Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 delivers a clear picture of how resolution dictates performance in Hitman 2. This combination demonstrates a steep performance curve as pixel count increases, with the frame rate dropping by half or more when moving from 1080p to 4K. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 182 FPS, but at 4K with Ultra settings, it falls to just 26 FPS. This dramatic scaling indicates that the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU holds its own at lower ones.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this system reveals a consistent and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 103 FPS, which drops to 66 FPS at 1440p and further to 35 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a 66% reduction from 1080p to 4K at the same High preset. Such a steep decline points to the GPU being the bottleneck, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K while the frame rate does not scale proportionally.

Looking at the Low settings row, the scaling is even more pronounced. At 1080p Low, the system hits 182 FPS, which drops to 116 FPS at 1440p and 62 FPS at 4K. The fact that even at Low settings the 4K result is only 34% of the 1080p figure suggests that the RX 7700 is working near its limits at 4K regardless of the graphical load. In contrast, the jump from Low to High at 1080p only costs 79 FPS (from 182 to 103), indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions.

The Medium settings row provides the only min/max FPS data in the entire dataset, offering a glimpse into frame time consistency. At 4K Medium, the system averages 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 53, showing a relatively tight 14 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the average rises to 87 FPS with a spread of 26 FPS (74 to 100), and at 1080p Medium, the average reaches 136 FPS with a 41 FPS spread (116 to 157). This widening range at lower resolutions suggests that the CPU is capable of pushing frames faster, but the GPU becomes more variable in its output.

The Ultra settings row presents the most demanding scenario. At 4K Ultra, the system manages only 26 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1440p Ultra, the result is 49 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it reaches 76 FPS. The fact that 1080p Ultra produces fewer frames than 1440p High (76 vs 66) but more than 4K High (35) shows that resolution and settings interact in a non-linear fashion, with the GPU being the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, built on a 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with 32 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of Hitman 2, a stealth game that relies on CPU for AI and physics calculations, this processor demonstrates adequate capability, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved at 1080p Low (182 FPS) where the CPU is less likely to be the bottleneck.

The CPU's benchmark scores provide context for its role in this combo. In Cinebench R23, it scores 15045 multi-core and 2124 single-core, while in Geekbench it scores 7372 multi-core and 1536 single-core. These scores place it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17035. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1260P (0.2% higher average score) and the Intel Core i5-11400 (0.2% lower average score), indicating that the Ryzen 5 3600 sits in a competitive mid-range position.

The fact that the system can deliver 182 FPS at 1080p Low suggests that the CPU is not the primary constraint at lower resolutions. However, the rapid drop in FPS as resolution increases points to the GPU becoming the limiting factor. This is consistent with the CPU's benchmark performance, which shows strong multi-threaded capability (15045 in Cinebench R23) that can handle the game's logic without dragging down frame rates. The CPU's 12 threads are likely sufficient for Hitman 2's workload, as the game does not heavily utilize more than a few cores.

At 4K, the CPU's role diminishes further. The 35 FPS at High and 26 FPS at Ultra are clearly GPU-bound, as the CPU would be able to produce more frames if the GPU could render them. The measured data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution, but rather the GPU's pixel throughput limits performance. This is a typical scenario for a mid-range CPU paired with a mid-range GPU in a game like Hitman 2.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a RDNA 3.0 architecture GPU with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. It has 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units, with a base clock of 1900 MHz and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. The GPU's memory capacity of 16 GB is substantial and likely sufficient for Hitman 2 at any resolution, as the game does not typically require more than 8 GB even at 4K.

The GPU's benchmark scores show it performs in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15852. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (1% higher) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (1.7% higher), placing it in a similar performance tier. The PassMark G3D score of 20974 indicates solid DirectX 11 performance, which is relevant for Hitman 2 given its release date in 2018.

The measured FPS data clearly shows the GPU as the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 4K, even Low settings only achieve 62 FPS, which is a 66% drop from the 1080p Low result of 182 FPS. This steep decline aligns with the GPU's pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth characteristics. The RX 7700's 96 ROPs and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but fall short of providing smooth 4K performance in this title.

