Hitman 2

AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D presents a striking contrast in generational capability within Hitman 2. The data indicates a configuration where the 2018-era 6-core processor anchors a 2025 flagship GPU, producing a unique performance profile that shifts dramatically based on resolution and settings. The measured frames per second (FPS) reveal a system that is capable of excellent high-refresh-rate play at 1080p and smooth 4K experiences, but the bottlenecks and scaling patterns tell a story worth examining closely.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data across all resolutions points to the Medium preset as the optimal balance between visual fidelity and frame rate stability for this combination. At 1080p, Medium delivers an average of 178 FPS, which is only 19 FPS less than the Low preset’s 197 FPS but a substantial 35 FPS more than High’s 160 FPS. The gap widens at higher resolutions; at 1440p, Medium averages 153 FPS versus 170 FPS for Low and 132 FPS for High. The most compelling argument for Medium comes from the 4K results, where it achieves 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS and a maximum of 107 FPS—this is the only 4K preset that provides a locked, smooth experience above typical 60Hz monitor refresh rates.

Ultra settings, while offering the highest visual quality, exact a heavy toll that makes it difficult to recommend for this pairing. At 4K, Ultra drops to 52 FPS average, which falls below the smoothness threshold for many action-oriented stealth scenarios. Even at 1080p, Ultra’s 143 FPS average is only 20 FPS higher than 4K Medium, demonstrating poor scaling efficiency. For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset is viable, but the jump from Low to Medium is relatively small (19 FPS at 1080p, 17 FPS at 1440p, 31 FPS at 4K) compared to the visual improvements Medium typically offers. Therefore, Medium represents the sweet spot where the RTX 5090 D’s capabilities are utilized without being hamstrung by the CPU’s limitations.

GPU Role

The RTX 5090 D is a monstrous piece of silicon, featuring 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. Its core configuration includes 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster operations pipelines, with base and boost clocks of 2017 MHz and 2407 MHz respectively. In the context of Hitman 2, a game from 2018, this hardware is massively overprovisioned in terms of raw compute and memory capacity. The GPU’s benchmark scores reflect its dominance: a Passmark G3D score of 44,065 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 place it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712.

However, the measured FPS data reveals that in this specific pairing, the GPU is rarely the limiting factor except at the highest resolutions and settings. At 1080p and 1440p with Low or Medium settings, the frame rates are high, but the scaling pattern suggests the Ryzen 5 2600 is holding back the GPU from reaching its full potential. The GPU’s nearest rivals in the benchmark database—the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (1.1% slower), AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.6% faster), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants (2.1-2.4% faster)—are all far less powerful in absolute terms, yet the FPS differences in this game are not proportionally massive, reinforcing the CPU bottleneck theory. The 32 GB VRAM is entirely irrelevant for Hitman 2, as the game’s textures and geometry from 2018 would likely consume less than 8 GB even at 4K Ultra, leaving the vast majority of the memory pool idle.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K provides a clear picture of where the bottleneck shifts. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 178 at 1080p to 153 at 1440p (a 14% drop) and then to 93 at 4K (a 39% drop from 1440p). This non-linear scaling is typical of a system that transitions from CPU-limited to GPU-limited as resolution increases. At 1080p, the Ryzen 5 2600 is likely the constraint, unable to feed frames fast enough to saturate the RTX 5090 D. As resolution climbs to 4K, the GPU’s workload increases substantially, and it begins to become the limiting factor, though the 93 FPS at 4K Medium still indicates the GPU has headroom.

The Low preset shows a similar pattern: 197 FPS at 1080p, 170 FPS at 1440p, and 124 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 27%, which is less severe than the Medium preset’s 39% drop, suggesting that at Low settings, the CPU remains a significant constraint even at 4K. Conversely, the Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling: 143 FPS at 1080p, 98 FPS at 1440p, and 52 FPS at 4K. This 64% performance loss from 1080p to 4K on Ultra indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed by the highest settings, and the CPU bottleneck is less pronounced. The data suggests that for this pairing, 1440p is the sweet spot for high refresh rate gaming, while 4K is best suited to Medium or High settings to maintain playable frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p:

• Low: 197 FPS average
• Medium: 178 FPS average, with a minimum of 151 FPS and maximum of 204 FPS
• High: 160 FPS average
• Ultra: 143 FPS average

At 1080p, all presets deliver frame rates well above 60 FPS, and even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains an average of 143 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 54 FPS, indicating that the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates, but the GPU’s overhead at Ultra settings begins to show. The Medium preset’s minimum of 151 FPS ensures that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate does not dip below 144Hz, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

1440p:

• Low: 170 FPS average
• Medium: 153 FPS average, with a minimum of 130 FPS and maximum of 176 FPS
• High: 132 FPS average
• Ultra: 98 FPS average

The 1440p results show a clearer separation between presets. Low and Medium both remain above 150 FPS, providing excellent smoothness. High drops to 132 FPS, which is still very playable but begins to approach the threshold where frame time consistency matters. Ultra’s 98 FPS average is a significant step down, and while it is still above 60 FPS, it represents a 36% performance drop from High. The Medium preset’s minimum of 130 FPS is noteworthy, as it ensures that the vast majority of gameplay remains above 120 FPS.

