Thief

Thief, the 2014 stealth classic, remains a demanding title for modern hardware at higher resolutions. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, based exclusively on the supplied benchmark data. The combination ranks 2107 out of 2851 tested combos for this game, placing it in the lower-middle tier of all evaluated systems. The data reveals a configuration that is highly capable at 1080p, solid at 1440p, but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with higher graphical presets.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combo for Thief?

A: The combo ranks 2107 out of 2851 tested combos in this game, according to the `comboRankInGame` data. This places it in the 74th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that while it is not a top-tier performer, it outperforms a significant majority of other configurations.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, which is 0.2% higher. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, also 0.4% higher. Conversely, the i5-9400 is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i7-10710U (2248) and 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246). These deltas are minimal, showing the processor is performance-neutral with these peers.

Q: What are the key specifications of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050?

A: The RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB207 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, 32 ROPs, 20 RT cores, and 80 tensor cores. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2317 MHz with a boost clock of 2572 MHz.

Q: What is the best measured FPS result for this combo at 1920x1080?

A: The highest average FPS recorded at 1920x1080 is 119 FPS on the Low settings preset. The Medium preset delivers 107 FPS, High delivers 95 FPS, and Ultra delivers 90 FPS. All presets at this resolution achieve average frame rates above 90 FPS, making the game very playable.

Q: How does the RTX 5050's benchmark performance compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, scores 21153, which is 0.6% higher. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile scores 21379 (1.6% higher), and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21237 (1% higher). The RTX 5050 is faster than the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which scores 20713 (1.6% lower).

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440?

A: The measured data shows a minimum FPS of 72 for the Medium settings at 2560x1440 resolution. The average FPS for this configuration is 85, with a maximum of 98 FPS. This suggests the frame rate remains relatively stable without significant drops.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination is positioned at rank 2107 out of 2851 tested combos for Thief. This ranking places the system in the 26th percentile from the top, or conversely, it is better than approximately 74% of all other tested configurations. This is a mid-pack result, suggesting that while the hardware is not obsolete, it is not optimized for the highest levels of performance in this specific title.

The ranking is a composite of the CPU's and GPU's individual capabilities. The i5-9400 holds a 47th percentile ranking among all CPUs, indicating it is a modest processor by current standards. The RTX 5050, however, performs better relative to its peers, sitting in the 66th percentile among all GPUs. The GPU is the stronger component in this pairing, and its performance is what primarily drives the combo's overall position. The CPU is sufficient to feed the GPU without becoming a major bottleneck, but it does not boost the system to a higher tier.

When compared to the nearest rivals for each component, the performance deltas are very small. The i5-9400's average score of 2254 is within 0.4% of its closest competitors, meaning the processor's performance is essentially on par with the Intel Core i3-10305 and Intel Core i7-1068NG7. Similarly, the RTX 5050's average score of 21035 is within 1.6% of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL. This indicates that the combo's ranking is not due to an outlier performance deficit, but rather the collective performance of two solidly mid-range components.

The data suggests that for Thief, this combo is a balanced 1080p and 1440p solution. The system has enough headroom to run the game at high settings in these resolutions, but it falls short of the performance needed for a smooth 4K experience at high presets. The rank of 2107 reflects this reality: it is not a high-end gaming rig, but it is far from the bottom of the barrel. Users with this configuration should expect a reliable, enjoyable experience at mainstream resolutions without needing to compromise heavily on visual quality.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the primary driver of frame rates in this pairing, and its specifications provide a clear picture of its capabilities. The GPU is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is a common capacity for modern mid-range cards. The 128-bit memory bus and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for most games, but they can become a limiting factor when rendering at high resolutions with large textures.

The GPU's clock speeds are a key indicator of its processing power. The base clock of 2317 MHz and boost clock of 2572 MHz allow for significant compute throughput. With 2560 shading units, the RTX 5050 can handle a substantial number of parallel operations, which is crucial for pixel processing in a game like Thief. The 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores provide hardware support for ray tracing and DLSS, though the measured data does not specify whether these features were enabled during testing.

The measured FPS data for Thief reveals a clear trend: the RTX 5050's performance scales predictably with resolution and settings. At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops from 66 on Low to 36 on Ultra. This is a significant performance hit, indicating that the GPU is being heavily taxed at 4K. The 8 GB VRAM buffer may also be a factor, as higher resolutions and texture quality can exceed this capacity, leading to potential stuttering or texture swapping.

At 2560x1440, the GPU shows more headroom. The average FPS ranges from 105 on Low to 62 on Ultra. This is a playable range, especially if the user is willing to adjust settings. The Medium preset at 1440p yields an average of 85 FPS with a minimum of 72 FPS, which is a very smooth experience. The GPU's performance at this resolution demonstrates that it is well-suited for 1440p gaming.

