Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 presents a clear picture of a CPU capable of high frame rates being held back by a mid-range GPU in Hitman 2. The data shows that the combination is playable at 1080p, but struggles to maintain acceptable performance at 4K. The measured rows reveal a system where the CPU has ample headroom, but the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck as resolution increases.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS demonstrates a dramatic decline as resolution scales from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 132 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 84 FPS, and at 4K Low, the average falls to 45 FPS. This represents a 66% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K at the lowest settings. The scaling is less steep but still severe at High settings: 75 FPS at 1080p, 48 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K — a 67% drop.

This pattern strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component. The Ryzen 5 7500X3D, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, has more than enough processing power to feed the RTX 2060 at 1080p. The 132 FPS at Low settings shows the CPU is not a constraint at that resolution. However, as pixel count increases, the shading and memory bandwidth demands on the GPU escalate, and the RTX 2060's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth become insufficient.

The 4K results are telling. At 4K Medium, the combo only manages 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 FPS and maximum of 39 FPS. At 4K Ultra, it falls to just 19 FPS. These numbers are far below playable thresholds for a stealth game where precision is key. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 26 FPS (45 vs. 19), which is a much smaller absolute difference than the 77 FPS gap at 1080p (132 vs. 55). This compression of frame rates at higher resolutions is a classic sign that the GPU is saturated and cannot scale its work output effectively as quality settings increase.

The data suggests that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo. At Medium settings, it hits 63 FPS, which is playable, and at High, it maintains 48 FPS. Users targeting 4K will need to accept Low settings for an average of 45 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a game that benefits from visual clarity for spotting enemies. The scaling curve shows that dropping from 1080p to 1440p costs about 36% of the frame rate, while dropping from 1440p to 4K costs another 46%, highlighting how quickly the GPU becomes overwhelmed.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is built on the Turing architecture with a 12 nm process node. Its specifications include 1,920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz. The memory configuration is 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. These numbers place the GPU in the 58th percentile versus all GPUs in the benchmark database.

The VRAM capacity is a critical factor in Hitman 2's performance at higher settings. The game's open-ended levels and detailed environments require significant memory for textures. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 19, which is likely compounded by the 6 GB VRAM limit. When the GPU runs out of memory, it must swap data to system memory over the PCIe 3.0 x16 bus, which is far slower than the dedicated VRAM. This causes stutters and low average frame rates. The measured minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 29 FPS, indicating that frame delivery is inconsistent when memory pressure is high.

The RTX 2060's boost clock of 1680 MHz is modest compared to later cards, but the architecture's efficiency is what allows it to reach 132 FPS at 1080p Low. The GPU's FP32 performance is 6.451 TFLOPS, which is adequate for the game's lighting and shadow calculations at lower resolutions. However, the 14 Gbps effective memory speed is not fast enough to feed the render pipeline at 4K with high-quality textures. The data shows that at 1440p High, the combo achieves 48 FPS, which is a reasonable result for a GPU in the 58th percentile.

The nearest rivals to the RTX 2060 in the database include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 with a deltaPct of 0, the AMD Radeon 680M with a deltaPct of 0.1, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM with a deltaPct of 0.6. These scores are all within 0.8% of the RTX 2060's average benchmark score, indicating that the GPU is positioned in a competitive mid-range segment. In Hitman 2, this translates to playable 1080p and 1440p performance, but the GPU's age and 6 GB VRAM limit become apparent at 4K.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Hitman 2 at 4K smoothly?

A: No. The measured data shows that at 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 45 on Low settings to 19 on Ultra. Even at Medium, the average is 34 FPS with a minimum of 29 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU pairing?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the strongest resolution, with 75 FPS on High and 99 FPS on Medium. At 2560x1440, the combo still manages 63 FPS on Medium and 48 FPS on High, making it a viable alternative if a higher resolution is preferred, but 1080p provides the most consistent frame rates.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 2060's average benchmark score is 15290. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, has an avgScore of 15283 with a deltaPct of 0. The AMD Radeon 680M is 0.1% behind with a score of 15270, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is 0.6% behind with a score of 15199. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is 0.8% behind with a score of 15171.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 7500X3D holding back the RTX 2060 in Hitman 2?

