Thief

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, paired with a 36 MB shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51,731 and a single-core score of 7,303, placing it in the 96th percentile of all tested CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 84,003 is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83,807, a delta of just 0.2%. The CPU also edges out the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83,090) by 1.1% and the AMD EPYC 9135 (82,980) by 1.2%, while trailing the AMD EPYC 7F72 (85,072) by 1.3%. For a game like Thief, released in 2014, this processor’s immense multi-threaded headroom is far beyond what the title requires, but its strong single-core performance is what matters most for frame pacing in a stealth game that relies on consistent physics and AI updates.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, based on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip, is the more likely bottleneck in this pairing. It features 6,144 shading units, 48 ray-tracing cores, and 192 tensor cores, with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. Its 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus delivers 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth. In GPU benchmarks, the RTX 3070 Ti scores 23,356 in Passmark G3D and 11,601 in Passmark GPU Compute, placing it in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 29,945 is effectively tied with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile (29,928, +0.1%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6800 (30,095, -0.5%), while slightly ahead of the RTX 2080 Ti (29,783, +0.5%) and behind the RX 6700 (30,433, -1.6%). Since Thief is a 2014 title, it does not leverage modern features like ray tracing or DLSS, so the raw rasterization throughput of the RTX 3070 Ti is the primary driver of performance. The data shows that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is rarely the limiting factor, but at 4K Ultra, the GPU’s 8 GB frame buffer and compute limits become evident.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. It has 36 MB of L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, which is substantial for a desktop part. In Cinebench R23, it scores 51,731 multi-core and 7,303 single-core, indicating that its single-threaded performance is exceptionally strong. This is directly relevant to Thief, a stealth game from 2014 that relies on a single primary game thread for player input, AI decisions, and world state updates. The CPU’s 5.80 GHz boost clock ensures that this main thread has access to maximum frequency, which helps maintain high frame rates even when many AI characters are active.

The processor’s 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs means it outperforms the vast majority of desktop and server parts in aggregate. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, scores nearly identically (84,003 vs. 83,807, a 0.2% delta), showing that the 290K Plus offers no meaningful CPU-bound advantage in this game. The AMD EPYC parts listed as rivals are server processors with different memory architectures, so their similar average scores do not translate to gaming performance directly. In Thief, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and process game logic; at 1080p, the measured FPS ranges from 121 to 220 depending on settings, which strongly suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck at lower resolutions. The single-core score of 7,303 in Cinebench R23 is more than sufficient for a game of this era, and the data confirms that the processor can deliver over 200 FPS at low settings without breaking a sweat.

However, the CPU’s 24 cores are largely idle in Thief, as the game engine from 2014 was designed for quad-core or at most six-core processors. The measured FPS at 1080p Ultra is 121, which is still high, but the gap between Low (220 FPS) and Ultra (121 FPS) is 99 FPS, a 45% drop. This indicates that while the CPU handles the game logic easily, the GPU is already struggling with the increased graphical load at higher settings, even at 1080p. The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s and support for DDR5 are more than adequate for Thief, so the processor is effectively a non-factor in limiting performance. The data shows that the CPU’s single-threaded capability is the key attribute, and it delivers that in abundance.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings for this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 127 FPS, with no min or max values recorded in the data.

Q: How does the CPU’s average benchmark score compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K’s score of 83,807.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 97, with an average of 114 and a maximum of 131.

Q: Does the GPU outperform the AMD Radeon RX 6800 in average benchmark score?

A: No, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29,945, which is 0.5% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6800’s score of 30,095.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded across all measured resolutions and settings?

A: The highest average FPS is 220, recorded at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested CPU-GPU combinations in Thief?

A: The combo ranks 783rd out of 2,851 tested combinations, placing it in the top 27.5% of all tested rigs for this game.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the average FPS is 127. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 87, a 31.5% decrease. At 4K High, the average falls to 51, which is a further 41.4% drop from 1440p. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 3070 Ti is the limiting component at higher resolutions, as the CPU’s performance does not change with resolution. The CPU’s strong single-core score of 7,303 in Cinebench R23 ensures that it can maintain high frame rates at 1080p, but the GPU’s pixel and texture throughput is the bottleneck as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

The scaling from Low to Ultra settings at the same resolution further confirms this. At 1080p, Low yields 220 FPS, Medium yields 167 FPS, High yields 127 FPS, and Ultra yields 121 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 99 FPS, a 45% reduction, which is entirely due to increased GPU load from higher-quality textures, shadows, and post-processing effects. At 4K, the same settings progression shows 89 FPS on Low, 67 FPS on Medium, 51 FPS on High, and 49 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra at 4K is 40 FPS (45%), which is proportionally similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are much lower, confirming that the GPU is saturated.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution. If it were, the FPS would remain constant or drop only slightly when resolution increases, but the measured numbers show a near-linear decline with pixel count. For example, going from 1080p Low (220 FPS) to 1440p Low (151 FPS) is a 31% drop, and to 4K Low (89 FPS) is a 60% drop from 1080p. These reductions correlate directly with the increase in GPU workload, not CPU workload. Therefore, the RTX 3070 Ti’s 8 GB of GDDR6X memory and 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are the primary constraints, especially at 4K where the average FPS on Ultra is just 49, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset delivers an average of 127 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and close to the 144 Hz refresh rate of many monitors. The Ultra preset only drops to 121 FPS, a negligible 5% loss, so players with 1080p displays can safely use Ultra without sacrificing much performance. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 167 FPS, which is beneficial for competitive play, but the visual quality difference between Medium and High is typically more noticeable in a stealth game where shadow detail and ambient occlusion matter for immersion.

