Thief

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 pairing delivers a gameplay experience in Thief that is heavily dictated by the graphics card, though the CPU’s architectural strengths ensure the system never becomes the bottleneck. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the performance cost scales in a way that points directly at the RTX 4060 as the limiting factor, while the 9700F’s 8 cores and 16 threads provide ample headroom for the game’s logic.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, specifically the Granite Ridge codename, using a 4 nm process from TSMC. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 cache. This is a modern, high-performance part that ranks in the 94th percentile of all CPUs according to general benchmark data, with an average benchmark score of 69996.

In the context of Thief, a stealth game released on 2014-02-24, the CPU’s job is to handle game logic, AI, and physics. The PassMark physics score for this CPU is 2122, and the multithread score is 36470. These figures suggest that the 9700F has more than enough computational power for a title of this era. The data indicates that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 184 FPS, and with High settings, it hits 107 FPS. The fact that these numbers are so high implies the CPU is not struggling to feed the GPU with draw calls or process the game's stealth mechanics.

The 9700F’s performance relative to its nearest rivals is remarkably tight. Compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, it is 0.2% faster, and compared to the Intel Core i7-14700KF, it is 0.2% slower. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is 0.7% behind the 9700F, and the Intel Core i7-14700K is 0.9% behind. This clustering around a similar average score suggests that in a game like Thief, which is not particularly demanding on modern multi-core processors, the 9700F will perform equivalently to these other high-end chips. The single-thread score of 4691 is crucial for older game engines that rely on a primary thread, and its high value helps explain why the minimum FPS figures in the Medium settings at various resolutions do not dip unexpectedly low.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

*Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Thief, and at what settings?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 184 frames per second, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Does the Ryzen 7 9700F outperform the Intel Core i7-14700KF in general benchmark scores?

A: No, the data shows that the Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163, which is 0.2% higher than the Ryzen 7 9700F's score of 69996. However, the difference is marginal.

Q: How much of a performance drop is seen when moving from 1080p to 4K at the High preset?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 107 at 1920x1080 to 43 at 3840x2160, representing a reduction of 64 frames per second.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440 resolution?

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is 82 frames per second.

Q: Is the RTX 4060 more powerful than the AMD Radeon 780M according to the benchmark data?

A: Yes, the RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon 780M’s score of 17588.

*Q: What is the ranking of this specific CPU and GPU combination among all tested combos in Thief?*

A: This combo is ranked 1398 out of 2851 total combinations tested in the game.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a textbook case of GPU-bound scaling. At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 184 at 1920x1080, to 126 at 2560x1440, and finally to 74 at 3840x2160. This is a steep decline that shows the rendering workload is the primary constraint. The RTX 4060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth, and these specs are being taxed as pixel count increases.

For the High preset, the progression is from 107 FPS at 1080p, down to 73 FPS at 1440p, and further down to 43 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is approximately 41%, which is substantial and indicates that the GPU’s shading units and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors. The RTX 4060 has 3072 shading units and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, but the FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS is not sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K in this title when settings are raised.

The data implies that the CPU, with its 5.50 GHz boost clock and strong single-thread performance, is not the constraint. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect to see the FPS plateau or drop less dramatically at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work to do. Instead, the FPS scales almost linearly with the pixel count, which is a clear indicator that the RTX 4060 is the component determining the frame rate. The jump from 74 FPS at 4K Low to 184 FPS at 1080p Low represents a 149% improvement in performance, which is far more than any CPU-bound scenario would produce.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of tested hardware, this combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 finds itself in the middle of the pack. The combo rank in Thief is 1398 out of 2851 possible combinations. This places it in the 49th percentile of all tested systems, meaning that roughly half of the tested combos perform better and half perform worse.

This ranking is interesting when considering the individual components. The CPU is in the 94th percentile for all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 61st percentile for all GPUs. The fact that the combo rank is lower than the CPU’s percentile suggests that the GPU is dragging the overall performance down. This is a logical conclusion given the resolution scaling data, which shows the RTX 4060 is the bottleneck. The pairing of a top-tier CPU with a mid-range GPU creates a system where the CPU’s potential is not fully utilized in a GPU-intensive scenario like 4K gaming.

The rank indicates that there are 1452 other combinations that achieve higher average FPS in Thief, and 1398 combinations that achieve lower FPS. This is a balanced result, but it highlights that the RTX 4060, while capable, is not a high-end card in the current market. For a game like Thief, which is from 2014, the GPU is more than adequate for smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show its limits, as the average FPS at Ultra settings drops to 41.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For a standard 60 FPS experience, the data shows that several presets are viable. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 101 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and suggests a smooth experience even in demanding scenes. The High preset at 1080p hits 107 FPS, which is slightly better, but the difference is minimal.

At 2560x1440, the High preset achieves an average of 73 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset at this resolution averages 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS, providing a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS. For a 1440p monitor, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, offering a significant boost over High without a massive visual compromise, given that the average FPS increases by over 30%.

For 4K resolution, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, which is the only preset at this resolution that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, and the High and Ultra presets are even lower at 43 and 41 FPS respectively. The data suggests that for a 4K display, the Low preset is the only option for a consistently smooth experience, while Medium might be acceptable for those who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate and can tolerate occasional dips.

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

The following breakdown provides the exact average FPS figures from the data for each resolution and settings combination.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 184. The Medium preset yields an average of 140 FPS, with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 161 FPS. High settings produce an average of 107 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers an average of 101 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. The Low preset averages 126 FPS. The Medium preset averages 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS. High settings average 73 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 70 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060 is significantly challenged. The Low preset averages 74 FPS. The Medium preset averages 56 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. High settings average 43 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 41 FPS.

These numbers show a clear trend: the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 83 FPS (184 vs 101). At 1440p, this difference shrinks to 56 FPS (126 vs 70). At 4K, the difference is only 33 FPS (74 vs 41). This narrowing gap is another indicator of GPU limitation, as the pixel fill rate becomes the dominant cost at higher resolutions, making the visual settings less impactful on the final FPS.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and uses the AD107 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1830 MHz, with a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The card features 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, along with 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores.

The 8 GB of VRAM is a critical factor for Thief, especially at higher resolutions. While 8 GB is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, the data shows that at 4K, the GPU’s memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s and the VRAM capacity may be contributing to the significant FPS drop. The game’s textures and geometry at 4K require more memory footprint, and the 128-bit memory bus is a known limitation for this card. The performance at 4K Ultra (41 FPS) versus 4K Low (74 FPS) suggests that higher settings require more memory and more bandwidth, which the card cannot fully provide.

The GPU’s average benchmark score is 17639, placing it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7790, has a score of 17666, which is 0.2% higher. The data indicates that the RTX 4060 is a solid performer for its class, but it is not a high-end card. In Thief, the GPU’s role is clearly the dominant factor in determining the final frame rate. The CPU is capable of much higher FPS, as evidenced by the 184 FPS at 1080p Low, but the GPU’s rendering limits prevent the system from reaching that level at higher settings or resolutions. The card’s 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is sufficient for smooth 1080p gaming, but the scaling to 4K shows that its raw compute power is insufficient for a consistently smooth experience at maximum settings.