The synthetic benchmarks for the RTX 5050 further contextualize its performance. Its average benchmark score is 21035, placing it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 89381 indicate solid raw compute capabilities. The Passmark G3D score of 17326 is a more general measure of gaming performance, and it aligns with the GPU's mid-range positioning. The GPU is 1.6% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT in average score, which is a relevant comparison for gamers considering team red alternatives.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, every preset delivers an average frame rate above 90 FPS. The Ultra preset provides 90 FPS, High provides 95 FPS, and even the most demanding setting is perfectly smooth. For users with a standard 60 Hz or 120 Hz monitor, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it offers the highest visual quality without sacrificing playability. The Medium preset at 107 FPS could be preferred by users with a 144 Hz display who want to maximize frame rates, but the visual downgrade from Ultra is noticeable.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts. The Ultra preset produces an average of 62 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The High preset, with an average of 65 FPS, offers a marginal improvement. For a consistently smooth experience, the Medium preset is the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 85 FPS with a minimum of 72 FPS, ensuring that frame times remain stable and the game feels responsive. The Low preset at 105 FPS is an option for competitive play, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. Given the data, the Medium preset at 1440p provides the best balance between image quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overextended. The High preset produces an average of 38 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for most gamers. The Ultra preset is even worse at 36 FPS. The Medium preset yields 50 FPS, which is borderline playable but will involve noticeable frame drops in busy scenes. The Low preset, at 66 FPS, is the only setting that consistently hits a playable frame rate. However, even at Low settings, the visual experience at 4K is not ideal. The data suggests that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this combo, and users should either drop the resolution to 1440p or accept the significant compromises required at 4K.

The measured minimum FPS values for the Medium presets provide additional insight. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 91 FPS, which is excellent. At 2560x1440, the minimum is 72 FPS, still very good. At 3840x2160, the minimum is 43 FPS, which will result in noticeable stuttering. These minimums are critical for understanding the consistency of the frame rate. The data shows that the combo is most stable at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K performance is inconsistent.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following breakdown details the exact average FPS figures from the measured data for the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination in Thief.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: The average FPS is 66.
• Medium: The average FPS is 50, with a minimum of 43 and a maximum of 58.
• High: The average FPS is 38.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 36.

At 4K, the performance drops sharply as settings increase. The difference between Low and Ultra is 30 FPS, representing an 83% increase in performance from the highest to the lowest preset. Even the Low preset's 66 FPS is only marginally above the 60 FPS threshold, and the Medium preset's 50 FPS is not ideal. This resolution is clearly not the target for this hardware.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: The average FPS is 105.
• Medium: The average FPS is 85, with a minimum of 72 and a maximum of 98.
• High: The average FPS is 65.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 62.

The 1440p results show a more usable range. The Low preset delivers a very high 105 FPS, while the Medium preset at 85 FPS is smooth and stable. The High and Ultra presets are close in performance, with 65 and 62 FPS respectively, indicating that the GPU's shading and memory resources are the limiting factor at these settings. The minimum FPS of 72 on Medium ensures a consistent experience.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: The average FPS is 119.
• Medium: The average FPS is 107, with a minimum of 91 and a maximum of 124.
• High: The average FPS is 95.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 90.

At 1080p, the combo performs exceptionally well. All presets deliver average FPS above 90, with the Low preset nearly hitting 120 FPS. The gap between Ultra (90 FPS) and Low (119 FPS) is 29 FPS, but even the Ultra preset is more than sufficient for a smooth experience. The minimum FPS of 91 on Medium demonstrates that the frame pacing is consistent, providing a high-quality gaming experience.

The data clearly shows a linear relationship between resolution and performance. For every step down in resolution, the average FPS increases significantly across all settings. The RTX 5050's 8 GB of VRAM and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely the constraining factors at 4K, while the GPU's compute power is more than adequate for 1080p and 1440p.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. With 9 MB of shared L3 cache and support for dual-channel DDR4 memory, the processor is a competent mid-range part from its generation. Its 65 W TDP makes it an efficient choice for desktop systems.

In the context of Thief, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p, the combo achieves frame rates above 90 FPS on all presets. This indicates that the i5-9400 is not a significant bottleneck at this resolution. The CPU can keep up with the RTX 5050's rendering demands, allowing the GPU to reach its full potential.

However, at lower resolutions, the CPU's performance becomes relatively more important. The synthetic benchmarks for the i5-9400 provide context. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 6629, and its single-core score is 935. The Geekbench scores are 5141 for multi-core and 1389 for single-core. These scores are modest, placing the CPU in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. The data suggests that while the processor is not a high-end performer, it has enough single-thread performance for gaming.

The nearest rivals for the i5-9400 include the Intel Core i3-10305 (average score 2264) and the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (average score 2259). The performance deltas are less than 0.5%, meaning that the i5-9400 offers essentially identical performance to these alternative processors. This is important for system builders, as it indicates that the CPU is not a performance outlier in either direction.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s and PCIe Gen 3 support are adequate for the RTX 5050, which uses a PCIe 5.0 x8 interface. While the GPU is capable of using the newer PCIe standard, the older Gen 3 interface on the i5-9400 does not appear to hinder performance in this game, as the measured FPS is reasonable. The 6 threads are sufficient for modern games, though they are not future-proof. The data shows that for Thief, this specific game does not appear to be heavily CPU-bound, as the frame rates scale more with resolution and GPU settings.

The CPU's 47th percentile ranking, combined with the GPU's 66th percentile ranking, explains the combo's overall 2107 rank out of 2851. The processor is a modest component, but it doesn't drag down the system's performance in Thief. The game is likely GPU-bound at higher resolutions, and even at 1080p, the CPU can maintain the necessary frame rates. The i5-9400 is a capable partner for the RTX 5050, providing a stable foundation for the GPU to deliver its measured performance. The 6-core, 6-thread configuration is adequate for this title, and the boost clock of 4.10 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks are handled efficiently.