Thief

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a performance profile in Thief that is heavily dictated by resolution. At 1080p, the combination is capable of high frame rates, but the data shows a significant performance cliff as resolution increases. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS rows to understand where the bottleneck lies and what settings provide the optimal experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and pronounced scaling pattern across the three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 95 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, that average drops to 65 FPS, a substantial reduction of 30 FPS. The scaling is even more severe when pushing to 3840x2160, where the average falls to 38 FPS, representing a 27 FPS drop from the 1440p result. This pattern of performance degradation is consistent across all settings presets.

At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 164 FPS at 1080p to 112 FPS at 1440p, and then to 66 FPS at 4K. This represents a 60% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K. The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory, with averages of 124 FPS at 1080p, 85 FPS at 1440p, and 50 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which yields the lowest overall scores, drops from 90 FPS at 1080p to 62 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 36 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that the limiting component shifts depending on the resolution. At 1080p, the frame rates are high enough that the CPU’s capabilities are likely the primary factor, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames quickly. The Intel Core i7-13700K, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, provides a strong foundation. However, as the resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The RTX 5050’s 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are likely insufficient to maintain high frame rates at these pixel densities. The 4K results, which hover between 36 and 66 FPS depending on settings, clearly show the GPU struggling to keep up with the rendering load.

The delta between High and Ultra settings is minimal at each resolution, which suggests that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy burden on the GPU without providing a proportional increase in visual fidelity, or that the CPU is the bottleneck in both cases. The scaling data strongly suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p being possible at lower settings, and 4K being a stretch that requires significant compromises.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the data shows that all presets are playable, but the Medium preset offers a strong balance. The Medium preset yields an average of 124 FPS, which is 29 FPS lower than Low (164 FPS) but 29 FPS higher than High (95 FPS). Given that the minimum FPS for Medium is 106, the experience will be smooth and consistent. The High preset at 95 FPS is also viable, but the Ultra preset, at 90 FPS, provides only a marginal improvement over High while potentially stressing the system more. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for 1080p, offering a high frame rate without sacrificing too much visual quality.

For 2560x1440, the situation becomes more nuanced. Low settings produce an average of 112 FPS, which is the only preset that maintains a triple-digit average. Medium settings drop to 85 FPS, which is still smooth, but the minimum FPS of 72 indicates that there could be occasional dips. High and Ultra settings at 65 FPS and 62 FPS respectively are playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The recommendation here is to use Low settings for the smoothest experience, or Medium if you prefer a better visual presentation and can tolerate the slightly lower frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the data shows that no preset achieves a 60 FPS average. The Low preset is the best option, with an average of 66 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings drop to 50 FPS, and High and Ultra fall to 38 FPS and 36 FPS respectively. The 4K resolution is clearly not this combo’s strong suit. For those who insist on 4K, Low settings are the only viable option, but the experience will be suboptimal compared to 1080p or 1440p. The data indicates that the RTX 5050 is simply not powerful enough to handle this game at 4K with high visual fidelity.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in Thief?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 164 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this combo maintain a 60 FPS average at 4K resolution?

A: Only at Low settings does the combo reach an average of 66 FPS. All other presets at 4K fall below 60 FPS, with Medium at 50 FPS, High at 38 FPS, and Ultra at 36 FPS.

Q: At which resolution does the GPU become the limiting factor?

A: The data indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 2560x1440 and above. The frame rate drops significantly from 1080p to 1440p, and the 4K results are consistently low across all settings, suggesting the RTX 5050 cannot keep up with the rendering load.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 90 FPS, while High averages 95 FPS. This is a 5 FPS difference, indicating that the Ultra preset does not provide a significant performance penalty at this resolution.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 36 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

*Q: Is the Intel Core i7-13700K a bottleneck for this GPU in Thief?*

A: At 1080p, the high frame rates suggest the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU. However, at higher resolutions, the GPU’s limitations become apparent, and the CPU is likely not the primary bottleneck, as frame rates scale down with resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination holds a rank of 1710 out of 2851 tested combos in Thief. This places it in the 60th percentile, indicating that it performs better than a majority of systems tested. However, the ranking is not stellar, and it reflects the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions. The RTX 5050, which has an average benchmark score of 21035 and ranks in the 66th percentile against all GPUs, is not a high-end part. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which has a deltaPct of 1.6, indicating the RTX 5050 is slightly slower.

