Thief

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combination presents a compelling case study in how a modern, high-end GPU can be paired with an older, mid-range processor to deliver exceptional performance in a 2014 stealth title. The data shows that this pairing results in a combination rank of 1947 out of 3720 tested combos for Thief, placing it in the upper half of all configurations. This analysis will dissect the CPU and GPU roles, provide settings recommendations, and break down the measured FPS data to explain the observed performance.

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

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a Coffee Lake-era desktop processor with 6 physical cores and 6 threads, a base clock of 2.90 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, with a shared 9 MB L3 cache. In the broader context of all CPUs benchmarked, it falls in the 47th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 2254. This score places it in close competition with the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (0.2% slower), the Intel Core i7-10710U (0.3% faster), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (0.4% faster), and the Intel Core i3-10305 (0.4% slower). The i5-9400, therefore, is a solid mid-range CPU.

For Thief, the game is a 2014 title, and the CPU's role is to process game logic, physics, and AI. A 6-core/6-thread processor is generally adequate for this era's games, though the lack of hyper-threading can become a bottleneck in more modern, heavily-threaded titles. The single-core performance, as measured by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935 and Geekbench single-core score of 1389, indicates that the processor is capable of handling the primary game thread, which is often a limiting factor in games from this period. The multi-threaded capabilities, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629, suggest that the processor can handle additional background tasks without significantly impacting game performance.

In Thief, the measured data shows that at 1080p and 4K, the CPU does not appear to be the primary limiting factor, as the FPS scales well with GPU load. The game is from 2014, and its engine might not be fully utilizing all 6 cores, but the high boost clock of 4.10 GHz ensures that the few heavily-used threads can achieve good performance. The processor's memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR4 interface is not a bottleneck, as the game's data requirements are well within this capacity.

The FPS data supports this: at 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 96 (Ultra) to 119 (Low), and at 1440p, from 84 (Ultra) to 105 (Low). This scaling with resolution is a classic sign that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU is able to keep up with the frame generation. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see a plateau in the FPS as resolution is lowered, but the data clearly shows an increase, indicating the CPU is not greatly limiting performance in this title.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is a high-end GPU from the GeForce 40-series, based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, with the AD104 chip. It has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, and a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The base clock is 2310 MHz with a boost clock of 2610 MHz, and the memory clock is 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The GPU is in the 84th percentile vs. all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44795. Its performance, is close to that of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile (0.8% slower), the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT (1.3% slower), the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (1.6% faster), and the Intel Arc A730M (1.7% slower). It has a launch MSRP of 799 USD.

In Thief, the GPU is the main component that determines performance at higher resolutions. The game was released in 2014, and the RTX 4070 Ti is a modern, powerful GPU, so the game's graphics are not a problem for it. The data shows that at 4K (3840x2160), the average FPS ranges from 66 (Ultra) to 88 (Low), which indicates that the GPU is working hard to render the game at this resolution. The 12 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, and the memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s ensures that the GPU can access textures and geometry quickly.

The RTX 2070 Ti's performance is such that it can handle the game's Ultra settings at 4K with an average of 66 FPS, which is playable on a high refresh rate monitor. The GPU's high boost clock of 2610 MHz ensures that it can sustain high frame rates when the CPU is not the bottleneck. The data shows that as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, the FPS drops, which is a direct result of the GPU's rendering load. This is a classic CPU-bound to GPU-bound transition, and the RTX 4070 Ti handles it with aplomb. The GPU's 84th percentile ranking confirms its position as a high-end card, and the measured FPS data in Thief confirms this.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear view of the performance at different settings. The settings are Low, Medium, High, and Ultra, with the average FPS at each resolution. For a 60 Hz monitor, the Ultra setting at 4K provides an average of 66 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. Therefore, for 4K, the Ultra preset is recommended for the best visual experience, as it is playable. If a higher refresh rate is preferred, the High preset offers 70 FPS, and the Medium preset offers 79 FPS. The Low preset provides the highest average FPS at 88, but the visual quality is lower.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset averages 84 FPS, which is very good for a 144 Hz monitor. The High preset offers 86 FPS, and the Medium preset offers 95 FPS. For a 1440p 144Hz monitor, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it is well within the refresh rate. The Low preset averages 105 FPS, which is also good. At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 96 FPS, and the Medium preset offers 107 FPS. For a 1080p 144Hz monitor, the Medium preset is the best, as it provides a high frame rate and good visuals. The Low preset offers 119 FPS, which is good for a 240Hz monitor, but the visual quality is not ideal.

