Thief

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT delivers a measured performance profile in Thief that is heavily shaped by the GPU. The combo ranks 1039th out of 1642 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database, despite the CPU sitting in the 84th percentile of all processors and the GPU in the 63rd percentile. The data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p the CPU can push very high frame rates, but as resolution climbs, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, capping performance well below what the CPU could otherwise deliver.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1039 out of 1642 reflects a mid-pack result for Thief, a 2014 stealth title that is not particularly demanding by modern standards. The CPU, an Intel Core i5-12600KF, is a 10-core, 16-thread Alder Lake part with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost of 4.90 GHz. Its average benchmark score is 27,827, which places it within 0.1% of the Intel Core i5-12600K (27,851) and exactly tied with the Intel Core i9-10900K (27,829). The CPU also outperforms the Intel Core i7-13700H by 0.4% (27,716) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H by 0.2% (27,872). This is a strong processor, ranking in the 84th percentile of all CPUs.

The GPU, an AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, is a RDNA 3.0 part with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its average benchmark score is 20,146, which is 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (20,258) and 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 460 (20,088). It also leads the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER by 1.9% (19,774) and trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile by 1.9% (20,534). The GPU sits in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, a solid mid-range result.

Given the CPU’s high percentile and the GPU’s lower one, the combo’s overall rank is dragged down by the graphics card. In Thief, the measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 161.8, but at 4K Ultra it falls to 34.2. This indicates that the CPU is rarely the bottleneck; instead, the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth limit performance at higher resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo’s rank in Thief?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF + AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks 1039th out of 1642 tested combos.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The i5-12600KF scores 27,827, which is 0.1% lower than the i5-12600K (27,851) and exactly matches the i9-10900K (27,829). It is 0.4% higher than the i7-13700H (27,716).

Q: What is the highest average FPS measured?

A: The highest average FPS is 161.8, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS measured?

A: The lowest average FPS is 34.2, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.

Q: Does the GPU bottleneck at 4K?

A: Yes. At 4K Low the FPS is 63.7, while at 1080p Low it is 161.8. The drop is substantial, and the CPU’s high percentile suggests it is not the limiting factor.

Q: How does the GPU compare to the RX 7600?

A: The RX 7600 XT scores 20,146, which is 0.6% lower than the RX 7600’s 20,258.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a consistent drop as resolution increases, regardless of settings. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 161.8 at 1080p to 110.6 at 1440p and then to 63.7 at 4K. At Medium, the numbers are 125.9, 85.6, and 52.8 respectively. High settings yield 97.1, 65.6, and 35.9, while Ultra produces 87.6, 59.5, and 34.2.

The scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU’s strong single-thread and multi-thread scores (3,309 in Cinebench R23 single-core, 23,444 in multi-core) are more than sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p, where the frame rates are high. But as pixel count increases, the GPU’s 128-bit memory bus and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth become the constraint. The RX 7600 XT’s 16 GB frame buffer is ample, but the raw throughput is not enough to maintain high FPS at 4K. The data shows that the gap between 1080p and 1440p is roughly 30-40 FPS across settings, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is even larger, especially at High and Ultra where the 4K results fall below 40 FPS.

This indicates that for 4K gaming, the GPU is the clear limiting component. The CPU’s 84th percentile ranking and its near-tie with the i9-10900K suggest that even a more powerful GPU would not be held back by this processor in Thief.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists all measured average FPS values from the FACT PACK:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 35.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 63.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 52.8 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 34.2 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 65.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 110.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 85.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 59.5 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 97.1 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 161.8 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 125.9 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 87.6 |

At 1080p, the combo delivers playable frame rates across all settings, with even Ultra averaging 87.6 FPS. At 1440p, Low and Medium stay above 85 FPS, but High drops to 65.6 and Ultra to 59.5. At 4K, only Low manages to stay above 60 FPS (63.7), while Medium is 52.8, High 35.9, and Ultra 34.2. The data shows a clear step-down at each resolution, with the largest relative drop occurring between 1440p and 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the best experience depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as it delivers 87.6 FPS while providing the highest visual quality. If a higher refresh rate is preferred, Medium at 125.9 FPS or Low at 161.8 FPS are also viable, but Ultra offers a good balance of fidelity and smoothness.

At 1440p, the High preset at 65.6 FPS is the sweet spot for a 60 Hz display, while Medium at 85.6 FPS is better for 75 Hz or 100 Hz monitors. Ultra at 59.5 FPS is borderline for 60 Hz, but the drop to High is only 6.1 FPS, so High is recommended for a more consistent experience.

For 4K, the only preset that maintains a 60 FPS average is Low at 63.7 FPS. Medium at 52.8 FPS is playable on a 50 Hz display, but High and Ultra fall below 40 FPS, which is not ideal for a stealth game that benefits from smooth camera movement. Given the GPU’s 16 GB memory and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth, the bottleneck is not capacity but throughput, so lowering settings is the only way to raise frame rates at 4K.

In summary, the Intel Core i5-12600KF + AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is a capable 1080p and 1440p combination, but it struggles at 4K. The CPU’s high percentile and the GPU’s mid-range standing mean that for 4K gaming, a more powerful GPU would be the next upgrade. The measured data shows that the combo’s rank of 1039 out of 1642 is primarily a reflection of the GPU’s limitations, not the CPU’s.