FPS, but the visual difference between High and Ultra may not be worth the frame drop from 94 to 94, which is minimal. The best at 1080p is High or Medium, with 94 and 130 FPS respectively. The Low preset is not necessary at this resolution, as even Ultra is playable.

For 4K, the only playable setting is Low, with an average of 69 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K is borderline, with an average of 52 FPS, which can be smooth but may have noticeable drops. The High and Ultra settings are not recommended, as they average below 40 FPS, which can be a stuttery experience. Overall, the data shows that the sweet spot is 1440p, where the GPU can handle the load. The 4K experience is possible but requires a significant reduction in settings, and is not the optimal way to play.