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 124 FPS average
• Medium: 93 FPS average, with a minimum of 79 FPS and maximum of 107 FPS
• High: 71 FPS average
• Ultra: 52 FPS average

At 4K, the performance hierarchy shifts dramatically. Low remains highly playable at 124 FPS, but Medium drops to 93 FPS, which is still smooth for most users. High at 71 FPS is borderline for 60Hz displays but may feel inconsistent on 120Hz panels. Ultra’s 52 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making it unsuitable for competitive play or fast-paced action. The Medium preset’s minimum of 79 FPS is the key takeaway—it ensures that even in the worst-case scenarios, the game remains fluid and responsive.

FAQ

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D overkill for Hitman 2 with the Ryzen 5 2600?

A: The data suggests yes, particularly at lower resolutions. At 1080p and 1440p with Low or Medium settings, the frame rates are high, but the scaling indicates the CPU is the primary limiter. The GPU’s 32 GB VRAM and immense compute power are not fully utilized in this game, as evidenced by the relatively modest FPS gains compared to far weaker GPUs in its benchmark tier.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this setup?

A: 1440p with Medium settings offers the best combination of visual quality and performance, delivering 153 FPS average with a 130 FPS minimum. This provides a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors while allowing the GPU to do more work than at 1080p. For 4K, Medium at 93 FPS is the recommended choice, as it stays comfortably above 60 FPS.

Q: Why does the FPS drop so much from 1440p to 4K on Ultra settings?

A: The drop from 98 FPS at 1440p to 52 FPS at 4K on Ultra represents a 47% performance loss. This indicates that at Ultra settings and 4K resolution, the RTX 5090 D becomes the definitive bottleneck, as the increased pixel count and graphical effects heavily tax the GPU. The CPU’s role diminishes at this extreme settings level.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 2600 holding back the RTX 5090 D?

A: Yes, particularly at 1080p and 1440p with lower settings. The fact that the 1080p Low preset only achieves 197 FPS, while the GPU is capable of far higher frame rates in less CPU-bound scenarios, suggests the 6-core, 12-thread processor from 2018 is the limiting factor. The CPU’s Passmark single-thread score of 2,239 and multi-thread score of 13,160 indicate modest performance by modern standards.

Q: Can this setup achieve 144 FPS at 4K?

A: No, the data shows that even at Low settings, 4K only reaches 124 FPS average. The most demanding preset, Ultra, drops to 52 FPS. To achieve 144 FPS at 4K, a more powerful CPU would be required to reduce the bottleneck at lower settings, or a less demanding game would be necessary.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 2600’s performance compare to its nearest rivals in this context?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600 has an average benchmark score of 21,484, placing it at the 75th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V (0.2% faster), Intel Core i9-11900H (0.5% faster), Intel Xeon D-1746TER (0.7% slower), and AMD EPYC 9454 (1.2% slower). These tiny margins indicate that the Ryzen 5 2600 is competitive with much newer processors in synthetic benchmarks, though its real-world gaming performance may differ.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen+ architecture, manufactured on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, with a 65W TDP. The CPU features 16 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. Its benchmark scores include a Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 1,248 and single-core score of 157.3, a Geekbench multi-core score of 5,648 and single-core score of 1,154, and a Passmark multi-thread score of 13,160.

In Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is crucial in determining the upper limits of frame rates, especially at lower resolutions and settings. The game’s AI, physics, and scene management rely heavily on single-thread performance, which is where the Ryzen 5 2600 shows its age. The Passmark single-thread score of 2,239 is modest compared to modern processors, and this directly correlates with the FPS ceilings observed in the data. At 1080p Low, the CPU can only push 197 FPS, while at 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, allowing the CPU to keep up with the lower frame rate demand.

The CPU’s 75th percentile ranking and its near-tie with rivals like the Intel Core i9-11900H (0.5% faster) and AMD EPYC 9454 (1.2% slower) suggest that in synthetic tests, it remains capable. However, in gaming, the age of the architecture (released April 2018) means it lacks the IPC improvements of newer generations. The data shows that to fully unlock the RTX 5090 D’s potential in this game, a CPU with higher single-thread performance would be necessary, as the GPU is capable of far higher frame rates than what the CPU allows at 1080p and 1440p with lower settings. The 16 MB L3 cache and 12 threads are sufficient for Hitman 2’s multi-threaded workloads, but the single-core speed is the limiting factor in this pairing.