Thief

Thief, a 2014 stealth title, remains a demanding benchmark even on modern hardware. For the combination of an Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, the measured data reveals a system that is capable of high frame rates at 1080p but begins to struggle as resolution increases. The RTX 2060 SUPER, a Turing-generation card, is clearly the primary performance limiter in this pairing, with the CPU providing ample headroom. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, offering a practical guide for optimizing the game experience with this specific hardware configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves an average of 90 FPS, which is excellent for a stealth game. Moving to 1440p High drops the average to 62 FPS, a significant 31% reduction in performance. The leap to 4K High is even more punishing, with the average FPS falling to 36, a further 42% drop from the 1440p result. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER is being overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count, and its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus are working at their limit.

The scaling from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p, the difference between Low (155 FPS) and Ultra (86 FPS) is 69 FPS, a substantial gap that shows the GPU's workload scaling with visual fidelity. However, at 4K, the gap between Low (63 FPS) and Ultra (35 FPS) is only 28 FPS. This compression of the FPS range at higher resolutions is a clear sign that the GPU is saturated; the card is so heavily pixel-bound that reducing settings provides diminishing returns. The bottleneck is no longer the complexity of the scene, but the raw fill rate and memory bandwidth of the graphics card.

Looking at the data, 1080p is the only resolution where this combination can consistently deliver frame rates above 100 FPS on lower presets. The 1440p results are playable, hovering between 59 and 107 FPS depending on settings, but they require a compromise in visual quality to hit higher refresh rates. The 4K results are largely below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, with only the Low preset achieving a somewhat playable 63 FPS average. For players targeting 4K, the data suggests that this GPU is not up to the task for a consistently smooth experience, even with significant settings reductions.

The performance drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe than the drop from 1080p to 1440p. This non-linear scaling is typical of GPUs that are running out of memory bandwidth or raw processing power. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth is simply insufficient to feed the massive number of pixels at 4K without a major performance hit. The data clearly indicates that for this game and this hardware combination, the resolution has a far greater impact on performance than the in-game graphics preset, making it the most critical decision for the user.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the defining component in these performance figures. Its 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Thief at 1080p and 1440p, but the data suggests it may be a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 35. The card's memory clock of 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) and 256-bit bus provide a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is a substantial amount for its generation but is challenged by the high-resolution textures and geometry that Thief can present.

The GPU's core clocks, with a base of 1470 MHz and a boost of 1650 MHz, are moderate by today's standards. This, combined with its 2176 shading units, gives it a FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS. This raw compute power is what drives the frame rates at lower resolutions. The benchmark results show the card holds its own against its nearest rivals, with a Passmark G3D score of 16462. Its closest competitor, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, has an average score of 18159, a 0.4% difference, indicating that the desktop 2060 SUPER is still a competitive performer in its class.

The card's 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores are present but are not a factor in this game, as Thief does not utilize ray tracing or DLSS. The performance is purely a function of its rasterization capabilities. The data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck in nearly all measured scenarios. At 1080p Low, the CPU is likely providing a near-maximum frame rate of 155 FPS, but the GPU cannot push much beyond that due to its architectural limits. The performance scaling from Low to Ultra at all resolutions is a direct reflection of the GPU's workload, confirming its central role.

The RTX 2060 SUPER is a dual-slot card with a TDP of 175 W, requiring a 450 W power supply. It was launched with an MSRP of 399 USD and is now an end-of-life product. Its performance percentile of 62 means it outperforms 62% of all GPUs in the database, placing it in the mid-range to upper-mid-range tier. The measured FPS in Thief aligns with this positioning; it is a capable card for 1080p and entry-level 1440p gaming, but it is not a high-refresh-rate or 4K powerhouse.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the best choice for high frame rates, with an average of 90 FPS on High settings and 155 FPS on Low. At 2560x1440, the system can manage 62 FPS on High, which is playable but a noticeable step down.

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

A: The 4K results are below the ideal 60 FPS threshold for most presets. The High preset averages 36 FPS, and even the Low preset only reaches 63 FPS. For a smooth experience, 4K is not recommended with this configuration.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Low and Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p, the difference is 69 FPS (155 FPS on Low vs 86 FPS on Ultra). At 1440p, the gap narrows to 48 FPS (107 FPS vs 59 FPS). At 4K, the difference is only 28 FPS (63 FPS vs 35 FPS), showing that the GPU is the main limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 CPU holding back the RTX 2060 SUPER?

A: No, the benchmark data indicates the opposite. The CPU, with a Passmark single-thread score of 4412 and a strong Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25891, has enough performance to feed the GPU. The FPS drops are consistent with a GPU bottleneck, not a CPU one.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures for the Medium preset?

