Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 delivers a decisive 1080p and 1440p experience in Hitman 2, but 4K Ultra pushes the combination to its limits. The measured data shows a system that is clearly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures high frame rates at lower settings. The RTX 5070’s 12 GB of VRAM and 672.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth are sufficient for the game’s demands, but the steep performance drop at 4K Ultra indicates that this title’s most demanding preset is a significant challenge for the hardware.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario, with the RTX 5070 becoming the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 143 FPS at 1920x1080 to 92 FPS at 2560x1440, a 35.7% reduction, and then further down to 49 FPS at 3840x2160, a 46.7% reduction from 1440p. This pattern shows that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU’s rendering workload at 4K overwhelms its capabilities.

The scaling behavior is even more pronounced when comparing the Low preset across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 253 FPS, which drops to 162 FPS at 1440p (a 36.0% decrease) and 86 FPS at 4K (a 46.9% decrease from 1440p). The fact that even at Low settings the 4K frame rate is less than half of the 1080p figure confirms that the RTX 5070’s pixel throughput, not the CPU, is the limiting factor. The GPU’s pixel rate of 201.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 482.3 GTexel/s are simply not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K, regardless of the graphical load.

The Medium preset shows a similar trend, with 189 FPS at 1080p, 121 FPS at 1440p, and 65 FPS at 4K. Notably, the 4K Medium result of 65 FPS is the only 4K configuration with a reported minimum frame rate (55 FPS) and maximum (74 FPS), suggesting that the GPU is still able to maintain a playable experience, albeit with more variance. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with frame rates dropping from 105 FPS at 1080p to 67 FPS at 1440p and a mere 36 FPS at 4K. This 65.7% decrease from 1080p to 4K shows that Ultra settings at 4K are not viable for smooth gameplay with this hardware.

The data indicates that the Ryzen 5 7600, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is never the limiting factor in this game. The CPU’s single-thread score of 999 in 3DMark and 3910 in Passmark suggests it has ample processing power for Hitman 2’s stealth mechanics and AI calculations (threat assessment, pathing). Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU has the most headroom, the system reaches 253 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most displays. The bottleneck is consistently the GPU, as shown by the linear scaling of frame rates with resolution.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1440p is the clear sweet spot for this combination. The measured data shows 121 FPS average at 2560x1440 Medium, with a minimum of 103 FPS and maximum of 139 FPS. This provides a smooth, high-refresh experience while still rendering the game’s detailed environments (e.g., the crowded streets of Sapienza or the intricate interiors of the Paris fashion show) with adequate fidelity. The 103 FPS minimum ensures that frame drops are unlikely to be noticeable, even in intense action sequences.

At 1080p, the High preset is the recommended choice, delivering 143 FPS average. This is a significant step up from the Medium preset’s 189 FPS, but the visual improvements from High settings are generally more noticeable (better shadows, textures, and reflections) than the marginal frame rate difference. The 143 FPS is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and will satisfy most users with high-refresh monitors. For those seeking maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p achieves 253 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play or for users with 240Hz displays, but it sacrifices visual fidelity.

At 4K, the High preset is not recommended, as the 49 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS target for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 4K, with 65 FPS average, is the only viable option for 4K gaming, though the minimum FPS of 55 indicates that some scenes will be noticeably less fluid. The Ultra preset should be avoided entirely, as the 36 FPS average is unplayable for a stealth game that requires precise timing and quick reactions. The data suggests that users with 4K displays should either stick to Medium settings or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

The measured data also shows that the Low preset at 1440p, with 162 FPS average, is a strong option for users who prioritize frame rate over visual quality. This could be relevant for users with high-refresh 1440p monitors (e.g., 165Hz or 240Hz), where the extra frames are more valuable than the graphical enhancements. However, for most users, the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best overall experience, balancing the game’s visual presentation with a comfortable performance margin.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the dominant component in this system, and its specifications directly explain the measured performance in Hitman 2. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. This bandwidth is sufficient for the game’s textures and geometry at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the larger memory footprint and higher bandwidth demand expose the GPU’s limitations. The 12 GB capacity is not a bottleneck in this game, as Hitman 2’s textures are not excessively demanding by modern standards, but the bandwidth is taxed at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s clock speeds are also relevant to the results. The base clock of 2325 MHz and boost clock of 2512 MHz are high, allowing the GPU to process the game’s rendering tasks efficiently. However, the performance drops at 4K are not due to clock speeds but rather to the GPU’s raw compute power. The RTX 5070 has 6144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, which are responsible for the pixel and texture processing. The pixel rate of 201.0 GPixel/s is the key metric for resolution scaling, and it is clear that this rate is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with demanding settings.

The GPU’s benchmark scores support its strong performance. The Passmark G3D score of 29137 and the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 indicate that the GPU is a high-end performer, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. In comparison to its nearest rivals, the RTX 5070’s average benchmark score of 40377 is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40318) and 0.8% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40063). This shows that the GPU is competitive with other high-end options, but the actual in-game performance is more nuanced, as the measured FPS data reveals.

