Thief

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a frame rate profile that is heavily dependent on resolution and settings in Thief. The combo ranks 2091 out of 3720 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database for this title. This position suggests that while the hardware can produce playable results, it does not lead the pack in this particular stealth game. The data indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions, while the i9-14900K provides ample headroom for the CPU-bound aspects of the engine.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER achieves a rank of 2091 out of 3720 tested combos in Thief. This places the pairing in the 56th percentile of all tested systems, meaning a slight majority of configurations deliver higher average frame rates. The ranking is likely suppressed by the GPU's age and position relative to the CPU, as the i9-14900K is a top-tier processor. Looking at the CPU's standalone performance, it sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79097. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-14900KF, which scores 79371 and is 0.3% faster, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, which scores 79574 and is 0.6% faster. The AMD EPYC 7413 is 1.2% faster with a score of 80041, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is 1.7% slower with a score of 77740. This shows the CPU is not the limiting factor in the combo's rank.

The GPU, however, tells a different story. The RTX 2070 SUPER holds the 65th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20282. Its nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, which scores 20480 and is 1% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which scores 20534 and is 1.2% faster. The Intel Arc B570 scores 20556 and is 1.3% faster, and the Intel Arc A750 scores 20582 and is 1.5% faster. These narrow margins indicate that the RTX 2070 SUPER is competitively positioned within its immediate performance class, but it is not close to the top-tier GPUs that would push this combo to a higher rank. The gap between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's mid-range percentile explains why the overall combo rank is modest; the system is unbalanced for a game like Thief, which scales significantly with graphics hardware.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU104 chip, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The card operates at a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. These specifications are relevant to how the card performs in Thief, a game that was released in 2014 and does not require the latest hardware features.

In Thief, the GPU's role is dominant at higher resolutions. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 38 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data shows that lowering settings to High at 4K yields an average of 40 FPS, while Medium produces 52 FPS with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. At Low settings, the average jumps to 69 FPS. This pattern indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute power are the limiting factors at 4K, as reducing graphical load directly improves performance. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this game, as Thief's textures and effects do not appear to exceed that limit based on the measured results, but the raw processing power of the TU104 chip is inadequate for high-refresh 4K play.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 171 FPS, which drops to 118 FPS at 1440p and 69 FPS at 4K. This represents a 31% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a 42% decrease from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is similar for Medium settings, where 1080p yields 130 FPS, 1440p yields 89 FPS, and 4K yields 52 FPS. The percentage drops are 31.5% and 41.6% respectively, showing a consistent pattern.

For High settings, the averages are 99 FPS at 1080p, 68 FPS at 1440p, and 40 FPS at 4K, with drops of 31.3% and 41.2%. At Ultra settings, the figures are 94 FPS at 1080p, 65 FPS at 1440p, and 38 FPS at 4K, representing drops of 30.9% and 41.5%. This uniformity across all settings suggests that the performance scaling is resolution-bound rather than settings-bound. The limiting component is the GPU, as the frame rate drops are proportional to the pixel count increase. The CPU, with its 24 cores and 32 threads, does not show signs of bottlenecking, as the frame rates at 1080p are high enough to indicate that the graphics card is the primary constraint. The scaling data strongly implies that users seeking higher frame rates should prioritize lowering resolution over adjusting settings, as the percentage gains from resolution reduction are consistent and significant.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p is the best resolution for achieving high frame rates. At Ultra settings, the combo averages 94 FPS at 1080p, which is well above the 65 FPS at 1440p and 38 FPS at 4K. For smoother gameplay, dropping to High settings at 1080p yields 99 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in the database?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 20282. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, scores 20480 and is 1% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile is 1.2% faster with a score of 20534, while the Intel Arc B570 is 1.3% faster and the Intel Arc A750 is 1.5% faster.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K a bottleneck for the RTX 2070 SUPER in this game?

A: The data indicates the CPU is not a bottleneck. The i9-14900K scores in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79097. Its nearest rival, the Core i9-14900KF, is only 0.3% faster. The GPU's 65th percentile ranking is much lower, suggesting it is the limiting factor.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, Low settings produce an average of 171 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 94 FPS. This is a difference of 77 FPS, or a 45% reduction in frame rate when moving from Low to Ultra. The Medium setting averages 130 FPS, and High averages 99 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Thief?

A: The measured results show 4K is playable only at lower settings. At Low settings, the average FPS is 69, which is acceptable. At Medium, the average drops to 52 FPS, and at High it is 40 FPS. Ultra settings yield 38 FPS, which is below typical playability thresholds.

Q: How does the combo's rank compare to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2091 out of 3720 tested combinations. This places it in the lower-middle range, meaning roughly 56% of tested systems perform better. The CPU's high percentile does not compensate for the GPU's lower percentile in this game's results.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. It has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it is built on Intel's 10 nm process. In Thief, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU, as the game is not particularly demanding on processor resources given its 2014 release date.

The benchmark data shows the i9-14900K is a powerful processor, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5. Its Geekbench multicore score is 21697, and its single-core score is 2655. These scores indicate that the CPU can handle any CPU-bound scenarios in Thief without issue. The measured frame rates at 1080p Low, which reach 171 FPS, suggest that the CPU is not limiting performance, as such high frame rates would typically expose a weaker processor. The 24 cores and 32 threads are far more than necessary for this game, but they ensure that any background tasks or future titles with higher CPU demands will not cause stuttering. The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is tight, with the Core i9-14900KF being only 0.3% faster, which confirms that the i9-14900K is at the top of its class.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of which settings offer the best experience for this combo. At 1080p, all settings are playable, with Low at 171 FPS, Medium at 130 FPS, High at 99 FPS, and Ultra at 94 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra at 1080p is only 5 FPS, making Ultra the better choice for visual fidelity without a significant performance penalty. At 1440p, the averages are 118 FPS for Low, 89 FPS for Medium, 68 FPS for High, and 65 FPS for Ultra. Here, Medium is the sweet spot, offering a large jump over Low while maintaining a high frame rate. High and Ultra are close, but both dip below 70 FPS, which may be noticeable on high-refresh monitors.

At 4K, the recommendation changes drastically. Low settings produce 69 FPS, while Medium drops to 52 FPS. High and Ultra are 40 FPS and 38 FPS respectively, which are below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Therefore, for 4K, Low settings are the only viable option for a consistent experience. The data suggests that users should prioritize resolution over settings. At 1080p, Ultra is recommended. At 1440p, Medium provides the best balance. At 4K, Low is the only setting that avoids sub-60 FPS averages. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings shows 111 FPS at 1080p, 76 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K, indicating that even the minimums are acceptable at 1080p and 1440p, but borderline at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in Thief is organized by resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low setting yields an average of 171 FPS. The Medium setting produces an average of 130 FPS, with a minimum of 111 FPS and a maximum of 150 FPS. High settings average 99 FPS, and Ultra settings average 94 FPS. All 1080p configurations exceed 60 FPS, with even the lowest average (Ultra) being comfortably above that threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Low setting averages 118 FPS. Medium settings average 89 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. High settings average 68 FPS, and Ultra settings average 65 FPS. The 1440p results show that only Low and Medium exceed 60 FPS, while High and Ultra are just above the 60 FPS mark, indicating a playable but not high-refresh experience. At 3840x2160, the Low setting averages 69 FPS. Medium settings average 52 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. High settings average 40 FPS, and Ultra settings average 38 FPS. The 4K data reveals that only Low settings approach the 60 FPS target, while all other settings fall below it. This breakdown confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the frame rate drops consistently with pixel count, regardless of the settings level.