A: The measured data provides minimum FPS for the Medium preset. At 3840x2160, the minimum is 40 FPS. At 2560x1440, it is 69 FPS. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 100 FPS. These figures show that 1080p provides a much more stable frame time experience.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its direct rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 18093. Its closest rival, the RTX 3060 Mobile, scores 18159, a negligible 0.4% difference. The AMD Radeon RX 460 is 1.5% behind, and the Intel Arc A770M is 1.6% behind, showing the 2060 SUPER is a solid mid-range performer.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the measured average FPS for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination in Thief.

At 1920x1080:

• Low: 155 FPS average. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this system and indicates a fully GPU-bound scenario.
• Medium: 118 FPS average, with a minimum of 100 FPS and a maximum of 136 FPS. This shows a solid 100+ FPS experience is possible.
• High: 90 FPS average. A very playable setting that balances visual quality and performance.
• Ultra: 86 FPS average. The performance drop from High to Ultra is minimal, making it a viable option.

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 107 FPS average. Still a very high frame rate, showing the GPU has headroom at this resolution with lower settings.
• Medium: 81 FPS average, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on most displays.
• High: 62 FPS average. This is the threshold for 60 FPS gaming and offers a good balance.
• Ultra: 59 FPS average. Just below the 60 FPS mark, but playable for a stealth game.

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 63 FPS average. The only 4K setting that is consistently above 60 FPS, but it requires a significant visual compromise.
• Medium: 48 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS. This is a marginal experience, with noticeable frame drops.
• High: 36 FPS average. This is not recommended for a smooth experience.
• Ultra: 35 FPS average. The lowest measured performance, indicating the GPU is at its absolute limit.

Settings Recommendations

For a 1080p display, the data supports using the High preset. The average of 90 FPS is well within the range of high-refresh-rate monitors, and the step up to Ultra only yields a 4 FPS difference, which is not worth the potential for slightly lower minimum frame rates. The Medium preset is also excellent, offering 118 FPS average for players who prioritize competitive, high-refresh-rate gameplay. The Low preset at 155 FPS is unnecessary for most users, as the visual quality loss is significant.

For 1440p, the High preset is the sweet spot, providing an average of 62 FPS. This is right at the 60 FPS target for most monitors. Players with a 144Hz display may prefer the Medium preset, which achieves 81 FPS average and has a minimum of 69 FPS, ensuring a more stable high-refresh-rate experience. The Ultra preset at 59 FPS is a borderline choice; it is playable but the slight frame rate dip might be noticeable in fast-paced scenes.

For 4K, the recommendations are more constrained. The Low preset is the only one that offers a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 63 FPS. The Medium preset at 48 FPS is a compromise, but the minimum of 40 FPS could lead to stutter. The High and Ultra presets at 36 and 35 FPS respectively are not recommended for a good experience. The data clearly shows that 4K is not this GPU's forte in Thief.

The overall recommendation is to prioritize resolution scaling. If a user has a 4K monitor, they should consider running the game at 1440p with High settings rather than 4K with Low settings, as the former will provide a better balance of visual fidelity and performance. For the best overall experience, the 1080p High or 1440p High presets are the most practical choices based on the measured data.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 plays a supporting role in this configuration. Its benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655. The Passmark multithread score of 30459 and a single-thread score of 4412 further confirm its capability. Its 10 cores and 10 threads are more than sufficient for a game like Thief, which is not known for heavy multi-threading.

The CPU's high boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensures that single-threaded game logic is processed quickly. The data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor in any of the measured scenarios. The FPS drops when increasing resolution or settings are entirely attributable to the GPU's workload. The CPU is likely capable of producing far higher frame rates than the RTX 2060 SUPER can deliver, as evidenced by the 155 FPS at 1080p Low, which is still a GPU-bound result.

The Core Ultra 5 225's 20 MB of L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s of dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth provide a solid foundation for feeding the GPU. Its Passmark data compression score of 302811 and floating point math score of 92038 show a high level of general processing power. The CPU's performance percentile of 85 indicates it is a top-tier processor, placing it well above the average. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Ryzen 5 5500X3D, have near-identical average scores, confirming its position in the high-end desktop segment.

In this game, the CPU's role is to provide a stable platform for the GPU to operate at its full potential. The data confirms it does this without issue. The system's rank of 1997 out of 2851 combinations for this game is a reflection of the GPU's mid-range performance, not the CPU's. If a faster GPU were installed, the Core Ultra 5 225 would have a significant amount of headroom to support higher frame rates, making it a future-proof choice for this gaming system.