Thief

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 lands at rank 1150 out of 2851 tested combos in Thief, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations. This is a capable pairing that delivers smooth frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but it struggles to maintain high refresh rates at 4K. The data shows a consistent pattern: the combo excels at lower resolutions and settings, with performance scaling predictably as resolution and graphical load increase. For a 2014 stealth title, this hardware combination provides a strong experience, particularly for players targeting 1440p with High settings, where it achieves 77 FPS on average.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1150 out of 2851 tested configurations places it in the 60th percentile of all pairings tested for Thief. This is a solid middle-tier result, indicating that the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination outperforms a majority of setups while falling short of top-tier enthusiast builds. The ranking reflects a balanced system where neither component is a severe bottleneck, but the GPU’s performance ceiling limits 4K playability.

Looking at the CPU’s overall standing, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 sits at the 89th percentile among all CPUs tested across the database. Its average benchmark score of 46062 places it in close competition with several notable rivals. The nearest competitor is the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which scores 46030, a mere 0.1% lower than the Ultra 5 235. The Intel Core i9-13900HX is essentially tied, scoring 46098, which is 0.1% higher. AMD’s EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303 both score 45970 and 45960 respectively, each 0.2% behind the Ultra 5 235. This clustering suggests the Ultra 5 235 delivers performance right at the expected level for its class, with no significant advantage or disadvantage against direct rivals.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 holds the 58th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15852. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 370X, scores 15862, a negligible 0.1% difference. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is 1% faster at 16014, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is 1.1% slower at 15679. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads this group at 16129, 1.7% ahead of the RX 7700. These narrow margins indicate the RX 7700 is positioned competitively in its performance segment, but it does not dominate its peers.

In the context of Thief specifically, the combo’s rank suggests that the CPU’s strong single-threaded performance and the GPU’s mid-range capabilities combine to produce a system that handles the game’s stealth-oriented environments well. The ranking is not exceptional, but it is respectable, and the measured FPS data confirms that the combo delivers playable frame rates across most settings and resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1900 MHz, with a boost clock of 2459 MHz and a game clock of 2041 MHz. Memory runs at 2438 MHz, which translates to 19.5 Gbps effective. These specifications place the RX 7700 as a capable mid-range card, and the benchmark results reflect that positioning.

In Thief, the GPU’s role is critical, as the game’s lighting and shadow effects are demanding even by modern standards. The measured FPS data shows a clear relationship between resolution and performance. At 1920x1080, the RX 7700 delivers 195 FPS on Low settings, 148 FPS on Medium, 113 FPS on High, and 108 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that the GPU is more than sufficient for high refresh rate gaming at 1080p, with even Ultra settings maintaining over 100 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably but remains solid. Low settings produce 134 FPS, Medium delivers 102 FPS, High achieves 77 FPS, and Ultra drops to 74 FPS. The step from Medium to High represents a 25 FPS loss, which is significant but still leaves the game playable. The GPU’s 16 GB VRAM is more than enough for Thief’s textures, which were designed for systems with far less memory.

At 3840x2160, the RX 7700 begins to show its limits. Low settings yield 79 FPS, Medium drops to 60 FPS, High falls to 46 FPS, and Ultra manages only 43 FPS. The 4K results are the weakest part of this combo’s performance profile, with only Low and Medium settings reaching playable frame rates. The GPU’s compute capabilities, measured at 25.18 TFLOPS FP32, are not sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with high-quality settings in Thief.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Radeon R9 370X at 15862, which is essentially identical, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti at 16129, which is 1.7% faster. These comparisons suggest that the RX 7700 performs as expected for its class, with no significant surprises in Thief. The GPU’s 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs indicates it is slightly above average, which aligns with the measured FPS data showing strong 1080p and 1440p performance but weaker 4K results.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo’s overall rank in Thief?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combo ranks 1150 out of 2851 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030) and 0.1% lower than the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098). It also leads the AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303 by 0.2% each.

Q: What is the GPU’s performance percentile?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 holds the 58th percentile among all GPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 15852. It trails the AMD Radeon RX 9060 by 1% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti by 1.7%, but leads the AMD Radeon R9 370X by 0.1% and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 by 1.1%.

Q: What are the best settings for 1440p gaming?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings deliver 77 FPS on average, while Medium settings produce 102 FPS. For a balance of visual quality and smoothness, High settings are recommended, as they remain well above playable thresholds.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: At 3840x2160, the combo achieves 79 FPS on Low, 60 FPS on Medium, 46 FPS on High, and 43 FPS on Ultra. Only Low and Medium settings provide playable frame rates at 4K, with High and Ultra falling below 50 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU’s VRAM affect performance in Thief?

