Hitman 2

The pairing of AMD’s Ryzen 5 5500 with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER in Hitman 2 presents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics. The data reveals a system where the GPU’s immense raw power is frequently constrained by the CPU’s architectural limits, particularly at lower resolutions. The measured frame rates tell a clear story of scalability, or the lack thereof, as graphical load shifts between the processor and the graphics card.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K is the most telling indicator of where the performance ceiling lies for this combo. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces an average of 270 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings drops this to 192 FPS, a significant 28.9% reduction. Continuing to 3840x2160 at Low yields 103 FPS, another 46.4% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline as resolution increases suggests that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is the primary limiter, unable to feed frames fast enough to fully utilize the RTX 4080 SUPER’s capabilities.

The pattern becomes even more pronounced when examining the High preset. The 1080p High result of 171 FPS falls to 109 FPS at 1440p (a 36.3% decrease) and then to 58 FPS at 4K (a 46.8% decrease from 1440p). The consistent, large percentage drops between each resolution step indicate a system that is scaling almost linearly with pixel count. This is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, but the fact that the 1080p numbers are so high relative to what the GPU could theoretically output hints that the CPU is holding things back from achieving even higher frame rates.

The delta between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution further clarifies the bottleneck. At 1080p, the gap between Low (270 FPS) and Ultra (126 FPS) is 144 FPS. At 1440p, that gap narrows to 112 FPS (192 vs 80), and at 4K it shrinks to 60 FPS (103 vs 43). This shrinking delta as resolution increases confirms that the CPU’s influence wanes as the GPU’s workload grows. The data implies that for gamers seeking maximum frame rates in Hitman 2, the CPU becomes a wall at 1080p, while at 4K, the GPU is the definitive limiting factor, with the CPU’s role becoming less critical.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, running on the AM4 socket. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.20 GHz, combined with a 16 MB L3 cache, provide a solid foundation for gaming. However, its synthetic benchmark scores reveal a processor that is competent but not exceptional. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and single-core score of 2319 place it in a mid-range tier, which aligns with its 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs.

In Hitman 2, a game that is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance, the Ryzen 5 5500’s strengths and weaknesses are on full display. The high frame rates at 1080p (270 FPS on Low) suggest that the CPU can handle the game’s logic and draw calls efficiently. Yet, the inability to push beyond that threshold, even with a powerful GPU, points to a processing ceiling. The 3dmark single-thread score of 836 and the Passmark single-thread score of 3058 are modest figures that correlate with this observed limit.

The nearest rivals for the CPU in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 (delta -0.1%), Intel Core i5-12500 (delta -0.4%), and Intel Core i7-10700F (delta +0.5%). These deltas are minuscule, indicating that the Ryzen 5 5500 is firmly in a performance class with these other mid-range options. The data suggests that while the CPU is not a weak link in an absolute sense, it is the component that prevents this particular combo from achieving the extremely high frame rates that the RTX 4080 SUPER could otherwise deliver at lower resolutions.

The core count and thread count are sufficient for Hitman 2, as the game does not appear to be heavily multi-threaded based on the scaling data. The 3dmark 16-thread score of 5386 is nearly identical to the max-thread score of 5411, suggesting diminishing returns beyond a certain number of threads. The CPU’s performance, therefore, hinges more on its per-core strength, which is adequate but not top-tier, as evidenced by its 73rd percentile ranking.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS for this combo at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 126 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500?

A: The average benchmark score for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is 19593, while the Intel Core i5-12500 scores 19668, making the Ryzen 5 5500 approximately 0.4% slower in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 58 on High settings, which is a significant reduction from the 109 FPS at 1440p. This steep decline indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K.

Q: What is the maximum average FPS recorded for this combination?

A: The highest average FPS in the measured data is 270 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER's synthetic score compare to the RTX 4080?

A: The GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, which is 0.1% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080’s score of 54247.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems in this game?

