Thief

The Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination delivers a playable but demanding experience in Thief, with performance that scales predictably from 1080p to 4K. The data shows a clear transition from CPU-bound behavior at lower resolutions to a GPU-limited scenario at 4K, making the choice of settings crucial for maintaining smooth frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a significant performance drop as resolution increases, confirming that the RTX 2070 SUPER becomes the primary limiting factor at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces 94 FPS, but this falls to 64.4 FPS at 1440p and further to 37.5 FPS at 4K. This represents a 60% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings, a steep decline that underscores the GPU's workload at 4K.

The scaling pattern changes when looking at Low settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 145.5 FPS, which drops to 115.9 FPS at 1440p (a 20.3% decrease) and then to 72 FPS at 4K (a 37.9% decrease from 1440p). The relatively smaller drop between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings suggests that the CPU is contributing more to performance at lower graphical loads, while the 4K figures clearly show the GPU struggling to keep up with the pixel throughput.

At Medium settings, the frame rates are 131.8 FPS at 1080p, 91.3 FPS at 1440p, and 52.2 FPS at 4K. The 4K Medium result is 60.4% lower than the 1080p Medium result, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s and its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory are being taxed heavily at 4K. The RTX 2070 SUPER's 1605 MHz base and 1770 MHz boost clocks provide the raw compute, but the 4K resolution demands more than the card can deliver at higher presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This Rocket Lake processor, built on a 14 nm process, demonstrates strong single-threaded performance in synthetic benchmarks, scoring 868 in 3dmark_single_thread and 2029 in Cinebench R23 single-core. These scores indicate that the CPU has sufficient per-core strength to handle Thief's game logic and AI routines without becoming a bottleneck at 1080p.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 and a 3dmark_max_threads score of 5652. In Thief, a stealth title that typically relies more on single-threaded performance, the i5-11400F's 12 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and streaming. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for the game's traversal and enemy AI calculations.

However, the data suggests that the CPU's influence wanes as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 145.5 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's maximum frame delivery capability for this game. When the resolution jumps to 4K, the frame rate at Low settings drops to 72 FPS, a 50.5% reduction that aligns with the GPU's rendering load rather than any CPU limitation. The i5-11400F's 65 W TDP and DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for this title, but the processor is clearly not the constraining component at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 996 out of 1642 tested combos in Thief, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This ranking reflects the age of the GPU, which was released in 2019, relative to newer hardware that appears in the benchmark database. The combo's position suggests that while it remains functional for 1080p and 1440p gaming, it is not competitive with more modern pairings at higher resolutions.

The CPU itself sits at the 75th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 17181. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (0% delta) and the Intel Core i7-1260P (-0.2% delta), indicating that the i5-11400F is well-matched against these alternatives in raw compute. The GPU, however, ranks at the 65th percentile among all GPUs with an average score of 22206, and its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, shows a -0.5% delta, meaning the RTX 2070 SUPER is slightly behind that professional card in average benchmark performance.

The combination's rank of 996 out of 1642 implies that roughly 39% of tested combos outperform it in Thief. This is a meaningful data point for users considering this hardware pairing, as it indicates that while the system is capable, it will not deliver top-tier performance in this title compared to the broader database of tested configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 145.5 FPS on Low, 131.8 FPS on Medium, 99.6 FPS on High, and 94 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a clear progression where each increase in settings costs roughly 10-30 FPS, with the largest single drop occurring from Medium to High (32.2 FPS, a 24.4% reduction).

