Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a peculiar case in Hitman 2, where the data reveals a system that is severely constrained by its graphics solution. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings are low, indicating that while the CPU offers solid processing capabilities, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck, making this combination unsuitable for smooth, modern gameplay at any of the tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates a system under immense graphical strain. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 80 FPS, which is the only playable result in the entire dataset. Moving to 1440p at the same Low settings, the average drops to 51 FPS, a significant 36% decrease. At 4K Low, the average plummets to 27 FPS, which is less than half of the 1080p Low score. This pattern of steep declines with each resolution step indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary limiting factor; its rendering throughput is simply insufficient to maintain performance as pixel count increases.

The scaling behavior becomes even more telling when examining the High settings. At 1080p High, the average is 46 FPS. This drops to 29 FPS at 1440p High, and further to 16 FPS at 4K High. The frame rate is nearly halved with each resolution increase, which is a classic sign of a GPU that is completely saturated. The data suggests that the Ryzen 5 2600, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is not the primary bottleneck here; instead, the Arc B390's limited fill rate and compute power are responsible for the dramatic performance collapse as resolution scales. The difference between 1080p and 4K at any setting is stark, reinforcing that this configuration is not designed for high-resolution gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for Hitman 2, this pairing performs poorly. The combo ranks 2662 out of 3001 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 11% of all systems evaluated. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance profile. The Intel Arc B390's average benchmark score is 1482, which puts it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the benchmark database are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, with deltaPct values of 1.3%, 1.5%, 2.5%, and 2.7% respectively. This means the Arc B390 is only slightly faster than these legacy entry-level mobile and OEM parts, which are not known for gaming prowess.

When compared to the CPU's standing, the disparity is clear. The Ryzen 5 2600 sits in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 21484. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V and the Intel Core i9-11900H, are within a 0.5% performance delta. The CPU is a capable mid-range processor from its generation, but the GPU is a bottom-tier component. The combo's low rank is therefore almost entirely attributable to the graphics card, which severely handicaps an otherwise competent processor. In this specific game, the system's overall capability is dictated by its weakest link, which is unequivocally the Intel Arc B390.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Hitman 2 at 4K resolution?*

A: No. The measured data shows that at 4K, the average frame rates are 27 FPS on Low, 21 FPS on Medium, 16 FPS on High, and 11 FPS on Ultra. These results are all far below the threshold for a smooth experience and indicate the GPU is not capable of handling the pixel load at this resolution.

Q: What is the best performance the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 + Intel Arc B390 combo can achieve?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded in the dataset is 80 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that delivers a frame rate high enough to be considered fluid for most players.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its closest rivals?

A: Based on average benchmark scores, the Arc B390 is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. These are all extremely small performance advantages.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main performance bottleneck in this setup?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. While the Ryzen 5 2600 has a benchmark score in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, the Intel Arc B390's score is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The drastic FPS drops when increasing resolution point directly to the graphics card being overwhelmed.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p on Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system produces an average of 39 FPS, with a minimum of 33 FPS and a maximum of 44 FPS. This is not a smooth experience for a stealth action game that requires precise movement.

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

A: The gap is substantial. At 1080p, the system averages 80 FPS on Low settings but only 34 FPS on Ultra settings. This represents a 58% drop in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured average frame rates for the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and Intel Arc B390 combination in Hitman 2.

At 1920x1080, the system performs as follows: with Low settings, it averages 80 FPS. On Medium settings, the average is 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 69 FPS. High settings yield an average of 46 FPS. The Ultra preset produces the lowest 1080p result, with an average of 34 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance drops notably. The Low preset averages 51 FPS. Medium settings average 39 FPS, with a minimum of 33 and a maximum of 44 FPS. High settings produce an average of 29 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 21 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. The Low preset averages 27 FPS. Medium settings average 21 FPS, with a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 24 FPS. The High preset averages 16 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 11 FPS. The data across all resolutions shows a consistent trend: the higher the settings and resolution, the lower the frame rate, with the system struggling significantly at 4K.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen+ architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. It has a 16 MB shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory. These specifications place it as a competent mid-range CPU from its generation, and its benchmark scores confirm this. For instance, it scores 1248 points in Cinebench R15 multicore and 157.3 points in single-core, and 5648 points in Geekbench multicore.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU's limitations. The game's engine is known to be CPU-sensitive, but the benchmark results show that the frame rates are so low across all settings that the processor is likely not being fully taxed. For example, at 1080p Low, the system reaches 80 FPS, which is the highest score in the dataset. If the CPU were the primary bottleneck, we would expect to see a performance ceiling at this resolution that is independent of graphics settings. However, the FPS drops significantly as settings increase, from 80 FPS at Low to 34 FPS at Ultra. This indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as it is unable to keep up with the increased graphical workload even though the CPU has enough headroom to process the game logic and physics.

The CPU's performance relative to other processors is solid, ranking in the 75th percentile. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V, has an average score that is 0.2% higher, while the Intel Xeon D-1746TER is 0.7% lower. This shows that the Ryzen 5 2600 is not a weak component. However, in this specific pairing, its capabilities are wasted because the Intel Arc B390 cannot translate that processing power into high frame rates. The data suggests that the CPU is ready and able, but the GPU is holding the entire system back.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured performance, the only viable path to a playable experience with this hardware is to prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The data shows that the gap between the Low and Ultra presets is massive, but the Low preset is the only one that results in a consistently smooth frame rate. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves an average of 80 FPS, which is the recommended target for this system. While the Medium preset at 1080p produces an average of 60 FPS, the minimum FPS of 51 suggests it may dip below the ideal threshold during intense scenes, making Low the safer choice for a stable experience.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the situation is more challenging. The Low preset at 1440p averages 51 FPS, which is borderline playable but may feel less smooth than the 1080p experience. The Medium preset at this resolution averages 39 FPS, which is likely too low for a game like Hitman 2 that requires precise timing and stealth. Therefore, 1440p users should stick to the Low preset if they want to maintain a mostly fluid frame rate. At 4K, none of the presets offer a playable experience, as even the Low preset only averages 27 FPS. This resolution should be avoided entirely with this combination.

In summary, the best experience for this system is to run the game at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This configuration provides the only average frame rate above 60 FPS in the entire dataset. If a higher resolution is required, users must be prepared to accept lower frame rates and should remain on the Low preset. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it produces average frame rates of 34 FPS at 1080p, 21 FPS at 1440p, and 11 FPS at 4K, all of which are too low for comfortable gameplay. This system is fundamentally limited by its graphics card, and settings must be tailored to accommodate that limitation.