Thief

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination delivers a strong performance profile in Thief, a 2014 stealth title that remains sensitive to both CPU and GPU capabilities. The data shows this pairing achieves high frame rates across all tested configurations, with the CPU’s substantial cache architecture and the GPU’s modern rendering features working in concert to overcome the game’s age while still respecting its engine’s limitations. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data, contextualizes it against rival hardware, and provides actionable settings guidance based strictly on the provided benchmarks.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm TSMC process. It operates with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, which provides substantial single-thread headroom for a game like Thief that was released in 2014 and does not heavily scale across many cores. The processor’s 128 MB of L3 cache is a defining feature, and for a stealth game with numerous interactive objects, AI routines, and level streaming, this large cache can reduce memory latency and improve frame pacing in CPU-bound scenarios.

In the context of Thief, the CPU’s performance is best understood through its synthetic benchmarks. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D scores 6,739 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 47,737 in multi-core, with a Geekbench single-core score of 3,041 and multi-core of 22,884. These numbers indicate that the processor has exceptional per-thread performance, which is critical for the game’s main thread logic and physics calculations. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,646 and multithread score of 56,154 further reinforce that this CPU will not be a bottleneck at lower resolutions, where the GPU has more headroom to work.

The data shows that this CPU ranks in the 91st percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54,762. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (average score 55,093, delta -0.6%), the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (54,053, delta 1.3%), and the Intel Xeon 6505P (53,701, delta 2%). This places the Ryzen 9 9900X3D in a tight cluster with those chips, meaning that in Thief, the choice between these processors is unlikely to yield dramatically different frame rates. However, the 3DMark scores, such as 12,490 for 16 threads and 1,269 for single-thread, suggest that the CPU’s design is well-balanced for both legacy titles and modern workloads.

For Thief specifically, the CPU’s 12 cores and 24 threads provide ample parallelism for background tasks like asset decompression and AI updates, but the game’s engine, dating from 2014, likely utilizes only a fraction of these resources. The high boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensures that the primary game thread can run at maximum speed, which directly translates to higher minimum frame rates and smoother traversal through the game’s dense city environments. The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s (DDR5 dual-channel) and PCIe Gen 5 support (24 lanes) ensure that data feeds to the GPU are not starved, even at high resolutions.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture (AD104 chip) using a 5 nm TSMC process. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1980 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). For Thief, a game from 2014, the 12 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for even the highest texture and shadow settings, and the memory bandwidth ensures that high-resolution rendering does not suffer from data transfer bottlenecks.

The GPU’s compute capabilities are substantial: 7,168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units. It also includes 56 ray tracing cores and 224 tensor cores, though Thief does not utilize ray tracing, so these features are idle in this title. The pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s are more than adequate to handle the game’s DirectX 11-era rendering pipeline at high frame rates. The PassMark G3D score of 29,995 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4,627 highlight the GPU’s overall rasterization strength.

In terms of relative performance, the RTX 4070 SUPER ranks in the 83rd percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 43,223. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (average score 43,262, delta -0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (43,268, delta -0.1%), and the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 (43,301, delta -0.2%). This indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER is positioned slightly below the top-tier cards but still provides excellent performance for a game like Thief, which is not graphically demanding by modern standards.

The GPU’s 220 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU requirement are moderate, and the boost clock of 2475 MHz ensures that it can sustain high frame rates under load. For Thief, the limiting factor is rarely the GPU’s raw compute power; instead, it is the game’s optimization for older hardware. The measured FPS data shows that the RTX 4070 SUPER can push well over 200 FPS at 1080p with low settings, which suggests that the GPU is not the bottleneck in most scenarios. The 12 GB VRAM is particularly useful for 4K resolution, where texture detail can consume significant memory, and the 504.2 GB/s bandwidth prevents stuttering when loading new areas.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in Thief?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 228, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU’s single-thread performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X3D has a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6,739, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, has an average benchmark score that is 0.6% higher (55,093 vs 54,762), indicating the CPU is nearly matched in overall performance.

Q: Is the GPU’s 12 GB VRAM sufficient for 4K gaming in Thief?

A: Yes, the measured 4K (3840x2160) frame rates range from 63 FPS (Ultra) to 114 FPS (Low), confirming that the 12 GB VRAM and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for the game’s texture requirements.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested CPU-GPU combinations in Thief?

A: The combo ranks 208th out of 2,851 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7.3% of all configurations.

Q: Which settings preset provides the most balanced performance at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers 147 FPS average with a minimum of 125 and maximum of 169, offering a strong balance between visual quality and frame rate.

Q: How much faster is the CPU at 1080p Low compared to 4K Ultra?

