Hitman 2

# Hitman 2 with AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination delivers a robust Hitman 2 experience across all tested resolutions, with the data showing a clear performance hierarchy from 1080p through 4K. This pairing ranks 716th out of 3001 tested combos in this game, placing it in the upper quartile of all system configurations. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is comfortably playable at 1440p High settings, while 4K demands careful preset selection to maintain smooth gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a predictable degradation as resolution increases, but the scaling pattern reveals important insights about which component is limiting performance at each setting tier. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 236 FPS, which drops to 151 FPS at 1440p Low—a 36% reduction. Moving to 4K Low, the frame rate falls to 81 FPS, representing another 46% drop from 1440p. This steep decline from 1440p to 4K indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary constraint at higher pixel counts, even on the lowest settings.

The Medium preset tells a similar story with slightly different magnitudes. At 1080p Medium, the combo produces 177 FPS, dropping to 113 FPS at 1440p Medium (a 36% decrease) and then to 60 FPS at 4K Medium (a 47% reduction). The consistency of these percentage drops across Low and Medium settings suggests that resolution scaling follows a predictable curve, with the RTX 4070's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth being adequate for these settings but the raw compute throughput limiting 4K performance.

High settings exhibit the same pattern: 134 FPS at 1080p, 86 FPS at 1440p (36% lower), and 46 FPS at 4K (47% lower than 1440p). The Ultra preset, however, shows a slightly different scaling characteristic. At 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 99 FPS, which drops to 63 FPS at 1440p Ultra (36% reduction), and then to 34 FPS at 4K Ultra (46% reduction). The uniformity of these scaling ratios across all four presets indicates that Hitman 2's rendering load scales consistently with pixel count, and the RTX 4070's architecture handles this scaling without unexpected bottlenecks.

The limiting component shifts based on resolution and settings combination. At 1080p Low with 236 FPS, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the Ryzen 5 5500X3D's six cores and 12 threads are processing game logic while the GPU has ample headroom. However, at 4K Ultra with 34 FPS, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as the pixel fill rate and shading requirements overwhelm the RTX 4070's 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The transition point appears to be around 1440p High, where the system balances CPU and GPU utilization effectively.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a six-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer, manufactured on TSMC's 7 nm process. Its base clock of 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 4.00 GHz are supplemented by a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is particularly beneficial for gaming workloads that exhibit locality in memory access patterns. The processor's PassMark single-thread score of 2941 and multithread score of 20363 indicate strong per-core performance, which is crucial for Hitman 2's simulation and AI systems.

In this game, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions where the GPU is not saturated. The 1080p Low result of 236 FPS demonstrates that the Ryzen 5 5500X3D can feed the RTX 4070 effectively at high frame rates. The processor's data compression score of 230392 and integer math score of 60033 suggest it handles the game's data processing requirements with minimal stalls. The 96 MB L3 cache is a significant advantage here, as Hitman 2's level geometry and NPC data can reside in cache rather than being fetched from system memory.

However, the CPU's influence diminishes as resolution increases. At 4K, the gap between Low (81 FPS) and Ultra (34 FPS) settings is 47 FPS, whereas at 1080p the gap between Low (236 FPS) and Ultra (99 FPS) is 137 FPS. This widening gap at lower resolutions is typical of a system where the CPU can deliver high frame rates but the GPU's workload scales with both resolution and graphical fidelity. The Ryzen 5 5500X3D's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with an average score of 36945 (0.2% higher), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37093 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 at 36938 (0.2% higher), and the Intel Core i9-12900T at 37112 (0.3% lower). These tiny deltas indicate that the 5500X3D's CPU performance is well-matched to its peers, offering no significant advantage or disadvantage in Hitman 2's CPU-bound scenarios.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 High settings deliver 86 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 4K, only Low settings (81 FPS) and Medium settings (60 FPS) reach playable frame rates, while High (46 FPS) and Ultra (34 FPS) fall below comfortable levels.

Q: How does this combo handle 1080p gaming in Hitman 2?

A: At 1920x1080, all settings are highly playable, with Low achieving 236 FPS, Medium 177 FPS, High 134 FPS, and Ultra 99 FPS. Even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains near-100 FPS, making 1080p a non-issue for this configuration.

Q: Is the RTX 4070's 12 GB VRAM sufficient for Hitman 2 at 4K?

A: The measured results show that at 4K, the combo achieves 81 FPS on Low settings and 60 FPS on Medium, indicating that VRAM capacity is not the limiting factor at these settings. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for Hitman 2's requirements at 4K, as performance degrades primarily due to compute limitations rather than memory constraints.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 151 FPS while Ultra settings produce 63 FPS, representing a 58% reduction in frame rate. The gap between Medium (113 FPS) and High (86 FPS) is 27 FPS, showing that each preset tier has a meaningful impact on performance.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 716th out of 3001 tested combinations in Hitman 2, placing it in the top 24% of all systems tested. This positioning is consistent with the measured frame rates, which show strong 1080p and 1440p performance with acceptable 4K results only on lower presets.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5500X3D a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 in this game?