At 2560x1440, the performance profile shifts downward. Low settings yield 115.9 FPS, Medium produces 91.3 FPS, High achieves 67.2 FPS, and Ultra drops to 64.4 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to just 2.8 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset at 1440p introduces graphical effects that do not significantly tax the GPU beyond High settings. The 1440p Medium result of 91.3 FPS is 30.8% lower than the 1080p Medium result, highlighting the resolution's impact.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings produce 72 FPS, which is playable but not smooth for a stealth game that benefits from consistent frame pacing. Medium settings drop to 52.2 FPS, High falls to 40.3 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 37.5 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is 60.1% lower than the 1080p Ultra result, and the 4K High result of 40.3 FPS is below the commonly accepted 60 FPS threshold for fluid gameplay.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the most consistent performance, with all settings presets achieving at least 94 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low and Medium settings exceed 60 FPS, while 4K performance is limited to Low settings for playable frame rates.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER's memory configuration affect 4K performance?

A: The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 4K, the 37.5 FPS result on Ultra suggests that the memory capacity and bandwidth are insufficient for high-resolution textures and effects, causing the steep performance drop from 1440p.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-11400F a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The CPU's 3dmark_single_thread score of 868 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2029 indicate strong single-threaded performance. At 1080p Low, the 145.5 FPS result suggests the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output, but the 50.5% frame rate drop at 4K Low confirms the GPU becomes the limiting component at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings produce 67.2 FPS while Ultra produces 64.4 FPS. This 2.8 FPS difference (4.2% reduction) is minimal, suggesting that the Ultra preset's additional graphical features have a negligible performance impact at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 996 out of 1642 tested combinations in Thief, placing it in the lower-middle range. The CPU performs at the 75th percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits at the 65th percentile, with the overall ranking reflecting the GPU's relative age.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Thief?*

A: At 4K, the system achieves 72 FPS on Low settings and 52.2 FPS on Medium. For a stealth game requiring precise timing, the Low preset is the only option that provides a smooth experience, while Medium may be acceptable for less demanding players.

Settings Recommendations

The data indicates that the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, Ultra settings at 94 FPS provide the best balance of visual quality and smoothness, as the frame rate remains well above the 60 FPS threshold. The 5.6 FPS difference between High (99.6 FPS) and Ultra (94 FPS) is minimal, making Ultra the clear choice for 1080p users who prioritize image quality.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings at 91.3 FPS offer the most favorable trade-off between visuals and performance. The jump from Medium to High costs 24.1 FPS (a 26.4% reduction), which is significant for a stealth game where smooth camera movement matters. The 64.4 FPS result on Ultra is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes, while the 67.2 FPS on High provides only marginal improvement over Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset at 72 FPS is the only configuration that delivers a consistently smooth experience. Medium at 52.2 FPS may be tolerable for some players, but the 38% frame rate reduction from Low is substantial. High (40.3 FPS) and Ultra (37.5 FPS) are not recommended for 4K, as the sub-60 FPS results will introduce noticeable stutter in a game that relies on precise stealth mechanics.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER, based on the Turing architecture with a TU104 chip, plays the dominant role in determining Thief's performance at higher resolutions. The GPU's 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output pipelines provide a solid foundation for the game's DirectX 11 rendering, as evidenced by its Passmark DirectX 11 score of 151. The 12 nm process and 13,600 million transistors deliver 9.062 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which translates to the frame rates observed in the measured data.

The GPU's memory subsystem is a critical factor in 4K performance. With 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, the RTX 2070 SUPER handles 1080p and 1440p workloads efficiently, as shown by the 145.5 FPS result at 1080p Low. However, the 4K Ultra result of 37.5 FPS indicates that the memory capacity becomes a constraint when high-resolution textures demand more than 8 GB of space. The GPU's boost clock of 1770 MHz provides the computational speed needed for the game's lighting and shadow effects, but the pixel rate of 113.3 GPixel/s is insufficient for 4K at higher presets.

The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 18169 and its 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs place it as a mid-range performer in the current database. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, shows a -0.5% delta, meaning the RTX 2070 SUPER is slightly ahead of that card in average benchmark score, but it trails the RTX 4060 Mobile by -2.3%. This positioning confirms that the RTX 2070 SUPER is a capable but aging component, best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming rather than 4K.