Thief

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER presents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics within the 2014 stealth classic, Thief. This combination of a six-core, six-thread Coffee Lake processor from 2018 with a modern Ada Lovelace flagship GPU creates a system where the data reveals a clear stratification of performance across resolutions and settings. The measured frames per second (FPS) offer a detailed look into how this pairing handles the game's demands, with the CPU and GPU alternating in their influence depending on the workload presented. This analysis will dissect the measured FPS data, explore the specific roles of the processor and graphics card, and provide actionable insights based solely on the provided benchmark results.

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

The benchmark data for this system in Thief reveals a predictable yet informative pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p, the system achieves its highest frame rates, with the Low preset hitting an average of 119 FPS. Moving to 1440p, this figure drops to 105 FPS, a decrease of 14 frames. When scaling up to the demanding 4K resolution, the average FPS on Low settings falls further to 88 FPS. This progression—from 119 to 105 to 88—shows a steady decline that is characteristic of increasing pixel-pushing demands on the GPU.

However, the most revealing data point for identifying the limiting component comes from the High and Ultra presets. At 1080p High, the system averages 97 FPS, and at 1440p High, it averages 86 FPS. But at 4K High, the average drops to 70 FPS. The frame rate penalty for moving from 1440p to 4K on High settings is 16 FPS, which is a larger absolute drop than the 14 FPS penalty seen when moving from 1080p to 1440p. This scaling suggests that as resolution climbs, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is being tasked with progressively more work, and its performance becomes the primary constraint on the system's output.

The data strongly indicates a shift in the bottleneck. At 1080p, the processor's performance is likely the ceiling, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames quickly. The relatively small difference between the Low (119 FPS) and Ultra (96 FPS) presets at 1080p—a gap of 23 FPS—implies that the CPU is struggling to feed the GPU with enough data to saturate it fully, even on lower settings. As the resolution increases to 4K, the GPU's rendering load becomes the dominant factor. The frame rate becomes more sensitive to the graphical settings, with the difference between Low (88 FPS) and Ultra (67 FPS) widening to 21 FPS at 4K, showing that the GPU's capabilities are now the deciding factor in performance.

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

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and can boost up to 4.10 GHz. For a game released in early 2014, the thread count is not a primary concern, as most titles from that era were optimized for fewer cores. The i5-9400's single-core performance, however, is crucial. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935 and Geekbench single-core score of 1389 are the metrics that likely dictate its performance in Thief, a game that typically relies heavily on a single primary game thread.

The benchmark results show that at 1080p, the i5-9400 may be the bottleneck. The average FPS on Low settings is 119, but on Ultra, it is 96. This 23 FPS difference suggests that while the GPU is capable of higher frame rates on lower settings, the CPU's processing speed for game logic and draw calls is capping the overall performance. This is a classic sign of a CPU limit, where the graphics card is waiting for instructions from the processor. The fact that the FPS does not scale dramatically between Low and Ultra at 1080p reinforces this interpretation; the CPU is working near its maximum capacity regardless of the graphical load.

In a broader context, the i5-9400's average benchmark score of 2254 places it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, have nearly identical average scores, with a deltaPct of -0.2%. This indicates that the i5-9400 is a solidly mid-range performer in synthetic tests. For Thief, this means it provides a competent foundation, but its age is showing in the high-refresh-rate 1080p scenarios. The data suggests that for this game, the processor's performance is a limiting factor at lower resolutions, preventing the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER from reaching its full potential.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a powerhouse of a graphics card, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. It boasts 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial 672.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth. With 8448 shading units, 264 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units, it is more than equipped to handle the graphical demands of a 2014 title. Its boost clock of 2610 MHz further ensures high compute throughput. The sheer amount of VRAM is irrelevant for Thief's textures, but the raw compute power is what drives the high frame rates seen in the data.

The GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution and settings increase. The data shows that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER easily handles the game at 4K, maintaining an average of 67 FPS on Ultra settings. This reflects its raw power. The difference between the 4K Low (88 FPS) and 4K Ultra (67 FPS) presets is 21 FPS, demonstrating how the GPU's workload scales with graphical fidelity. The card is clearly not memory-limited here, as even the most demanding preset at the highest resolution is well within its capabilities.

