Thief

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination produces a highly playable experience in Thief, with the data showing a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions and settings. The measured frames per second (FPS) indicate that this pairing is well-balanced for this 2014 stealth title, though the limiting factor shifts depending on the resolution and graphical preset chosen.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge codename) and features 12 cores and 24 threads. Its base clock is 4.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, and it carries 128 MB of L3 cache. These specifications position the processor as a high-end desktop part, and its benchmark scores confirm this: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 47737 and a single-core score of 6739. In Geekbench, it scores 22884 multi-core and 3041 single-core. The processor's percentile versus all CPUs is 91, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of tested chips.

For Thief, a game released in February 2014, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and maintain frame pacing. The game is not known for requiring extreme multi-threading, but the 9900X3D's 24 threads provide ample headroom. The single-thread performance is particularly relevant here; the PassMark single-thread score of 4646 and the 3DMark single-thread score of 1269 indicate strong per-core throughput, which helps with the game's core game logic and physics calculations. The L3 cache of 128 MB is also beneficial for keeping frequently accessed game data close to the cores.

The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 228 FPS average, which is a very high frame rate. This suggests the CPU can push frames well beyond typical display refresh rates. Even at 2560x1440 with Low settings, the average is 173 FPS. The processor's headroom is evident in the fact that frame rates drop primarily when the GPU's workload increases, not when the CPU's work becomes more complex. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 12490 and the 8-thread score of 9002 show that the processor scales well with moderate thread counts, which aligns with how a game like Thief typically utilizes resources.

The nearest rivals for the CPU, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (which is 0.6% slower), the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (1.3% faster), and the Intel Core i7-14700F (2.1% faster). The 9900X3D's average benchmark score is 54762, placing it in the same performance tier as these chips. In the context of Thief, this level of CPU performance ensures that the processor side of the equation is rarely the limiting factor, allowing the GPU's capabilities to dictate the final frame rate.

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

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 228, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the maximum measured value in the data.

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

A: The combo ranks 409th out of 2851 total tested combinations. This places it in the top 14.3% of all combos, indicating a strong overall performance level.

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields an average of 132 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields an average of 95 FPS. This represents a 37 FPS drop, or approximately 28% lower performance when moving from Medium to Ultra.

Q: Does the RTX 3080 Ti's memory bandwidth affect high-resolution performance?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti has a 384-bit memory bus with a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. The data shows that at 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 56 on Ultra settings, which is the lowest measured average. The high bandwidth helps maintain playable frame rates at 4K, but the GPU's raw compute is the primary constraint.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 228. This high number suggests the GPU is not heavily loaded at these settings, and the frame rate is likely being limited by the CPU's ability to issue draw calls or the game's engine frame rate cap. The CPU's strong single-thread score of 4646 (PassMark) supports this interpretation.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values recorded for Medium settings across resolutions?

A: For Medium settings, the minimum FPS values are 163 at 1920x1080, 112 at 2560x1440, and 66 at 3840x2160. These minimums show that even in the most demanding 4K scenario, the frame rate stays above 60 FPS.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 146 at 1920x1080 to 100 at 2560x1440, and finally to 59 at 3840x2160. This represents a 59.6% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is not linear; the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 46 FPS (31.5%), while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 41 FPS (41.0%). The steeper percentage drop at higher resolutions is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

For Low settings, the pattern is similar but with higher absolute numbers. The average FPS goes from 228 at 1080p to 173 at 1440p to 102 at 4K. This represents a 55.3% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The fact that even at Low settings the 4K frame rate (102 FPS) is significantly lower than the 1080p frame rate (228 FPS) indicates that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck at 4K, even when the graphical workload is reduced.

The Medium settings data includes minimum and maximum FPS values, which provide additional insight. At 1080p, the Medium preset averages 192 FPS with a minimum of 163 and a maximum of 221. At 1440p, the average drops to 132 with a range of 112 to 151. At 4K, the average is 77 with a range of 66 to 89. The minimum FPS at 4K (66) is still above 60, but the gap between the minimum and average (11 FPS) suggests some frame time variance. This scaling behavior confirms that the RTX 3080 Ti's compute throughput is the limiting factor as resolution increases, while the CPU maintains sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at all tested resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti achieves a rank of 409 out of 2851 tested combinations in Thief. This places it in the 85.7th percentile of all combos, meaning it outperforms roughly 2442 other tested pairings. The rank is a composite measure that considers the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings, weighted by the game's typical usage patterns.

