Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination in Hitman 2 presents a clear picture of a system where the graphics card is the primary driver of performance, particularly at higher resolutions. The data indicates that while the CPU is sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p, the GPU’s capabilities dictate the frame rates as resolution increases. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to understand the balance between the two components.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It features a 32 MB L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory. In the broader benchmark landscape, this CPU performs at the 85th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28631. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12600, scores 28654, placing the Ryzen 7 3700X a marginal 0.1% behind. Similarly, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT scores 28591, making the 3700X 0.1% ahead of that chip.

For a stealth game like Hitman 2, which relies on complex AI routines and simulation, the multi-threaded capabilities of the 3700X are relevant. The CPU’s multi-core performance, as seen in Cinebench R23 with a score of 19087, ensures that the game’s logic and NPC behavior do not become a bottleneck. In the measured FPS data, the CPU’s role is most apparent at the 1080p resolution with Low settings, where the system achieves an average of 169.6 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is able to process game data quickly enough to avoid limiting the GPU, which is not yet saturated at these lower settings. The single-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 score of 2694, is also adequate for the game’s primary thread, ensuring that the frame pacing remains stable across all tested presets.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

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 memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is rated at 2460 MHz. This GPU sits at the 66th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23181. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, scores 23321, putting the RTX 4060 0.6% behind, while the Intel Arc B580 scores 23021, placing the RTX 4060 0.7% ahead of that card.

The GPU’s VRAM capacity and bandwidth are crucial for Hitman 2’s detailed environments. At 4K resolution with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 26.6. This low number indicates that the GPU is heavily stressed, likely due to the combination of high-resolution textures and the increased pixel count. The 8 GB VRAM buffer appears to be a limiting factor here, as the game demands more memory than the card can efficiently provide, leading to a significant performance penalty. In contrast, at 1080p with Low settings, the RTX 4060 achieves an average of 169.6 FPS, demonstrating that when the workload is lighter, the GPU’s 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is more than sufficient to produce high frame rates.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly demonstrates that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 97.7 at 1080p to 63 at 1440p, and finally to 31.7 at 4K. This represents a 67.5% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K. The trend is even more pronounced at Ultra settings, where the average FPS falls from 73.7 at 1080p to 47.3 at 1440p, and then plummets to 26.6 at 4K, a 63.9% drop from 1080p.

This pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. As resolution increases, the number of pixels that the GPU must render grows exponentially, and the performance degrades proportionally. The CPU’s workload does not scale in the same way, meaning that the Ryzen 7 3700X is not the bottleneck here. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller difference between resolutions, as the CPU would cap the FPS regardless of pixel count. The data shows a steep decline, confirming that the RTX 4060’s compute and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured frame rates are presented in the table below, showing average FPS for each resolution and settings preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|---|---|---|

| 3840x2160 | Low | 58.8 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 41.5 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 31.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 26.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 110.4 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 81 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 63 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 47.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 169.6 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 126.6 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 97.7 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 73.7 |

At 1080p, the system is highly capable. Even the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, achieves an average of 73.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset reaches 169.6 FPS, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. Moving to 1440p, the performance remains playable. The High preset yields 63 FPS, and the Medium preset provides 81 FPS, both offering smooth experiences. However, the Ultra preset drops to 47.3 FPS, which may be noticeable for some users. At 4K, the system struggles. Only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 58.8 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 41.5 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets fall to 31.7 and 26.6 FPS, respectively, which are not ideal for a smooth experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the most comfortable resolution, with all presets achieving above 73.7 FPS. At 1440p, the High preset still delivers a solid 63 FPS, but the Ultra preset drops to 47.3 FPS, which may be less desirable.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4060 scores 23181, which is 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23321) and 0.7% ahead of the Intel Arc B580 (23021).

Q: At which settings does the system fail to maintain a 60 FPS average at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Ultra preset yields an average of 47.3 FPS, which is below 60 FPS. The High preset (63 FPS) and Medium preset (81 FPS) both maintain averages above 60 FPS.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 3700X a limiting factor in Hitman 2?

A: Based on the resolution scaling data, the CPU does not appear to be the primary bottleneck. The frame rate drops significantly as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU limitation. The CPU’s performance is sufficient, as it allows the GPU to reach 169.6 FPS at 1080p Low settings.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 4K, the Low preset averages 58.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 26.6 FPS. This represents a 32.2 FPS difference, showing a substantial performance cost for the highest visual fidelity.

Q: How does the CPU's overall performance rank compared to other CPUs?

A: The Ryzen 7 3700X is at the 85th percentile against all CPUs. It is nearly identical in average score to the Intel Core i5-12600, with a delta of -0.1%.

Settings Recommendations

For a balanced experience, the High preset at 1440p is the optimal choice. This configuration provides an average of 63 FPS, which is smooth for the stealth gameplay that Hitman 2 offers. It balances visual fidelity with performance, avoiding the steep drop seen at Ultra settings. If a higher frame rate is preferred, the Medium preset at 1440p offers an average of 81 FPS with only a minor reduction in visual quality.

At 1080p, the High preset is recommended for a great visual experience, as it achieves an average of 97.7 FPS. For users with high-refresh-rate displays, the Low preset at 1080p, with an average of 169.6 FPS, is the best option to maximize frame rates. At 4K, the Low preset is the only viable choice, with an average of 58.8 FPS. Using Medium or higher settings at this resolution results in averages below 41.5 FPS, which is not recommended for a responsive experience. The Ultra preset is generally not advised for this combination, as it only produces playable frame rates at 1080p (73.7 FPS).