Thief

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a compelling 1080p and 1440p configuration in Thief, but the data reveals a clear ceiling at 4K. The measured frame rates show a dramatic scaling curve that transitions from a CPU-bound state at lower resolutions to a heavily GPU-limited state at 4K Ultra, making the best experience highly dependent on the user's display target.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, indicating that the Arc B580 becomes the primary bottleneck as pixel count rises. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 150.5 FPS at 1920x1080 to 101 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 49.5 FPS, and then plummets to 62 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 58.8% performance loss from 1080p to 4K on Low, showing that even the least demanding preset cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K.

The pattern intensifies with higher graphical loads. On High settings, the transition from 87.8 FPS at 1080p to 57 FPS at 1440p is a 35% drop, and then to 34.1 FPS at 4K is another 40% loss. The Ultra preset follows a similar trajectory: 84.9 FPS at 1080p, 56.8 FPS at 1440p, and 33.5 FPS at 4K. This consistent halving of performance with each resolution step-up strongly suggests that the game engine's rendering load at 4K overwhelms the GPU's 13.67 TFLOPS compute capability, regardless of the CPU headroom available.

Notably, the gap between High and Ultra at 4K is minimal—34.1 FPS versus 33.5 FPS—which indicates that the GPU is saturated at that resolution. Conversely, at 1080p, the difference between Low (150.5 FPS) and Ultra (84.9 FPS) is vast, revealing that the CPU can still push high frame rates when the GPU is less burdened. The data therefore points to a system that is well-balanced for 1080p and playable at 1440p, but the 4K row is strictly for visual fidelity over frame rate.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580’s memory subsystem and clock speeds directly influence the measured results. With 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus delivering 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth, the card has ample capacity for Thief’s textures at 1440p and even 4K, but the architecture’s raw throughput becomes the limiting factor. The GPU’s base and boost clocks are both fixed at 2670 MHz, and the memory runs at an effective 19 Gbps, which supports the card’s 213.6 GPixel/s pixel rate and 427.2 GTexel/s texture rate.

The benchmark scores place the Arc B580 in the 66th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 760M, which is 0.1% ahead, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, which is 0.7% ahead. This tight grouping indicates that the B580’s performance is competitive with mainstream options, yet the game’s 4K results—34.1 FPS on High—show that it cannot match the headroom needed for ultra-high-resolution gaming. The 8-pin power connector and 190 W TDP also suggest a card designed for mid-range systems, not flagship 4K workloads.

The measured FPS at 1440p Ultra (56.8 FPS) is respectable, but the drop to 33.5 FPS at 4K Ultra illustrates a classic VRAM bandwidth bottleneck. While 456.0 GB/s is sufficient for 1080p, the 4K pixel fill rate demands more than the 213.6 GPixel/s can sustain alongside the game’s shader complexity. The data confirms that the GPU is the dominant constraint at 4K, as the CPU has more than enough single-thread headroom to feed the card at lower resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 provides a solid foundation for this pairing, with 6 cores and 12 threads running at a 2.50 GHz base clock and 4.40 GHz boost. Its benchmark scores are strong: the Cinebench R23 multicore result of 15935 and single-core score of 2249 place it in the 77th percentile among all CPUs. The processor’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, is only 0.1% ahead in average score, while the Intel Core i5-11600K trails by 0.4%, showing that the 12400 is firmly in the upper mid-range tier.

In Thief, the CPU’s role becomes evident at 1080p, where the Low preset hits 150.5 FPS. This high frame rate is only possible because the 12400’s 4.40 GHz boost clock can process the game’s logic and draw calls faster than the GPU can render at lower resolutions. The 3DMark single-thread score of 910 reinforces this capability, as Thief relies on a few heavily threaded tasks. However, the CPU is not the bottleneck at 4K; the data shows that even with the same CPU, the GPU drops to 34.1 FPS on High, proving that the processor has headroom left unused.

The 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache help maintain consistent frame pacing, which is why the 1080p numbers remain high across all settings. Yet, the lack of a significant FPS difference between High (87.8 FPS) and Ultra (84.9 FPS) at 1080p suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor even at that resolution—the GPU is already starting to feel the load. This pairing is thus CPU-sufficient for 1440p, but adding a stronger GPU would yield diminishing returns without a resolution bump.