A: At 1080p Low (236 FPS), the CPU is likely the limiting component, but at higher resolutions and settings, the GPU becomes the constraint. The 1440p High result of 86 FPS suggests a balanced configuration, while 4K results clearly indicate GPU-bound operation.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination achieves rank 716 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 76th percentile of all configurations. This ranking is notable because it outperforms the CPU's individual percentile ranking of 85th among all processors and the GPU's percentile ranking of 81st among all graphics cards. The combo's position suggests that the pairing is well-suited to Hitman 2's specific workload characteristics, leveraging the CPU's large cache and the GPU's efficient architecture to deliver strong results.

The ranking becomes more meaningful when contextualized with the measured frame rates. A top-25% ranking typically corresponds to systems capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and smooth 1440p experiences, which matches this combo's 134 FPS at 1080p High and 86 FPS at 1440p High. The 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS is below the 60 FPS target for most gamers, but the 4K Medium result of 60 FPS is exactly at the threshold, indicating that the system can handle 4K with appropriate settings adjustments.

Compared to other combos in this benchmark database, this pairing's 716th rank out of 3001 means there are 715 configurations that perform better, likely including combinations with higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4080 or 4090 paired with faster CPUs. However, the fact that this combo outperforms 2285 other tested configurations demonstrates that the Ryzen 5 5500X3D and RTX 4070 represent a capable mid-to-high-end pairing for Hitman 2. The CPU's nearest rivals all have similar average benchmark scores (within 0.3% of the 5500X3D), suggesting that any of these processors would produce comparable results when paired with the RTX 4070.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080 resolution, the combo delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 236 FPS, which is exceptional for any game and indicates that the CPU and GPU are both operating well within their limits. Medium settings reduce the average to 177 FPS, with a minimum of 151 FPS and maximum of 204 FPS, showing consistent frame delivery with a 53 FPS range. High settings yield 134 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to 99 FPS average. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 58% performance reduction, which is a substantial cost for the visual improvements offered by the Ultra preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down proportionally. Low settings achieve 151 FPS average, which is still very high and suitable for competitive play. Medium settings produce 113 FPS average with a minimum of 96 FPS and maximum of 130 FPS, providing a smooth experience with no noticeable stuttering. High settings deliver 86 FPS average, which is adequate for most gamers, while Ultra settings drop to 63 FPS average. At 1440p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 58% (88 FPS difference), matching the scaling pattern observed at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limitations. Low settings achieve 81 FPS average, which is playable but noticeably lower than the 1440p result. Medium settings produce exactly 60 FPS average, with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS, indicating some frame time variance that could result in occasional hitches. High settings drop to 46 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and Ultra settings fall to 34 FPS average, which is borderline unplayable for action sequences. The 4K results clearly demonstrate that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring significant settings compromises.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this combo, the data suggests prioritizing 1440p High settings as the sweet spot. The 86 FPS average at 2560x1440 High provides a smooth, responsive experience while maintaining visual fidelity that showcases the RTX 4070's capabilities. This configuration offers a 26 FPS improvement over Ultra settings at the same resolution, while the visual difference between High and Ultra in Hitman 2 is typically subtle and not worth the performance cost.

For users with 1080p displays, High settings at 134 FPS are recommended for the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 1080p Medium setting at 177 FPS offers a significant frame rate boost if competitive play is a priority, but the visual downgrade from High is noticeable. The 1080p Ultra setting at 99 FPS is acceptable for those who prioritize maximum visual quality and have a 100 Hz or lower refresh rate display, but the 35 FPS penalty compared to High makes it a less attractive option.

At 4K, the recommendation is more nuanced. Medium settings at 60 FPS average is the only preset that achieves the 60 FPS target, but the minimum of 51 FPS indicates occasional drops below this threshold. Low settings at 81 FPS provides a more consistent experience with higher frame rates, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. The 4K High (46 FPS) and Ultra (34 FPS) presets are not recommended for general play, as the frame rates fall below acceptable levels for a stealth game where precise aiming and quick reactions are important. For 4K users, Medium settings represent the best compromise, with Low settings as a fallback if frame rate consistency is prioritized over visual fidelity.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process node, featuring 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. Its 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output processors provide substantial raw compute power, while the 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores enable advanced rendering features. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1920 MHz contribute to its 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is the primary driver of Hitman 2's pixel and shading workload.

The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for Hitman 2's texture streaming and geometry data at all tested resolutions. The memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) ensures that the GPU can feed its compute units efficiently, particularly at 4K where texture bandwidth demands increase. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 26927 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3854 place it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (0.1% higher), AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (0.4% higher), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (1.3% lower), and AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (1.3% higher).

In Hitman 2, the RTX 4070's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p Low, the GPU is underutilized, as evidenced by the 236 FPS result that likely exceeds the game's engine limitations. However, at 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, with the 34 FPS result indicating that the 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is insufficient for the combined workload of high-resolution rendering and maximum visual effects. The GPU's 158.4 GPixel/s pixel rate and 455.4 GTexel/s texture rate are the key specifications that determine performance at higher resolutions, and these figures explain why 4K Ultra proves challenging. The RTX 4070's launch MSRP of 599 USD positions it as a mid-range to upper-mid-range GPU, and its performance in Hitman 2 aligns with this positioning—capable at 1080p and 1440p with high settings, but requiring settings reductions at 4K.