Hitman 2

# Hitman 2 with AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090

The pairing of AMD’s 6-core Ryzen 5 5500X3D with NVIDIA’s flagship RTX 5090 produces a fascinating split in Hitman 2’s performance profile. At 1080p, the system delivers triple-digit frame rates across every preset, but the scaling curve reveals a CPU-bound ceiling that becomes increasingly pronounced as resolution drops. The RTX 5090’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are largely untapped at lower resolutions, where the Ryzen 5 5500X3D’s Zen 3 architecture becomes the limiting factor. This analysis breaks down the measured data across three resolutions and four settings presets, interpreting what each number means for the overall experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern: Hitman 2 scales dramatically with resolution, but the rate of scaling differs by settings preset. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 258 FPS at 1920x1080 to 219 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 39 FPS or roughly 15%. Moving further to 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 117 FPS, which represents a 46% drop from the 1440p figure and a 55% drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck at 4K, while the 1080p result is heavily constrained by the CPU.

The Medium preset follows a similar trajectory: 233 FPS at 1080p, 164 FPS at 1440p, and 87 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 30% from 1080p to 1440p, then 47% from 1440p to 4K. Interestingly, the High preset shows a different scaling profile. At 1080p, High averages 194 FPS; at 1440p, it drops to 124 FPS (a 36% reduction); and at 4K, it falls to 66 FPS (a 47% reduction from 1440p). The High preset’s 4K result of 66 FPS is notably lower than the Medium preset’s 87 FPS, suggesting that the additional graphical workload at High settings pushes the RTX 5090 closer to its limits.

Ultra settings reveal the most extreme scaling behavior. The system manages 143 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 91 FPS at 1440p (a 36% reduction) and then to 49 FPS at 4K (a 46% reduction from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result of 49 FPS is the only measured average below 60 FPS across the entire dataset. This indicates that Ultra settings at 4K demand more from the GPU than the RTX 5090 can deliver in this title, despite its massive 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 compute capability. The scaling from 1440p to 4K across all presets hovers between 46% and 55%, which is consistent with the 4K resolution having roughly double the pixel count of 1440p.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is the limiting component. The gap between Low (258 FPS) and Medium (233 FPS) at 1080p is only 25 FPS, and the gap between Medium and High is 39 FPS. This compression of frame rates across settings at 1080p indicates that the CPU cannot feed the GPU fast enough to differentiate fully between presets. At 1440p and 4K, the gaps widen, confirming that the GPU takes over as the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 brings overwhelming specifications to this pairing: 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s boost clock of 2407 MHz with a base of 2017 MHz provides the raw throughput needed for high-resolution rendering. In Hitman 2, the GPU’s role becomes increasingly critical as resolution climbs. At 1080p, the RTX 5090’s performance is underutilized because the Ryzen 5 5500X3D’s 6 cores and 12 threads cannot generate enough draw calls to saturate the GPU. The PassMark single-thread score of 2941 and multithread score of 20363 place the CPU in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, but Hitman 2’s engine appears to be sensitive to single-thread performance.

The GPU’s massive memory capacity of 32 GB is far beyond what Hitman 2 requires, even at 4K Ultra. The measured results show no evidence of memory-related stuttering or texture pop-in, as the minimum FPS values (where recorded) align closely with average FPS. For example, the 4K Medium preset shows a minimum of 74 FPS against an average of 87 FPS, and the 1440p Medium preset shows a minimum of 140 FPS against an average of 164 FPS. These narrow gaps between average and minimum FPS indicate consistent frame pacing, which is a hallmark of sufficient memory bandwidth and capacity.

The RTX 5090’s nearest rivals in the PassMark G3D benchmark are the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (0.3% delta), the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (0.6% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.1% delta), with the Radeon Pro Vega 64X trailing at -1.4%. These deltas are remarkably small, suggesting that in synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5090 is only marginally ahead of older or mobile-oriented parts. However, in Hitman 2, the RTX 5090 demonstrates its advantage through the resolution scaling data. The GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs, combined with its 79,842 average benchmark score, indicates that it is a top-tier part, but the measured FPS in this game show that even top-tier hardware meets its match at 4K Ultra.

The GPU’s 680 TMUs and 176 ROPs, paired with a pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s, provide the fill-rate headroom needed for high-resolution rendering. Yet at 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 49 suggests that Hitman 2’s rendering pipeline, which includes complex lighting and shadow calculations, exceeds what the GPU can process in real time. The 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores are present but are not heavily utilized in this 2018 title, which predates widespread ray tracing adoption.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all three resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 233 FPS average, which is more than sufficient for any display refresh rate currently available. The minimum FPS of 198 at 1080p Medium ensures that even the most demanding scenes stay well above 144 Hz. At 1440p, Medium averages 164 FPS with a minimum of 140 FPS, providing a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. Even at 4K, Medium holds an average of 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS, keeping the experience comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold.

The High preset is the next best option for users prioritizing visual fidelity over raw frame rates. At 1080p, High averages 194 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive play. At 1440p, High delivers 124 FPS, which is adequate for 120 Hz displays but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. At 4K, High drops to 66 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced stealth gameplay where quick reactions matter. The gap between High and Medium at 4K is 21 FPS (66 vs. 87), suggesting that users with 4K displays should prefer Medium unless they prioritize graphical detail.

