Thief

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Thief with the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 shows a clear pattern: resolution scaling heavily shifts the workload, but the GPU remains the dominant constraint throughout. Moving from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 at High settings drops the average frame rate from 147 FPS to 59 FPS, a reduction of roughly 60%. At Low settings, the same resolution change cuts performance from 231 FPS down to 103 FPS, a 55% decline. These are substantial drops, indicating that pixel throughput is a major factor for this title.

At 1920x1080, the data shows the system is capable of very high frame rates across all settings, with even Ultra averaging 140 FPS. This suggests the CPU is providing ample headroom, as the GPU is not yet saturated at this resolution. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 91 FPS (231 to 140), which is a significant but expected cost for higher visual fidelity. The fact that Low still exceeds 200 FPS implies the Ryzen 7 9700F’s 8 cores and 16 threads are not a bottleneck here.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the average FPS at High sits at 101, which is a 31% drop from the 1080p High result. At Ultra, the average is 96 FPS, showing that the GPU is starting to feel the pressure of more pixels. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 78 FPS (174 to 96), which is proportionally similar to the 1080p gap but at lower absolute numbers. This indicates the RTX 4070 is still delivering playable performance, but the scaling curve is becoming steeper.

At 3840x2160, the trend intensifies. High settings average 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold many consider smooth. Ultra drops to 56 FPS, while Low climbs to 103 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at 4K is 47 FPS, which is narrower than at lower resolutions. This compression of the performance range suggests that at 4K, the GPU is the limiting component, and the cost of higher settings is less about raw FPS and more about how close the system gets to the edge of playability. The data clearly shows that the RTX 4070 is the primary constraint at 4K, while the CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings balance depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data provides clear verdicts for each tier.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings are the clear choice. The average FPS of 140 is well above the 60 FPS standard, and even the minimum recorded at Medium (164 FPS) suggests the system has headroom. Since Ultra averages 140 FPS, there is no reason to compromise on visual quality at this resolution. The gap between High (147 FPS) and Ultra (140 FPS) is only 7 FPS, making Ultra essentially free in performance terms while providing the best image quality.

For 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts to High settings. High averages 101 FPS, which is smooth and leaves room for dips. Ultra averages 96 FPS, which is still playable but offers diminishing returns over High. The data shows only a 5 FPS difference between High and Ultra at 1440p, so either is viable. However, if the goal is to maintain a stable 100 FPS, High is the safer bet. Low at 174 FPS is unnecessary unless chasing maximum refresh rates, but Medium at 132 FPS is a solid middle ground for those who want a buffer.

At 3840x2160, Medium settings are the sweet spot. The average FPS of 78 is comfortably above 60, and the recorded minimum of 66 FPS shows the system can hold near that level during demanding scenes. High averages 59 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra drops to 56 FPS, risking noticeable stutter. Low at 103 FPS is smooth but sacrifices too much visual quality for a 4K experience. The data indicates that Medium provides the best experience at 4K, with a 22 FPS advantage over High and a 19 FPS deficit compared to Low, making it the balanced choice.

In summary, the measured rows suggest: 1080p users should run Ultra, 1440p users should run High or Medium for extra headroom, and 4K users should run Medium to ensure consistent frame pacing.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS mark.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700F perform in this game at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 140, and with Low settings it reaches 231 FPS, indicating the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: Which resolution shows the smallest gap between Low and Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160, the gap between Low (103 FPS) and Ultra (56 FPS) is 47 FPS, which is the smallest absolute difference across the three resolutions tested.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 capable of 60 FPS at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings, where the average FPS is 78 and the minimum is 66. High settings average 59 FPS, which falls short of 60.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p to maintain high frame rates?

A: High settings at 2560x1440 average 101 FPS, while Ultra averages 96 FPS. The data suggests High is the best balance for smooth performance.

