Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 presents an interesting study in bottleneck dynamics within Hitman 2. The data shows a combination that delivers high frame rates across all settings, but the relationship between the CPU's mid-range capabilities and the GPU's top-tier performance defines the experience. This analysis walks through the measured results, examining how each component contributes to the final output.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in Hitman 2?

A: The combo ranks 134th out of 1,795 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7.5% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 3600 compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600 scores 18,129 on average, which is effectively tied with the Intel Core i5-11400 at 18,150 (a delta of -0.1%). It also sits within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS and 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 5 1600.

Q: What is the best frame rate achievable at 1920x1080 resolution?

A: The highest average frame rate at 1920x1080 is 226.6 FPS, achieved with Low settings. The Ultra preset still delivers a strong 141.5 FPS at this resolution.

Q: How much performance is gained by dropping from Ultra to Low at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, switching from Ultra (88.7 FPS) to Low (196.4 FPS) more than doubles the average frame rate, representing a 121.4% increase. The Medium preset also provides a significant boost to 158.8 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested graphics cards?

A: The RTX 4090 sits in the 91st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 66,473. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla T4, which scores 66,733, a delta of -0.4%.

Q: Does the CPU show any signs of bottlenecking the GPU at 3840x2160?

A: At 3840x2160, the frame rate drops from 112.5 FPS on Low to 48.1 FPS on Ultra. This large spread suggests that at 4K the GPU workload becomes the limiting factor, while the CPU has more headroom.

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 operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with 32 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications place it firmly in the mid-range segment, and its benchmark scores reflect that positioning.

The data shows the CPU's synthetic performance is moderate. In Cinebench R23, it scores 15,045 in multi-core and 2,124 in single-core tests. Its Passmark multithread score is 17,700, and its 3DMark scores range from 696 (single-thread) to 4,605 (16-thread). These numbers indicate a processor that handles modern workloads competently but does not lead the pack.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role becomes apparent when examining frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 226.6 FPS. This is a high number, but it is notably lower than the 196.4 FPS seen at 2560x1440 with the same settings. This anomaly suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is being pushed harder, as the GPU has more capacity to render frames than the CPU can feed it. The Ryzen 5 3600's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for the game's logic, but they become the limiting factor when the GPU is not otherwise constrained.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 76th among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18,129, confirms its position. It is nearly identical in synthetic performance to the Intel Core i5-11400 (18,150, -0.1% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (18,158, -0.2% delta). This means the Ryzen 5 3600 is a known quantity in the mid-range space, and its interaction with the RTX 4090 in Hitman 2 is predictable: it provides adequate throughput for high frame rates but will not allow the GPU to reach its absolute maximum potential at lower resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a flagship Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, and 176 ROPs. It features 128 ray tracing cores and 512 tensor cores. Its memory subsystem is substantial: 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz.

This hardware translates into a 91st percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 66,473. The data shows the GPU is a powerhouse, but its nearest rivals in the benchmark database are professional-grade cards like the NVIDIA Tesla T4 (66,733, -0.4% delta) and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 (67,097, -0.9% delta). This indicates that the RTX 4090's raw compute is exceptional, but its gaming performance is what matters here.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role scales directly with resolution and settings. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the primary driver of performance. The average frame rate drops from 112.5 FPS on Low to 87.5 FPS on Medium, then to 62.7 FPS on High, and finally to 48.1 FPS on Ultra. This steep decline across settings demonstrates that the RTX 4090 is being fully utilized at 4K, with each increase in graphical fidelity taxing the GPU's resources.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s and 24 GB VRAM are more than sufficient for Hitman 2's demands, even at Ultra settings. The measured data does not indicate any memory-related stutters or capacity limitations. The GPU's FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS provides ample compute for the game's rendering tasks, and the boost clock of 2520 MHz ensures high throughput. At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU's power is partially held back by the CPU, but at 4K, the RTX 4090 takes over as the definitive performance limiter.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for this combination. The goal is to balance visual fidelity with a smooth frame rate, and the data shows distinct tiers of performance.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 141.5 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. However, the High preset offers 184.6 FPS, a 30.4% improvement, with likely minimal visual difference. For competitive play or high refresh rate displays, the Medium preset at 201.1 FPS is the best option, as it provides a substantial boost over High while still maintaining high visual quality. The Low preset at 226.6 FPS is the fastest, but it sacrifices too much visual detail for most users.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset drops to 88.7 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The High preset at 121.6 FPS is the sweet spot, offering a smooth experience with high visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 158.8 FPS is also excellent, providing a 31.1% increase over High. For those prioritizing frame rate, Low at 196.4 FPS is available, but the Medium preset is the recommended balance.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Ultra preset at 48.1 FPS is borderline playable but may feel sluggish. The High preset at 62.7 FPS is the minimum for a comfortable experience, while the Medium preset at 87.5 FPS is the best choice. Medium at 4K offers a 39.6% improvement over High and keeps the experience smooth. The Low preset at 112.5 FPS is excessive for most, and the visual downgrade is significant at this resolution.

