Thief

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

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread desktop processor built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture, fabricated on a 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and it carries a 125 W TDP. The chip's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration places it in the 89th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46881.

The processor's synthetic benchmark results reveal a strong multi-threaded capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 30745 in multi-core and 2116 in single-core. The 3DMark multi-thread test yields a score of 12412 at max threads, while the 16-thread test scores 10717. Single-thread performance in 3DMark is 1136, and the 2-thread test scores 2262. These numbers indicate a CPU that can handle both lightly-threaded game logic and heavily-threaded background tasks without becoming a bottleneck.

For a 2014 stealth title like Thief, the game's engine was designed around CPUs with far fewer cores. However, the i7-13700K's high single-thread performance — evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2529 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4333 — ensures that legacy game code that relies on one or two threads runs at maximum efficiency. The CPU's 16 cores and 24 threads provide massive headroom for modern operating system overhead, background processes, and any game engine tasks that have been updated to use additional threads. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 195 FPS, which strongly suggests the CPU is feeding the GPU effectively at lower resolutions where frame rates are highest.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i7-13700K sits within a tight cluster. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46971 (0.2% higher), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022 (0.3% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX scores 46654 (0.5% lower), and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 scores 46653 (0.5% lower). These deltas are negligible in real-world gaming, meaning the i7-13700K is effectively performance-equivalent to its closest competitors for this game's workload.

FAQ

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core i7-13700K?

A: The launch MSRP of the Intel Core i7-13700K is $409.

Q: How does the i7-13700K's multi-threaded performance compare to its closest rival?

A: The i7-13700K's average benchmark score is 46881, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46971, a difference of only 0.2%. This means the two processors are statistically tied in overall performance.

Q: What memory types does the i7-13700K support?

A: The i7-13700K supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, and it features a dual-channel memory bus. It also supports ECC memory.

Q: Does the i7-13700K include integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the i7-13700K includes UHD Graphics 770 as its integrated GPU, alongside the discrete AMD Radeon RX 7700 used in this test configuration.

Q: What is the AMD Radeon RX 7700's memory configuration?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. Its memory clock operates at 2438 MHz, which translates to 19.5 Gbps effective.

Q: How does the RX 7700's benchmark score rank against the RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129, meaning the RTX 3060 Ti is 1.7% higher. This places the two GPUs in the same performance tier.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1150 out of 2851 tested combos in Thief. This places it in the 40th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly 60% of tested combos perform better in this game. Given that the CPU sits in the 89th percentile among all CPUs and the GPU sits in the 58th percentile among all GPUs, the combo's mid-pack ranking suggests the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing.

The ranking reflects a balanced but not top-tier setup. The CPU's high percentile indicates it is more than capable of driving the GPU, while the GPU's mid-range percentile means it will cap overall frame rates. In a game like Thief, which was released in 2014 and is not particularly demanding by modern standards, this combo delivers playable frame rates across most settings, but it does not reach the heights of combos featuring higher-tier GPUs. The data shows that at 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 108 FPS, which is solid but far from the 195 FPS seen at 1080p Low, indicating that the GPU's workload scales significantly with settings.

When considering the combo's ranking, it's important to note that Thief's engine responds well to both CPU and GPU improvements. The i7-13700K's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2116) ensures that the game's primary thread runs smoothly, while the RX 7700's 2560 shading units and 96 ROPs handle the rendering workload. The combo's rank of 1150 out of 2851 suggests that while this pairing is competent, there are many configurations with more powerful GPUs that achieve higher frame rates in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers 12 distinct configurations across three resolutions (1080p, 1440p, and 4K) and four settings levels (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). All data points represent average FPS unless otherwise noted.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 195 FPS average
• Medium: 148 FPS average, with a minimum of 126 FPS and maximum of 171 FPS
• High: 113 FPS average
• Ultra: 108 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 134 FPS average
• Medium: 102 FPS average, with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 117 FPS
• High: 77 FPS average
• Ultra: 74 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 79 FPS average
• Medium: 60 FPS average, with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS
• High: 46 FPS average
• Ultra: 43 FPS average

The data shows a clear progression: as resolution increases, frame rates drop significantly. At 1080p Low, the combo delivers 195 FPS, which drops to 79 FPS at 4K Low — a 59% reduction. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 108 FPS at 1080p to 43 FPS at 4K, a 60% reduction. The Medium preset, which includes min/max data, shows a minimum of 126 FPS at 1080p, 86 FPS at 1440p, and 51 FPS at 4K, indicating that even the lowest frame rates remain playable at 1080p and 1440p, but dip below 60 FPS at 4K.