The data suggests that the best experience is to use the Ultra preset at 4K, as it provides a playable frame rate with the best visuals. If the user prefers a higher frame rate, the High preset is a good compromise, offering 70 FPS. At 1440p, the Ultra preset is the best, as it offers a high frame rate and excellent visuals. At 1080p, the Medium or Ultra presets are the best, depending on the refresh rate of the monitor. The Medium preset offers a high 107 FPS, which is suitable for most high refresh rate monitors.

How This Combo Ranks — uses comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This configuration of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 1947th out of 3720 tested combos for Thief. This places it in the 52nd percentile of all tested combos. This ranking indicates that the combination is above average, but not the top-tier. The ranking is influenced by the CPU's mid-range performance, as the GPU is high-end. The i5-9400 is a good CPU, but it is not the best, and it can be a bottleneck in some games. The 0.2% difference from the i7-1068NG and the 0.3% difference to the i7-10710U show that the CPU is well within a tight performance band.

The high rank is a result of the GPU's performance. The RTX 4070 Ti is a high-end card, and it is able to push high FPS in this game. The combination of a mid-range CPU and a high-end GPU results in a combo that is above average, but not the best. The rank is a measure of the combination's performance relative to other combinations, and it is a good performance. The data shows that the CPU can keep up with the GPU in this game, and the GPU is able to provide high FPS at the tested settings. The rank of 1947 out of 3720 is a percentile of 52.3, which is a solidly above-average result.

The combination is a good example of a balanced build for a game like Thief, where the GPU is the main limiting factor at high resolutions, and the CPU is sufficient for the game's logic. The high rank reflects the GPU's performance, and the CPU's ability to not bottleneck it significantly.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with Medium settings?

A: At 4K (3840x2160) with Medium settings, the average FPS is 79, with a minimum of 67 and a maximum of 91.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 4070 Ti compared to its nearest rival in the benchmark?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, which is 0.8% faster. The RTX 4070 Ti also trails the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT by 1.3% and the Intel Arc A730M by 1.7%, but it is ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A6000 by 1.6%.

Q: What is the CPU's average benchmark score and percentile?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254 and falls in the 47th percentile vs. all CPUs.

Q: What is the 1080p Low setting average FPS?

A: At 1080p (1920x1080) with Low settings, the average FPS is 119.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the RTX 4070 Ti?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti has a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500?

A: The i5-9400 is 0.4% slower than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 in the average benchmark score.

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

The measured FPS data for the Thief game with the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 119 FPS (average)
• Medium: 107 FPS (average), 91 FPS (min), 124 FPS (max)
• High: 97 FPS (average)
• Ultra: 96 FPS (average)

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 105 FPS (average)
• Medium: 95 FPS (average), 81 FPS (min), 109 FPS (max)
• High: 86 FPS (average)
• Ultra: 84 FPS (average)

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 88 FPS (average)
• Medium: 79 FPS (average), 67 FPS (min), 91 FPS (max)
• High: 70 FPS (average)
• Ultra: 66 FPS (average)

The data shows a clear and consistent scaling of FPS with resolution and settings. The FPS drops from 4K to 1440p to 1080p, and the settings order from Ultra to Low increases the FPS. The game is not a heavy title, and the RTX 4070 Ti is powerful, so the FPS is high even at 4K. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution, as the FPS scaling is more pronounced at higher resolutions, indicating a GPU-bound scenario.

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

The scaling of FPS from 1080p to 4K is a key indicator of the limiting component in the system. At 1080p, the average FPS for Ultra is 96. At 1440p, the average FPS for Ultra is 84, a drop of 12 FPS (12.5%). At 4K, the average FPS for Ultra is 66, a drop of 18 FPS (21.4%) from 1440p. This scaling shows that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The GPU load increases as the resolution increases, and the GPU is not able to maintain the same frame rate.

The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would not change as significantly with resolution. The GPU is the component that is being stressed, and it is handling the game well. The 1440p to 4K drop of 21.4% is a sign that the GPU is nearing its limits, but it is still playable, as the 4K Ultra is 66 FPS.

The scaling also shows that the game is not optimized for high core count CPUs, as the CPU performance is not the limiting factor. The single-core performance of the i5-9400 is sufficient for the game, and the GPU is the main component. The data shows that the RTX 4070 Ti is a strong GPU for a 2014 game, and it is a good match for the i5-9400. The resolution scaling indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, and the CPU is not a significant bottleneck.

At High settings, the FPS drops from 119 (1080p) to 97 (1440p) to 70 (4K), a drop of 22 FPS (18.5%) from 1080p to 1440p, and a drop of 27 (27.8%) from 1440p to 4K. This is a similar trend, confirming the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The data supports the conclusion that the RTX 4070 Ti is the main component that determines the frame rate, and the CPU is sufficient for the game's needs.