The RTX 5070’s architecture is Blackwell 2.0, which supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6. These API features are fully compatible with Hitman 2, which likely uses DirectX 12 for its rendering. The GPU’s 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores are not directly relevant to Hitman 2’s performance, as the game does not heavily utilize ray tracing or DLSS. The data shows that the GPU’s traditional rasterization performance, measured by the Passmark DirectX 11 score of 277 and DirectX 12 score of 108, is what drives the game’s frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system’s performance across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates, with Low settings producing an average of 253 FPS. This is the fastest configuration measured, and it indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution. The Medium preset at 1080p averages 189 FPS, with a minimum of 161 FPS and maximum of 218 FPS, showing a consistent performance with slight variance. The High preset averages 143 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 105 FPS, with no minimum or maximum values reported for these settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset averages 162 FPS, which is still very high and suitable for most high-refresh monitors. The Medium preset averages 121 FPS, with a minimum of 103 FPS and maximum of 139 FPS. This configuration provides a smooth experience, with the minimum FPS still above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset averages 92 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh displays. The Ultra preset averages 67 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay, and it lacks reported minimum and maximum values.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. The Low preset averages 86 FPS, which is playable but not exceptional. The Medium preset averages 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and maximum of 74 FPS. This configuration is the only 4K option with a minimum FPS reported, and the 55 FPS minimum indicates that some scenes will be less fluid. The High preset averages 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and will result in noticeable stuttering in fast-paced gameplay. The Ultra preset averages 36 FPS, which is not playable for a stealth game that requires precise control.

The data also shows the relationship between settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 148 FPS (253 down to 105), which is a 58.5% reduction. At 1440p, the difference is 95 FPS (162 down to 67), a 58.6% reduction. At 4K, the difference is 50 FPS (86 down to 36), a 58.1% reduction. This consistent percentage reduction across resolutions indicates that the graphical settings have a similar relative impact on performance, regardless of resolution. The absolute frame rate differences are larger at lower resolutions because the GPU has more headroom, but the relative scaling is consistent.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that 1440p Medium (121 FPS average) and 1440p High (92 FPS average) both exceed 60 FPS. At 4K, only the Medium preset (65 FPS average) exceeds 60 FPS, but it has a minimum FPS of 55, which may dip below the target. For a guaranteed smooth experience, 1440p High is the safest choice, as it maintains an average well above 60 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. The 4K Medium preset averages 65 FPS, which is playable, but the 4K High preset averages only 49 FPS)Skip the low and ultra settings. The 4K Ultra preset is not viable at 36 FPS. Users must compromise on settings to achieve playable frame rates at 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data clearly shows the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 253 FPS, indicating the CPU can keep up. However, at 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 36 FPS, which is a direct result of the GPU’s rendering limitations. The Ryzen 5 7600’s single-thread performance (999 in 3DMark) is sufficient for this game.

Q: How much of a difference does the Low preset make compared to Ultra?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p, Low averages 253 FPS while Ultra averages 105 FPS, a 148 FPS difference (58.5% reduction). At 1440p, the difference is 95 FPS (162 vs 67), and at 4K, it is 50 FPS (86 vs 36). The Low preset offers more than double the frame rate of Ultra at every resolution.

Q: Are the frame times consistent across settings?

A: The data only reports minimum and maximum FPS for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the range is 161-218 FPS (57 FPS variance). At 1440p Medium, the range is 103-139 FPS (36 FPS variance). At 4K Medium, the range is 55-74 FPS (19 FPS variance). This suggests that higher resolutions have less frame variance, likely due to GPU limitations.

Q: How does this system compare to similar hardware in the database?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 40377, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 580, has a score of 40318, which is 0.1% lower. The CPU has an average score of 26324, placing it in the 78th percentile, with its nearest rival being the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX at 26274 (0.2% lower). Both components are competitive within their respective categories.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 plays a supporting role in Hitman 2, providing enough processing power to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 5070. The CPU has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. This is a Zen 4 architecture chip (codenamed Raphael) built on a 5 nm process, and its performance is well-suited for gaming. The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache is ample for game data, and its memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s (DDR5 dual-channel) is sufficient for feeding the GPU.

The CPU’s benchmark scores are strong, particularly in single-threaded performance, which is crucial for Hitman 2’s gameplay. The 3DMark single-thread score of 999 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1852 indicate that the CPU excels at the types of tasks that games rely on, such as AI calculations and physics. The Passmark single-thread score of 3910 further confirms this, and the CPU’s percentile rank of 78th among all CPUs shows it is a capable performer. In comparison to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 7600’s average benchmark score of 26324 is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX (26274) and 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i9-11900KF (26212).

The CPU’s multi-threaded performance is also relevant, though less critical for Hitman 2. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12735 and the Passmark multithread score of 27058 show that the 6-core, 12-thread configuration is capable of handling background tasks and any multi-threaded aspects of the game engine. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 6499 is particularly notable, as it shows the CPU can scale well with additional threads if the game utilizes them. However, the data suggests that Hitman 2 is not heavily multi-threaded, as the frame rates are more dependent on the GPU.

The measured FPS data confirms the CPU’s role. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 253 FPS, which is a clear indication that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution. Even at 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 105 FPS, which is still high and suggests the CPU can handle the game’s processing demands without issue. The fact that the frame rates drop consistently with resolution increases, rather than with settings changes, points to the GPU as the bottleneck. The CPU’s boost clock of 5.10 GHz is likely a key factor in maintaining high frame rates, as it ensures the game’s main thread is processed quickly.

The CPU’s power characteristics are also worth noting. The 65 W TDP is low, which is typical for a desktop chip of this class. This is not directly related to game performance, but it indicates that the CPU is efficient and unlikely to cause thermal throttling in a well-cooled system. The CPU supports DDR5 memory, which provides the bandwidth necessary for modern games. Overall, the Ryzen 5 7600 is a well-matched companion to the RTX 5070, providing the necessary processing power without becoming the primary performance constraint in Hitman 2.