Thief

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 based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a 58 W TDP. The processor carries 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. Its memory controller supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5, and the CPU provides 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates strong single-threaded performance relative to its core count. The 3DMark single-thread score is 893, while the 2-thread score reaches 1659, and the 4-thread score is 2859. Scaling to 8 threads yields 4026, and max-thread tests produce 4023, indicating that the processor's performance plateaus after 4 physical cores are fully utilized. This is characteristic of a 4-core part with Hyper-Threading, where additional logical threads provide diminishing returns.

The Cinebench R23 multicore score is 11912, with a single-core score of 1681. Geekbench results show 7413 multicore and 2224 single-core. The PassMark multithread score is 14015, while the single-thread score is 3444. Data compression in PassMark reaches 160452, encryption 8071, and extended instructions 10842. The floating-point math score is 31977, and integer math is 40978.

The CPU's percentile versus all CPUs is 72, meaning it outperforms roughly 72% of tested processors. Its average benchmark score is 13516. Nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX with an average score of 13534 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i7-1250U at 13462 (0.4% higher), the Intel Core i3-10105 at 13430 (0.6% higher), and the Intel Core i7-7700K at 13280 (1.8% higher). These deltas are all within 2%, indicating the i3-12100F sits in a tightly competitive band.

For Thief, a 2014 stealth title, the CPU's 4 cores and 8 threads are more than sufficient to feed the GPU in most scenarios. The game's engine is not known for heavy multi-threading, so the i3-12100F's strong single-core performance — evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2224 and Cinebench R23 single-core of 1681 — should prevent CPU-bound framerate caps at lower resolutions. The boost clock of 4.30 GHz provides ample headroom for latency-sensitive tasks, while the 12 MB L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is built on the Turing architecture using the TU116 chip, fabricated on TSMC's 12 nm process. It contains 6,600 million transistors on a 284 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1500 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. Memory runs at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) across a 192-bit bus, yielding 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card has 6 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, 1536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs.

The pixel rate is 84.96 GPixel/s, the texture rate is 169.9 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is rated at 5.437 TFLOPS. The GPU's TDP is 120 W, requiring a single 8-pin power connector and a suggested 300 W power supply. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The card is dual-slot, measuring 229 mm in length, and was released in February 2019.

In GPU benchmarks, the GTX 1660 Ti scores 12871 in PassMark G3D, 60863 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 58014 in Geekbench Vulkan. DirectX 11 performance in PassMark is 103, while DirectX 12 is 51. The GPU's percentile versus all GPUs is 55, with an average benchmark score of 13925. Nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 570X at 13871 (0.4% higher), the NVIDIA Tesla K10 at 14029 (0.7% lower), the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile at 13821 (0.8% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 at 13812 (0.8% higher).

For Thief, the 6 GB VRAM capacity is a key consideration at higher resolutions. The game's texture-heavy environments can consume significant memory, and 6 GB provides a comfortable buffer for 1080p and 1440p Ultra settings. The 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is adequate for the game's data streaming needs. The boost clock of 1770 MHz helps maintain consistent framerates, particularly in scenes with complex geometry and shadow calculations. The FP32 throughput of 5.437 TFLOPS suggests the GPU can handle the game's lighting and particle effects without becoming a bottleneck until 4K resolution.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound behavior as resolution increases. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 120.4 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the framerate drops to 82.2 FPS, a reduction of 31.7%. At 4K Low, the framerate falls to 51.5 FPS, which is 57.2% lower than 1080p Low.

For High settings, the progression is from 67.9 FPS at 1080p, to 51.1 FPS at 1440p (a 24.7% drop), and finally to 26.2 FPS at 4K (a 61.4% drop from 1080p). Medium settings show 92.8 FPS at 1080p, 64.9 FPS at 1440p (30.1% drop), and 38.5 FPS at 4K (58.5% drop). Ultra settings yield 65.5 FPS at 1080p, 47 FPS at 1440p (28.2% drop), and 27.2 FPS at 4K (58.5% drop).

The consistent pattern — roughly a 25-30% drop from 1080p to 1440p, followed by another 30-35% drop from 1440p to 4K — indicates that the GTX 1660 Ti is the primary limiting factor. The CPU's performance does not constrain the system at any resolution, as evidenced by the fact that framerates scale proportionally with pixel count. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between resolutions, particularly at lower settings where the GPU has less work to do.

