Thief

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combination delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in Thief, but the data reveals a clear shift in performance bottlenecks as resolution climbs. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, suggesting the CPU is doing the heavy lifting. However, moving to 1440p and 4K shows the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor, with frame rates scaling in a way that highlights the RTX 4070 Ti's capabilities and constraints. The benchmark results indicate a system that is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming but begins to show its limits at 4K Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance trajectory from 1080p to 4K is a textbook illustration of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 227.2 FPS. This high frame rate suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain a very high output. When moving to 1440p at the same Low settings, the average FPS drops to 202.2, a relatively modest decline that indicates the GPU is still not at full capacity. However, the transition to 4K Low produces a significant drop to 120 FPS, a 40.6% reduction from the 1440p figure, signaling that the GPU's rendering workload is now the dominant constraint.

The scaling pattern becomes even more pronounced at higher graphical presets. At High settings, the frame rate goes from 170.5 FPS at 1080p to 119.8 FPS at 1440p, a 29.7% decrease. The jump to 4K High results in 70.3 FPS, a 41.3% drop from 1440p. This trend confirms that while the Ryzen 7 9700X provides a strong foundation, the RTX 4070 Ti's pixel-pushing power is the deciding factor at higher resolutions. The data shows that the system is not CPU-limited at 4K; instead, the GPU's rendering capabilities are the limiting component, as evidenced by the consistent and substantial frame rate declines when resolution increases.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p with Ultra settings?

A: The benchmark data shows an average of 112.3 FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings. This indicates the combo can handle high-fidelity gaming at this resolution with a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU's single-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: In the 3DMark single-thread test, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X scores 1280. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14500HX and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, have average benchmark scores that are very close, with delta percentages of 0.2% and 0.6% respectively. This suggests the 9700X has competitive single-core performance.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the average frame rate is 120 FPS on Low settings and 66.4 FPS on Ultra settings. This represents a performance cost of 53.6 FPS when enabling the highest visual fidelity, a significant hit that reflects the demanding nature of Ultra presets.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 Ti more powerful than the RTX 5090 Mobile?

A: According to the average benchmark score, the RTX 4070 Ti has an average score of 44900, which is 0.6% lower than the RTX 5090 Mobile's average score of 45152. The data indicates the desktop card is slightly less powerful than this particular mobile part in synthetic tests.

*Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested configurations in Thief?*

A: This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 67th out of 1642 tested combos. This places it in the top 4.1% of all configurations, a strong showing.

Q: What is the frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 170.5. This high frame rate is well-suited for a high-refresh-rate monitor, ensuring a very fluid experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the central component determining high-resolution performance in Thief. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, which is sufficient for the game's data demands at 1440p and 4K. The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2310 MHz and a boost of 2610 MHz, are instrumental in achieving the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions. The data shows that its role becomes more critical as the resolution increases, with the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities becoming the primary limiters.

The benchmark results suggest that the RTX 4070 Ti is well-matched for 1440p gaming, as it can deliver high average frame rates even at Ultra settings. At 2560x1440 Ultra, the system averages 112.3 FPS, indicating the GPU has sufficient headroom. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 66.4 FPS, which is still playable but shows the GPU is being pushed harder. The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Passmark G3D score of 31624 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5024, underscores its capability. Its overall percentile of 85 vs all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44900, places it as a high-end part, but one that is not the absolute fastest, as it trails slightly behind the RTX 5090 Mobile in average score.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all settings. At 1080p, the system is exceptionally fast, with a range from 164 FPS on Ultra to 227.2 FPS on Low. The High setting yields 170.5 FPS, while Medium produces 208.4 FPS. This shows that even with the most demanding settings, the frame rate remains above 160 FPS, making the CPU a likely contributor to achieving these high numbers.

At 1440p, the performance is still very strong. The Low setting average is 202.2 FPS, which drops to 155.4 FPS on Medium and 119.8 FPS on High. The Ultra setting averages 112.3 FPS, which is a respectable result for high-fidelity gaming. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 89.9 FPS, highlighting the performance cost of higher graphical presets.

At 4K, the GPU's workload becomes evident. The Low setting averages 120 FPS, which is a solid result. Medium averages 91 FPS, High averages 70.3 FPS, and Ultra averages 66.4 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 53.6 FPS deficit, which is less severe than at 1440p in absolute terms, but the frame rates are lower overall. The data shows a consistent pattern: higher resolutions and settings demand more from the GPU, and the RTX 4070 Ti delivers playable frame rates across the board, with the best experience found at 1080p and 1440p.

How This Combo Ranks

In the overall ranking for Thief, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti achieves a rank of 67 out of 1642 tested combos. This places it in the 96th percentile of all configurations, a strong result that indicates a high-performance pairing. The CPU contributes with an average benchmark score of 36029 and a percentile of 89 vs all CPUs, while the GPU's average benchmark score is 44900 with a percentile of 85 vs all GPUs. This combined strength propels the combo to its high overall ranking.

The CPU's nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i5-14500HX and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, have very similar average scores, with delta percentages of 0.2% and 0.6% respectively. This means the 9700X is in a tightly contested performance tier. Similarly, the GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 5090 Mobile, is only 0.6% faster on average, making the RTX 4070 Ti a highly competitive desktop part. Given these component-level performances, a rank of 67th overall is expected and confirms that this combo is a top-tier choice for playing Thief at high settings, particularly at 1440p where it offers a near-ideal balance of speed and visual quality.