Settings Recommendations

For 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the best motion fluidity at 150.5 FPS, but the Medium preset at 111.9 FPS offers a better balance for most users, as it still exceeds 100 FPS while providing improved visuals. High at 87.8 FPS is acceptable for 60Hz monitors, but Ultra at 84.9 FPS is not worth the extra graphical cost over High, given the marginal 2.9 FPS difference. The data suggests that 1080p Medium is the sweet spot for smooth gameplay without sacrificing too much fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset stands out with 78.7 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for a fluid experience. High at 57 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 56.8 FPS is nearly identical, indicating that the GPU is already saturated at this resolution. Low at 101 FPS is playable but visually sparse. For 1440p, Medium is the recommended preset, as it provides a 38% performance uplift over High while still looking substantially better than Low.

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves a playable 60 FPS. The best result is Low at 62 FPS, which is just above the threshold, but Medium drops to 43.6 FPS, and High and Ultra fall to 34.1 and 33.5 FPS respectively. The data indicates that 4K is only viable on Low, and even then, the 62 FPS average is not stable enough for competitive play. Users targeting 4K should consider lowering the resolution or accepting a cinematic 30 FPS experience on Medium.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 1285 out of 1642 tested combos in Thief, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. This ranking reflects the GPU’s mid-range positioning rather than a CPU deficiency, as the 12400’s percentile is 77 versus the GPU’s 66. The combo’s position is more strongly influenced by the 4K results, which drag down the overall score, despite the strong 1080p and 1440p numbers.

Compared to other combos, this pairing likely competes with systems featuring the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, which is only 0.7% ahead of the Arc B580 in average benchmark score. However, the game-specific data shows that the B580’s performance in Thief is acceptable but not exceptional, and the rank of 1285 suggests that many combinations with higher-end GPUs achieve better overall frame rates. The 12400’s close rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, is statistically identical in CPU score, so any ranking differences are primarily due to the GPU choice. This combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can leverage the CPU’s speed and the GPU’s bandwidth to deliver high frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are 150.5 FPS on Low, 111.9 FPS on Medium, 87.8 FPS on High, and 84.9 FPS on Ultra. The data shows a clear diminishing return from Medium to High (a 24.1 FPS drop) and then a negligible difference from High to Ultra (2.9 FPS). This suggests that Ultra’s extra settings are not GPU-intensive, but the game engine still incurs a cost.

At 2560x1440, the results are 101 FPS on Low, 78.7 FPS on Medium, 57 FPS on High, and 56.8 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Medium and High is 21.7 FPS, indicating a significant jump in rendering complexity. The near-identical High and Ultra scores (0.2 FPS apart) imply that Ultra adds no additional load at this resolution, so users should stick with High if they prefer those visuals.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 62 FPS on Low, 43.6 FPS on Medium, 34.1 FPS on High, and 33.5 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 18.4 FPS, and then the decline slows, showing that the GPU hits a hard wall. These numbers confirm that 4K is only for those who prioritize resolution over frame rate, as even Low struggles to maintain a solid 60 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: Medium at 111.9 FPS offers the best balance, as it stays above 100 FPS while providing better visuals than Low’s 150.5 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra in Thief?

A: No. The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 33.5 FPS, which is well below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

Q: How much faster is 1080p Low compared to 1440p Low?

A: At 1080p Low, the average is 150.5 FPS, which is 49.5 FPS higher than the 101 FPS achieved at 1440p Low.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1440p High?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor, as the 57 FPS result is closer to the 4K High score of 34.1 FPS than to the 1080p High score of 87.8 FPS, indicating GPU saturation.

Q: What is the difference between High and Ultra at 1080p?

A: High averages 87.8 FPS, while Ultra averages 84.9 FPS, a difference of only 2.9 FPS, so Ultra offers minimal visual gain for the performance cost.

Q: How does the Arc B580 compare to its nearest GPU rival in benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021, which is 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 and 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon 760M.