Q: How does the combo rank in this game?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 377 out of 2851 tested combos in Thief.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings tiers. Here is the exact breakdown.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across the board. Low settings average 231 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the entire dataset. Medium settings average 193 FPS, with a minimum of 164 FPS and a maximum of 222 FPS. High settings average 147 FPS, and Ultra settings average 140 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline, with the largest single step being from Low to Medium at 38 FPS. The minimum FPS data is only available for Medium, indicating the frame pacing is likely stable elsewhere.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down proportionally. Low settings average 174 FPS, which is still very high. Medium settings average 132 FPS, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. High settings average 101 FPS, and Ultra settings average 96 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at each setting is consistent: Low loses 57 FPS, Medium loses 61 FPS, High loses 46 FPS, and Ultra loses 44 FPS. This shows that the GPU is handling the increased pixel count efficiently, but the absolute frame rates are lower.

At 3840x2160, the data shows the most strain. Low settings average 103 FPS, which is surprisingly high for 4K. Medium settings average 78 FPS, with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 89 FPS. High settings average 59 FPS, and Ultra settings average 56 FPS. The transition from 1440p to 4K is steep: Low loses 71 FPS, Medium loses 54 FPS, High loses 42 FPS, and Ultra loses 40 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium (66 FPS) is the only recorded minimum above 60 at 4K, reinforcing that Medium is the playable threshold.

The data also shows that the difference between High and Ultra is minimal at every resolution. At 1080p, the gap is 7 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is 5 FPS. At 4K, the gap is 3 FPS. This suggests that Ultra settings offer marginal visual improvements at a small performance cost, but the game's engine scales well with the RTX 4070.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of frame rates in Thief, and the measured data reflects its capabilities. The GPU has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is sufficient for the game's textures and assets at all tested resolutions, as the performance scaling is consistent with pixel count rather than memory capacity issues.

The GPU's clock speeds are a base of 1920 MHz and a boost of 2475 MHz. These clocks, combined with the Ada Lovelace architecture, allow the RTX 4070 to deliver strong performance in a title like Thief, which is not overly demanding by modern standards. The benchmark results show a Passmark G3D score of 26927, placing the GPU in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. This percentile ranking indicates that the RTX 4070 is a high-end performer, and the measured FPS in Thief aligns with that expectation.

The GPU's role becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU can feed the GPU fast enough to reach 231 FPS on Low, but the GPU still manages to push 140 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as the frame rate drops to 56-103 FPS depending on settings. The fact that Low at 4K (103 FPS) is lower than High at 1080p (147 FPS) highlights how much the GPU is taxed by pixel throughput.

The RTX 4070's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (0.1% faster), AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (0.4% slower), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (1.3% faster). These small deltas indicate that the RTX 4070 sits in a competitive performance tier. In Thief specifically, the measured FPS shows that the GPU can handle 1440p Ultra at 96 FPS and 4K Medium at 78 FPS, making it a capable choice for high-refresh gaming at lower resolutions and solid 4K experiences at moderate settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F plays a supporting role in Thief, and the data shows it is not a limiting factor at any tested resolution. The CPU features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This Zen 5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process, provides strong single-thread and multi-thread performance. The Passmark single-thread score is 4691, and the multi-thread score is 36470, placing the CPU in the 94th percentile of all CPUs.

In Thief, the CPU's impact is visible at 1080p, where frame rates exceed 200 FPS on Low settings. This indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to saturate its capabilities. The fact that High and Ultra at 1080p still average 147 and 140 FPS respectively shows that the CPU does not bottleneck even at lower resolutions. The nearest rivals to the Ryzen 7 9700F include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.2% faster), Intel Core i7-14700KF (0.2% slower), and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.7% faster). These tiny deltas in average benchmark scores suggest that the 9700F is competitive with top-tier desktop and mobile chips.

The CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases. At 1440p and 4K, the frame rates are dictated by the GPU's pixel throughput, and the CPU has ample headroom. The measured FPS at 4K Low (103 FPS) is still high enough to avoid any CPU-related frame pacing issues. The CPU's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and DDR5 memory support with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth contribute to smooth performance, but the game's engine is not heavily threaded, so the 8-core configuration is more than sufficient.

The data implies that for Thief, the Ryzen 7 9700F is a dependable foundation for the RTX 4070. It does not hold back the GPU at any resolution, and its high single-thread performance ensures that even the most demanding scenes at 1080p remain fluid. The 94th percentile ranking confirms that this CPU is a strong pairing for the GPU, and users should expect consistent performance without CPU-induced stutters.