A: The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on the RX 7700 is more than sufficient for Thief’s texture requirements, and the measured FPS data shows that memory capacity is not a limiting factor at any resolution tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive view of performance. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 195 FPS, which is exceptionally high and indicates that the GPU is barely stressed. Medium settings drop to 148 FPS, with a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 171 FPS, showing consistent frame delivery. High settings achieve 113 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 108 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 5 FPS, suggesting that Ultra is a viable option for players who want maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing much performance.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show a more pronounced scaling. Low settings deliver 134 FPS, which is still well above the refresh rates of most monitors. Medium settings produce 102 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 117 FPS, indicating smooth gameplay with occasional dips. High settings achieve 77 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high refresh rate displays. Ultra settings drop to 74 FPS, a minimal reduction from High, suggesting that the extra graphical features in Ultra have a limited performance cost at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the combo’s limitations become apparent. Low settings produce 79 FPS, which is playable but much lower than the 134 FPS seen at 1440p. Medium settings drop to 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS, providing a borderline experience for players who prefer smoother motion. High settings fall to 46 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold most players consider acceptable for fast-paced games. Ultra settings manage only 43 FPS, making this the least favorable configuration for 4K gaming.

The pattern across all resolutions is clear: the GPU’s performance scales linearly with resolution, and the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 87 FPS (195 versus 108). At 1440p, the difference is 60 FPS (134 versus 74). At 4K, the difference narrows to 36 FPS (79 versus 43), indicating that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, reducing the impact of settings changes.

The Medium settings data includes minimum and maximum FPS values, which provide insight into frame consistency. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 126 FPS and the maximum is 171 FPS, a spread of 45 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 86 FPS and the maximum is 117 FPS, a spread of 31 FPS. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 51 FPS and the maximum is 69 FPS, a spread of 18 FPS. This data indicates that frame pacing becomes more stable at higher resolutions, likely because the GPU is more consistently bottlenecked, reducing the impact of CPU-related frame time spikes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a TDP of 65 W. The CPU supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. Its cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications position the Ultra 5 235 as a strong mid-range desktop processor, and its benchmark scores reflect that positioning.

In Thief, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain high frame rates. The game’s stealth mechanics and AI routines are not particularly demanding on modern processors, but the CPU’s single-threaded performance is still important for maintaining consistent frame delivery. The Ultra 5 235 achieves a single-core score of 2085 in Cinebench R23 and 4516 in Passmark single-thread tests, which are strong results that indicate excellent per-core performance. This is reflected in the measured FPS data, where the combo maintains high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p without significant CPU-related stutters.

The CPU’s multi-threaded performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and a Passmark multithread score of 37816. While Thief is not heavily multi-threaded, the 14-core configuration ensures that background tasks do not interfere with gameplay. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs tested indicates it is well above average, and its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are all within 0.2% of its performance. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, Intel Core i9-13900HX, and AMD EPYC 4364P are all essentially tied with the Ultra 5 235, suggesting that the CPU is not a differentiating factor in this combo’s Thief performance.

The CPU’s boost clock of 5.00 GHz is particularly relevant for Thief, as the game’s engine tends to favor higher clock speeds over additional cores. The measured FPS data shows that the combo achieves 195 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a strong indicator that the CPU is not bottlenecking the GPU at lower settings. At higher settings, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as evidenced by the smaller performance differences between settings at 4K compared to 1080p. Overall, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 provides ample processing power for Thief, and its performance is not a limiting factor in this combo’s results.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For players using 1920x1080 displays, Ultra settings are the clear recommendation, as the combo achieves 108 FPS on average. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the best visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. The difference between High (113 FPS) and Ultra (108 FPS) is only 5 FPS, making Ultra the better choice for players who prioritize image quality.

For 2560x1440 displays, High settings are the best balance of visual quality and performance. The combo achieves 77 FPS on High, which is playable but not ideal for high refresh rate monitors. Medium settings produce 102 FPS, which is smoother but at a noticeable visual cost. The data shows that the step from Medium to High costs 25 FPS, which is significant, but the visual improvements in Thief’s lighting and shadow effects are worth the tradeoff for most players. Ultra settings at 1440p produce 74 FPS, only 3 FPS lower than High, making Ultra a viable alternative if the performance difference is acceptable.

For 3840x2160 displays, the recommendation is more nuanced. Medium settings produce 60 FPS on average, which is exactly at the playable threshold, with a minimum of 51 FPS. This is the highest settings preset that maintains a consistent 60 FPS experience. Low settings deliver 79 FPS, which is smoother but sacrifices significant visual quality. High and Ultra settings at 4K produce 46 FPS and 43 FPS respectively, which are below the 60 FPS threshold and may cause noticeable stuttering in action sequences. For 4K players, Medium settings are the recommended choice, as they provide the best balance of visual fidelity and smooth gameplay.

The measured FPS data also highlights that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can take full advantage of its performance headroom. At these resolutions, players can confidently enable High or Ultra settings and expect a smooth experience. At 4K, the combo requires a compromise on settings to maintain playable frame rates, but it is still capable of delivering a playable experience at Medium settings. Overall, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination is well-matched for Thief, with the GPU providing the performance needed for high-quality gameplay at mainstream resolutions.