Thief

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Raptor Lake refresh generation, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. In Thief, a 2014 stealth game, this CPU has been tested as part of a combo with the AMD Radeon RX 570. The CPU's high single-thread performance, indicated by its Passmark single-thread score of 4270, is relevant for a game that was designed in an era when most titles were heavily dependent on one or two cores. The data shows, however, that in this particular pairing, the CPU is not the primary constraint on frame rate; the GPU is.

The i5-14600K has 14 cores and 20 threads, a configuration that is far more than a game like Thief can utilize, even at its most demanding moments. The game was released on February 24, 2014, and while modern CPUs can brute-force older engines, the benchmark results for this combo show that the limitation is clearly on the graphics side. The CPU's L3 cache is 24 MB shared, and its memory support includes both DDR4 and DDR5 via a dual-channel bus. These architectural advantages matter in CPU-bound scenarios, but Thief's engine will rarely push 14 cores to their limits.

In terms of raw CPU benchmarks, the data shows the i5-14600K scores 13,709 in Cinebench R20 multi-core and 1,935 in single-core. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 24,491. These numbers are not directly relevant to Thief's frame rates, but they indicate that the processor is not a limiting factor in this game. The CPU's passmark single-thread score of 4,270 and its multi-thread score of 38,682 place it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it is far more capable than what Thief requires.

The nearest rival CPUs in terms of average benchmark score are the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (score 48,698, delta -0.2%), AMD EPYC 4345P (score 48,470, delta +0.3%), and Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (score 48,287, delta +0.7%). The i5-14600K's average benchmark score is 48,618, which is essentially in a dead heat with these models. This confirms that the CPU's performance class is high, but in Thief, the frame rates are primarily dictated by the GPU.

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is a 2017-era GPU with a memory size of 4 GB of GDDR5, a bus width of 256 bits, and a memory bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 1168 MHz, and its boost clock is 1244 MHz. The GPU's architecture is GCN 4.0, based on the Polaris 20 chip, and it has 2,048 shading units. The memory clock speed is 1750 MHz (with 7 Gbps effective data rate). These specifications are modest by modern standards but are the ones that directly shape the frame rates in Thief.

The RX 570 is a dual-slot card with a 150 W TDP and a 1x 6-pin power connector. Its pixel rate is 39.81 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 159.2 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 5.095 TFLOPS. In terms of API support, it supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. This means it is fully compatible with Thief's engine, which is from 2014. The GPU's percentile vs all GPUs is 74, meaning it is slightly above average in the benchmark database's GPU hierarchy.

The GPU's nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the AMD Radeon RX 6800M (score 28,874, delta -0.4%), the AMD Radeon R9 M295X (score 28,580, delta +0.7%), and the RX 570's sibling, the Radeon RX 470 (score 28,996, delta -0.8%). The RX 570's average benchmark score is 28,766, which is within 1% of these rivals. This indicates that the RX 570 is a mid-range GPU, and in Thief, it is the primary limiter on frame rates.

The measured FPS data for this combo shows that at 4K (3840x2160), the average frame rates are extremely low, with the High and Ultra presets both at 17 FPS, Medium at 23 FPS, and Low at 30 FPS. These are all below the threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1440p, the frame rates are slightly better: Low is 51 FPS, Medium is 39 FPS, High is 30 FPS, and Ultra is 28 FPS. At 1080p, the frame rates are the best: Low is 75 FPS, Medium is 57 FPS, High is 43 FPS, and Ultra is 41 FPS.

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint. At 4K, even the Low preset only achieves 30 FPS, which is barely playable. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 75 FPS, which is smooth, but the High and Ultra presets are still below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 1080p is 41 FPS, and at 1440p it's 28 FPS, which is not fluid. This is a GPU that is not capable of handling Thief at high settings at high resolutions.

The CPU's role is essentially moot in this pairing. The 14-core i5-14600K is more than sufficient to feed the RX 570's frame rate, and the game's engine will not be CPU-bound. The data shows no CPU-related bottleneck in the measured FPS numbers. The GPU's 4GB VRAM might also be a limiting factor at 4K, as the game's textures could exceed that amount at high detail settings, but the benchmark data doesn't separate this from the GPU's compute limitations.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 224 GB/s is relatively moderate, and at 4K, the game's texture data is likely to be large. The GPU's ROP count is 32, which is a typical number for a mid-range GPU from its generation. The combination of low ROPs and a limited memory bandwidth explains the low performance at 4K.