The fact that 1080p Low reaches 120.4 FPS while 1080p Ultra drops to 65.5 FPS further confirms the GPU's role. The 54.9 FPS gap between Low and Ultra at the same resolution is attributable solely to the GPU's rendering workload, not CPU limitations. At 4K, all settings produce sub-60 FPS results, with even Low settings only reaching 51.5 FPS, reinforcing that the GPU's raw throughput is insufficient for 4K gaming in this title.

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

At 1920x1080, the average framerates are as follows: Low settings produce 120.4 FPS, Medium produces 92.8 FPS, High produces 67.9 FPS, and Ultra produces 65.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 27.6 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 24.9 FPS. High to Ultra shows a smaller delta of only 2.4 FPS, suggesting that Ultra settings add minimal GPU load over High in this game.

At 2560x1440, the average framerates are: Low at 82.2 FPS, Medium at 64.9 FPS, High at 51.1 FPS, and Ultra at 47 FPS. The Low-to-Medium delta is 17.3 FPS, Medium-to-High is 13.8 FPS, and High-to-Ultra is 4.1 FPS. All settings at 1440p remain playable above 45 FPS, with Low and Medium exceeding 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the average framerates are: Low at 51.5 FPS, Medium at 38.5 FPS, High at 26.2 FPS, and Ultra at 27.2 FPS. Notably, Ultra slightly outperforms High at 4K (27.2 vs 26.2 FPS), which is within the margin of measurement variance. All 4K results fall below 60 FPS, and only Low settings approach playability at 51.5 FPS. The step from 1440p to 4K at each setting represents a substantial performance cost, with the largest absolute drop seen at High settings (24.9 FPS loss).

The data indicates that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with all settings achieving at least 65.5 FPS. At 1440p, Medium and Low settings provide smooth gameplay above 60 FPS, while High and Ultra require some compromise. At 4K, the combo is not viable for smooth gameplay, as even Low settings struggle to maintain 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 1432 out of 1642 tested combos in Thief. This places the combination in the bottom 13th percentile of all tested hardware pairings in this game. The rank reflects the GTX 1660 Ti's mid-range status — its percentile versus all GPUs is 55 — combined with the CPU's relatively strong position at the 72nd percentile.

The combo's rank is determined by the measured FPS results, which are heavily influenced by the GPU's performance at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the combo performs respectably, with Ultra settings reaching 65.5 FPS. However, the rank considers all resolutions, and the 4K results (all below 52 FPS) drag the overall standing down significantly. The 1642-combo pool includes many pairings with more powerful GPUs that can handle 4K gaming, which explains the low rank.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-7700K (1.8% higher average score), would not meaningfully change this combo's rank if swapped in, since the GPU remains the bottleneck at resolutions above 1080p. Similarly, the GPU's nearest rivals — the AMD Radeon RX 570X (0.4% higher average score) and the NVIDIA Tesla K10 (0.7% lower) — would produce nearly identical FPS results in Thief, given their statistical proximity in benchmark scores.

This rank suggests that for Thief specifically, the combo is adequate for 1080p gaming but falls short of higher-resolution expectations. The relatively low rank of 1432 out of 1642 indicates that most tested combos deliver better overall performance, primarily due to more capable GPUs. Players using this combo should target 1080p or 1440p with adjusted settings to achieve satisfactory framerates.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Thief?

A: 1920x1080 is the best resolution, with all settings achieving at least 65.5 FPS. Low settings reach 120.4 FPS, Medium 92.8 FPS, High 67.9 FPS, and Ultra 65.5 FPS at 1080p.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Thief?

A: No. At 3840x2160, Low settings produce 51.5 FPS, Medium 38.5 FPS, High 26.2 FPS, and Ultra 27.2 FPS. None of these results reach 60 FPS, and only Low settings approach playable framerates.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13516. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX scores 13534 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i7-1250U scores 13462 (0.4% higher), the Intel Core i3-10105 scores 13430 (0.6% higher), and the Intel Core i7-7700K scores 13280 (1.8% higher).

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and how does it affect performance?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth. This configuration is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K the memory bandwidth and capacity become limiting factors, contributing to the sub-60 FPS results.

Q: How much FPS difference is there between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At High settings, the framerate drops from 67.9 FPS at 1080p to 51.1 FPS at 1440p, a decrease of 16.8 FPS (24.7% lower). This indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck when resolution increases.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 1432 out of 1642 tested combos in Thief. This places it in the lower portion of the ranking, primarily due to the GPU's limited performance at higher resolutions, despite the CPU's relatively strong benchmark position at the 72nd percentile.