Thief

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a stark contrast in capabilities, a pairing of a high-end desktop processor with an entry-level integrated graphics solution. In Thief, the benchmark data reveals a system that is almost entirely constrained by its graphics component, with the CPU’s substantial processing power left largely untapped. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, contextualizes it against the hardware’s theoretical limits, and provides a clear picture of what this combination can deliver in the 2014 stealth title.

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

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and can boost up to 5.00 GHz, supported by a 25 MB shared L3 cache. This processor is designed for heavy multi-threaded workloads, as evidenced by its benchmark scores: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 15790. Its single-thread performance is also strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1850.5 and a 3dmark single-thread score of 1043.

In the context of Thief, a game released in 2014, the demands on the CPU are relatively modest compared to modern titles. The i7-12700K’s processing power vastly exceeds what is necessary to feed frames to the graphics pipeline in this scenario. The measured frame rates are the primary evidence of this imbalance. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 86 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded across all tested configurations, suggesting that even at this lowest graphical load, the bottleneck has shifted to the GPU. The CPU is capable of far more; its Passmark multi-thread score of 34404 and 3dmark max-threads score of 9979 are indicative of a processor that could handle significantly higher frame rates if the graphics subsystem were not the limiting factor.

The data shows that the CPU’s role here is to provide a stable, high-performance foundation that is never stressed. The performance deltas to its nearest rivals are negligible, with the i7-12700K sitting within 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-13600T, i7-12700KF, i7-13700T, and Core 5 213PE in average benchmark scores. This indicates that any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical results in this GPU-bound scenario. The processor’s 84th percentile ranking among all CPUs further underscores that it is not the component holding back performance in Thief. The bottleneck is unequivocally elsewhere, and the CPU’s impressive specifications are largely irrelevant to the final frame rates delivered in this game.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 3 nm process node and an architecture based on Xe3-LPG. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Critically, its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system’s main RAM for both capacity and bandwidth. The memory bus width is also "System Shared," and its bandwidth is "System Dependent," making its performance heavily reliant on the host system’s memory speed and configuration.

This GPU’s performance profile is exceptionally low, even for an integrated solution. Its only benchmark entry is a 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This score is comparable to legacy discrete parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which it leads by 1.3%, and the GeForce 800M, which it leads by 1.5%. Its raw compute capabilities are limited, with an FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS and a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s. The memory bandwidth being "System Dependent" is a major limiting factor, as shared memory typically provides far less bandwidth than dedicated VRAM found on discrete graphics cards.

In Thief, the GPU is the performance limiter. The measured frame rates show a clear ceiling that scales with resolution and settings, directly reflecting the Arc B390’s modest capabilities. The system’s reliance on shared memory is particularly problematic for a game like Thief, which requires consistent texture streaming and memory access. The data suggests that the GPU’s low fill rate and limited memory bandwidth prevent it from maintaining high frame rates even at lower resolutions. The fact that the average FPS at 1080p Low is 86, and drops to 20 at 4K High, demonstrates a graphics component that is overwhelmed by the game’s demands at higher loads. The GPU’s performance is the single most critical factor in this pairing, and its limitations define the entire gaming experience.

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

The frame rate scaling across resolutions provides a textbook example of a GPU-bound system. As resolution increases, the number of pixels the GPU must render grows exponentially, and the measured average FPS drops correspondingly. This pattern confirms that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary bottleneck, as the CPU’s performance is largely independent of resolution.

At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 50 FPS at 1920x1080 to 34 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 20 FPS at 3840x2160. This is a 60% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K. Similarly, at Ultra settings, the drop is from 48 FPS at 1080p to 33 FPS at 1440p and 19 FPS at 4K. Even at Low settings, where the GPU is least stressed, the average frame rate drops from 86 FPS at 1080p to 59 FPS at 1440p and 35 FPS at 4K. This substantial scaling with resolution is a clear indicator that the graphics processor is working at its maximum capacity.

If the system were CPU-bound, the frame rates would be relatively flat across different resolutions, as the CPU’s workload would not change significantly. The data shows the opposite: a steep and consistent decline in FPS as resolution increases. This scaling behavior is the definitive signature of a GPU-limited configuration. The i7-12700K, with its high multi-threaded and single-threaded scores, is not the limiting factor. The Arc B390’s limited shading units, ROPs, and shared memory bandwidth simply cannot keep pace with the increasing pixel count, causing the frame rate to plummet. This analysis of resolution scaling clearly points to the GPU as the sole component responsible for the performance ceiling observed in this benchmark.