A: This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 355th out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its highest performance, with the Low preset achieving an average of 270 FPS. The Medium preset yields 226 FPS, with a minimum of 192 and a maximum of 260 FPS. High settings produce 171 FPS, while the Ultra preset brings the average down to 126 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at this resolution is substantial, showing a 144 FPS difference.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show the CPU’s growing influence. Low settings still deliver an impressive 192 FPS average. Medium settings drop to 144 FPS, with a range between 123 and 166 FPS. The High preset averages 109 FPS, while Ultra falls to 80 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 112 FPS, indicating the GPU is starting to take on more work.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4080 SUPER’s workload becomes the dominant factor. Low settings yield an average of 103 FPS. Medium settings drop to 77 FPS, with a minimum of 65 and maximum of 88 FPS. High settings produce 58 FPS, and Ultra dips to 43 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is only 60 FPS, confirming that the GPU’s rendering capabilities are the primary constraint at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER achieves a rank of 355 out of 3711 tested combinations in Hitman 2. This places it in the top 9.6% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing given the CPU’s mid-range positioning. The high rank is largely attributable to the GPU’s exceptional performance, as the RTX 4080 SUPER’s Passmark G3D score of 34245 is formidable.

The ranking suggests that while the CPU is not the best available, it is sufficient to allow the GPU to perform well in this specific title. The fact that this combo ranks higher than many with more powerful CPUs underscores the GPU-centric nature of Hitman 2 at higher resolutions. However, the rank is not in the top 1%, and the data indicates that a stronger CPU would likely push this combo higher, especially for those targeting 1080p or 1440p gaming where the CPU’s limitations are more apparent.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 86th among all GPUs, combined with the CPU’s 73rd percentile, suggests a pairing where the GPU is the star performer. The system’s overall rank of 355th reflects a synergy where the GPU’s power compensates for the CPU’s more modest capabilities, though it leaves performance on the table at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

For gamers using this combo, the measured data provides clear guidance on settings selection. If the goal is maximum frame rate, the Low preset at 1080p offers the highest average at 270 FPS. This setting is ideal for competitive play or for use with high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the visual quality trade-off is significant.

For a balance between visual fidelity and performance, the Medium preset at 1440p stands out as an excellent choice. It delivers an average of 144 FPS, which is smooth and responsive, while offering a substantial visual upgrade over Low settings. The minimum FPS of 123 ensures that frame drops are kept in check, providing a consistent experience.

At 4K, the High preset is the most viable option for a playable experience, yielding 58 FPS. While this is below the 60 FPS threshold, it is close enough for a playable experience in a stealth game. The Ultra preset at 4K, with its 43 FPS average, is likely too demanding for a consistently smooth experience and should be avoided unless visual fidelity is the absolute priority over performance. The data suggests that the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best overall experience, balancing high frame rates with improved graphical quality.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a powerhouse built on the Ada Lovelace architecture. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, it offers a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. Its boost clock of 2550 MHz and 10240 shading units provide immense compute power, reflected in its FP32 performance of 52.22 TFLOPS. These specifications are the primary driver of the high frame rates observed in Hitman 2, especially at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s synthetic benchmark scores are impressive, with a Passmark G3D score of 34245 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 260075. Its average benchmark score of 54209 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rival, the RTX 4080, scores 54247, a delta of only -0.1%, indicating that the SUPER variant offers nearly identical raw performance. This data confirms that the GPU is not a bottleneck in this system.

The GPU’s role becomes increasingly critical as resolution increases. At 4K, the frame rates are directly tied to the GPU’s rendering capabilities, with the Ultra preset yielding 43 FPS and Low yielding 103 FPS. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Hitman 2’s requirements, and the high memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and data transfer are not limiting factors. The data clearly shows that the RTX 4080 SUPER provides the majority of this combo’s performance, with the CPU acting as a secondary constraint only at lower resolutions.