The GPU's clock speeds play a role in the results. The boost clock of 2459 MHz is relatively high, and the game clock of 2041 MHz suggests sustained performance under load. However, the 4K results show that raw clock speed cannot compensate for the sheer number of pixels being processed. The 26 FPS at 4K Ultra is a clear indicator that the GPU is overwhelmed, and even at 4K High (35 FPS), the experience would be below the standard for smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1371 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 46th percentile of all combinations. This mid-pack ranking reflects the balanced but not exceptional performance of this pairing. The rank suggests that while this combo can handle the game at playable frame rates in most scenarios, it is not among the top performers for this title.

The ranking is influenced by the GPU's mid-tier position relative to other cards. The RX 7700's average benchmark score of 15852 places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 1.7% higher. This means that many other GPU pairings would outperform this combo in Hitman 2, particularly at higher resolutions. However, the CPU's 71st percentile ranking helps to offset some of the GPU's limitations, resulting in a combo that is capable but not outstanding.

The data shows that this combo's performance is more competitive at 1080p and 1440p than at 4K. At 1080p High (103 FPS) and 1440p High (66 FPS), the system delivers playable frame rates, but at 4K High (35 FPS), it falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The combo's rank of 1371 out of 3001 indicates that many other combinations can achieve better results, particularly those with higher-tier GPUs like the RTX 3060 Ti or RX 9060, which are listed as rivals with higher average scores.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p, all settings presets are playable, with Low achieving 182 FPS, Medium 136 FPS, High 103 FPS, and Ultra 76 FPS. The High preset at 1080p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it provides a significant improvement over Medium (136 to 103 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 87 FPS is the recommended choice for smooth gameplay, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold while offering better visuals than Low (116 FPS). The High preset at 66 FPS is also viable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 49 FPS is not recommended for competitive play but may be acceptable for slower-paced stealth gameplay where frame rate dips are less noticeable.

At 4K, the data suggests that only the Low preset (62 FPS) provides a playable experience, and even this is borderline. The Medium preset at 46 FPS and High at 35 FPS are below the 60 FPS standard, while Ultra at 26 FPS is unplayable for most users. Given the steep performance drop at 4K, users with this combo should either stick to 1440p or drop to Low settings at 4K for a playable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this combo is as follows. At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 182 FPS, Medium produces 136 FPS (min 116, max 157), High produces 103 FPS, and Ultra produces 76 FPS. At 2560x1440, Low produces 116 FPS, Medium produces 87 FPS (min 74, max 100), High produces 66 FPS, and Ultra produces 49 FPS. At 3840x2160, Low produces 62 FPS, Medium produces 46 FPS (min 39, max 53), High produces 35 FPS, and Ultra produces 26 FPS.

The Medium settings row is the only one with min/max data, showing the frame time variance across resolutions. At 1080p, the spread is 41 FPS (116 to 157), which is a 26% variance from the average. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 26 FPS (74 to 100), a 30% variance. At 4K, the spread is 14 FPS (39 to 53), a 30% variance. This consistent relative variance suggests that frame pacing remains stable across resolutions, with the absolute spread decreasing as the average frame rate drops.

Comparing settings at each resolution, the difference between Low and Ultra is substantial. At 1080p, Ultra delivers 58% fewer frames than Low (76 vs 182). At 1440p, Ultra delivers 58% fewer frames than Low (49 vs 116). At 4K, Ultra delivers 58% fewer frames than Low (26 vs 62). This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the settings scaling is uniform, and the GPU's performance degradation is proportional to the increased workload.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Hitman 2?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 1440p with Medium settings (87 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p, all settings are playable, but at 4K, only Low settings (62 FPS) achieve playable frame rates.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i7-1260P (17007) and 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i5-11400 (17067). This places it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Is the GPU the bottleneck at 4K?

A: Yes, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The frame rate drops from 182 FPS at 1080p Low to 62 FPS at 4K Low, a 66% reduction, while the CPU's performance is sufficient to drive higher frame rates if the GPU could render them.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p, High produces 103 FPS while Ultra produces 76 FPS, a 27 FPS difference. At 1440p, High produces 66 FPS while Ultra produces 49 FPS, a 17 FPS difference. At 4K, High produces 35 FPS while Ultra produces 26 FPS, a 9 FPS difference.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 1371 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 46th percentile. This reflects a mid-pack performance, with the GPU's 58th percentile ranking being the primary limiting factor.

Q: What are the GPU's closest performance rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, which is 1% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (16014) and 1.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129). It is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862).