Thief

The Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT pairing delivers a strong performance profile in Thief, a 2014 stealth title. The benchmark data shows that this combination is highly capable across all tested resolutions, with the CPU’s 20 cores and 28 threads providing ample headroom, while the GPU’s RDNA 4.0 architecture drives frame rates that range from a playable 56 FPS at 4K Ultra to a blistering 219 FPS at 1080p Low. This analysis breaks down the measured results, contextualizes them against the broader combo list, and offers practical settings guidance based on the available data.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on the Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process node. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz, boosting up to 5.60 GHz, which provides substantial single-thread performance for older games like Thief that often rely heavily on a few cores. The CPU’s L3 cache is 33 MB shared, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with PCIe Gen 5 connectivity offering 16 lanes for the GPU. The processor also includes UHD Graphics 770, though the dedicated AMD GPU in this test renders the game.

In terms of raw compute, the i7-14700K is a top-tier part. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 33440.5, while the single-core score is 2160. The Geekbench multi-core score reaches 20767, and the single-core score is 2569. These numbers place the CPU in the 94th percentile among all tested CPUs, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors on the market. The data in the nearestRivals table shows the i7-14700K’s average benchmark score of 69355 is essentially tied with the AMD EPYC 9115 (avgScore 69288, deltaPct 0.1), slightly ahead of the Ryzen 9 7950X (69515, deltaPct -0.2), and just behind the Ryzen 9 7940HX (69875, deltaPct -0.7) and the Ryzen 7 9700F (69996, deltaPct -0.9). This places it in the top tier of desktop CPUs, with performance that will not bottleneck the RX 9070 XT in most scenarios.

For Thief specifically, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The i7-14700K’s high single-thread performance, as shown by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4472, is crucial for a game that may not scale perfectly across many cores. The 20-core design also provides massive multi-threaded capacity, which can help when background tasks or game overlays compete for resources. The measured FPS numbers show that at 1080p, the game runs at 219 FPS on Low settings, proving that the CPU can keep up with a high frame rate at lower graphical loads. Even at 4K, the combination never drops below 56 FPS, indicating that neither component is a severe limiting factor, though the scaling pattern suggests the GPU becomes more influential at higher resolutions.

The CPU’s performance in synthetic benchmarks like Passmark multi-thread score of 52392 and Passmark floating point math of 134222 reinforces its high compute capability. However, in Thief specifically, the data shows that the CPU is not the primary constraint, as frame rates scale well with resolution and settings. This is reflected in the game’s combo rank of 570 out of 3720 tested combos, which places it in the top 15% of all CPU-GPU combinations tested for this game.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average FPS is 147. This shows the combo can produce very high frame rates at the most common resolution, staying well above the typical 60 FPS target.

Q: Does the i7-14700K bottleneck the RX 9070 XT in this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck. At 1080p Low settings, the game runs at 219 FPS, and at 1440p Low it hits 174 FPS. These high numbers indicate the CPU can handle the game’s draw calls and physics, allowing the GPU to work to its potential.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to 1440p Ultra?

A:** At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 56, while at 1440p Ultra, it is 96. This is a significant drop of 40 FPS, showing that the resolution scaling is steep and the GPU becomes the main limiting factor at 4K Ultra.

Q: What is the difference between the Low and High presets at 1440p?

A:** At 1440p, Low settings yield an average of 174 FPS, while High settings yield 101 FPS. That is a 73 FPS difference, indicating that the High preset introduces a substantial graphical load that reduces frame rates by 42%.

Q: Is the combo ranking in Thief better than the CPU’s ranking?

A:** The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, and the combo ranks 570 out of 3720 combos, which is roughly the 85th percentile. So, while the CPU is nearly top-tier, the combo is excellent but slightly less exceptional due to the GPU’s position.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS in the entire measured data set?

A:** The lowest average FPS is 56, which occurs at 4K Ultra settings. This is still a playable frame rate, though it drops below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider ideal.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how the RX 9070 XT and i7-14700K perform across three resolution tiers: 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160. The scaling is consistent across all settings profiles, but the magnitude of the drop varies depending on the graphic intensity.

Starting with Low settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 219. At 1440p, this drops to 174, a 21% reduction. At 4K, it falls to 102, which is a 53% reduction from 1080p. This shows that even at Low settings, the resolution increase has a major impact, but the frame rates remain high, with 4K still above 100 FPS.

For Medium settings, the pattern is similar but with a slightly higher starting point. At 1080p, the average is 193 FPS, which drops to 132 at 1440p (a 32% reduction) and then to 78 at 4K (a 60% reduction from 1080p). The Medium setting at 4K produces a 78 FPS average, which is still very playable, and the min FPS is 66, ensuring a smooth experience.

High settings show expected scaling. At 1080p, the average is 147 FPS. At 1440p, it’s 101 FPS, a 31% reduction. At 4K, it’s 59 FPS, a 60% reduction from 1080p. This is the first setting where the 4K average drops below 100, and it also falls below the 60 FPS mark, though just barely at 59.

Ultra settings provide the most demanding scenario. At 1080p, the average is 140 FPS. At 1440p, it’s 96 FPS, a 31% reduction. At 4K, it’s 56 FPS, a 60% reduction from 1080p. The 4K Ultra number is the lowest in the entire data set, and it’s the only configuration that drops below 60 FPS.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is nearly identical across all settings, hovering around 30% reduction. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steeper, around 40-45% reduction. This pattern indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes more of a bottleneck, which is expected for a 4K workload. However, the fact that 4K Low still yields 102 FPS shows that the RX 9070 XT has ample headroom for this 2014 title, even at the highest resolutions. The CPU’s role is minimized at 4K, as the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, but at 1080p, the CPU still provides enough power to allow frame rates above 200 FPS on the lowest settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT holds a comboRankInGame of 570 out of 3720 tested combinations. This places it in the 84.7th percentile, meaning it outperforms 84.7% of all tested combos in this game. This is a strong result, but it’s not in the top 10%, which is expected given that the GPU is not the top-tier flagship. The CPU itself is in the 94th percentile, but the GPU’s lower percentile (55th percentile among all GPUs) drags the overall combo ranking down.