In terms of thermal and power characteristics, the GPU's TDP of 150W and a suggested PSU of 450W are typical for a mid-range card. The GPU's length is 241 mm, which is a standard dual-slot form factor. These details are not directly related to FPS, but they are part of the hardware's overall capability.

The measured FPS data shows that this combo ranks 3551 out of 3720 combos in Thief. This rank is very low, indicating that the RX 570 is severely limiting the i5-14600K's potential. The CPU is a top-tier product (90th percentile), but the GPU is only the 74th percentile, and the game's performance is entirely GPU-bound. In combination, the result is a poor performer.

The data's interpretation: the i5-14600K is a powerful CPU, but paired with the RX 570, it's like a sports car engine with a bicycle transmission. The CPU would be better paired with a modern GPU to unlock its potential. In Thief, the combo's rank of 3551 out of 3720 indicates that this is one of the weakest combinations in the database. The likely reason is that the RX 570's 2017-era performance cores are not up to the task of running Thief at high framerates.

The FAQ section will address common questions about this combination, such as whether the CPU is a bottleneck, the impact of the GPU's VRAM, and the best settings for the game.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600K bottlenecked by the AMD Radeon RX 570 in Thief?

A: Yes. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor. For example, at 1080p the Low preset achieves 75 FPS, but the High preset drops to 43 FPS, and Ultra drops to 41 FPS. The CPU is far more powerful than the GPU, as evidenced by its 90th percentile ranking. The GPU's 74th percentile ranking and its average benchmark score of 28,766 indicate that the GPU is the bottleneck.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Thief with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where the frame rates are mostly playable. At Low settings, the average FPS is 75, at Medium it's 57, and at High it's 43. At 1440p, the frame rates are lower: Low is 51, Medium is 39, High is 30, and Ultra is 28. At 4K, the frame rates are very low, with the best the Low preset at only 30 FPS.

Q: Can the RX 570 handle Ultra settings in Thief?

A: At any resolution, the Ultra preset results in frame rates that are below 60. At 1080p, the average FPS is 41, at 1440p it's 28, and at 4K it's 17. These are not smooth frame rates for a first-person stealth game, which requires responsive aiming. It's recommended to use Medium or Low settings for a playable experience.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 3551 out of 3720 combinations in Thief. This is in the bottom 5% of all test combinations. The low rank is due to the RX 570's meager performance. The CPU is capable, but the GPU drags the whole system down.

Q: What is the impact of the GPU's 4GB VRAM on performance?

A: While the benchmark data doesn't explicitly isolate VRAM usage, the GPU's 4GB of GDDR5 memory can be a limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 4K, the game's textures may exceed the VRAM capacity, causing stutter or a performance drop. The data shows that at 4K, the best average FPS is only 30, which is likely a combination of the GPU's compute limits and VRAM constraints.

Q: Which resolution and settings should a user choose for the best experience?

A: Based on the measured FPS, the best experience is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, which yields an average FPS of 57. This is a balance between visual quality and framerate. If you want a smoother 75 FPS, choose Low settings. At higher resolutions, the frame rates are too low to be enjoyable.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank in Thief is 3551 out of 3720 tested combinations. This is a very low rank, indicating that the system is not well-suited for this game. The CPU is a strong performer, as shown by its 90th percentile ranking and its average benchmark score of 48,618. The GPU is a mid-range part with a 74th percentile ranking and an average score of 28,766. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a mid-tier GPU results in a very low overall rank in a game that is heavily GPU-bound.

The rank of 3551 out of 3720 means that the combo is in the bottom 4.5% of all test combinations. This is because Thief is a game that is sensitive to GPU performance, and the RX 5700 is not powerful enough to produce high frame rates. The CPU is not the issue; the game's engine does not need 14 cores or 20 threads. The data shows that the CPU's performance is far beyond what the game requires.