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

The measured FPS data for the Intel Core i7-12700K and Intel Arc B390 combination in Thief provides a complete picture of its performance envelope. The results are organized by resolution and preset, with average FPS being the primary metric, and minimum/maximum FPS provided for the Medium preset.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 86, which is the highest recorded for this combo. Medium settings yield an average of 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 and a maximum of 75. High settings produce an average of 50 FPS, while Ultra settings lower the average to 48 FPS. This shows that even at 1080p, the GPU is the limiting factor, as the difference between Low and Ultra is a significant 38 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 59 FPS. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 52. High settings fall to an average of 34 FPS, and Ultra settings further reduce the average to 33 FPS. This resolution shows a clear shift, with only the Low preset maintaining an average above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 35 FPS. Medium settings average 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 30. High settings drop to an average of 20 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at an average of 19 FPS. This resolution is clearly beyond the capabilities of the Arc B390 for this title.

The data shows a consistent pattern: for every 1.78x increase in pixel count from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS at High settings drops by 32%. From 1440p to 4K, a 2.25x increase in pixels results in a further 41% drop in average FPS at High settings. This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU that is running out of memory bandwidth and shading power.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the global database of tested hardware combinations for Thief, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700K and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2534th out of 2851 total combos. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems, underscoring the significant performance deficit caused by the integrated GPU. This ranking is a direct consequence of the Arc B390’s low benchmark scores, which place it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

The combo’s rank is heavily influenced by the GPU, as the CPU is a high-performing component. The i7-12700K’s average benchmark score of 35287 places it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, suggesting that pairing it with a more capable graphics card would yield a dramatically higher rank in this game. The data indicates that the CPU’s potential is entirely wasted in this configuration, as its performance is capped by the GPU’s inability to render frames faster.

The fact that this combo ranks so low, despite having a top-tier CPU, highlights the importance of a balanced system. The GPU is the sole arbiter of gaming performance in this instance, and its low standing among all GPUs directly translates to a low standing for the entire combo. The 2534th rank is a clear statement that this is not a viable configuration for a smooth gaming experience in Thief, especially at higher resolutions and settings.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Thief at 1080p with High settings?*

A: Yes, the benchmark data shows an average of 50 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings. This is playable, though not exceptionally smooth.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a 60 FPS average?

A: The only configuration that achieves an average of 60 FPS or higher is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which produces an average of 86 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 59 FPS, just below the 60 FPS mark.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B390 has a 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. It is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GeForce GT 710.

*Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700K the bottleneck in this system for Thief?*

A: No. The CPU is not the bottleneck. The frame rate scaling across resolutions shows that the system is GPU-bound. The i7-12700K is a high-performance processor, ranking in the 84th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 86 with Low settings to 48 with Ultra settings, a difference of 38 FPS. This indicates a significant performance cost for higher graphical fidelity.

*Q: What is the overall rank of this hardware combination among all tested combos in Thief?*

A: This combo ranks 2534th out of 2851 total tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 11% of all systems tested.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal experience for this hardware combination in Thief depends heavily on the user’s target resolution and tolerance for frame rate fluctuations. For a smooth, consistent experience, the data strongly suggests using the Low preset at 1920x1080. This is the only configuration that achieves an average FPS above 60, providing the most responsive gameplay.

If the user insists on a higher resolution like 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only viable option, with an average of 59 FPS. However, this is borderline, and users may experience occasional dips below 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, no preset provides a playable experience, with even the Low preset averaging only 35 FPS.

For users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate at 1080p, the Medium preset offers a balanced compromise. It delivers an average of 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 75 FPS, ensuring that the game remains mostly fluid while providing better visuals than Low. The High and Ultra presets at 1080p, with averages of 50 FPS and 48 FPS respectively, are best avoided, as they introduce noticeable stutter without a proportional increase in visual fidelity given the system's constraints. The data points to 1080p Low or Medium as the only settings that provide a satisfying gameplay experience.