Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers a remarkable Hitman 2 experience, characterized by extreme high-refresh-rate performance at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K remains demanding at maximum settings. Benchmark results show this combination ranks in the 83rd percentile among 3001 tested configurations, indicating a top-tier pairing for this title. The data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary scaling factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures excellent frame rates at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 clearly illustrates the shifting bottleneck between the CPU and GPU. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 194 FPS at 1080p to 124 FPS at 1440p, a substantial 36% reduction, and then further to 66 FPS at 4K, representing a 47% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline as resolution increases is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario; the RTX 5090’s rendering workload scales dramatically with pixel count, while the CPU can comfortably feed frames at lower resolutions.

The Low settings row amplifies this observation. At 1080p, the system achieves an exceptional 325 FPS average. Moving to 1440p, this drops to 219 FPS, a 33% reduction, and at 4K it falls to 117 FPS, another 47% decrease. The fact that the 1080p Low result is so high suggests that even this powerful CPU is nearing its limit in feeding the GPU at such extreme frame rates. The scaling pattern indicates that at 1080p with Low settings, the Ryzen 5 7400F’s 6 cores and 12 threads are likely the limiting factor, preventing even higher frame rates.

For Medium settings, the pattern holds. The average FPS at 1080p is 257, dropping to 164 at 1440p (a 36% reduction) and then to 87 at 4K (a 47% reduction from 1440p). This consistent ~35-47% drop per resolution step across different settings levels confirms that the RTX 5090’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are the dominant constraints as pixel count increases. The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is clearly sufficient for even the most demanding 4K textures, but the sheer pixel shader workload remains the primary hurdle.

The gap between 1080p and 4K performance is most pronounced at Ultra settings, where the average FPS falls from 143 to 49, a 66% reduction. This indicates that Ultra presets introduce effects that are disproportionately heavy on the GPU’s compute and ROP (176 ROPs) throughput. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, users should expect to use Medium or High settings to maintain playable frame rates, while 1440p is the sweet spot for high refresh rate monitors with High or Ultra settings.

Settings Recommendations

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance is achieved with High settings at 1440p. At this resolution, the average FPS of 124 is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium settings. While Medium at 1440p offers a higher 164 FPS average, the jump to High only reduces the frame rate by 24%, making it a worthwhile trade for the improved graphical fidelity in Hitman 2’s detailed environments.

For 1080p users, High settings are the clear recommendation, delivering a 194 FPS average. This is more than sufficient for any high-refresh-rate monitor, and the performance headroom allows for enabling additional features without concern. The 143 FPS average at Ultra settings is also highly playable and would be the choice for users with 144Hz displays who prioritize maximum visual quality, but the 26% performance cost over High is significant for a stealth game where frame pacing is less critical than in competitive shooters.

At 4K, the situation is more nuanced. Ultra settings yield only a 49 FPS average, which is below the ideal 60 FPS target for many players. High settings at 4K provide a 66 FPS average, which meets the 60 FPS standard but leaves little headroom. The data suggests that Medium settings at 4K, with an 87 FPS average and a minimum of 74 FPS, offers the best experience for 4K users. It provides a smooth, consistent frame rate that is more than double the Ultra preset’s performance, while the visual difference between Medium and High is often less perceptible at the smaller pixel size of a 4K display.

The Low preset at 4K, with a 117 FPS average, shows that the RTX 5090 has the raw power to drive high refresh rates even at 4K when settings are reduced. However, the visual compromises of Low settings are likely too severe for a game like Hitman 2, which relies on detailed environments and lighting for its stealth gameplay. Therefore, the measured data points to Medium at 4K as the pragmatic choice for a balanced experience, while High is recommended for users who prioritize visuals over a stricter 100+ FPS target.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its benchmark scores are notably strong for single-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3072 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3689. These results are critical for Hitman 2, as the game’s engine relies heavily on a few primary threads for game logic, AI, and draw call submission.

The CPU’s performance is further contextualized by its nearest rivals. It scores within 0.1% of the Intel Core i5-14600T and 0.2% of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H in average benchmark score, while being 0.2% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H. This indicates that the 7400F’s single-thread capabilities are competitive with mainstream and mobile high-end processors, ensuring it does not become a bottleneck in Hitman 2 at standard resolutions.

The data confirms this. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 325 FPS, which is a direct reflection of the CPU’s ability to process game frames quickly. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for the game’s complex level geometry and NPC AI routines. The fact that the 1080p Low score is not significantly higher than the 1440p Low score (325 vs 219 FPS) suggests that the CPU is already operating near its maximum frame generation limit, even at the lower resolution.