The data suggests that for this combo, the Medium or High presets are generally the best choices. At 1080p, High is recommended for the best balance. At 1440p, High is the top pick. At 4K, Medium is the clear winner. These presets leverage the GPU's power while ensuring the CPU does not introduce unnecessary frame pacing issues.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 134th out of 1,795 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the top 7.5% of all systems, which is a strong result given the CPU's mid-range positioning. The ranking reflects the GPU's dominance, as the RTX 4090 is capable of high frame rates even when paired with a less powerful processor.

The data indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of other tested systems, but it does not reach the top tier. The top ranks are likely occupied by combinations with newer, higher-end CPUs that can better feed the RTX 4090. The Ryzen 5 3600's performance, while adequate, does not allow the GPU to reach its full potential at lower resolutions, which likely caps the combo's overall ranking.

Synthetic benchmarks corroborate this. The CPU's average score of 18,129 is respectable, but its nearest rivals (the Core i5-11400 at 18,150 and Ryzen 5 1600 at 18,158) are all within a fraction of a percent. This means the CPU is not a differentiator. The GPU, with its 91st percentile ranking, is the clear driver of this combo's success. The combination's 134th place ranking out of 1,795 reflects the RTX 4090's ability to compensate for a mid-range CPU in a game like Hitman 2.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data shows a consistent pattern across all resolutions: lower settings yield higher frame rates, with the RTX 4090 providing a massive performance envelope.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves the following average frame rates:

• Low: 226.6 FPS
• Medium: 201.1 FPS
• High: 184.6 FPS
• Ultra: 141.5 FPS

The progression from Ultra to Low represents a 60.1% increase in frame rate. The step from High to Medium is a 8.9% improvement, while the step from Medium to Low is a 12.7% improvement.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are:

• Low: 196.4 FPS
• Medium: 158.8 FPS
• High: 121.6 FPS
• Ultra: 88.7 FPS

Here, the difference between Ultra and Low is 121.4%. The step from Ultra to High is a 37.1% improvement, and from High to Medium is a 30.6% improvement. This resolution shows the most dramatic scaling, indicating that the GPU's capabilities are being more fully exercised.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are:

• Low: 112.5 FPS
• Medium: 87.5 FPS
• High: 62.7 FPS
• Ultra: 48.1 FPS

The scaling at 4K is the most significant. The difference between Ultra and Low is 134.3%. The step from Ultra to High is a 30.4% improvement, and from High to Medium is a 39.6% improvement. This indicates that the 4K resolution is the most demanding on the GPU, and each settings tier has a substantial impact on performance.

Comparing across resolutions, the data shows that at 1080p, the CPU begins to limit performance, as the frame rates are high but not proportionally higher than 1440p for the same settings. At 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, and the frame rates scale almost linearly with the graphics workload. The RTX 4090's 24 GB VRAM and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth ensure that memory is never a limiting factor, even at 4K Ultra.