Thief

The Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B570 pairing delivers a fundamentally balanced experience in Thief, but the data reveals that the game's engine leans on the GPU far more heavily as resolution climbs. At 1080p, the combination produces high frame rates that suggest the CPU is keeping pace, but the scaling pattern to 4K indicates a clear transition to a GPU-bound scenario. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across all recorded settings and resolutions, interprets what the numbers imply about the system's bottlenecks, and provides actionable settings guidance based strictly on the observed data.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It features 18 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 memory. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and a multi-thread score of 5890, while its Cinebench R23 scores are 2257 single-core and 15989 multi-core. These figures place the CPU in the 72nd percentile of all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 18683.

Looking at its nearest rivals, the i5-12400 is nearly identical in average score to the AMD EPYC 7643, which trails by just 0.1%, and the Intel Core i7-1355U, which is 0.3% behind. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 is 0.7% lower, while the Intel Core i3-14100F is 0.9% ahead. This clustering suggests that the i5-12400's raw compute capability is squarely in a mid-range tier, but its single-thread performance — crucial for older game engines like the one powering Thief — is competitive with much newer parts.

For Thief, a 2014 stealth title, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 133 FPS average. This high frame rate indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution and settings level; the 6-core/12-thread configuration provides ample headroom for the game's workload. However, the boost clock of 4.40 GHz is the more relevant specification here, as Thief's engine likely relies on fewer, faster cores rather than scaling perfectly across all 12 threads.

The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 3456 and 3DMark 2-thread score of 1692 reinforce this interpretation. The game's performance at 1080p Ultra, which drops to 73 FPS average, is more likely a GPU limitation than a CPU one, given that the CPU can sustain 133 FPS at Low settings. The data suggests that the i5-12400 is more than sufficient for Thief at any settings preset, with the GPU becoming the primary bottleneck as graphical load increases. The CPU's 65W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility are notable, but they do not directly correlate with in-game FPS; rather, the architecture's efficiency ensures consistent frame delivery without thermal throttling concerns in a typical desktop setup.

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

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage generation) using a 5nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 272 mm² and 19,600 million transistors. It operates at a fixed 2500 MHz base and boost clock, paired with 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, delivering 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's compute capabilities include 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, with a FP32 throughput of 11.52 TFLOPS. Its PassMark G3D score is 14195, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556.

The nearest rivals for the Arc B570 are tightly grouped: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile is 0.1% ahead, the Intel Arc A750 is 0.1% behind, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M is 0.4% ahead, and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X is 0.5% behind. This positioning suggests the B570 performs similarly to a high-end mobile GPU from the previous generation, which is relevant for Thief because the game's 2014-era engine does not heavily utilize modern features like ray tracing or DLSS, instead relying on raw rasterization and fill rate.

In Thief, the GPU's role dominates the measured FPS across all settings. The 10 GB VRAM is ample for the game's textures, even at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 29. The 160-bit memory bus and 380 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the scaling to 4K shows a steep decline that points to memory bandwidth and pixel fill rate as limiting factors. The GPU's pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s are moderate figures, and the data reflects this: at 4K High, the average FPS is 31, which is borderline playable, while at 4K Low it jumps to 54 FPS, indicating that reducing texture and shading complexity directly alleviates pressure on the GPU's resources.

The fixed 2500 MHz clock is interesting because it suggests the GPU does not boost dynamically, which means performance scaling is purely tied to workload efficiency. The 150W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this class, but the data shows that the B570 is capable of delivering 133 FPS at 1080p Low, proving it can handle esports-level frame rates in older titles. However, the 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS indicates that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at the highest resolution and settings, regardless of CPU headroom.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions provides a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 133 FPS average; at 1440p Low, it drops to 91 FPS; and at 4K Low, it falls to 54 FPS. This represents a 32% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a further 41% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is roughly proportional to the increase in pixel count (1080p has 2.07 million pixels, 1440p has 3.69 million, and 4K has 8.29 million), which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. If the CPU were the limiter, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, but the data shows consistent declines.

For High settings, the pattern is similar: 77 FPS at 1080p, 53 FPS at 1440p, and 31 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 31%, and from 1440p to 4K is 42%. This consistent scaling across all settings presets confirms that the GPU is the primary limiting component at every resolution above 1080p. Even at 1080p Ultra, where the average FPS is 73, the drop to 1440p Ultra (50 FPS) is 31%, indicating that the GPU is still the constraint, though the CPU has enough headroom to maintain high frame rates at the lowest settings.

The Medium settings preset offers the only min/max FPS data in the pack, providing additional insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the average is 101 FPS with a min of 86 and max of 116, showing a narrow 30 FPS range. At 1440p Medium, the average is 69 FPS with a min of 59 and max of 79, again a 20 FPS range. At 4K Medium, the average is 41 FPS with a min of 35 and max of 47, a 12 FPS range. The shrinking variance as resolution increases suggests that the GPU is becoming more uniformly saturated, reducing the impact of CPU-driven frame spikes. This data implies that Thief is almost entirely GPU-bound at 4K, while at 1080p, there is more headroom for the CPU to influence frame pacing.

The limiting component analysis is straightforward: the CPU's performance is sufficient to drive over 130 FPS at 1080p Low, but the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K. The data shows that for a smooth experience, users should prioritize resolution and settings adjustments that reduce GPU load rather than CPU upgrades.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all four presets are playable, with Low delivering 133 FPS, Medium 101 FPS, High 77 FPS, and Ultra 73 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is only 4 FPS (from 77 to 73), which suggests that the Ultra preset offers minimal visual benefit for a small performance cost. Conversely, the jump from Medium to High is a 24 FPS drop (from 101 to 77), indicating that High settings impose a significant load. For most users at 1080p, Medium provides the best balance at 101 FPS, with a min of 86 FPS ensuring consistent frame delivery.