The difference between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution is substantial. At 1080p, the gap is 87 FPS (195 vs 108). At 1440p, the gap is 60 FPS (134 vs 74). At 4K, the gap is 36 FPS (79 vs 43). This suggests that the GPU's workload scales heavily with both resolution and settings, while the CPU maintains consistent performance across all configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals important information about which component is limiting performance. At Low settings, the combo delivers 195 FPS at 1080p, 134 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is a 31% reduction, and from 1440p to 4K is a 41% reduction. This pattern indicates that the GPU is becoming the bottleneck as resolution increases, since the CPU's workload remains relatively constant while the GPU must render more pixels.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is similar: 108 FPS at 1080p, 74 FPS at 1440p (31% reduction), and 43 FPS at 4K (42% reduction). The consistent percentage drops across settings levels suggest that resolution scaling is independent of graphical complexity — the GPU's rendering load scales with pixel count regardless of whether the game is set to Low or Ultra.

The 1080p Low result of 195 FPS is particularly telling. This high frame rate, combined with the CPU's strong benchmark scores, indicates that at lower resolutions and settings, the i7-13700K is capable of feeding the RX 7700 with enough data to reach very high frame rates. However, the fact that 1080p Ultra drops to 108 FPS — a 45% reduction from Low — shows that the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities become the limiting factor as settings increase, even at the same resolution.

The data suggests that for this combo, 1440p represents a sweet spot. At Medium settings, the combo achieves 102 FPS at 1440p, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth. Even at 4K Medium, the 60 FPS average with a 51 FPS minimum keeps gameplay fluid, though the 4K Ultra result of 43 FPS may be too low for fast-paced sections. The resolution scaling analysis confirms that the RX 7700's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 4K textures, but the GPU's compute power (25.18 TFLOPS FP32) is the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset delivers the best experience for this combo. The goal is to maintain a frame rate that is both smooth and visually appealing, avoiding dips below 60 FPS where possible.

At 1080p, all four presets deliver playable frame rates. Low achieves 195 FPS, Medium achieves 148 FPS, High achieves 113 FPS, and Ultra achieves 108 FPS. Even the Ultra preset stays well above 60 FPS, making it a viable choice for players with 144 Hz monitors. However, the difference between High and Ultra is only 5 FPS (113 vs 108), which is negligible in practice. Given that Ultra typically includes more demanding visual effects, the High preset offers nearly identical performance with potentially better visual stability. The Medium preset, with a minimum of 126 FPS, is the safest choice for competitive play where frame consistency matters most.

At 1440p, the recommendations shift. Low delivers 134 FPS, Medium delivers 102 FPS, High delivers 77 FPS, and Ultra delivers 74 FPS. All presets remain above 60 FPS, making this resolution fully playable. The Medium preset's minimum of 86 FPS ensures there are no significant frame drops, while the High preset's 77 FPS average leaves some headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset's 74 FPS is still smooth, but the 3 FPS difference between High and Ultra suggests that High provides the better balance of visual quality and performance. For players prioritizing frame rate, Medium at 1440p is the recommended choice, as it maintains over 100 FPS while still offering enhanced visuals over Low.

At 4K, only the Low and Medium presets remain consistently playable. Low achieves 79 FPS, and Medium achieves 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS. The High preset drops to 46 FPS, and Ultra drops to 43 FPS, both of which fall below the 60 FPS threshold and may exhibit noticeable stutter in action sequences. The Medium preset is the clear recommendation for 4K, as it provides the best visual quality while maintaining an average of 60 FPS. The 51 FPS minimum is borderline, but for a stealth game like Thief, which features slower-paced exploration, this frame rate is acceptable. Players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate may opt for High at 4K, but the 46 FPS average will be noticeable in scene transitions.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently offers the best balance of performance and visual quality. At 1080p, it delivers 148 FPS with a 126 FPS minimum; at 1440p, it delivers 102 FPS with an 86 FPS minimum; at 4K, it delivers 60 FPS with a 51 FPS minimum. This consistency makes Medium the default recommendation for this combo, with High as a viable alternative at 1080p and 1440p for players with higher refresh rate monitors. The Ultra preset is only recommended at 1080p, where the 108 FPS average still provides a smooth experience. For 4K gaming, players should accept Medium as the ceiling for this GPU, as the RX 7700's performance characteristics — 2560 shading units, 96 ROPs, and 25.18 TFLOPS — are simply not sufficient for higher presets at this resolution.