The CPU, on the other hand, is a powerhouse. The Intel Core i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881 and ranks in the 89th percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, has a deltaPct of -0.2, meaning the i7-13700K is slightly slower than that chip in synthetic tests, but the difference is negligible. This high-performing CPU helps boost the combo’s rank, but the GPU holds it back. The combo’s rank of 1710 suggests that while the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios, the GPU will be the limiting factor in GPU-intensive titles like Thief at higher resolutions.

The data shows that this combo is best positioned for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve high frame rates. At 1440p, it can still be playable with adjustments, but at 4K, it falls short of providing a smooth experience. The rank of 1710 out of 2851 reflects the CPU’s strength, but it also highlights the GPU’s relative weakness in the current market.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 30 MB shared L3 cache. This high core count and boost clock are well-suited for modern games that can utilize multiple threads. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 30745 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2116 in single-core, and it has a Geekbench multi-core score of 19429. These scores indicate a strong multi-threaded performance, which is beneficial for game physics and AI calculations.

In Thief, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p resolution. The data shows that at Low settings, the combo achieves 164 FPS, which is a very high frame rate. This suggests that the CPU is capable of handling the game’s logic and draw calls quickly enough to feed the GPU. The 16 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom for the game’s stealth mechanics and NPC AI. The high boost clock of 5.40 GHz also ensures that single-threaded performance is robust, which is important for games that rely on a primary game thread.

However, as resolution increases, the CPU’s influence wanes. At 4K, the frame rates are consistent across different settings presets, with a range of 36 to 66 FPS. This indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck at this resolution. The GPU is simply unable to render frames fast enough, regardless of the CPU’s capabilities. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as its 89th percentile ranking, suggest it is a top-tier part, but in Thief, its performance is only fully utilized at lower resolutions where the GPU can keep up.

The CPU’s 125W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory also contribute to its overall performance, but the data in the measured FPS rows does not directly reflect these factors. The i7-13700K is a capable processor, but in this combo, its performance is constrained by the GPU at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080:

• Low: Average FPS is 164, with no reported minimum or maximum values.
• Medium: Average FPS is 124, with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 143.
• High: Average FPS is 95, with no reported minimum or maximum values.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 90, with no reported minimum or maximum values.

At 2560x1440:

• Low: Average FPS is 112, with no reported minimum or maximum values.
• Medium: Average FPS is 85, with a minimum of 72 and a maximum of 98.
• High: Average FPS is 65, with no reported minimum or maximum values.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 62, with no reported minimum or maximum values.

At 3840x2160:

• Low: Average FPS is 66, with no reported minimum or maximum values.
• Medium: Average FPS is 50, with a minimum of 43 and a maximum of 58.
• High: Average FPS is 38, with no reported minimum or maximum values.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 36, with no reported minimum or maximum values.

The data shows a clear trend: performance degrades linearly with resolution, and the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 74 FPS (164 vs 90). At 1440p, this difference shrinks to 50 FPS (112 vs 62). At 4K, the difference is only 30 FPS (66 vs 36). This indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU is the limiting factor, and changing settings has less of an impact on performance. The Medium preset consistently offers a middle ground, with frame rates that are significantly higher than High and Ultra, but lower than Low. The minimum FPS values for Medium at all resolutions (106, 72, and 43) show that there is some frame time variance, but the averages are still playable at 1080p and 1440p.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is a mid-range GPU based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, with a chip size of 149 mm² and 16,900 million transistors. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. The GPU’s boost clock is 2572 MHz, and it has 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. These specifications indicate a GPU that is designed for 1080p gaming, with some capability at 1440p.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5050 scores 17326 in Passmark G3D and has an average benchmark score of 21035, placing it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, has a deltaPct of -0.6, indicating they are nearly identical in performance. The GPU’s 8 GB of VRAM is a critical limitation in Thief at higher resolutions. The data shows that at 4K, the GPU is unable to maintain high frame rates, with the best average being 66 FPS at Low settings. This is likely due to the 8 GB VRAM being insufficient for the game’s textures at 4K, and the 128-bit memory bus limiting bandwidth.

The GPU’s role in Thief is clearly the dominant factor at resolutions above 1080p. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K is steep, and the GPU’s performance ceiling is evident in the 4K results. Even at Low settings, the GPU can only achieve 66 FPS, which is below the 70 FPS threshold that many players consider smooth. The RTX 5050’s 13.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance is not enough to handle the pixel count of 4K in this game. At 1080p, the GPU performs admirably, but its limitations become apparent as resolution increases. The data suggests that this GPU is best paired with a 1080p monitor, and users with 1440p or 4K displays will need to make significant compromises in settings to achieve playable frame rates.