Thief

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combination delivers a robust experience in Thief, a stealth title from 2014. The measured frame rates show a system capable of handling the game’s engine with substantial headroom, though the data reveals distinct patterns in how CPU and GPU resources are utilized across resolutions. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results, focusing on component roles, scaling behavior, and actionable settings.

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

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz provide the single-thread performance that older game engines like the one powering Thief often rely upon. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU’s single-thread score in 3DMark is 1043, while its 3DMark 4-thread score reaches 4011. These figures suggest that the processor’s high-frequency cores are well-suited for the primary game logic and rendering thread, which is typical for a 2014 title.

In multi-threaded workloads, the chip shows considerable muscle, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 14367. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9282 and max-thread score of 9983 further indicate that the 20 threads are more than sufficient to handle any background tasks or secondary threads the game might spawn. However, for a game like Thief, the benchmark results imply that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 195, which is only 12% higher than the 172 FPS seen at 1440p Low, and 62% higher than the 120 FPS at 4K Low. This pattern suggests that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is still the primary limiter, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed the graphics card.

The processor’s 25 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide fast access to frequently used data, which is beneficial for maintaining stable frame pacing. Its position in the broader market is solid, holding an 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T, scores 35403 on average, which is a mere 0.1% difference from the 12700KF’s average benchmark score of 35365. This indicates that the 12700KF’s performance is virtually identical to that of a newer, lower-power sibling, reinforcing that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this pairing. For Thief, the data shows that the CPU’s role is to provide consistent, high-frequency execution, which it does without breaking a sweat.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is a high-end graphics card built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, using TSMC’s 5 nm process. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The card’s boost clock is 2610 MHz, with a base clock of 2310 MHz. For a game from 2014, the VRAM capacity and bandwidth are far beyond what is strictly necessary, but they ensure that texture streaming and high-resolution rendering are handled without any memory-related stutters. The 80 ROPs and 240 TMUs provide substantial fill-rate capabilities, which are crucial for the game’s direct lighting and shadow effects.

In terms of raw compute, the RTX 4070 Ti offers 40.09 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. This translates to high frame rates even at demanding settings. The benchmark data for Thief shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in performance scaling. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 157, while at 4K Ultra, it drops to 66 FPS. This 58% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K is a clear indicator of GPU-bound behavior, as the resolution increase directly impacts the pixel fill rate and shading workload. The card’s 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the upper echelon of graphics hardware, with its average benchmark score of 44795 being only 0.8% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile’s score of 45152.

The GPU’s memory clock of 1313 MHz, with an effective data rate of 21 Gbps, ensures that the 12 GB frame buffer is fed efficiently. In Thief, this is particularly relevant for the High and Ultra presets, which likely increase texture resolution and draw distances. The measured FPS at 4K High is 70 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it is 66 FPS, a relatively small 6% difference. This suggests that the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are sufficient to handle the extra visual fidelity without a major performance penalty, but the absolute frame rates are still limited by the GPU’s overall throughput. The RTX 4070 Ti’s role is to provide the graphical horsepower, and the data confirms that it is the component that dictates the final frame rate in this title, especially as resolution increases.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions paints a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies in this system. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 195. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 172 FPS, a 12% decrease. At 4K Low, the average plummets to 120 FPS, a 38% reduction from the 1440p figure and a 39% reduction from 1080p. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where increasing the resolution directly increases the number of pixels the GPU must process. The CPU, with its high single-thread performance, is able to maintain the same level of input processing regardless of resolution, so the FPS drop is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s workload.

For the Medium preset, the scaling is similar but with slightly different magnitudes. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 177. At 1440p Medium, it is 155 FPS, a 12% drop. At 4K Medium, the average is 91 FPS, a 41% drop from 1440p and a 49% drop from 1080p. The larger percentage drop at 4K Medium compared to Low suggests that the Medium preset introduces additional GPU-intensive effects, such as higher-quality shadows or post-processing, which exacerbate the resolution penalty. The High preset shows a more linear scaling: 160 FPS at 1080p, 118 FPS at 1440p (a 26% drop), and 70 FPS at 4K (a 41% drop from 1440p and 56% from 1080p). The Ultra preset follows a similar trend: 157 FPS at 1080p, 113 FPS at 1440p (a 28% drop), and 66 FPS at 4K (a 42% drop from 1440p and 58% from 1080p).

The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting component across all settings and resolutions. The CPU’s performance remains constant, and the FPS drops are proportional to the increase in pixel count and graphical fidelity. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a moderate FPS loss, while the jump to 4K causes a more severe drop, particularly at higher presets. This behavior is consistent with a GPU that has finite rasterization and shading resources, and the RTX 4070 Ti’s performance headroom is clearly exhausted at 4K with demanding settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti achieves a rank of 369 out of 3720 total combos for Thief. This places the pairing in the top 10% of all tested systems, indicating a high level of performance. The rank is a holistic measure that considers all resolution and setting combinations, and it reflects the system’s ability to maintain high frame rates across the board. Given that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, the rank is largely driven by the RTX 4070 Ti’s capabilities, but the CPU’s consistent performance ensures that it never holds the system back.

