Thief

Thief, a 2014 stealth title, remains a demanding benchmark for modern hardware. The data for the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination shows a system that is consistently capable across all tested resolutions, though the performance scaling reveals distinct bottlenecks depending on the settings and resolution chosen. The measured frames per second (FPS) indicate a GPU-centric experience at higher resolutions, with the CPU becoming more relevant as the graphical load decreases.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 produces a substantial performance drop, but the rate of that drop is not uniform across all settings presets. At the Ultra preset, the average FPS falls from 99.4 at 1080p to 88.5 at 1440p, a reduction of 10.9 FPS. Moving further to 4K, the average drops to 58.1 FPS, a 30.4 FPS decline from the 1440p figure. This steep cliff at 4K Ultra indicates that the render resolution is heavily taxing the GPU's fillrate and memory bandwidth, pushing the RTX 4070 to its limits.

The scaling pattern shifts when examining lower settings. At the Low preset, the average FPS at 1080p is 126. At 1440p, this only decreases to 107.4, and at 4K, it remains at 89.6. The difference between 1080p and 1440p is 18.6 FPS, which is a smaller relative drop compared to the Ultra preset's 10.9 FPS decline over the same resolution step. This suggests that at lower settings, the workload is less about raw pixel throughput and more about other GPU limitations, but the 4K Low result being identical to the 1440p High result (both 89.6 FPS) points to a performance ceiling being hit around that frame rate, likely due to the CPU.

The data suggests a classic case of a performance crossover. At 1080p, the RTX 4070 is powerful enough that the frame rate is increasingly limited by the CPU's ability to feed it draw calls, particularly at low and medium settings where the GPU load is lighter. As resolution increases to 4K, the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor, and the FPS difference between settings presets widens. The 4K Ultra result of 58.1 FPS versus the 4K Low result of 89.6 FPS shows a 31.5 FPS spread, confirming that the GPU is the dominant constraint at this resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the centerpiece of this configuration, and its specifications directly inform the observed performance. The card's memory configuration includes 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This bandwidth is critical for the high-resolution textures and geometry in Thief, and the data indicates it is sufficient for smooth gameplay at 1440p, where the average FPS remains above 88 even at the Ultra preset.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1920 MHz and a boost of 2475 MHz, allow it to maintain high throughput. However, the benchmark results show that this is not always enough to overcome the CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions. For instance, at 1080p, the difference between the Low preset (126 FPS) and the Ultra preset (99.4 FPS) is 26.6 FPS. This gap is narrower than the 31.5 FPS gap seen at 4K, reinforcing that at 1080p, the CPU is preventing the GPU from fully stretching its legs, while at 4K, the GPU is working to its maximum potential.

The GPU's benchmark scores also provide context. Its Passmark G3D score of 26927 places it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, indicating strong overall performance. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3854 further confirms its capability in modern workloads. In Thief, this translates to playable frame rates even at the most demanding settings, with the 4K Ultra average of 58.1 FPS being just below the 60 FPS threshold that is often considered ideal for smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 pairing holds a specific position. The comboRankInGame field shows a rank of 860 out of 1642 total combinations. This places it in the upper-middle portion of the rankings, meaning that while it is not a top-tier configuration for Thief, it outperforms a majority of the other tested systems.

This ranking is somewhat surprising given the GPU's power, but it is reflective of the CPU's position in the overall hierarchy. The i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168, which places it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 7552 and the Intel Core i5-8500, have similar average scores, with deltas of 0.4% and -1.1% respectively. This indicates that the CPU is a mid-range performer that can hold back a high-end GPU in certain scenarios, which is consistent with the observed 1080p results where the frame rates are not as high as the GPU alone might suggest.

The rank of 860 suggests that many other combinations, likely featuring more powerful CPUs, achieve higher average frame rates in this game. The data shows that the GPU is not the limiting factor in this combo's overall standing; rather, it is the CPU's performance that prevents this system from ranking higher.

Settings Recommendations

Examining the measured FPS rows, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance is achieved at the High preset. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers an average of 101.3 FPS, which is only 1.9 FPS lower than the Ultra preset's 99.4 FPS. However, the visual fidelity gains from High to Ultra are typically marginal in this title, making the slight performance cost a poor trade-off.

The Medium preset offers a higher frame rate at 1080p, with an average of 112.5 FPS, but it comes with a noticeable reduction in graphical detail. For users with a 1440p monitor, the High preset is again the recommended choice. It produces an average of 89.6 FPS, which is nearly identical to the 4K Low preset's performance but with significantly better visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 88.5 FPS, a negligible difference from High, so the High preset is more efficient.

At 4K, the situation changes. The High preset produces an average of 62.6 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 76.3 FPS offers a better experience, but the visual downgrade from High is significant. The data suggests that for 4K, the Low preset at 89.6 FPS is the most sensible option for prioritizing a high, consistent frame rate, sacrificing most visual effects to maintain smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 4K, with an average of 58.1 FPS, should be avoided as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a clear picture of performance across the board. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 126 at the Low preset to 99.4 at Ultra. The Medium preset sits comfortably in between at 112.5 FPS, and High is close behind at 101.3 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is not linear, with the biggest drop occurring between Medium and High.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates compress slightly. The Low preset yields 107.4 FPS, which is a 14.8% decrease from the 1080p result. The Medium preset produces 100.7 FPS, and High drops to 89.6 FPS. The Ultra preset is the lowest at 88.5 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra here is only 1.1 FPS, which is negligible.

At 3840x2160, the performance is more heavily penalized. The Low preset averages 89.6 FPS, which is identical to the 1440p High result. The Medium preset falls to 76.3 FPS, and High drops further to 62.6 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 58.1 FPS. This breakdown highlights that the 4K resolution is the only one where the GPU is consistently the sole bottleneck, as the frame rates scale nearly linearly with the preset quality.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Comet Lake architecture. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz, and it can boost up to 4.30 GHz. In Thief, which is not known for being heavily multi-threaded, the CPU's single-thread performance is more critical than its multi-core capabilities. The benchmark data shows a 3DMark single-thread score of 688, which is modest compared to newer architectures.

The CPU's performance in this game is most evident at 1080p with lower settings. The fact that the average FPS at 1080p Low is 126, while at 1440p Low it is 107.4, indicates that the CPU is the limiting factor at the lower resolution. The GPU is capable of rendering more frames, but it is waiting on the CPU to provide the necessary draw call information. This is a common bottleneck for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU.

However, at 4K, the CPU's role diminishes. The 4K Low result of 89.6 FPS is identical to the 1440p High result, suggesting that the GPU is now the primary bottleneck, and the CPU is no longer holding the system back. The CPU's 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748 and Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10297 show that it is a capable processor for multi-threaded workloads, but its single-thread score of 1453 in Cinebench R23 is more indicative of its gaming performance. Overall, the data shows that while the i5-10400F is sufficient for playable frame rates in Thief, it does limit the system's maximum potential at lower resolutions, which is a key factor in the combo's overall ranking of 860 out of 1642.