Hitman 2

Hitman 2 presents a demanding workload that stresses both processor and graphics card, and the pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER produces a specific performance profile. The data indicates this combination ranks 1273 out of 1795 tested combos for this title, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the field. This rank suggests that while the setup is capable of playable frame rates at certain settings, it is not optimized for the highest echelons of performance in this particular game, with a significant number of other hardware pairings delivering superior results.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1273 out of 1795 places it in the 29th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly 71% of other combos deliver higher average frame rates in Hitman 2. This is a notable finding, as it indicates the system is not a top-tier performer for this title. The ranking implies a fundamental bottleneck or balance issue that prevents the hardware from achieving its full potential. When examining the components individually, the CPU's percentile of 77 against all CPUs suggests it is a reasonably capable processor, while the GPU's percentile of 63 against all GPUs indicates it is a mid-range performer. The combined rank being lower than either individual percentile suggests that the interaction between these two specific components is not ideal for Hitman 2's engine, which may favor different hardware characteristics.

Benchmark results indicate that the system struggles to maintain high frame rates at more demanding settings, which is a primary factor in its low ranking. The data shows a clear performance ceiling that is reached relatively quickly as graphical fidelity increases. This is not a combination that will dominate leaderboards; instead, it provides a functional but not exceptional experience. The gap between this combo and the top performers is substantial, and the measured FPS figures confirm that the hardware is often operating at the edge of its capabilities, particularly at 4K resolution where the average frame rate dips below 30 FPS on High settings. This performance level is more aligned with a mid-range gaming rig from its era rather than a high-end enthusiast setup.

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. This configuration provides solid multi-threaded capability, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11186. For Hitman 2, a stealth game that often involves complex AI routines and physics calculations, having 12 threads can be beneficial for maintaining consistent frame pacing. The processor's single-thread performance, with a Cinebench R23 score of 1579, is more modest, and this can be a limiting factor in scenarios where the game's main thread becomes the bottleneck. The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-11600KF which is 0.6% ahead, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U which is 0.6% behind, shows that it is competitive within its own generation, but it does not have a significant advantage over more modern or higher-clocked parts.

The CPU's role in the measured FPS becomes clearer when analyzing the frame rates across different settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 144.7 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the GPU is not the primary constraint at this level. However, the CPU's limitations start to show as the resolution increases and the GPU workload grows, but the processor still has to keep up with the game's logic. The PassMark multi-thread score of 13160 indicates a capable processor for general workloads, but its single-thread score of 2239 is less impressive. In Hitman 2, which is known to be sensitive to single-core performance, this means the CPU may not be fully able to feed the GPU in all situations, particularly when many AI characters are on screen or during complex scripted sequences. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration is a good match for modern games, but the architecture's older Zen design, with its lower IPC compared to newer generations, places a ceiling on how much performance the CPU can extract from the GPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This is a significant asset for Hitman 2, which features large, detailed environments that require substantial texture memory and bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock of 1650 MHz and its 2176 shading units allow it to handle DirectX 12 workloads effectively, as evidenced by its PassMark DirectX 12 score of 61. The GPU's overall performance, with a PassMark G3D score of 16462, places it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a solid mid-range performer. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, is only 0.5% ahead in average benchmark score, showing that the 2060 SUPER is very close to its higher-tier sibling in synthetic tests.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role is critical, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance when settings are increased. At 1080p with Low settings, the GPU can push frame rates to 144.7 FPS, but this drops to 57.9 FPS at Ultra settings, a clear indication that the graphical workload is scaling with the GPU's capabilities. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K resolution, the demand on memory and compute units becomes intense, leading to the low average FPS of 30.3 on High and 20.7 on Ultra. The GPU's performance relative to its rivals, such as being 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, highlights that while it is not a top-tier card, it offers competitive performance for its class. The data suggests that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the stronger component in this pairing, as it is able to deliver playable frame rates at 1440p in most settings, but it is ultimately held back by the CPU's limitations at lower resolutions and by its own limits at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a granular view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1080p, the system shows a wide range of performance. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 144.7 FPS, which is a very smooth experience. Moving to Medium settings reduces this to 109.8 FPS, and High settings further lowers it to 84.2 FPS. The most demanding Ultra settings bring the average down to 57.9 FPS, which is still playable but indicates a significant performance cost for the highest visual fidelity. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a performance drop of 60%, with the biggest single step being from High to Ultra.

At 1440p, the performance takes a noticeable hit. Low settings yield an average of 92.4 FPS, which is still good, but Medium drops to 68.7 FPS. High settings average 53.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 40.9 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings shows a consistent drop, with High settings going from 84.2 FPS to 53.3 FPS, a decrease of 36.7%. This indicates that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor as the pixel count increases. At 4K resolution, the system struggles significantly. Low settings average 48.3 FPS, which is the only setting that maintains a playable frame rate. Medium settings drop to 37.3 FPS, High settings to 30.3 FPS, and Ultra settings bring the system to its knees with an average of just 20.7 FPS. These numbers suggest that 4K gaming is only viable with the lowest settings, and even then, the frame rate is not high.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the balance between CPU and GPU limitations. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 144.7 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames quickly. However, when moving to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 92.4 FPS, a 36% reduction. This drop is more significant than what would be expected if the GPU were the only limiting factor, suggesting that the CPU's ability to prepare draw calls and manage game logic is starting to become a constraint. The trend continues at 4K Low, where the frame rate falls to 48.3 FPS, a 48% drop from 1440p. This pattern indicates that as the resolution increases, the GPU workload grows, and the CPU's single-thread performance becomes less able to keep up, creating a dual bottleneck.

Looking at the High settings for a more demanding scenario, the frame rate goes from 84.2 FPS at 1080p to 53.3 FPS at 1440p, a drop of 36.7%, and then to 30.3 FPS at 4K, a further drop of 43.2%. This scaling is more linear, indicating that the GPU is the dominant limiting factor at these higher settings. The data shows that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve high frame rates at Low and Medium settings and maintain playable rates at High. For 1440p, it is a viable option for Low and Medium settings, but High and Ultra settings push it to the edge of playability. At 4K, the system is not well-suited for the game, as even Low settings yield less than 50 FPS, and the higher settings result in a sub-30 FPS experience. The limiting component analysis reveals that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU's single-thread performance caps the frame rate, while at higher resolutions and settings, the GPU's raw compute power and memory bandwidth become the primary constraints.