At 1440p, the High preset produces 87 FPS, which is smooth but not ideal for 144 Hz monitors. The Medium preset offers 114 FPS, which is a better balance for high-refresh displays, while Ultra drops to 83 FPS. For a game like Thief, where exploration and atmosphere are key, the High preset at 1440p is recommended because it provides a 87 FPS average, which is still playable on most 60 Hz displays and only 4 FPS below the Ultra setting. However, if the player has a 144 Hz monitor, Medium at 114 FPS is the better choice, as the visual difference between Medium and High is less critical than maintaining a high frame rate.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Ultra preset averages 49 FPS, which is below 60 FPS and may cause noticeable stutter in fast-paced sections. The High preset at 51 FPS is marginally better but still under 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 67 FPS is the first setting that exceeds 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 4K displays. The Low preset at 89 FPS is the only option that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. Given that Thief is a stealth game where lighting and shadow play a critical role in gameplay, the Medium preset at 4K is the best compromise, delivering 67 FPS with acceptable visual fidelity. The data shows that the GPU’s 8 GB frame buffer is a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, so players should avoid Ultra unless they are willing to accept sub-60 FPS performance.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ranks 783rd out of 2,851 tested CPU-GPU combinations in Thief. This places the combo in the top 27.5% of all tested rigs, which is a solid result for a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU. The rank is driven primarily by the GPU’s performance, as the CPU is far more powerful than needed for this game. In fact, the CPU’s 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs suggests that a less powerful processor would yield nearly identical results in Thief, as the game is clearly GPU-bound at most settings and resolutions.

The combo’s rank of 783 means there are 782 other combinations that perform better in Thief, likely featuring higher-tier GPUs like the RTX 3080 or RTX 4090, which have more compute units and memory bandwidth. However, the RTX 3070 Ti’s average benchmark score of 29,945 is only 0.1% behind the RTX 5070 Mobile and 0.5% ahead of the RTX 2080 Ti, indicating that it competes well with previous-generation flagship cards. The fact that this combo ranks in the top 27.5% is notable because Thief is an older title that may not scale perfectly with modern hardware, so the ranking likely reflects the GPU’s raw rasterization power rather than any CPU advantage.

The data shows that the combo’s performance is consistent across resolutions, with the 4K Ultra result of 49 FPS being the weakest point. This suggests that the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates. At 4K, the combo is only viable on Medium settings or lower. The rank of 783 out of 2,851 is a useful benchmark for users considering this CPU-GPU pairing, as it provides a clear indication that the RTX 3070 Ti is the limiting factor and that upgrading the GPU would yield the most significant performance gains in Thief.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low settings yield an average of 220 FPS, with no min or max values recorded. The Medium settings produce an average of 167 FPS, with a minimum of 142 and a maximum of 192. The High settings result in an average of 127 FPS, and the Ultra settings produce an average of 121 FPS. This progression shows a 45% drop from Low to Ultra, from 220 to 121 FPS, which is a significant reduction but still leaves the combo comfortably above 60 FPS at all settings.

At 2560x1440, the Low settings produce an average of 151 FPS, with no min or max values recorded. The Medium settings yield an average of 114 FPS, with a minimum of 97 and a maximum of 131. The High settings result in an average of 87 FPS, and the Ultra settings produce an average of 83 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 68 FPS (45%), which is proportionally similar to 1080p, but the absolute values are lower, indicating that the GPU is working harder at this resolution. All settings at 1440p remain above 60 FPS, making this resolution viable for all presets, though Ultra at 83 FPS is close to the 60 FPS threshold for some users.

At 3840x2160, the Low settings produce an average of 89 FPS, with no min or max values recorded. The Medium settings yield an average of 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 and a maximum of 77. The High settings result in an average of 51 FPS, and the Ultra settings produce an average of 49 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 40 FPS (45%), which is consistent with the other resolutions, but the absolute values are the lowest of all. Only the Low and Medium settings at 4K exceed the 60 FPS threshold, with Medium at 67 FPS being the highest playable preset. The minimum FPS of 57 at 4K Medium indicates that there are occasional dips below 60 FPS, so players with strict frame rate requirements may prefer Low at 89 FPS.

The data also shows that the gap between Medium and High is larger at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the difference is 40 FPS (167 to 127), while at 4K, the difference is 16 FPS (67 to 51). This suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute capacity are more strained at higher resolutions, causing the performance to compress as settings increase. The 8 GB frame buffer of the RTX 3070 Ti is likely a factor at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS of 49 indicates that the GPU is running out of memory bandwidth or capacity. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown confirms that this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring reduced settings to maintain playable frame rates.