Thief

The Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination delivers a highly capable Thief experience, with the data showing that the CPU’s strong single-thread performance is sufficient to feed the GPU effectively across all tested settings. The combo ranks in the 1258th position out of 2851 tested combinations, placing it in the upper half of all systems, and the measured frame rates indicate that this pairing is well-balanced for the game’s stealth-oriented gameplay, where consistent frame pacing is more critical than raw peak output.

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

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor from the Alder Lake-S architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 cache per core are typical for this class, but the critical factor for Thief is the single-thread performance. The CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674 highlight its strength in lightly-threaded workloads. Thief, being a 2014 title, relies heavily on a few primary threads for game logic and rendering commands, making this CPU’s high boost clock particularly relevant.

Benchmark results show the i3-12100F achieving a 68th percentile ranking against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13494. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-9500, which scores 13452 (0.3% slower), and the Intel Core 5 120UL, which scores 13594 (0.7% faster). This places the i3-12100F in a performance tier where it can comfortably handle the CPU demands of Thief without becoming a bottleneck. The 4-core design with 8 threads ensures that background tasks and the game’s rendering threads do not compete for resources, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates in the measured data.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, along with a dual-channel memory bus, provides adequate bandwidth for the GPU to receive data. However, the lack of integrated graphics means the RX 7700 handles all display output, which is not a concern given the discrete GPU’s presence. The processor’s 58W TDP and 10nm process node keep thermals manageable, though the data does not include specific thermal measurements. The i3-12100F’s PassMark single-thread score of 3444 further confirms its capability in single-threaded scenarios, which directly translates to the game’s performance in the measured FPS rows.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This VRAM capacity is substantial for a game like Thief, which was released in 2014 and does not require large texture pools, but the headroom ensures that even Ultra settings at 4K do not cause memory pressure. The GPU’s base clock is 1900 MHz, with a boost clock of 2459 MHz and a game clock of 2041 MHz, which are the frequencies that determine actual rendering performance.

The GPU’s RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 5nm process, includes 2560 shading units and 40 ray tracing cores, though Thief does not utilize ray tracing. The pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s are directly relevant to how quickly the card can fill the screen and apply textures. The RX 7700’s PassMark G3D score of 20974 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2865 place it in the 58th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15852. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9060, scores 16014 (1% faster), while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129 (1.7% faster), indicating that the RX 7700 is in the same performance class as these cards.

The GPU’s 200W TDP and PCIe 4.0 x16 interface ensure it can draw sufficient power and communicate with the CPU without bandwidth limitations. The 16 GB VRAM is a clear advantage for high-resolution gaming, and the data shows this in the 3840x2160 results, where the GPU maintains playable frame rates even at Ultra settings. The GPU’s memory clock of 2438 MHz (19.5 Gbps effective) and 256-bit bus width combine to deliver the 624.1 GB/s bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Thief’s 2014-era assets, allowing the card to focus on raw throughput rather than memory management.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 achieves a rank of 1258 out of 2851 tested combos in Thief, placing it in the 56th percentile of all systems tested. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier ranking, indicating that this pairing outperforms more than half of the tested configurations. The CPU’s 68th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 58th percentile ranking combine to produce a system that is balanced, with neither component significantly dragging down the other.

The rank suggests that while there are faster combinations, this pairing is far from entry-level. The CPU’s ability to maintain high single-thread performance, as seen in its 3DMark single-thread score of 893, ensures that the GPU is not starved for instructions. The GPU’s 16 GB VRAM and high bandwidth allow it to handle the highest settings without stuttering. Compared to other combos, this system sits comfortably in the upper half, meaning it will provide a smooth experience for most players. The data indicates that the bottleneck is likely the CPU at lower resolutions, but at higher resolutions like 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, which is typical for a balanced system.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent performance across all settings. The Low preset averages 169 FPS, which is the highest frame rate in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 148 FPS, with a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 171 FPS, showing a tight frame pacing. The High preset averages 113 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 108 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 5 FPS, indicating that the visual gains from Ultra are nearly free at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows a more pronounced drop at higher settings. The Low preset averages 134 FPS, which is still very smooth. The Medium preset averages 102 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 117 FPS, providing a solid experience. The High preset averages 77 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 74 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to 3 FPS, suggesting that Ultra is the better choice for visual quality at this resolution without a significant FPS penalty.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. The Low preset averages 79 FPS, which is playable but a noticeable drop from 1440p. The Medium preset averages 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS, which is the threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset averages 46 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 43 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K gaming is only viable at Low or Medium settings, as the High and Ultra presets fall below the 60 FPS target.

The data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 1080p, the CPU is the primary driver, and the GPU has ample headroom. At 1440p, the balance shifts toward the GPU, and at 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck. The Medium preset at 1440p, with an average of 102 FPS and a minimum of 86 FPS, appears to be the sweet spot for a high-refresh-rate experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Thief at 4K Ultra settings smoothly?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 43 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K averages 60 FPS, making it the highest playable setting at that resolution.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve over 100 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, all presets average over 100 FPS, with Low at 169 FPS, Medium at 148 FPS, High at 113 FPS, and Ultra at 108 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low and Medium presets average over 100 FPS, at 134 FPS and 102 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, which is 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i5-9500’s score of 13452. It is 0.7% slower than the Intel Core 5 120UL, which scores 13594.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for Thief at maximum settings?

A: Yes. The GPU has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is far more than Thief requires, given its 2014 release date. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the frame rate is limited by compute performance, not memory capacity.

Q: What is the FPS difference between High and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The High preset averages 113 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 108 FPS, a difference of only 5 FPS. This makes Ultra a worthwhile upgrade at this resolution.

Q: Is this combo more limited by the CPU or the GPU?

A: At 1920x1080, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has significant headroom. At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, with the CPU’s single-thread performance being sufficient to keep up.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the recommended configuration. This setting averages 102 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. The 1440p resolution provides a sharp image, and the Medium preset offers a noticeable improvement over Low without the FPS penalty of High or Ultra. If a higher frame rate is preferred, the Low preset at 1440p averages 134 FPS, but this sacrifices visual fidelity.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as it averages 108 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target and only 5 FPS slower than High. The visual gains from Ultra are worth the small performance cost. For players with a 4K display, the Medium preset is the maximum playable option, averaging 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS. The High and Ultra presets at 4K, averaging 46 FPS and 43 FPS respectively, are not recommended for sustained gameplay.

The data indicates that this combo is best utilized at 1440p, where it can deliver a high-refresh-rate experience without compromising on settings. The Medium preset at 1440p provides the best balance, while the Ultra preset at 1080p is the best option for maximum visual quality at a high frame rate. Players with 4K displays should stick to Medium settings to maintain playable frame rates.