The low rank is also supported by the measured FPS. For example, at 1080p, the High preset only achieves 43 FPS, which is below the standard for a smooth experience. At 1440p, the average FPS is 30, which is borderline playable. At 4K, the average FPS is 17, which is unplayable. These numbers are not up to par with more balanced combinations.

The nearest rival CPUs to the i5-14600K in the benchmark database are the Intel Xeon Gold 5W (score 48,698, -0.2%), the AMD EPYC 4345P (score 48,470, +0.3%), and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (score 48,287, +0.7%). The i5-14600K's score of 48,618 is within 1% of these rivals, so the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo's rank. The GPU is the deciding factor.

The GPU's nearest rivals are the RX 6800M (score 28,874, -0.4%), the R9 M295X (score 28,580, +0.7%), and the RX 470 (score 28,996, -0.8%). The RX 570's score of 28,766 is in the same range, but the RX 6800M is a laptop GPU, and the R9 M295X is also a mobile GPU. In a desktop context, the RX 570 is a weaker option, which is why the combo's rank is so low.

In summary, the combo's rank is poor because the GPU is not capable of delivering high frame rates in Thief. The CPU's power is wasted in this pairing. The rank of 3551 out of 3720 reflects the GPU's limitations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data is provided for four resolutions and four settings each. The data is as follows:

3840x2160 (4K):

• High: 17 FPS
• Low: 30 FPS
• Medium: 23 FPS (min 19, max 26)
• Ultra: 17 FPS

At 4K, all frame rates are below playable. The Low preset is the best, but it's only 30 FPS. The Ultra preset is the lowest at 17 FPS. The Medium preset has a range of 19-26 FPS, indicating some variability.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• High: 30 FPS
• Low: 51 FPS
• Medium: 39 FPS (min 33, max 45)
• Ultra: 28 FPS

At 1440p, the frame rates are slightly better. Low is the only preset above 30 FPS, but it's still not ideal. Medium and High are around 30-39 FPS, and Ultra is 28 FPS.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• High: 43 FPS
• Low: 75 FPS
• Medium: 57 FPS (min 48, max 65)
• Ultra: 41 FPS

At 1080p, the frame rates are the highest. Low is very smooth at 75 FPS, Medium is 57 FPS, High is 43, and Ultra is 41. This is the only resolution where the game is playable.

The data shows that the GPU is more capable at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the Low preset is 75 FPS, which is excellent. At 1440p, the Low preset is 51 FPS, which is still decent. At 4K, the Low preset is only 30 FPS, which is a significant drop.

The difference between Low and Ultra settings is also notable. At 1080p, the difference between Low (75 FPS) and Ultra (41 FPS) is 34 FPS. At 1440p, it's 23 FPS, and at 4K, it's 13 FPS. This shows that the GPU's compute power is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the best experience is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, which yields an average FPS of 57. This is a smooth frame rate for a stealth game like Thief, which is not a fast-paced shooter. Medium settings offer a balance between visual quality and performance. If you prefer a higher frame rate, Low settings at 1080p yield 75 FPS, which is very smooth, and the drop in visual quality is acceptable for a game from 2014.

At 1440p, the best setting is Low, which gives 51 FPS. Medium gives 39 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. High and Ultra are not recommended, as they drop to 30 and 28 FPS, respectively. At 4K, the game is not playable at any setting, as the maximum FPS is 30 (Low), and the minimum is 17 (High/Ultra).

For the best experience, the data suggests that 1080p with Medium settings is the sweet spot. The 57 FPS is smoother than the 43 FPS of High, and the quality difference is not large. If you have a 1440p monitor, you can use Low settings for a 51 FPS, which is playable. However, you should avoid Ultra settings, as they are not worth the frame rate hit.

In summary, the combo is best used at 1080p with Medium or Low settings. The GPU's limited performance means that the game must be played at lower resolutions and settings to maintain a smooth frame rate. The CPU's power is largely wasted in this configuration, and the GPU is the bottleneck.

The data also shows that the GPU's 4GB VRAM is a concern at 4K, but the compute limitations are more important. The frame rate drops are consistent with a GPU that is maxed out, not a VRAM issue. The medium and high settings at 1080p are the best choices for this hardware.