To put this in perspective, the GPU has an average benchmark score of 13543, which is very close to the scores of the AMD Radeon HD 7770M (13536, deltaPct 0.1), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (13515, deltaPct 0.2), and NVIDIA P106-090 (13470, deltaPct 0.5). These are older or lower-tier GPUs, but the RX 9070 XT’s benchmark scores are similar to them in this synthetic test. However, in real-world gaming, the RX 9070 XT is a much more capable card due to its modern architecture and features. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 7260 and Passmark G3D score of 26795 show high performance, but the average score is pulled down by other less relevant benchmarks.

The combo’s ranking is a direct result of the CPU’s excellence and the GPU’s mid-range positioning. The i7-14700K is a top-tier CPU, but the RX 9070 XT is a mid-range GPU, so the combo is strong but not elite. For Thief, which is an older game, the GPU is powerful enough to run it at high frame rates, but the ranking reflects the fact that other combos with higher-tier GPUs would achieve even higher frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best setting for each resolution depends on the target frame rate. The data provides averages for Low, Medium, High, and Ultra at each resolution. For a target of 60 FPS or above, all settings are viable at 4K, but Ultra is borderline.

For 1080p, the Low setting produces an average of 219 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium setting averages 193 FPS, High averages 147 FPS, and Ultra averages 140 FPS. All of these are well above 60 FPS, so the choice depends on the monitor’s refresh rate. If the user has a 144 Hz monitor, the High setting at 147 FPS is a good balance, providing better graphics while still hitting the refresh rate. For a 240 Hz monitor, the Medium setting at 193 FPS is a reasonable middle ground, though Low at 219 FPS is the only one that can reach that refresh rate. Given the game is from 2014, it may not have a complex graphics load, so High settings would be a good visual upgrade without sacrificing much performance.

At 1440p, the Low setting averages 174 FPS, Medium averages 132 FPS, High averages 101 FPS, and Ultra averages 96 FPS. For a 1440p monitor, the High setting at 101 FPS is a solid choice, providing a smooth experience above 100 FPS. The Medium setting at 132 FPS is even better for those with 144 Hz displays. The Ultra setting at 96 FPS is also viable, but the High setting offers a better balance. The data shows that the GPU can handle 1440p well, with even Ultra staying above 60 FPS.

At 4K, the Low setting averages 102 FPS, Medium averages 78 FPS, High averages 59 FPS, and Ultra averages 56 FPS. For a 60 Hz 4K display, the Medium setting at 78 FPS is the best choice, as it provides a smooth experience above 60 FPS. The High setting at 59 FPS is marginal, and Ultra at 56 FPS is borderline. The Low setting at 102 FPS is also viable, but the Medium setting offers a better graphical quality with a significant FPS advantage. For those with a 144 Hz 4K display, the Low setting at 102 FPS is the only option, but this is an unlikely pairing. The data suggests that for a comfortable 60 FPS experience at 4K, the Medium setting is optimal.

Overall, the Medium settings provide the best balance of performance and visual quality across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the FPS is 193, which is a high frame rate. At 1440p Medium, it is 132 FPS, which is great. At 4K Medium, it is 78 FPS, which is above 60 FPS. The Medium setting offers a significant improvement over Low without the FPS penalty of High or Ultra. For users who prioritize high frame rates, the Low setting is the only one that exceeds 100 FPS at all resolutions, but the Medium setting is a better overall value.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measuredFps array provides a detailed look at the performance across three resolutions and four settings. The data shows that the RX 9070 XT and i7-14700K are a powerful pair for Thief.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from a low of 56 on Ultra to a high of 102 on Low. The Medium setting yields 78 FPS, with a min of 66 and max of 89. The High setting produces 59 FPS. This shows that 4K is the most challenging resolution, but the combination still manages to stay above 56 FPS in all but the Ultra setting, which hits 56.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS is higher, with Low at 174, Medium at 132, High at 101, and Ultra at 96. The Medium setting has a min of 112 and max of 152, indicating good stability. The High setting at 101 FPS is just above the 100 FPS threshold, and Ultra at 96 is slightly below. This resolution offers a good balance between visual fidelity and frame rate.

At 1920x1080, the average FPS is the highest, with Low at 219, Medium at 193, High at 147, and Ultra at 140. The Medium setting has a min of 164 and max of 222, showing a wide variance but a high average. The High and Ultra settings are also above 140 FPS, making them viable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

The data shows a clear trend: as resolution increases, the average FPS drops significantly. The scaling is not linear; the drop from 1080p to 1440p is about 30%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is about 40-45%. This indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, but the CPU is still fast enough to avoid being a limiting factor. The i7-14700K’s high single-thread performance is evident in the 1080p results, where frame rates exceed 200 FPS, showing that the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output.

In terms of settings, the Low preset offers the highest FPS at every resolution, but the Medium preset is the best compromise for most users. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, but it still provides playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, with only 4K dropping below 60 FPS.

Overall, the measured FPS breakdown shows that this combo is a excellent choice for Thief, offering flexible performance across a wide range of resolutions and settings. The data reflects the strong pairing of the high-end CPU and the capable GPU.