In multi-threaded scenarios, the Ryzen 5 7400F also performs well, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21765 and a Passmark multithread score of 25645. While Hitman 2 may not fully utilize all 12 threads, this headroom ensures that background tasks and the game’s auxiliary systems do not cause frame drops. The CPU’s 65W TDP also indicates that it can maintain its boost clocks without thermal throttling, allowing for consistent performance during extended gaming sessions. Overall, the CPU provides a strong foundation, but the benchmark results clearly show that the GPU is the scaling factor from 1440p upwards.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1440p as the sweet spot. At High settings, it achieves 124 FPS average, which is excellent for high refresh rate monitors. While 1080p offers higher frame rates (194 FPS at High), 1440p provides a significant visual upgrade with only a 36% performance cost.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K High settings, the average FPS is 66, which meets the 60 FPS standard. For a more comfortable experience with higher minimums, 4K Medium settings deliver 87 FPS average with a 74 FPS minimum. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as it drops to 49 FPS average.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 7400F’s single-thread performance affect Hitman 2?

A: Strong single-thread performance is crucial for Hitman 2’s game logic. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3072 and Passmark single-thread score of 3689 are competitive, as evidenced by its 0.1% deltaPct against the Intel Core i5-14600T. This allows for very high frame rates at 1080p, reaching 325 FPS on Low settings.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No, the GPU is not the bottleneck at 1080p. The data shows that the CPU is the limiting factor at this resolution. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings shows a 33% drop, but the absolute 1080p score of 325 FPS suggests the CPU is nearing its maximum frame output.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Medium settings produce an average of 164 FPS, while High settings produce 124 FPS. This represents a 24% performance reduction for the visual upgrade to High. Both are very playable, but High offers a better balance of fidelity and speed.

Q: How much faster is the system at 1080p compared to 4K on High settings?

A: On High settings, the system achieves 194 FPS at 1080p and 66 FPS at 4K. This means the 1080p result is approximately 2.9 times faster than the 4K result, highlighting the massive rendering load placed on the GPU at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the performance scaling observed in the data. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. This immense bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and high-resolution assets do not cause stuttering, even at 4K. The GPU’s 21760 shading units and 680 texture mapping units provide the raw compute power, with a texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s and an FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS.

The GPU’s benchmark results reinforce its high-end status. It scores 39650 in Passmark G3D, which places it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (0.3% deltaPct) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.1% deltaPct). However, these are different classes of products, and the RTX 5090’s consumer-focused architecture with 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores is designed for gaming workloads like Hitman 2.

The measured FPS data shows the GPU’s role as the primary scaling factor. The consistent ~35-47% frame rate reduction when moving from 1440p to 4K across all settings is a direct result of the GPU’s pixel fill rate and shader workload. At 4K Ultra, the 49 FPS average indicates that the game’s most demanding effects are taxing the GPU’s 176 ROPs and 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate. The GPU is clearly the bottleneck at 4K, with the CPU having ample headroom to feed it frames.

At lower resolutions, the GPU’s power is less utilized. The 325 FPS average at 1080p Low demonstrates that the RTX 5090 can generate frames far faster than the CPU can process them. The 2407 MHz boost clock and the Blackwell 2.0 architecture’s efficiency are key factors here. The GPU’s 1.79 TB/s bandwidth is particularly beneficial at 4K, where the large frame buffer demands rapid data access. The data suggests that for users seeking maximum refresh rates, the GPU is more than capable, but for 4K Ultra gaming, even this flagship will require settings tuning to achieve ideal frame pacing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a detailed picture of performance across all combinations.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: The average FPS is 325, representing the highest performance ceiling for this system. This setting is not recommended for gameplay due to visual compromises but demonstrates the CPU/GPU headroom.
• Medium: The average FPS is 257, with a minimum of 218 and a maximum of 295. This is an exceptionally smooth experience, well above the threshold for competitive play.
• High: The average FPS is 194. This is the recommended setting for 1080p, offering a great balance of visuals and speed, comfortably supporting 144Hz monitors.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 143. This setting is also highly playable and provides the maximum visual quality, though the frame rate is lower than High.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: The average FPS is 219. This setting is far faster than necessary but shows the system’s capability.
• Medium: The average FPS is 164, with a minimum of 140 and a maximum of 189. The minimum frame rate is still very high, ensuring no noticeable hitches.
• High: The average FPS is 124. This is the recommended setting for 1440p, providing an excellent high-refresh-rate experience.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 91. This setting is playable and offers a more immersive visual experience, but the performance cost over High is substantial.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: The average FPS is 117. This shows the GPU’s raw power, but the visual quality is too low for this game.
• Medium: The average FPS is 87, with a minimum of 74 and a maximum of 101. This is the recommended setting for 4K, offering a stable and smooth experience above 60 FPS.
• High: The average FPS is 66. This is the minimum recommended setting for a 60 FPS experience, but it leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 49. This setting is not recommended for 4K as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating the game is heavily GPU-bound at this configuration.

The data’s internal consistency, such as the Min FPS values for Medium settings (218 at 1080p, 140 at 1440p, 74 at 4K), shows that frame pacing scales similarly to average FPS. This ensures that the experience is not only fast but also consistent, which is crucial for a stealth game where smooth camera movement is essential for precision aiming and observation.