A: No. The benchmark results indicate the CPU is not the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 132 FPS, which shows the CPU can push high frame rates. The severe FPS drops at 4K (down to 19 FPS on Ultra) are attributable to the GPU's limitations, not the CPU. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 3494 is strong, and its multithread score of 25047 is more than sufficient for this game.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations for Hitman 2?

A: The comboRankInGame field shows a rank of 2360 out of 3001 tested combos. This places the pairing in the lower third of all tested configurations, which is consistent with the GPU being a mid-range part that struggles at higher resolutions.

Q: What settings should be used for a 60 FPS target at 1440p?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440, the Medium preset achieves 63 FPS, which meets a 60 FPS target. The High preset only reaches 48 FPS, so Medium is the highest setting that provides a playable frame rate at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 75 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold and provides good visual quality. The Medium preset offers 99 FPS, which is smoother but with reduced visual fidelity. For a 144Hz monitor, the Low preset at 132 FPS is the only option that comes close to reaching high refresh rates, but the visual compromises are significant.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, delivering 63 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS. This provides a playable experience without major frame drops. The High preset at 48 FPS is borderline playable but may feel inconsistent during action sequences. The Ultra preset at 35 FPS is not recommended for this resolution, as it falls below the 60 FPS target and would likely cause noticeable stuttering in a stealth game where precise timing matters.

At 4K, the situation is challenging. The Low preset achieves 45 FPS, which is playable but lacks visual richness. The Medium preset at 34 FPS is too low for comfortable gameplay, and the Ultra preset at 19 FPS is unplayable. For users who must play at 4K, Low settings are the only viable option. However, the 6 GB VRAM limit may cause texture pop-in even at Low settings in complex scenes, as the data shows the minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 29 FPS.

The best overall experience is at 1080p with the High preset. This yields 75 FPS, which is smooth enough for most players, and the visual quality is high enough to appreciate the game's detailed environments. The RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p High, as the data shows no severe frame drops at this resolution. Users with 144Hz monitors should consider the Medium preset at 99 FPS, but the High preset is the recommended balance of performance and quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination ranks 2360 out of 3001 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the 21st percentile of all tested systems, which is a low position. The ranking reflects the GPU's limitations, as the CPU is a high-end part. The Ryzen 5 7500X3D has an average benchmark score of 44573 and is in the 89th percentile versus all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H with an avgScore of 44466 (0.2% higher), the Intel Core i9-13950HX with 44342 (0.5% higher), and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 with 44309 (0.6% higher). The Intel Core i5-14600 is 0.7% lower with a score of 44889.

The CPU's strong performance is evident in its Passmark scores: a single-thread score of 3494, a multithread score of 25047, and a floating-point math score of 43594. These results show that the CPU is capable of handling demanding workloads, but in Hitman 2, the GPU is the bottleneck. The combo's low rank in this game is not due to CPU weaknesses but rather the RTX 2060's inability to keep up with the game's rendering demands at higher resolutions.

In contrast, the RTX 2060's percentile versus all GPUs is 58, indicating it is an average mid-range card. The GPU's average benchmark score of 15290 is close to its nearest rivals, as shown in the deltaPct values. This suggests that the GPU is a typical mid-range option, and its performance in Hitman 2 is expected for its class. The combo's rank of 2360 out of 3001 is therefore a reflection of the GPU's mid-range status, not a sign of any incompatibility or driver issue.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 132 FPS. The Medium preset yields 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS. The High preset delivers 75 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 55 FPS. These numbers show a consistent decline as quality settings increase, with a 77 FPS difference between Low and Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset reaches 84 FPS. The Medium preset averages 63 FPS, with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS. The High preset falls to 48 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 35 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 49 FPS, which is smaller than at 1080p but still significant. The minimum FPS at Medium is 54, indicating that the GPU can maintain playable frame rates at this setting.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 45 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 FPS and a maximum of 39 FPS. The High preset falls to 25 FPS, and the Ultra preset is at 19 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is only 26 FPS, showing that the GPU is heavily constrained at this resolution. The minimum FPS at Medium is 29, which is below the 30 FPS threshold for playability, confirming that 4K is not a viable option for this combo.

The data shows that the RTX 2060's performance scales predictably with resolution. At 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to handle all settings, with even Ultra achieving 55 FPS. At 1440p, the GPU begins to struggle with High and Ultra settings. At 4K, all settings except Low result in sub-30 FPS averages. This breakdown allows users to make informed decisions about their target resolution and settings based on the measured data.