When compared to other potential pairings, the data suggests that this combination is well-balanced for a game like Thief. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-13700T and Intel Core i5-13600T, have average benchmark scores that are within 0.2% of the 12700KF, so swapping the CPU for one of these alternatives would likely result in a negligible change in the combo’s ranking. Similarly, the GPU’s nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile and AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT, have average scores that are within 1.3% of the RTX 4070 Ti, meaning that the overall rank is not sensitive to minor hardware variations. The rank of 369 out of 3720 is a strong showing, placing this system ahead of the vast majority of tested configurations. The benchmark results indicate that users with this combination can expect a high-performance experience in Thief, with the only limitation being the GPU’s raw throughput at 4K with the Ultra preset.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all presets deliver an average FPS above 157, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 157 FPS, while the High preset yields 160 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is minimal, at only 2%, so the Ultra preset is recommended for 1080p to get the best visual quality without sacrificing any meaningful performance. The Medium preset at 1080p offers 177 FPS, which is 11% higher than Ultra, but the visual fidelity loss may not be worth the extra frames for most users.

At 1440p, the High preset provides an average of 118 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers 113 FPS, a 4% reduction compared to High. Given the small performance difference, the Ultra preset is also viable at this resolution for users who prioritize image quality. The Medium preset at 1440p achieves 155 FPS, which is 31% higher than Ultra, but the visual downgrade is more noticeable. For the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, the High preset at 1440p is the recommended choice, as it stays above 100 FPS while preserving most of the game’s graphical features.

At 4K, the situation changes. The Ultra preset yields an average of 66 FPS, which is playable but may not be ideal for users who prefer a higher frame rate. The High preset at 4K achieves 70 FPS, a 6% improvement over Ultra, but it is still close to the 60 FPS boundary. The Medium preset at 4K provides a much more comfortable 91 FPS, which is 30% higher than Ultra and 23% higher than High. Given the significant performance boost, the Medium preset is the recommended setting for 4K gameplay, as it ensures a smooth experience while still offering a level of detail that is likely to be satisfactory on a large display. The Low preset at 4K reaches 120 FPS, but the visual degradation is substantial, making it a less appealing option. In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is the Ultra preset at 1080p, the High preset at 1440p, and the Medium preset at 4K.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable with this hardware in Thief?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 195, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with the Ultra preset?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the average FPS is 66, which is the lowest measured average across all tested configurations.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, as FPS drops significantly with increasing resolution while CPU performance remains constant.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset yields 118 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 113 FPS, a difference of 5 FPS or approximately 4%.

Q: Which resolution and preset combination provides the highest frame rate above 60 FPS?

A: All combinations except 3840x2160 Ultra (66 FPS) provide an average FPS above 70, and the 4K Medium preset provides 91 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience.

Q: How does the system’s rank compare to other tested combos?

A: The combo ranks 369 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the top 10% of all systems tested for Thief.

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

The following table and analysis detail the exact measured FPS values from the FACT PACK.

1920x1080:

• Low: Average FPS is 195.
• Medium: Average FPS is 177, with a minimum of 150 and a maximum of 203.
• High: Average FPS is 160.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 157.

At 1080p, the system is heavily GPU-bound, and all presets deliver well above 60 FPS. The Low preset shows a 10% advantage over Medium, while High and Ultra are nearly identical, with only a 2% difference between them.

2560x1440:

• Low: Average FPS is 172.
• Medium: Average FPS is 155, with a minimum of 132 and a maximum of 179.
• High: Average FPS is 118.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 113.

At 1440p, the scaling becomes more pronounced. The Low preset is 11% faster than Medium, while High is 24% slower than Medium and Ultra is 4% slower than High. The gap between Low and Ultra is 34%, highlighting the GPU’s workload at higher settings.

3840x2160:

• Low: Average FPS is 120.
• Medium: Average FPS is 91, with a minimum of 78 and a maximum of 105.
• High: Average FPS is 70.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 66.

At 4K, the GPU’s limitations are evident. The Low preset is 32% faster than Medium, while High is 23% slower than Medium. The Ultra preset is only 6% slower than High, indicating that the final quality steps have diminishing returns. The difference between Low and Ultra is 45%, with the Ultra preset barely maintaining an average above 60 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops proportionally, and the impact of higher settings becomes more severe. The Medium preset at 4K provides the best balance of performance and visual quality, while the Ultra preset at 1080p is the best choice for maximum fidelity without sacrificing speed.