Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth title, presents a demanding workload that clearly exposes the performance ceiling of this particular hardware pairing. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X processor is a modern, high-performance part, but its capabilities are severely constrained by the Intel Arc B390 integrated graphics. Benchmark results show a system that struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions, with the GPU acting as the definitive bottleneck across all tested scenarios.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep and predictable performance cliff as resolution increases, a classic indicator of a GPU-limited system. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 80 FPS. This is the peak performance point for this pairing, suggesting that at this setting, the frame rate is still largely dictated by the graphics processor. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low settings, the average FPS drops to 51, a significant 36% reduction from the 1080p result. The trend continues at 3840x2160, where the Low preset yields an average of just 27 FPS, a further 47% drop from the 1440p figure. This halving of performance at each major resolution step indicates that the rendering pipeline is saturated by the GPU's limited fill rate and shading capabilities.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all quality presets. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS goes from 46 at 1080p, to 29 at 1440p, and finally to 16 at 4K. The delta between 1080p and 4K is a loss of 30 FPS, or roughly 65% of the initial performance. This consistent proportion across settings confirms that the bottleneck is the GPU, as a CPU-bound scenario would show less dramatic scaling with resolution changes. The data suggests that the Ryzen 5 7600X is waiting on the Intel Arc B390 at every turn, unable to push frame rates higher because the GPU simply cannot render frames fast enough. The system is not CPU-bound at any tested resolution; it is entirely limited by the integrated graphics' compute and memory throughput.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the clear limiting factor in this configuration. Its integrated nature, indicated by the "System Shared" memory type and bus width, means it relies on the system's DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This shared memory architecture and the "System Dependent" bandwidth figure are primary reasons for the low performance. The GPU's modest specifications, including 1536 shading units and a 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate, are insufficient for the demands of Hitman 2 at high resolutions. Its 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is a low figure by modern discrete GPU standards, which is reflected in its 9th percentile ranking among all tested GPUs.

The clock speeds, with a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz, do not compensate for the low core count and memory limitations. In the benchmark results, this GPU scores 1482 in the 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 test, placing it in the bottom tier of performance. Its nearest rivals are legacy parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 and GT 520MX, with the Arc B390 scoring only 2.7% and 1.3% higher, respectively. This context is crucial: the GPU is performing in the same league as decade-old entry-level graphics cards. The Ultra preset at 4K yields an average of 11 FPS, a figure that is essentially unplayable and highlights the GPU's inability to handle the game's higher-fidelity effects and texture loads. The GPU's role is to be the primary constraint, and the data shows it is a severe one.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal experience on this hardware is found at the lowest settings and resolution. At 1920x1080 with the Low preset, the system achieves an average of 80 FPS, which is the only configuration that provides a consistently smooth frame rate. The Medium preset at 1080p is a viable alternative, with an average of 60 FPS and a minimum of 51 FPS, offering a balance between visual quality and performance. This is the highest quality setting that maintains an average above 60 FPS.

The High preset at 1080p drops to an average of 46 FPS, which is a significant compromise for visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at this resolution crashes to 34 FPS, making it a poor choice for gameplay. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset, with an average of 51 FPS, is marginally acceptable, though the minimum frame rates are not recorded, so consistency is uncertain. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 39 FPS, which is a noticeable dip. The 4K resolution is not viable for any preset, with the Low setting only achieving 27 FPS. The data indicates that users should prioritize resolution over settings; a 1080p Low or Medium preset will yield a far better experience than any 1440p or 4K configuration. The best experience per the measured rows is unequivocally 1080p Low, with 1080p Medium as a strong secondary option for those who prefer higher visual detail.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured results provides a detailed performance profile. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset yields an average FPS of 34. The High preset shows a marked improvement, achieving 46 FPS. The Medium preset delivers a solid 60 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS, indicating a stable frame time distribution. The Low preset is the top performer, reaching an average of 80 FPS, a 33% increase over Medium.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 21 FPS. The High preset improves to 29 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 39 FPS, with a minimum of 33 FPS and a maximum of 44 FPS. The Low preset is the only setting to break past 50 FPS, with an average of 51 FPS. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is substantial, averaging about 35-40% across all presets.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is nearly unplayable at an average of 11 FPS. The High preset only manages 16 FPS. The Medium preset shows an average of 21 FPS, with a narrow band of 17 FPS minimum and 24 FPS maximum. The Low preset is the only config to reach a marginally interactive 27 FPS. The data shows that the transition from 1440p to 4K is another massive performance hit, with frame rates halving again. This is a consistent pattern of GPU-bound scaling, where the cost of each pixel is too high for the Intel Arc B390's fill rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested hardware combinations for Hitman 2, this pairing ranks near the bottom. The comboRankInGame data places this system at 2662 out of 3001 combos, putting it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This ranking is unsurprising given the GPU's 9th percentile standing against all other GPUs. While the CPU is a top-tier part, its performance is entirely negated by the integrated graphics.

The system's performance is effectively dictated by the Intel Arc B390, which is benchmarked against rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce 800M and GT 625 OEM. The Arc B390 is just 1.5% and 2.5% faster than these parts, respectively, in the 3DMark Steel Nomad test. This means that in gaming, the system is likely to perform similarly to a laptop or low-end desktop from many years ago. The high rank of the CPU, which sits in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, does not help in this scenario. The game is bottlenecked so heavily by the GPU that the CPU's processing power is essentially idle, leading to a system that is significantly slower than the sum of its parts. The 2662 rank is a clear indicator of a severely unbalanced system for this specific game title.

CPU Role

In this configuration, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X plays a secondary role, as its substantial processing power is not the limiting factor. The CPU features 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It has a 32 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory. These specifications make it a very capable processor, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15236 and single-core score of 1965, which place it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU's performance is closely matched with rivals like the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Core i5-12600K, with a deltaPct of just 0.2% in average benchmark scores. However, this processing capability is irrelevant in Hitman 2 with the Arc B390. The game's frame rate is not determined by the CPU's ability to process game logic or draw calls, but by the GPU's ability to rasterize the scene. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, the CPU is not the bottleneck. If it were, we would see similar frame rates at higher resolutions, which is not the case. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration and high clock speeds are more than sufficient for this game; the CPU is essentially "waiting" for the GPU to finish its work. This results in a system where the CPU's potential is wasted, as it is paired with a GPU that is orders of magnitude slower.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this system?

A: The best experience is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which achieves an average of 80 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is also a good option, with an average of 60 FPS and a minimum of 51 FPS, offering better visuals without sacrificing playability.

Q: Can this system run Hitman 2 at 4K?

A: Technically, yes, but not at playable frame rates. At 3840x2160 with the Low preset, the average FPS is only 27. The High and Ultra presets are significantly worse, at 16 FPS and 11 FPS respectively, making the game effectively unplayable at this resolution.

Q: Why is the performance so poor despite having a high-end CPU?

A: The system is severely GPU-bound. The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor with a 9th percentile ranking, and its performance is comparable to legacy parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. The CPU is not the bottleneck; the GPU cannot render frames fast enough, regardless of the CPU's capability.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark, the Arc B390 scores 1482, which is only 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM and 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX. This places it in the lowest tier of GPU performance.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p on High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average FPS is 46. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS drops to 29, a decrease of 17 FPS, or roughly 37%. This significant drop highlights the GPU's limited resolution scaling capability.

Q: What is the system's overall ranking for Hitman 2?

A: This hardware combination ranks 2662 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the bottom 11% of all systems, confirming that this pairing is not well-suited for this game.