This ranking is notable because the RTX 3080 Ti is a previous-generation GPU (released May 2021), while the CPU is a current-generation part (released January 2025). The GPU's percentile versus all GPUs is 83, which is lower than the CPU's percentile of 91. This suggests that the GPU is the weaker component in this pairing, and the combo's overall rank of 409 reflects that limitation. If the CPU were paired with a higher-performing GPU, the rank would likely improve, but the data shows this specific combination still delivers top-tier performance.

The nearest rivals for the GPU in terms of average benchmark scores include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (0.8% faster), the NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB (1.2% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (2.0% faster). The RTX 3080 Ti's average benchmark score is 41187, which is close to these comparison points. In the context of Thief, this GPU performance level is sufficient to achieve playable frame rates at all tested settings, but the 4K Ultra preset (56 FPS average) is the only configuration that dips below the 60 FPS threshold.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080:

• Low settings: 228 FPS average
• Medium settings: 192 FPS average, with a minimum of 163 and a maximum of 221
• High settings: 146 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 139 FPS average

At 2560x1440:

• Low settings: 173 FPS average
• Medium settings: 132 FPS average, with a minimum of 112 and a maximum of 151
• High settings: 100 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 95 FPS average

At 3840x2160:

• Low settings: 102 FPS average
• Medium settings: 77 FPS average, with a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 89
• High settings: 59 FPS average
• Ultra settings: 56 FPS average

The data shows that at 1080p, all settings presets deliver frame rates well above 60 FPS, with even the Ultra preset reaching 139 FPS. At 1440p, all presets remain above 60 FPS, with the lowest average being 95 FPS at Ultra. At 4K, the Low and Medium presets stay above 60 FPS (102 and 77, respectively), but the High and Ultra presets drop below 60 FPS (59 and 56). The Medium preset at 4K is the only configuration with recorded minimum and maximum values, showing a range of 66 to 89 FPS, which indicates that the frame rate remains stable enough for a smooth experience.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience depends on the display resolution and the user's performance preference.

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 139 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the highest visual quality. The High preset at 146 FPS is only 7 FPS faster than Ultra, so the visual fidelity of Ultra is clearly worth the minor frame rate cost. The Medium preset at 192 FPS is excessive for most displays, but it shows the combo has significant headroom at this resolution.

For 2560x1440, the Ultra preset at 95 FPS is the recommended choice for users with 144Hz or 120Hz displays. The High preset at 100 FPS is nearly identical in performance, so either preset would be suitable. The Medium preset at 132 FPS is the best option for users with 144Hz displays who prioritize frame rate over visual quality, but the difference between Medium and Ultra (37 FPS) is significant enough that Ultra is preferred for its visual benefits.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset at 77 FPS is the best recommendation. This is the highest settings preset that maintains an average FPS above 60, and the minimum FPS of 66 indicates that it stays above 60 even in demanding scenes. The High preset at 59 FPS and Ultra at 56 FPS both dip below 60 FPS, which can result in noticeable stuttering on standard 60Hz displays. The Low preset at 102 FPS is an option for users with high refresh rate 4K displays, but the visual quality trade-off is substantial.

Overall, the Medium preset at 4K or the Ultra preset at 1440p provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, depending on the target resolution.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 1188 MHz, with an effective data rate of 19 Gbps. The GPU's base clock is 1365 MHz, with a boost clock of 1665 MHz. These specifications place it in the high-end tier of the GeForce 30-series, and its benchmark scores reflect this: it scores 5077 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and 26896 in PassMark G3D.

For Thief, a game from 2014, the GPU's memory capacity of 12 GB is more than sufficient. The game's textures and geometry are not demanding by modern standards, so the 12 GB VRAM is unlikely to be a limiting factor at any of the tested settings. The memory bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s is also ample for the game's data throughput requirements, which means the GPU's compute performance is the primary determinant of frame rate.

The GPU's compute throughput is substantial: it offers 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, with 10240 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. The pixel rate of 186.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 532.8 GTexel/s are high enough to handle the game's rendering demands. The measured FPS data confirms that the GPU's performance scales predictably with resolution and settings, with the 4K Ultra preset (56 FPS) being the most demanding configuration.

The GPU's percentile versus all GPUs is 83, which is lower than the CPU's percentile of 91. This indicates that the GPU is the weaker component in this pairing, and the frame rate limits observed in the data are primarily due to the GPU's rendering capabilities. The nearest rival GPUs include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (0.8% faster) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (2.0% faster), showing that the RTX 3080 Ti remains competitive despite being a previous-generation part. The data shows that the GPU's 12 GB VRAM, high bandwidth, and substantial compute resources are well-matched to Thief's requirements, delivering playable frame rates at all but the most demanding 4K presets.