Thief

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a playable experience in Thief, but the data shows this pairing is heavily dependent on resolution and settings. At 1080p, this combo is capable of high refresh rates, but 4K Ultra demands too much from the GPU. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and optimal settings based strictly on the benchmark data.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the sweet spot. The average frame rates range from 95.8 FPS at Ultra to 172 FPS at Low, which are all comfortably playable. At 2560x1440, performance drops to a range of 62.5 FPS (Ultra) to 118.5 FPS (Low), which is still good, but 3840x2160 is the weakest option, with only the Low preset achieving an average above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Core i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 47282, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. It is virtually tied with the Intel Core i7-13700KF, which scores 47334, a negligible 0.1% difference. It is also 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i9-12900F and 0.5% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 5945.

Q: What is the GPU's standing among its peers?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER sits in the 65th percentile for all GPUs with an average score of 22206. Benchmark results show it is 2.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5700 and 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z, but it trails the NVIDIA RTX 4060 Mobile by 2.3%.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM a limiting factor?

A: The data shows a clear performance cliff at higher resolutions. At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 37.9 on Ultra, while at 1920x1080 Ultra it is 95.8. While the 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are not directly cited as the cause, the significant frame rate decline at 4K suggests the GPU's memory and processing capabilities are insufficient for the highest settings at that resolution.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of quality and performance at 1440p?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 yields an average of 65.9 FPS. The Medium preset increases this to 87.7 FPS, which is a substantial jump for a single step down in quality. Given that Ultra only achieves 62.5 FPS, the Medium preset appears to be the most efficient choice for a smoother experience at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank against all other tested configurations?

A: For Thief, this specific CPU and GPU combination ranks 976th out of 1642 tested combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, indicating that while it can run the game, there are many other combinations that deliver higher frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its measured performance is robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505. This strong single-core performance is often critical for game logic and physics, and the high boost clock of 5.40 GHz helps ensure the CPU is not a bottleneck in most scenarios. The CPU's average benchmark score of 47282 places it in the 93rd percentile, showing it is a high-end part.

In the context of Thief, a stealth game from 2014, the CPU's hefty specifications are likely more than sufficient. The game's engine is not known for being exceptionally demanding on core counts. The data supports this: at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 172. This high frame rate, even at lower settings, suggests the CPU is feeding the GPU effectively and is not the primary constraint. The CPU's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory (though the memory type used is not specified in the measured data) provide a capable platform. The nearest rival, the Core i7-13700KF, scores virtually identically, confirming this CPU's top-tier processing power. While the CPU is powerful, the benchmark results for this combo show that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution and settings increase.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the definitive performance limiter in this pairing for Thief. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz. Its average benchmark score of 22206 places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, which is respectable but far from top-tier.

The measured FPS data clearly illustrates the GPU's workload. At 1920x1080, the GPU handles the game well, with an average of 95.8 FPS on Ultra. However, moving to 2560x1440 drops the Ultra average to 62.5 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to an unplayable 37.9 FPS. This pattern is a classic sign of a GPU struggling with pixel throughput and memory bandwidth at higher resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM is also a likely point of pressure at 4K with high-detail textures. The RTX 2070 SUPER's nearest rival, the RTX 4060 Mobile, scores 2.3% higher in synthetic benchmarks, but in this game's measured results, the desktop card's performance is what matters. The data shows that for a smooth 60+ FPS experience, the user must target 1080p or 1440p and adjust settings accordingly.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Thief, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER achieves a rank of 976 out of 1642. This percentile position, roughly in the bottom 40% of all combos, reflects the GPU's mid-range standing. The CPU is a top performer, but the overall system performance is dragged down by the GPU.

The rank is a holistic measure. It implies that while the CPU is among the best (93rd percentile), the GPU's 65th percentile score means many other systems with faster graphics cards will outperform this combo. This is not a pairing for chasing maximum frame rates at high resolutions. Instead, its rank suggests it is best suited for 1080p gaming with high settings, where the data shows it can achieve an average of 97.4 FPS. At 1440p, it is more of a 60-90 FPS machine depending on the quality preset. The 976th rank out of 1642 signals to a builder that this is a balanced, mid-range gaming system, but not one that will top any leaderboards for this title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear directive for settings. For a target of 60 FPS or higher, the 4K resolution (3840x2160) is only viable with the Low preset, which achieves an average of 71.5 FPS. All other presets at 4K fall below 60 FPS, with Ultra at a low 37.9 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the user has more flexibility. The Medium preset offers an average of 87.7 FPS, which is a significant improvement over High (65.9 FPS) and Ultra (62.5 FPS). The jump from High to Medium is a 21.8 FPS gain, which is substantial for a single setting tier. Therefore, Medium at 1440p is the recommended balance for a fluid experience.

For 1920x1080, the story is different. The Ultra preset achieves an average of 95.8 FPS, which is already smooth. The High preset is nearly identical at 97.4 FPS. Given the small difference, High at 1080p is a sensible recommendation for excellent visual quality with a comfortable frame rate margin. If a player has a high-refresh-rate monitor, the Low preset at 172 FPS is available, but the visual compromise is steep. The best experience overall, weighing visual fidelity and performance, is the High preset at 1080p or Medium at 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section details the exact average FPS measurements for every tested configuration.

At 1920x1080, the performance is consistently strong. The Low preset leads with an average of 172 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 128.5 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are close, with 97.4 FPS and 95.8 FPS, respectively. This resolution is clearly the strongest for this combo, with all settings remaining highly playable.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop but remain mostly respectable. The Low preset achieves an average of 118.5 FPS. The Medium preset provides a solid 87.7 FPS. The High preset delivers 65.9 FPS, and the Ultra preset trails at 62.5 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is notable, representing a 24.8% performance hit for the higher quality tier.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overburdened. The Low preset is the only option that breaks 60 FPS, with an average of 71.5 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 51.8 FPS. The High preset manages 39.9 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to a low of 37.9 FPS. The progression shows a steep decline as settings increase, making this resolution unsuitable for a high-quality experience with this hardware.