The Ultra preset is the most demanding option, and the data shows that it is only viable at 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p, Ultra averages 143 FPS, providing a playable experience on 144 Hz monitors. At 1440p, Ultra averages 91 FPS, which is sufficient for 90 Hz displays but falls short of 120 Hz or 144 Hz targets. At 4K, Ultra averages 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS minimum that most users consider acceptable for a smooth experience. The Low preset, while delivering the highest frame rates (258 FPS at 1080p, 219 FPS at 1440p, 117 FPS at 4K), sacrifices too much visual quality for the modest gain over Medium.

For users with 4K displays, the Medium preset is the clear choice, offering 87 FPS average with a 74 FPS minimum. For 1440p users, Medium at 164 FPS or High at 124 FPS both provide excellent experiences, with the choice depending on whether visual detail or frame rate headroom is more important. At 1080p, any preset except Ultra will provide a smooth experience, but Medium at 233 FPS or High at 194 FPS are the sweet spots for high-refresh-rate gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 145th out of 3,001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places the pairing in the top 4.8% of all tested configurations, which is a strong result given that the CPU is a mid-range part released in 2025 while the GPU is the current flagship. The combo’s ranking is notable because it demonstrates that the RTX 5090 can carry a less powerful CPU to impressive heights in this game, particularly at higher resolutions where the GPU becomes the dominant factor.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (0.2% delta), Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (0.2% delta), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (-0.2% delta), and Intel Core i9-12900T (-0.3% delta). These extremely small deltas indicate that the 5500X3D is performance-competitive with a wide range of modern mid-range and older high-end CPUs. The 5500X3D’s 96 MB of shared L3 cache, a hallmark of the 3D V-Cache technology, likely contributes to its strong gaming performance despite having only 6 cores.

The GPU’s nearest rivals, as previously noted, are substantially older or lower-tier parts, which underscores the RTX 5090’s position at the top of the performance hierarchy. Despite this, the combo’s 145th rank out of 3,001 indicates that there are 144 configurations that achieve higher average FPS in Hitman 2. These are likely to include pairings of the RTX 5090 with more powerful CPUs, such as higher-core-count Ryzen 7000-series or Intel Core i9 parts, which can better feed the GPU at lower resolutions.

The rank of 145 is particularly meaningful in the context of Hitman 2’s CPU sensitivity. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 258 FPS, which is excellent but not the absolute maximum. The data suggests that a more powerful CPU could push frame rates higher at 1080p, potentially improving the combo’s rank. However, at 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the CPU’s influence diminishes. This means that the combo’s rank is likely driven more by its 1080p and 1440p performance than by its 4K results.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p Medium provides the best overall experience, with an average FPS of 164 and a minimum of 140. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 87 FPS with a minimum of 74, which is still playable. For maximum frame rates, 1080p Low delivers 258 FPS average.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 bottlenecked by the Ryzen 5 5500X3D?

A: At 1080p, the data indicates CPU limitation, as the gap between Low (258 FPS) and Medium (233 FPS) is only 25 FPS, suggesting the CPU cannot fully differentiate presets. At 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the primary constraint, with frame rates scaling more predictably with resolution.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: Yes, but only at Medium or lower settings. At 4K Medium, the average is 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS. At 4K High, the average drops to 66 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the 32 GB VRAM affect Hitman 2 performance?

A: The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is far more than Hitman 2 requires. The minimum FPS values align closely with averages (e.g., 74 minimum vs. 87 average at 4K Medium), indicating that memory capacity and bandwidth are not limiting factors in this game.

Q: What is the combo’s ranking among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 145th out of 3,001 tested combinations in Hitman 2, placing it in the top 4.8% of all configurations. This is strong given the CPU’s mid-range positioning and the GPU’s flagship status.

Q: Which preset should I use for competitive play?

A: For competitive play, the Medium preset at 1080p or 1440p is recommended. At 1080p, Medium averages 233 FPS with a minimum of 198, and at 1440p, it averages 164 FPS with a minimum of 140, both providing smooth and responsive gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 258 FPS average
• Medium: 233 FPS average, 198 FPS minimum, 268 FPS maximum
• High: 194 FPS average
• Ultra: 143 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 219 FPS average
• Medium: 164 FPS average, 140 FPS minimum, 189 FPS maximum
• High: 124 FPS average
• Ultra: 91 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 117 FPS average
• Medium: 87 FPS average, 74 FPS minimum, 101 FPS maximum
• High: 66 FPS average
• Ultra: 49 FPS average

The data reveals that the Medium preset is the only one that maintains a minimum FPS above 60 across all three resolutions, with a minimum of 198 at 1080p, 140 at 1440p, and 74 at 4K. The High preset falls below 60 FPS only at 4K, with an average of 66 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 49 FPS at 4K, making it the only config that fails to hit 60 FPS average. The Low preset provides the highest frame rates at every resolution, with 258 at 1080p, 219 at 1440p, and 117 at 4K, but sacrifices visual fidelity for these numbers. The maximum FPS values, recorded only for the Medium preset, show that the system can reach 268 FPS at 1080p, 189 FPS at 1440p, and 101 FPS at 4K, indicating that the hardware has headroom beyond the average figures in less demanding scenes.