Thief

Thief, a stealth classic from 2014, still offers a demanding test for modern budget hardware. This analysis examines the pairing of the Intel Core i5-10400F processor with the AMD Radeon RX 570 graphics card. The benchmark data reveals a system that is consistently bound by the GPU, with performance scaling that makes 1080p the only viable target for smooth play. The measurements show a clear hierarchy of settings and resolutions, painting a picture of a combo designed for the lower end of the display spectrum.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking aspect of the data is the dramatic collapse in performance as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system averages 75 FPS. Moving up to 1440p at the same settings drops the average to 51 FPS. This is a 32% reduction. When stepping up to 4K (3840x2160), the frame rate falls to 30 FPS, representing a 60% loss from the 1080p baseline. This pattern is consistent across all settings presets, indicating that the rendering resolution is the primary factor limiting the frame rate.

The scaling pattern changes when looking at higher detail levels. At High settings, the 1080p average is 43 FPS, which falls to 30 FPS at 1440p and 17 FPS at 4K. The difference between 1440p and 4K is a 43% drop, but the difference between 1080p and 1440p is a 30% drop. At Ultra settings, the trend is slightly different. The 1080p average is 41 FPS, dropping to 28 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K. The scaling here is more linear, with the 4K result being 59% lower than the 1080p result.

The data strongly suggests that the Radeon RX 570 is the limiting component. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is significant across the board, but the gap between 1440p and 4K is even more severe. This is a classic sign of a GPU that has run out of memory bandwidth or fillrate. The 4GB of VRAM and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely saturated at higher resolutions, creating a hard ceiling. The 4K results, which are mostly below 30 FPS, are simply not playable for a smooth experience. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not linear; it's a cliff edge, confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its architecture is Comet Lake, built on a 14nm process. In the context of Thief, its role appears to be a stable foundation that is never the primary bottleneck. The benchmark results in the CPU section show a strong performance. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 10283, and the single-core score is 1451. The Geekbench multi-core score is 6257 and single-core is 1420. These scores are not the limiting factor.

The core and thread count of the i5-10400F is more than sufficient for a game from 2014. Thief, like most titles of its era, was designed to run well on fewer than 6 cores. The CPU's performance percentile is 68, indicating it performs better than the majority of all other CPUs. Its nearest rivals in the benchmark database are the Intel Xeon 6756E, which it beats by 0.2%, and the AMD EPYC 7552, which it beats by 0.5%. The data shows scores that are competitive with these server-class processors, but the fact that the FPS drops 50% when moving from 1080p to 4K shows the GPU is the only thing that matters here.

The CPU's role is to provide a consistent frame. The measurements at 1080p Low, for example, show a high FPS of 75. This is a scenario where the CPU has to feed the GPU. The 12 threads are sufficient, and the boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The lack of a significant drop in FPS at lower resolutions reflects the CPU's capability. The only way to see if the CPU could be a problem is to lower resolution further, but the data stops at 1080p. The benchmarks show the CPU is a solid performer, but not a special one. The performance is a function of the GPU, and the CPU is just along for the ride.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is the clear driver of this system's performance. It is a Polaris 20 chip, built on the GCN 4.0 architecture, from a 14nm process. The data shows that it has a base clock of 1168 MHz and a boost clock of 1244 MHz. It has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's percentile rank is 74, which is above average.

The GPU's role is defined by its limitations. The measured frame rates show that the card can handle 1080p Low settings to an excellent 75 FPS, but it is unable to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions with higher settings. The 4K results are all below 30 FPS, which is the most important data point. The card's texture rate is 159.2 GTexel/s and its pixel rate is 39.81 GPixel/s. These are the metrics that likely struggle at higher resolutions.

The Radeon RX 570's nearest rivals in the benchmark list include the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, which is 0.4% faster, and the AMD Radeon R9 M295X, which is 0.7% slower. This places the RX 570 in a specific performance band. The card's 4GB of memory is a critical factor. The table shows that at 4K, the card is simply not up to the task. The VRAM is likely a bottleneck. The game's 4K textures, if any, could exceed the 4GB capacity, causing stutters and low frame rates. The data shows a clear.

