Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 pairing delivers a compelling, high-refresh-rate experience in Hitman 2, though the data reveals a clear boundary between buttery-smooth 1080p/1440p gameplay and a more demanding 4K environment. Benchmark results indicate this combo is well-balanced for a stealth title that rewards precision, with the CPU providing a strong foundation and the GPU dictating the upper limits of visual fidelity. The measured frames per second show that while 4K Ultra is a slideshow, the lower presets at 4K and all presets at lower resolutions offer a wide range of playable options, making the choice of settings a matter of targeting a specific performance threshold.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Hitman 2?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 236, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo fail to maintain a smooth 60 FPS average?

A: The data shows this occurs at 3840x2160 (4K) resolution with both High settings (46 FPS average) and Ultra settings (34 FPS average).

Q: How does the combo's performance at 1080p Medium compare to 4K Medium?

A: At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 177, which is nearly three times higher than the 60 FPS average recorded at 4K Medium, demonstrating a significant performance cost for the higher resolution.

Q: What is the only measured setting that provides a minimum FPS figure above 60 at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the only one with a recorded minimum FPS above 60, with a min FPS of 96 and an average of 113.

Q: Based on the combo's rank, how does it compare to other tested hardware combinations?

A: The combo ranks 916th out of 3711 tested combos, placing it in the top quarter of all configurations tested for this game.

Q: Does the RTX 4070 have enough VRAM for Hitman 2?

A: The RTX 4070 is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory, which is ample for a game released in 2018, even at 4K resolution where the tests show playable results at Medium settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the optimal experience hinges on the target display resolution. For players on 1080p or 1440p displays, the Ultra preset is a viable option, delivering average FPS of 99 and 63 respectively. However, for those seeking a higher refresh rate, the High preset offers a significant boost, jumping to 134 FPS at 1080p and 86 FPS at 1440p. The Medium preset at 1440p is particularly noteworthy, as it not only provides a high average of 113 FPS but also has a recorded minimum FPS of 96, suggesting a more stable frame time experience compared to the other presets at that resolution.

At 4K, the situation changes dramatically. The Ultra preset's 34 FPS average is a non-starter for smooth gameplay. The High preset's 46 FPS is playable for a slower, more methodical stealth game, but it is not ideal. The data points to the Medium preset at 4K as the best choice, with a 60 FPS average and a min/max range of 51 to 69 FPS. This provides a playable and relatively stable experience that balances visual quality with performance. For a competitive edge or maximum refresh rate, the Low preset at 1080p yields an exceptional 236 FPS, but for the most balanced experience across resolutions, Medium is the clear recommendation, especially at 4K.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions and settings in Hitman 2. The data shows a clear correlation between GPU load and FPS, particularly when moving from 1440p to 4K. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth prove sufficient for the game's textures and geometry, as evidenced by the playable frame rates at 4K Medium. The boost clock of 2475 MHz and the 5888 shading units are the workhorses that process the game's rendering, and the results show a linear scaling of performance as settings are reduced.

The transition from High to Ultra at any resolution incurs a significant performance penalty, which points to the GPU's shading and rasterization capabilities being the limiting factor. For instance, at 1440p, the average FPS drops from 86 on High to 63 on Ultra, a 27% reduction. This pattern is consistent across all resolutions, indicating that the RTX 4070 is well-utilized and that its raw compute power is what determines the upper bounds of the Ultra preset. The GPU's architecture, while not a focus of the game's requirements, is more than capable of handling the DirectX 12 Ultimate API, ensuring it is not a bottleneck in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 achieves a rank of 916 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places the pairing in the 75th percentile of all configurations, indicating a strong overall performance level. While the CPU and GPU individually have benchmark percentile scores of 81, their combined rank suggests that the pairing is highly effective for this specific game, even if it is not at the absolute top tier. The rank implies that a significant majority of the 3711 tested systems will deliver lower average FPS, making this a formidable setup.

This rank confirms the balance of the components. The Ryzen 5 9600X, with its strong single-threaded performance (evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 1253), prevents a CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions, allowing the RTX 4070 to stretch its legs. Conversely, at 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, but the combination still manages to outperform a large portion of the field. The 916th rank is a solid result, showing that this is a high-performing pairing that can handle the game well above average, without being an outlier in terms of its price-to-performance positioning.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X plays a crucial role in ensuring the GPU is fed with data, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU can become a bottleneck. With 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, the processor has ample compute resources for a game like Hitman 2. The processor's high boost clock of 5.40 GHz and its strong single-thread performance, as shown by a 3dmark single-thread score of 1253 and a passmark single-thread score of 4570, are key to maintaining high frame rates. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is not a limiting factor, as the FPS scales dramatically with GPU settings (from 99 FPS on Ultra to 236 FPS on Low), indicating the GPU is the primary constraint.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are also more than sufficient, with a cinebench r23 multicore score of 17528.5. This ensures that the game's background simulation and AI logic do not cause stutters. The benchmark results imply that the Ryzen 5 9600X provides a solid platform for the RTX 4070, and its performance headroom at 1080p suggests it could handle even more powerful GPUs without becoming a bottleneck. The processor's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth contribute to its ability to keep data flowing efficiently to the graphics card.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo shows a wide performance envelope. The Ultra preset averages 99 FPS, which is impressive for a maxed-out setting. Moving to High yields a significant jump to 134 FPS, and High settings are likely the sweet spot for 1080p high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset averages 177 FPS with a minimum of 151 and a maximum of 204, indicating a very stable experience. For the absolute maximum performance, the Low preset achieves an average of 236 FPS, which is ideal for 240Hz displays.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but starts to show the GPU's limits. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 63 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. High settings provide a better balance, with an average of 86 FPS. The Medium preset is the standout at this resolution, delivering an average of 113 FPS with a minimum of 96, making it a great choice for a smooth, high-refresh experience. The Low preset is still very fast, with an average of 151 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Ultra preset is not playable, with an average of only 34 FPS. High settings are marginally better at 46 FPS, but still below the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset is the only viable option for 4K gaming, achieving an average of 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 69. The Low preset performs admirably at 81 FPS average, but the visual compromise is significant. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy, with 1080p being the most forgiving and 4K presenting a challenge for the highest settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the workload distribution between the CPU and GPU. At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 177 at 1080p to 113 at 1440p, a 36% decrease, and then to 60 at 4K, a further 47% decrease from the 1440p result. This dramatic scaling indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the number of pixels to render quadruples from 1080p to 4K. The RTX 4070's compute power is what governs these results.

The pattern is similar for the High and Ultra presets, with the FPS dropping by roughly half when moving from 1080p to 4K. For example, High settings go from 134 FPS at 1080p to 86 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 46 FPS at 4K. This consistent scaling suggests that the Ryzen 5 9600X is not a limiting factor at any resolution, as the frame rate is always dependent on the GPU's ability to render the scene. The data implies that for 4K gaming, the RTX 4070 is only capable of handling the Medium preset at a playable frame rate, while at 1080p, it is the CPU's ability to issue draw calls that allows the GPU to reach its maximum potential. The analysis points to a system that is well-balanced for 1440p, but where the GPU's capabilities are the ceiling for 4K performance.