A: The 1080p Low average FPS is 228, while the 4K Ultra average is 63, representing a 262% increase in frame rate when dropping resolution and settings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo scales across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high across the board. The Low preset yields an average of 228 FPS, while Medium averages 206 FPS (with a minimum of 175 and maximum of 237). High settings average 164 FPS, and Ultra drops slightly to 156 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames far faster than the engine can feed them.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain impressive but show a expected decline. Low settings average 194 FPS, Medium averages 147 FPS (minimum 125, maximum 169), High averages 112 FPS, and Ultra averages 107 FPS. The jump from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 15-35% depending on the preset, which is consistent with the increased pixel count. The 1440p Medium result is particularly notable, as it maintains a 147 FPS average while providing better visual fidelity than Low.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the GPU becomes more influential, but the RTX 4070 SUPER still delivers playable frame rates. Low settings average 114 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS (minimum 74, maximum 100), High averages 66 FPS, and Ultra averages 63 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 63 FPS is just above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while High settings at 66 FPS offer a slight improvement. The data shows that 4K Medium is the sweet spot for this combo, providing 87 FPS with a minimum of 74, which avoids most stuttering.

The pattern across resolutions is consistent: the gap between Low and Ultra narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (228 FPS) and Ultra (156 FPS) is 72 FPS, while at 4K, the difference is 51 FPS (114 vs 63). This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU limits the maximum frame rate, while at 4K, the GPU’s workload becomes more balanced with the CPU’s capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 208th out of 2,851 tested combinations in Thief. This places it in the top 7.3% of all configurations, which is a strong result for a mid-to-high-end pairing. The rank reflects the combination’s ability to maintain high frame rates across all tested settings, with the CPU’s strong single-thread performance and the GPU’s robust rasterization power working together effectively.

Relative to the CPU’s standalone percentile (91st) and the GPU’s standalone percentile (83rd), the combo’s 208th rank is slightly lower than the CPU’s percentile but higher than the GPU’s percentile. This indicates that the GPU is the more limiting factor in this pairing, especially at higher resolutions where the 4K Ultra result of 63 FPS falls below the 100+ FPS averages seen at 1080p. However, the rank also suggests that many other combinations with more powerful GPUs (e.g., RTX 4090-class cards) achieve higher scores, as Thief can scale well with additional GPU power at 4K.

The nearest rivals for the CPU (Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, etc.) and GPU (Quadro M6000, etc.) have similar benchmark scores, but in Thief, the combination’s rank is determined by the measured FPS data, which shows consistent performance above 60 FPS even at the most demanding settings. The 208th rank out of 2,851 means that there are 207 combinations that perform better, likely those with higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4080 or 4090. For most users, this rank indicates that the combo is well above average, and the measured FPS values confirm that it provides a smooth experience in Thief at any resolution.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user’s resolution and preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. For 1920x1080, the High preset (164 FPS average) provides an excellent balance, as it offers significantly better visual quality than Medium (206 FPS) without sacrificing the high refresh rate experience. The Ultra preset at 156 FPS is also viable, but the 8 FPS gain from dropping to High is minimal, and High likely has fewer demanding effects.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset stands out as the best choice, with an average of 147 FPS and a minimum of 125 FPS. This provides a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience on 144Hz monitors while maintaining decent visual quality. The High preset at 112 FPS is also playable, but the drop below 120 FPS may be noticeable to sensitive users. Ultra at 107 FPS is close to High and offers marginal improvements, so Medium is the recommended choice for its higher headroom.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset (87 FPS average, 74 FPS minimum) is the clear recommendation. It delivers a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimum of 74 FPS ensures that there are no major hitches. The High preset at 66 FPS is also playable, but it is closer to the 60 FPS boundary, and the Ultra preset at 63 FPS leaves little margin for error. Low settings at 4K (114 FPS) are not recommended, as the visual quality trade-off is too severe for a game that still looks good on High or Medium settings.

Overall, the data suggests that Medium settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions, with the 1080p High preset being a notable exception due to the abundance of frame rate headroom.

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

The resolution scaling data reveals important insights into which component is the limiting factor in this combo. From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS across all settings drops by approximately 15-20%. For example, at Medium settings, the FPS goes from 206 at 1080p to 147 at 1440p, a 22% reduction. This is a smaller drop than the pixel count increase (from 2.07 million to 3.69 million pixels, a 78% increase), which indicates that the GPU is not fully saturated at 1080p, and the CPU is providing enough headroom.

From 1440p to 4K, the drop is more pronounced. At Medium settings, the FPS goes from 147 at 1440p to 87 at 4K, a 41% reduction. The pixel count increases from 3.69 million to 8.29 million, a 125% increase, so the FPS drop is proportionally smaller than the pixel increase. This suggests that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck at 4K, as its rendering workload scales with pixel count, while the CPU’s involvement remains relatively constant.

The data also shows that the difference between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the gap is 72 FPS (228 vs 156), while at 4K, the gap is 51 FPS (114 vs 63). This is consistent with the GPU becoming the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the settings adjustments (which affect GPU load) have a smaller impact on frame rates when the GPU is already saturated. Conversely, at 1080p, the CPU’s limitations prevent the GPU from reaching its full potential, so lowering settings has a larger effect on FPS.

In summary, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is sufficient to feed the RTX 4070 SUPER at 1080p and 1440p, where the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rate. At 4K, the GPU’s workload increases significantly, and the combo still maintains playable frame rates, but the performance scaling confirms that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the limiting component at ultra-high resolutions. The 12 GB VRAM and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are not constraints in this title, as the 4K Medium result of 87 FPS demonstrates.