Thief

# Thief: Intel Core i7-12700K + AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT — Benchmark Analysis

The Intel Core i7-12700K combined with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT delivers a strong Thief experience across all tested resolutions, with the combo ranking 425th out of 1,642 tested configurations. The CPU sits in the 89th percentile against all processors, while the GPU holds the 87th percentile against all graphics cards, indicating a well-matched pair. The measured data shows this pairing handles 1080p and 1440p with high frame rates, while 4K Ultra remains playable but requires settings tuning for smoother performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Thief?

A: The data shows 2560x1440 as the sweet spot. At High settings, the combo produces 94.1 FPS average, which is nearly double the 4K High result of 53.6 FPS, while still offering substantially better visual fidelity than 1080p.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35,684, placing it 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35,802) and 0.6% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13700T (35,468). It also leads the Intel Core i7-13800H by 0.8% and trails the Intel Core i5-14500HX by 0.7%.

Q: What GPU is closest in performance to the RX 6800 XT?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT scores 49,982 on average benchmarks. The closest rival is the Intel Arc A550M at 49,737, a 0.5% difference. The NVIDIA RTX A1000 is 1.7% faster, while the NVIDIA CMP 50HX is 1.9% slower and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER trails by 2.6%.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this setup?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 50.6, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced stealth action. Dropping to 4K High raises this to 53.6 FPS, while 4K Medium hits 73.9 FPS and 4K Low reaches 93 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance look?

A: The Core i7-12700K scores 29,241 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 12,281 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. Its 3DMark max-threads score is 9,979, while single-thread performance in 3DMark is 1,043 and Cinebench R23 single-core is 4,128.

Q: What memory and platform features does this CPU support?

A: The Core i7-12700K uses the Intel Socket 1700, supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, and provides PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. It includes UHD Graphics 770 as integrated graphics, though the discrete RX 6800 XT handles all rendering in Thief.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT brings 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1,825 MHz with a boost clock of 2,250 MHz, and the game clock sits at 2,015 MHz. The memory runs at 2,000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective speed. These specifications position the card for high-resolution gaming, and the measured Thief results confirm this capability.

The GPU's 72 ray accelerators and 4,608 shading units, combined with 128 ROPs and 288 TMUs, drive a pixel rate of 288.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 648.0 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance of 20.74 TFLOPS provides substantial compute headroom. In Thief, a 2014 stealth title, the GPU is rarely the limiting factor at 1080p, but at 4K Ultra the workload shifts heavily onto the graphics card, evidenced by the frame rate dropping from 130.7 FPS at 1080p Ultra to 50.6 FPS at 4K Ultra.

The RX 6800 XT ranks in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49,982. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A550M, scores 49,737, just 0.5% behind. The NVIDIA RTX A1000 leads by 1.7%, while the NVIDIA CMP 50HX trails by 1.9% and the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is 2.6% behind. This places the RX 6800 XT in a competitive mid-to-high tier, well-suited for pairing with the Core i7-12700K.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the data shows that even Ultra settings produce 130.7 FPS average, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. High settings yield 133.9 FPS, Medium hits 177.3 FPS, and Low reaches 196 FPS. Given the small difference between High and Ultra at this resolution, players should prioritize visual quality and select Ultra, as the performance cost is minimal.

At 1440p, the situation changes slightly. Ultra averages 91 FPS, while High produces 94.1 FPS. The gap between these two is just 3.1 FPS, so Ultra remains the recommended choice for those wanting maximum fidelity. Medium delivers 123.1 FPS and Low hits 160.9 FPS, making 1440p entirely playable at any preset. The Core i7-12700K's strong single-thread performance helps maintain high frame rates here, as Thief's stealth gameplay benefits from responsive controls.

For 4K, the recommendation shifts toward Medium as the optimal balance. Ultra averages 50.6 FPS and High is only marginally better at 53.6 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold many players prefer. Medium, however, achieves 73.9 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while still offering better visuals than Low, which hits 93 FPS. The data clearly indicates that 4K Ultra strains the RX 6800 XT, but Medium settings unlock smooth performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT combination ranks 425th out of 1,642 tested combos in Thief, placing it in the top 26% of all configurations. This rank reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU, neither of which is a bottleneck at most settings. The CPU's 89th percentile standing among all processors and the GPU's 87th percentile among all graphics cards suggest a harmonious pairing.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 35,684 puts it just 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, which scores 35,802. This sub-1% delta indicates that in CPU-bound scenarios, the Core i7-12700K performs essentially on par with its closest competitor. The GPU, scoring 49,982, is 0.5% ahead of the Intel Arc A550M's 49,737, showing that the RX 6800 XT leads its nearest rival by a narrow margin.

In practical terms, this ranking means the combo handles Thief's stealth-focused gameplay without issues. The game's 2014 release date means it does not heavily stress modern hardware, and the measured FPS data confirms that even at 4K Ultra, the combination remains playable. The 425th rank out of 1,642 combos indicates that most competing configurations with similar or better performance likely use newer, more expensive components, making this pairing a reasonable choice for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how performance scales from 1080p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 130.7 at 1080p to 91 at 1440p, a 30.4% decrease, and then to 50.6 at 4K, a further 44.4% decrease. This steep decline at 4K indicates the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the RX 6800 XT's 16 GB of VRAM and 512.0 GB/s bandwidth are taxed by the increased pixel count.

At Low settings, the scaling pattern is similar but less severe: 196 FPS at 1080p drops to 160.9 FPS at 1440p (a 17.9% decrease) and then to 93 FPS at 4K (a 42.2% decrease). The smaller drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings suggests the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output at lower graphical loads, but the 4K transition always stresses the GPU regardless of settings.

The Medium settings show a 30.5% decrease from 1080p (177.3 FPS) to 1440p (123.1 FPS), and a 40% decrease from 1440p to 4K (73.9 FPS). High settings follow a similar trajectory: 133.9 FPS at 1080p, 94.1 FPS at 1440p (29.7% decrease), and 53.6 FPS at 4K (43% decrease). These consistent percentage drops across all settings indicate that the RX 6800 XT's rendering capacity scales predictably with resolution, and the Core i7-12700K does not bottleneck the GPU until very high frame rates are reached.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers high frame rates across all presets. Low settings average 196 FPS, Medium hits 177.3 FPS, High reaches 133.9 FPS, and Ultra produces 130.7 FPS. The narrow gap between High and Ultra (3.2 FPS) suggests the game's Ultra preset adds minimal GPU load at this resolution, while the jump from High to Medium (43.4 FPS) indicates a significant reduction in graphical effects.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows clearer differentiation between presets. Low averages 160.9 FPS, Medium achieves 123.1 FPS, High produces 94.1 FPS, and Ultra reaches 91 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra shrinks to 3.1 FPS, while Medium to High shows a 29 FPS drop, reflecting the increased GPU workload at higher settings.

At 3840x2160, the RX 6800 XT's limits become apparent. Low averages 93 FPS, Medium delivers 73.9 FPS, High drops to 53.6 FPS, and Ultra falls to 50.6 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is just 3 FPS, while Medium to High shows a 20.3 FPS decrease. The 4K results confirm that Medium is the highest preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS, making it the practical ceiling for smooth gameplay at this resolution.