At 1440p, the data shows that Low (91 FPS) and Medium (69 FPS) are the only presets that maintain frame rates above 60 FPS. High (53 FPS) and Ultra (50 FPS) both dip below 60 FPS, which may cause noticeable stutter on standard 60Hz displays. Medium is the recommended preset at 1440p, as it delivers 69 FPS average with a min of 59 FPS, keeping the experience mostly smooth. Low offers a higher margin at 91 FPS but sacrifices visual quality; the choice between Low and Medium depends on whether the user prioritizes frame rate headroom or graphical fidelity.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. Low is the only preset that achieves an average FPS above 50, at 54 FPS. Medium drops to 41 FPS, High to 31 FPS, and Ultra to 29 FPS. For a playable experience, Low is the only viable option, and even then, the frame rate is below 60 FPS. Users with 4K displays should consider reducing resolution to 1440p if they want to use higher settings, as the 1440p Medium preset at 69 FPS offers a far better experience than 4K Low at 54 FPS.

The measured rows indicate that the Ultra preset offers diminishing returns: at every resolution, Ultra is only 2-4 FPS slower than High, but the visual difference in a 2014 game is likely minimal. Therefore, the data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for 1080p and 1440p, while Low is the only acceptable preset at 4K. The Medium preset's min FPS data (86 at 1080p, 59 at 1440p, 35 at 4K) also provides a safety margin against frame drops, making it the most consistent choice.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Thief?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 133, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 or the Intel Arc B570 the bottleneck at 4K Ultra?

A: The data shows the GPU is the bottleneck, as the 4K Ultra average FPS is 29, while the same CPU can drive 133 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating the CPU has ample headroom.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium averages 69 FPS, while High averages 53 FPS, a difference of 16 FPS in favor of Medium.

Q: Does the combo maintain 60+ FPS at 4K on any preset?

A: No. The only 4K preset measured above 60 FPS is Low at 54 FPS average. All other 4K presets (Medium 41, High 31, Ultra 29) fall below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570's average benchmark score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Arc A750 (20582) and 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534).

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1080p?

A: The minimum FPS for 1920x1080 Medium is 86, with an average of 101 and a maximum of 116.

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

The complete measured FPS data for the Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B570 combination in Thief is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 133 FPS average
• Medium: 101 FPS average (min 86, max 116)
• High: 77 FPS average
• Ultra: 73 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 91 FPS average
• Medium: 69 FPS average (min 59, max 79)
• High: 53 FPS average
• Ultra: 50 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 54 FPS average
• Medium: 41 FPS average (min 35, max 47)
• High: 31 FPS average
• Ultra: 29 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the FPS drops by roughly 30-40% for each step up (1080p to 1440p, 1440p to 4K) across all settings. The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data, revealing that the frame range narrows as resolution increases: 30 FPS range at 1080p, 20 FPS at 1440p, and 12 FPS at 4K. This indicates more consistent frame delivery at higher resolutions, likely due to the GPU being fully saturated.

At 1080p, the difference between Low (133 FPS) and Ultra (73 FPS) is 60 FPS, showing a massive performance cost for maximum settings. At 1440p, the difference between Low (91 FPS) and Ultra (50 FPS) is 41 FPS. At 4K, the difference between Low (54 FPS) and Ultra (29 FPS) is 25 FPS. The shrinking absolute difference at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU's fixed resources are being exhausted, making the relative impact of settings smaller.

The Ultra preset consistently delivers the lowest FPS at every resolution, but the gap between High and Ultra is small: 4 FPS at 1080p, 3 FPS at 1440p, and 2 FPS at 4K. This implies that the Ultra preset may enable features like higher shadow quality or ambient occlusion that are negligible in this 2014 title, making it a poor trade-off for the performance loss.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-12400 + Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2296 out of 2851 tested combos in Thief. This places it in the bottom 20% of all configurations, which is surprising given the individual component benchmarks. The CPU ranks in the 72nd percentile of all processors, and the GPU ranks in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, yet the combined performance in Thief is relatively low. This discrepancy suggests that the game's engine may not fully utilize the modern architecture of either component, or that the combination is held back by a specific bottleneck that the benchmark data does not directly capture.

The rank of 2296 out of 2851 means that roughly 555 combos perform worse, while 2295 perform better. Given that the measured FPS at 1080p Low is 133, which is quite high, the low rank likely stems from the fact that many other tested combinations include higher-end GPUs or CPUs that achieve even higher frame rates at 4K or with more demanding settings. The combo's 4K Ultra average of 29 FPS is below the 30 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for playability, which may drag down its ranking relative to combos that can maintain 60 FPS at 4K.

The nearest rival data for the GPU shows the Arc B570 is nearly identical to the Arc A750 (0.1% lower) and RTX 3070 Mobile (0.1% higher), suggesting that swapping the GPU for these alternatives would not dramatically change the in-game ranking. Similarly, the CPU's rivals are within 1% of its average benchmark score, indicating that the combo's rank is not primarily due to a weak component, but rather the game's specific demands. The data implies that Thief is not particularly well-optimized for this hardware generation, as the combo's raw compute scores are solid, but the in-game performance at high resolutions falls short of what the synthetic benchmarks would predict. The rank is a reminder that synthetic benchmarks do not always translate to real-world gaming performance, especially for titles released before these components were designed.