The performance delta. The card's 2048 shading units and 128 TMUs. 32 ROPs. The card is a well-balanced design for 1080p, but its 4 GB frame buffer and 224 GB/s bandwidth are not enough for 4K. The boost clock of 1244 MHz is a modest increase over the base 1168 MHz. The data suggests the GPU is the sole reason for the frame rate drops.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 41 FPS.

Q: Does the system maintain playable frame rates at 4K?

A: No. The maximum average FPS at 3840x2160 is 30 FPS on Low settings. The more demanding presets, High and Ultra, drop to 17 FPS, which is not smooth.

Q: How much faster is 1080p compared to 4K at High settings?

A: The 1080p result is 43 FPS, while the 4K result is 17 FPS. This means 1080p has a 2.5 times higher frame rate advantage.

Q: What is the best performance setting for a smooth experience?

A: For a smooth experience, the 1080p Low setting provides the highest average FPS of 75. The next best is 1080p Medium at 57 FPS.

Q: What is the difference between the 1080p Medium and Ultra settings?

A: The 1080p Medium average is 57 FPS, while the 1080p Ultra average is 41 FPS. This is a 16 FPS difference, or a 28% drop in performance.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck?

A: The data shows the Radeon RX 0 is the bottleneck. The FPS scales very strongly with resolution, indicating a GPU limit. The CPU is not a limiting factor, as the FPS drops are consistent.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-10400F and the AMD Radeon RX 570 holds a rank of 3551 out of 3720 total combos. This places it in the bottom percentile, meaning it outranks only 169 other systems. This is a very low ranking, and it is a direct result of the GPU's struggles at high resolutions. The data suggests this combo is not designed for high-end gaming, but for more modest targets.

The rank is a reflection of the overall performance across many games, but in Thief, the results are specific. The GPU's percentile rank is 74, which is above average. The low rank in this game is due to the high number of other combos that can handle 4K and high settings. The CPU's rank of 68 is also above average. The combined rank of 3571 is much lower than either component's individual rank. This is because the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU is powerful enough, but the GPU is not.

This combo is placed in the bottom of the barrel. The nearest rivals for the CPU, like the Intel Xeon 6756E, and the GPU, like the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, are not relevant to the game's performance. The data shows a specific combination. The rank is a clear indicator of the system's capabilities. The system is designed for 1080p, and it is good at that. But it is not a 4K system. The rank of 3551 out of 3720 is a clear statement about the system's position in the market.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear. The best experience is achieved at 1080p. At this resolution, the Low settings offer the highest frame rate of 75 FPS. The Medium preset provides a balance of visuals and performance, delivering 57 FPS. The High preset is slower, at 43 FPS, but it is still playable. The Ultra preset drops to 41 FPS.

The medium setting appears to be the best trade-off. It's a 24% drop in frame rate from Low, but the visual difference between Low and Medium is typically significant. The High preset is 57 FPS, which is a 17% drop from Medium. The Ultra setting at 41 FPS is not.

At 1440p, the Medium preset gives 39 FPS, which is borderline. The Low preset, at 51 FPS, is the only playable option. The High and Ultra presets at 30 and 28 FPS are not smooth. At 4K, the only way to get close to 30 FPS is Low settings, which is 30 FPS. The Medium and High and Ultra are all below 30.

The optimal path for this system is to play at 1080p. The Medium preset is the best compromise between visual quality and performance. The data suggests that the user should accept a 25% frame rate hit from Low to Medium. The 1080p Medium preset is the best choice.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is a direct measure of the system's performance.

At 3840x2160:

• Low settings: 30 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 23 FPS average, with a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 26 FPS.
• High settings: 17 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 17 FPS average.

At 2560x1440:

• Low settings: 51 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 39 FPS average, with a minimum of 33 FPS and a maximum of 45 FPS.
• High settings: 30 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 28 FPS average.

At 1920x1080:

• Low settings: 75 FPS average.
• Medium settings: 57 FPS average, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS.
• High settings: 43 FPS average.
• Ultra settings: 41 FPS average.

The data shows a clear hierarchy. The 1080p Low is the highest performance. The 1440p Low is the next best. The 4K Low is the best 4K. The 1080p Ultra is the worst 1080p performance. The 4K Ultra is the worst overall. The frame rates are measured. The medium settings provide the lowest minimum FPS in 1080p. The data shows this system is for 1080p. The 4K results are not playable. The 1440p results are acceptable. The 1080p results are the best.