Thief

Thief, a stealth title from 2014, responds predictably to modern hardware, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 provides a clear picture of where the bottlenecks lie. The data set for this pairing shows a system that can dominate at 1080p but begins to cede ground to the GPU's demands as resolution climbs. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, contextualizes the hardware's standing, and offers guidance based strictly on the provided benchmark results.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a mobile processor built on the Meteor Lake architecture, utilizing a 7 nm process. It is configured with 14 cores and 18 threads, a hybrid design that balances performance and efficiency. Its base clock is listed at 3.60 GHz, with a boost clock reaching 4.60 GHz. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 18 MB of L3 cache. This processor is designed for the mobile segment, with a TDP of 28 W, and it supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s.

In the context of Thief, a game from an era where quad-core CPUs were the standard, this processor's multi-threaded capabilities are vast. The benchmark scores for the CPU show a Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 11875.5 points and a single-core score of 1700 points. These figures indicate a processor that is not going to be the limiting factor in this game's performance. The game's engine, while not modern, is unlikely to stress all 18 threads, but the high single-core performance is crucial for maintaining frame pacing. The Passmark single-thread score of 3521 points supports this, showing strong per-core throughput that Thief's older code can leverage.

The CPU's performance relative to other processors is notable. It sits in the 81st percentile among all CPUs tested. Its average benchmark score of 29093 places it in close competition with several desktop parts. For instance, it is statistically tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, which has an average score of 29123, a delta of only -0.1%. It also trades blows with the Intel Core i5-13500HX, which scores 29270, a -0.6% delta. This indicates that despite being a mobile chip, the Core Ultra 5 135H's processing power is on par with established desktop processors from a few generations prior. For Thief, this means the CPU can easily feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic data, ensuring that the frame rate is dictated by the graphics card's rendering capabilities rather than the processor's computational limits. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache is ample for the game's data sets, and the high boost clock of 4.60 GHz ensures that the game's primary thread is handled with speed.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has been measured and assigned a rank within the database. In Thief, this combo ranks 1930 out of 3720 tested combinations. This position, which places it in the 48th percentile of all combos, is not a reflection of poor performance but rather a consequence of the database containing many high-end desktop configurations that can push frame rates even higher. The rank indicates that this mobile combo is solidly in the middle of the pack, capable of delivering a smooth experience, but it is not at the very top echelon of performance for this specific title.

The ranking is a relative measure. When compared to the absolute best combos, the frame rates here are lower, but the data shows that this system is far from a low-end performer. The combo's position suggests that it is outperformed by a significant number of setups, likely those with more powerful desktop GPUs or CPUs with higher clock speeds. However, it also means it is ahead of more than half of the tested configurations. The data indicates that this combo is a balanced pairing for a mobile platform, but the specific demands of Thief at higher resolutions will pull the GPU's performance down, which is a key factor in its overall standing. The rank is not a judgment of quality, but a data point showing where this specific hardware pairing falls in a broad spectrum of tested systems.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a classic scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 106 FPS. When the resolution is increased to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 73, a reduction of 33 FPS or approximately 31%. This is a significant drop, but the frame rate remains playable. The trend continues when moving to 3840x2160, where the average FPS falls further to 43. This represents a 41% decrease from the 1440p result and a 59% decrease from the 1080p result.

