Hitman 2

Hitman 2 is a stealth game that scales heavily with both processor and graphics hardware, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 produces a specific performance profile that is highly dependent on resolution and quality settings. This analysis breaks down the measured data for this combination, focusing on how the CPU and GPU each contribute to the final frame rates and what the numbers mean for a practical gaming experience.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, operating on the AMD Socket AM5 platform. Its base clock is 4.00 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. This CPU features a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is a defining characteristic of the X3D lineup and is particularly beneficial for games that are sensitive to memory latency and cache hits. The processor's 65 W TDP indicates an efficient design that requires less power delivery overhead, making it a versatile choice for various system builds.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU's role is foundational for maintaining high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions where the graphics card is not the bottleneck. The benchmark results show that at 1080p with Low settings, the combination achieves an average of 171 FPS. This high frame rate is a direct result of the processor's ability to feed the GPU with enough data. The 7500X3D's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its Passmark single-thread score of 3494, is crucial for Hitman 2's game logic and AI calculations. When compared to its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark list, the 7500X3D scores 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i9-13950HX, indicating it is a top-tier performer in its class.

The processor's multi-threaded capabilities also play a role, as the Passmark multithread score of 25047 and a physics score of 2779 suggest it can handle the game's background tasks without causing frame hitches. However, as the resolution and settings increase, the demand shifts to the GPU. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 24, a clear sign that the graphics card is overwhelmed. The CPU is not the limiting factor here; its performance is consistent across resolutions, allowing the GPU's workload to become the primary determinant of frame rate. The 7500X3D's architecture provides a stable platform that enables the RTX 4060 to perform at its maximum potential without being starved of data, which is evident in the relatively high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 1830 MHz, with a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The GPU has 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. These specifications position the RTX 4060 as a capable 1080p and 1440p card, but its 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus can become limiting factors at higher resolutions and with demanding settings.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's role is to render the game's detailed environments and character models. The measured FPS data clearly illustrates the GPU's impact. At 1080p High settings, the average FPS is 97, which is a smooth experience. At 1440p High, the average drops to 62 FPS, and at 4K High, it falls to 33 FPS. This progression shows a direct correlation between resolution and GPU load. The graphics card's performance is further highlighted when comparing its benchmark scores to its nearest rivals. The RTX 4060's Passmark G3D score of 19545 is only 0.2% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which is a much older card. This indicates that while the RTX 4060 is a modern GPU, its raw compute performance is benchmarked in a similar range, though it benefits from newer technologies like DirectX 12 Ultimate support.

The VRAM capacity is a critical factor. With 8 GB of memory, the RTX 4060 is suitable for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K Ultra settings, the game likely requires more than 8 GB of VRAM, causing performance to plummet to an average of 24 FPS. The GPU's 128-bit memory bus also limits the data transfer rate, which can be a bottleneck in texture-heavy scenes at high resolutions. The data suggests that the RTX 4060 is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where it can deliver playable frame rates without being constrained by its memory subsystem.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 2018 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This ranking places it in the middle of the pack, indicating that while it is not a top-tier performer, it is far from the bottom. The percentile ranking for the CPU is 89, meaning it outperforms 89% of all CPUs, while the GPU's percentile ranking is 61. This disparity highlights that the CPU is a significantly stronger component relative to its peers than the GPU.

The combo's rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the combination performs admirably, with frame rates well above 60 FPS at high settings. However, at 4K, the average frame rates drop below 60 FPS for all settings, which pulls the overall ranking down. The data indicates that this combo is not designed for 4K gaming but is a solid choice for 1080p and 1440p. The CPU's high percentile ranking ensures that it will not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios, allowing the RTX 4060 to perform to its full potential. The combo's rank of 2018 suggests that there are many other combinations that can achieve higher frame rates, but this pairing offers a balanced approach for gamers who prioritize CPU performance or play at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo's performance across different settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are 171 FPS at Low settings, 129 FPS at Medium (with a minimum of 109 and maximum of 148), 97 FPS at High, and 72 FPS at Ultra. These numbers show that the combo is exceptionally well-suited for 1080p gaming, capable of delivering high refresh rate experiences even at High settings. The jump from Low to Ultra is significant, with a 58% performance decrease, but even at Ultra, the frame rate remains playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates decrease to 110 FPS at Low, 82 FPS at Medium (with a minimum of 70 and maximum of 95), 62 FPS at High, and 46 FPS at Ultra. At this resolution, the combo still provides a smooth experience at Medium and High settings, but Ultra becomes more demanding, dipping below the 60 FPS threshold. The 1440p data indicates that the GPU is starting to become a more significant factor, as the frame rates are roughly 35-40% lower than at 1080p for the same settings.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops considerably. The average frame rates are 58 FPS at Low, 44 FPS at Medium (with a minimum of 37 and maximum of 50), 33 FPS at High, and 24 FPS at Ultra. These numbers show that the combo is not suitable for 4K gaming, as even Low settings cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS. The 4K results reveal the GPU's limitations, particularly its 8 GB VRAM, which is likely insufficient for the high-resolution textures. The data clearly shows a trade-off between resolution and settings, with the combo providing the best balance at 1080p and 1440p.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals the limiting component in this system. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 171 at 1080p to 110 at 1440p and 58 at 4K. This represents a 36% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a 66% decrease from 1080p to 4K. For High settings, the drop is from 97 at 1080p to 62 at 1440p and 33 at 4K, which shows a similar pattern of scaling.

This scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance, as measured by its high percentile ranking, remains consistent, but the GPU's workload increases significantly with each resolution step. The 128-bit memory bus and 8 GB VRAM of the RTX 4060 are the key constraints. At 4K, the GPU is unable to process the data fast enough, leading to the low frame rates observed. The fact that the FPS drops by a larger percentage when moving from 1440p to 4K compared to 1080p to 1440p suggests that the GPU is hitting a hard limit, possibly due to memory bandwidth saturation. This analysis confirms that for this combo, 1080p is the sweet spot, 1440p is acceptable for medium settings, and 4K should be avoided unless the player is willing to accept very low frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve high frame rates?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080, the combo achieves an average of 97 FPS at High settings and 72 FPS at Ultra, making 1080p the best resolution for a smooth gaming experience.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 24, which is not playable for a smooth experience. Even at Low settings, the average is only 58 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1440p?

A: At 1440p High settings, the average FPS is 62, and at Ultra it drops to 46. The significant drop from 1080p to 1440p indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU's performance is more than sufficient.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4060 has a Passmark G3D score of 19545, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon 780M.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values recorded at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 109. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 70, and at 4K Medium, the minimum is 37.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 2018 out of 3711 tested combinations in Hitman 2, placing it in the middle of the performance spectrum.