Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 pairing delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Hitman 2, but the data shows a sharp drop-off at 4K that reveals a clear GPU bottleneck. This combo ranks in the 54th percentile of all tested configurations for this title, placing it in the upper half of the field. The measured frame rates tell a story of a system that excels at high-refresh 1080p gaming, remains capable at 1440p, but struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K in Hitman 2 is steep and consistent across all settings presets. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 103 FPS at 1920x1080 to 66 FPS at 2560x1440, then plummets to 35 FPS at 3840x2160. That represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a 47% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The pattern is even more pronounced at Ultra settings, where the average falls from 76 FPS at 1080p to 49 FPS at 1440p, and finally to a barely playable 26 FPS at 4K.

Low settings show the widest absolute spread, with 182 FPS at 1080p dropping to 116 FPS at 1440p and 62 FPS at 4K. The 1080p Low result suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far more frames than the GPU can render at higher resolutions. The incremental performance loss between 1440p and 4K at Low settings is 54 FPS, which is larger than the 37 FPS loss observed at High settings between the same two resolutions. This widening gap at lower settings indicates that as the graphical load decreases, the pixel throughput demands of 4K become the dominant limiting factor.

The Medium settings row provides the only min/max data in the entire set, showing a range of 116 to 157 FPS at 1080p, 74 to 100 FPS at 1440p, and 39 to 53 FPS at 4K. The minimum frame rates at 4K Medium dip to 39 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider smooth. The data clearly shows that the RX 7700's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus are not enough to maintain fluid frame rates at 4K in this title, regardless of how much the CPU has in reserve.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Hitman 2 at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?*

A: Only at Low settings, where the average frame rate reaches 62 FPS at 3840x2160. At Medium settings the average drops to 46 FPS, and at High and Ultra settings it falls to 35 FPS and 26 FPS respectively. For a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, you would need to use Low settings and accept occasional dips below the average.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing?

A: The 2560x1440 resolution offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At High settings, the average frame rate is 66 FPS, which is comfortably playable. At Medium settings, the average rises to 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS, providing headroom for smooth gameplay. The 1080p resolution delivers higher frame rates, with 103 FPS at High and 136 FPS at Medium, but the visual upgrade to 1440p is substantial for a modest performance cost.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average frame rate is 182 FPS, which suggests the Ryzen 5 5500's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to keep the GPU well-fed. The single-thread score of 836 in 3DMark and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2319 indicate strong per-core performance for a 2022 processor. The CPU's 4.20 GHz boost clock helps maintain high frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios, though Hitman 2 appears to scale more with GPU load at higher settings.

Q: Is the RX 7700 a bottleneck at 4K?

A: Yes, the data strongly indicates GPU limitation at 3840x2160. The frame rate drops from 62 FPS at Low to 26 FPS at Ultra, a 58% reduction that scales almost linearly with the graphical workload. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 20974 and its 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs suggest it is a mid-range performer, and the 4K results confirm that it lacks the raw pixel throughput for high-fidelity 4K gaming in this title.

Q: What settings preset gives the most consistent experience?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 provides the best combination of average frame rate and consistency. The average of 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and maximum of 100 FPS shows tight frame pacing with no severe dips. At 1080p, Medium also performs well with an average of 136 FPS and a minimum of 116 FPS, but the 1440p Medium result offers a better visual experience while staying well above 60 FPS.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested configurations?

A: This pairing ranks 1371 out of 3001 tested combos for Hitman 2, placing it in the upper half of all configurations. The CPU's average benchmark score of 19593 puts it within 1% of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i5-12500 and Intel Core i7-10700F. The GPU's average score of 15852 is comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which trails by 1.7%, and the AMD Radeon RX 9060, which leads by 1%.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, built on TSMC's 7 nm process node. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.20 GHz provide solid single-threaded performance, as evidenced by the 3DMark single-thread score of 836 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2319. The processor's 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for feeding a mid-range GPU in this title.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are respectable but not exceptional. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and the Geekbench multi-core score of 7976 place it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5386 shows that the processor scales well with additional threads, but Hitman 2 does not appear to be heavily threaded. The game's performance at 1080p Low settings, where the CPU has the most influence, reaches 182 FPS, indicating that the Ryzen 5 5500 can handle high refresh rates without becoming a limiting factor.

The processor's 65 W TDP and 7 nm process node make it an efficient choice, and its PCIe Gen 3 interface is sufficient for the RX 7700, which uses PCIe 4.0. The gap between the CPU's performance at 1080p Low and the GPU's performance at 4K Ultra is stark, suggesting that the CPU has significant headroom left on the table. The nearest CPU rivals, including the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 and Intel Core i5-12500, all score within 0.7% of the Ryzen 5 5500, confirming that this is a well-balanced mid-range processor that won't hold back the GPU in most scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

For 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers the most balanced experience. The average frame rate of 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS ensures smooth gameplay even in crowded scenes, while the 157 FPS maximum shows there is headroom for a higher refresh rate monitor. The High preset at 103 FPS is also viable, but the 33 FPS drop from Medium to High comes with diminishing visual returns. The Low preset at 182 FPS is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the clear winner. The average of 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, and the 100 FPS maximum indicates that the system can handle less demanding scenes without issue. The High preset at 66 FPS is playable but leaves less headroom for frame rate drops. The Ultra preset at 49 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided for competitive or fast-paced play. The Low preset at 116 FPS is unnecessary and wastes the visual potential of a 1440p display.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only option that maintains an average above 60 FPS, hitting 62 FPS. The Medium preset at 46 FPS is playable for slower, methodical stealth gameplay, but the 39 FPS minimum in the measured range indicates that busy scenes will cause noticeable stuttering. The High and Ultra presets at 35 FPS and 26 FPS respectively are not recommended for any serious play. For 4K, sticking with Low or Medium settings and prioritizing stealth mechanics over visual fidelity is the practical approach.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1371 out of 3001 tested combos for Hitman 2. This placement in the 54th percentile means that roughly 46% of all tested configurations perform better, while 54% perform worse. The ranking reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning more than the CPU's, as the graphics card is the primary limiter at higher resolutions.

The CPU's performance relative to its peers is strong, with an average benchmark score of 19593 that sits within 0.7% of its closest rivals. The Intel Core i5-11600KF leads the group with a score of 19723, just 0.7% ahead, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 trails by 0.1%. This tight grouping suggests that the Ryzen 5 5500 is not the weak link in this system.

The GPU's ranking is more modest, with a PassMark G3D score of 20974 placing it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest GPU rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 370X, which scores within 0.1%, and the AMD Radeon RX 9060, which leads by 1%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti trails by 1.7%, confirming that the RX 7700 sits in a competitive but crowded mid-range segment. The combo's overall rank in the 54th percentile for Hitman 2 suggests that while this system is capable, it doesn't stand out as a high-performance configuration for this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings shows a wide performance spread. Low settings produce an average of 182 FPS, Medium settings produce 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, High settings produce 103 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 76 FPS. The 106 FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings demonstrates the significant performance cost of the highest quality presets at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the averages decrease across all settings. Low settings average 116 FPS, Medium settings average 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS, High settings average 66 FPS, and Ultra settings average 49 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 67 FPS at this resolution, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops become more severe. Low settings average 62 FPS, Medium settings average 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS, High settings average 35 FPS, and Ultra settings average 26 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is only 36 FPS, showing that the GPU is saturated at all settings levels. The Medium settings row at 4K shows the widest relative spread, with the minimum of 39 FPS falling 15% below the average of 46 FPS, indicating inconsistent frame pacing under load.