This scaling behavior is a clear indicator that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance is relatively constant across these tests, but the GPU's workload increases dramatically with pixel count. The 12 GB of VRAM and 504.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth are sufficient, but the sheer number of pixels at 4K overwhelms the GPU's compute units. The drop from 74 FPS at 4K Low to 43 FPS at 4K High further confirms this, showing that the GPU is sensitive to the graphical load. At 1080p, the GPU has more headroom, and the frame rates are high, indicating that the CPU is capable of keeping up. The scaling data suggests that for a locked 60 FPS experience, 1440p is the realistic ceiling for this combo in Thief, and even then, it requires a mix of settings. The 4K resolution is only viable at Low settings, which reflects the GPU's workload rather than a deficiency in the CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the combo performs admirably. The Low preset yields an average of 171 FPS, while the Medium preset produces 140 FPS, with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 161 FPS. The High preset averages 106 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 101 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the system is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay, even on the most demanding preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates become more moderate. The Low preset averages 126 FPS, which is still very high. The Medium preset averages 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS. The High preset drops to 73 FPS, and the Ultra preset is at 70 FPS. These figures indicate that 1440p is playable, but the High and Ultra presets are approaching the limit of what is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent. The Low preset is the only one that maintains a playable average, at 74 FPS. The Medium preset averages 56 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. The High preset falls to 43 FPS, and the Ultra preset is at 41 FPS. The data shows a clear trend: for a consistent 60 FPS or higher, users must either lower the resolution or the settings. The 4K Medium preset's minimum of 48 FPS indicates potential stuttering, making it a less desirable choice for a smooth experience. The measured rows provide a precise map of the system's capabilities, showing that the sweet spot for this combo is 1080p with any preset, or 1440p with Medium settings for a balanced experience.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a discrete mobile GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units. The GPU is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its base clock is 1920 MHz, with a boost clock of 2475 MHz. The memory clock is listed at 1313 MHz, which translates to 21 Gbps effective. The GPU's compute power is rated at 29.15 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. It also includes 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores, though Thief does not utilize these features.

The GPU's performance in Thief is directly tied to the resolution and settings. At 1080p, the GPU is not fully taxed, allowing for high frame rates. However, the benchmark scores for the GPU show a Passmark G3D score of 26927, placing it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 37648, which is very close to the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37628, a 0.1% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37507, a 0.4% delta). It is also comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile, which scores 38135, a -1.3% delta. This data indicates that the RTX 4070 is a high-performing GPU, but its mobile form factor and power constraints (200 W TDP) limit its raw performance compared to desktop counterparts.

In the context of Thief, the GPU's 12 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient, as the game is not memory-hungry by modern standards. The 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth is also ample. The primary constraint is the GPU's compute throughput, which is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with high detail settings. The data shows that the GPU is the decisive factor in the performance scaling observed. At 1080p, the GPU can render frames quickly, but at 4K, the pixel fill rate and shading requirements become too demanding, leading to the lower average FPS numbers. The GPU's role is to render the scene, and the data shows that it is the component that dictates the performance ceiling for this combo in Thief.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo can achieve in Thief?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 171 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

Q: Can this system maintain a stable 60 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings?

A: No. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 73, which is above 60, but the minimum FPS is not provided. The Medium preset at 1440p provides a more stable experience with an average of 96 FPS and a minimum of 82 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for performance in Thief?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p, frame rates are high, suggesting the CPU is sufficient. As resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the frame rates drop significantly, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 3840x2160?

A: At 4K, the Low preset averages 74 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 41 FPS. This is a difference of 33 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for the highest visual quality.

Q: How does the RTX 4070's average benchmark score compare to the RTX 4080 Mobile?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648, which is 1.3% lower than the RTX 4080 Mobile's score of 38135.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo first drop below a 60 FPS average?

A: The first instance of an average FPS below 60 occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings, where the average is 56 FPS. At 1440p, all presets remain above 60 FPS on average.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends on the user's display and preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate. For users with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 101 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. This provides the highest level of visual detail without sacrificing performance. The High preset at 1080p also offers a solid 106 FPS, but the Ultra preset's visual enhancements are worth the minimal frame rate cost.

For 1440p displays, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It provides an average of 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS, ensuring a stable and responsive experience. The High and Ultra presets at this resolution, with averages of 73 and 70 FPS respectively, are also playable, but they may result in occasional frame drops on more demanding scenes. The Medium preset strikes the best balance between image quality and performance, avoiding the potential for stutter that comes with the higher presets.

At 4K resolution, the options are more constrained. The Low preset is the only one that maintains a consistently high frame rate, averaging 74 FPS. This is the recommended setting for a smooth 4K experience. The Medium preset, with an average of 56 FPS and a minimum of 48 FPS, is borderline playable but risks noticeable frame pacing issues. The High and Ultra presets, averaging 43 and 41 FPS, are not recommended for a comfortable experience. Therefore, for 4K users, the Low preset is the best option to ensure a fluid frame rate, accepting a reduction in visual quality.