Compared to other GPUs, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has an average benchmark score of 31087, placing it in the 76th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival in the data, the NVIDIA Quadro M5000, has a nearly identical score with a deltaPct of -0.4%. This performance class explains why the card can push Thief to such high frame rates. The data implies that the GPU is rarely the limiting factor at 1080p or 1440p, but at 4K, it becomes the primary driver of performance, with its capabilities directly dictating the FPS on each preset. The GPU's performance is strong enough that the system's overall frame rate at 4K is a direct reflection of its rendering power.

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

1080p:

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

1440p:

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

4K (3840x2160):

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance. At 1080p, the system is capable of excellent frame rates, with even the Ultra preset maintaining a 96 FPS average. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum of 91 FPS, indicating solid frame pacing. When moving to 1440p, the system remains highly playable, with all presets staying above the 80 FPS mark. The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers an 84 FPS average, which is a smooth experience for most displays.

At 4K, the system's performance is still very strong for a game of this era. The Low preset yields an 88 FPS average, while the High and Ultra presets drop to 70 FPS and 67 FPS, respectively. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 67 FPS, which is close to the average of the Ultra preset. This granular data shows a clear and consistent scaling pattern: for every resolution, there is a predictable FPS drop from Low to Ultra. The differences are 23 FPS at 1080p, 21 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K, showing that the cost of enabling higher graphical features remains relatively constant across resolutions, though the absolute values differ significantly.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate for this system on Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The system achieves an average of 96 FPS on Ultra settings at 1920x1080.

Q: Does this CPU/GPU combination maintain 60+ FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data shows that all presets at 3840x2160 achieve an average FPS above 60. The lowest average is 67 FPS on the Ultra preset.

Q: How much of a performance drop is seen when moving from 1440p to 4K on High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 86 at 2560x1440 to 70 at 3840x2160, a decrease of 16 frames per second.

Q: Which component appears to be the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the Intel Core i5-9400 is the limiting factor at 1080p, as the frame rates do not scale dramatically between Low and Ultra presets, indicating a CPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded in the benchmark data?

A: The highest average FPS is 119, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution on Low settings.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's performance in this game better than the NVIDIA TITAN RTX?

A: Yes, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has a higher average benchmark score of 31087, while the NVIDIA TITAN RTX has a score of 31676, with a deltaPct of -1.9%. This indicates the TITAN RTX is slightly faster in general benchmarks, but the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a close rival.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For players with a 1080p 144Hz monitor, the High preset, yielding 97 FPS, provides a visually rich experience that is close to the refresh rate. The Ultra preset, at 96 FPS, offers a negligible difference in frame rate but may provide slightly better visual fidelity. Given the small gap, choosing Ultra is a valid option if visual quality is the priority, as the performance cost is minimal.

For 1440p displays, the High and Ultra presets both offer excellent performance. The High preset averages 86 FPS, and Ultra averages 84 FPS. This 2 FPS difference makes the Ultra preset the recommended choice, as it delivers the highest visual quality without a meaningful performance penalty. The system is well-balanced at this resolution, with both components working efficiently.

At 4K, the choice becomes more strategic. The High preset provides a 70 FPS average, which is a smooth and highly playable experience. The Ultra preset drops to 67 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. For a more comfortable margin, the Medium preset at 79 FPS is a strong option, offering a balance between visual quality and frame rate. The data suggests that for 4K, the High preset is the best overall choice, as it offers a substantial visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds 60 FPS. Choosing Ultra is viable, but the performance gain from High to Ultra is small, and the frame rate dips closer to the 60 FPS baseline.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER holds a rank of 1938 out of 3720 tested combos in Thief. This places it in the 52nd percentile of all tested system configurations. This ranking is a composite measure, reflecting the system's performance across all tested scenarios. While the GPU is a high-tier component, the CPU's age and performance ceiling at lower resolutions likely contribute to this mid-pack ranking. The system's strong 4K performance, where the GPU becomes the primary driver, is counterbalanced by the CPU's bottleneck at 1080p.

This rank suggests that while this setup is far from the top of the leaderboard, it is also not a poor performer. It sits comfortably in the middle of the pack, indicating that it is a capable system for playing Thief. The ranking reflects the fact that the system's performance is not entirely balanced; the modern GPU is being held back by the older processor in certain scenarios. The data implies that for this specific game, a more modern CPU would likely push this combo significantly higher in the rankings, as the GPU has proven it has the raw power to deliver higher frame rates if the CPU can keep up.