Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and AMD Radeon RX 9060 pairing delivers a distinctly mid-range experience in Hitman 2, a 2018 stealth title that remains demanding at high resolutions. The data shows a system capable of smooth 1080p play but one that struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with maximum settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, the roles of the CPU and GPU, and offers settings recommendations based strictly on the recorded FPS data.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a system that becomes progressively more GPU-bound as resolution increases, a classic sign of a graphics card being the primary limiter at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 159 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that average to 102 FPS, a 36% reduction. At 4K, the average falls to 54 FPS, which is a 66% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline indicates that the RX 9060 is working far harder to fill the additional pixels, with the CPU having ample headroom at the lower resolution.

The pattern persists across all settings presets. With High settings, the frame rate drops from 90 FPS at 1080p to 58 FPS at 1440p (a 36% decrease) and then to 31 FPS at 4K (a 66% decrease from 1080p). This consistent scaling factor suggests that the bottleneck shifts almost entirely to the GPU as resolution climbs. The 8 GB VRAM buffer and the 128-bit memory bus of the RX 9060 become increasingly stressed at 4K, particularly with higher texture quality settings.

The gap between 1440p and 4K is notably larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p, which reinforces the idea that the RX 9060 hits a performance wall at the higher resolution. For instance, at Medium settings, the 1440p average of 76 FPS drops to 41 FPS at 4K, a 46% reduction. This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU that is running out of memory bandwidth or raw shading power. The data suggests that 1440p is the effective ceiling for this combination to maintain high refresh rates, while 4K is only viable with significant compromises to visual fidelity.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060, built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 44 chip, is the clear performance driver in this pairing. Its role is defined by its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In Hitman 2, this configuration proves sufficient for 1080p and 1440p but becomes a liability at 4K, where the memory capacity and bandwidth are strained by the high-resolution textures. The GPU’s boost clock of 2990 MHz and game clock of 2400 MHz give it solid peak performance, but the 1700 MHz base clock indicates thermal and power headroom that is not always fully utilized.

The measured FPS data shows the RX 9060’s capabilities clearly. At 1080p Low, it achieves 159 FPS, demonstrating that the card’s 1792 shading units and 112 texture mapping units are more than enough for low-detail rendering. However, at 4K Ultra, the average plummets to 23 FPS, a score that is barely playable and highlights the GPU’s limitations under heavy load. The benchmark results place the RX 9060 in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129, a negligible 0.7% difference, confirming that this card sits firmly in the upper mid-range tier.

The GPU’s performance in Hitman 2 aligns with its synthetic benchmarks. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3322 and the Passmark G3D score of 17631 indicate a card that can handle modern titles at 1080p and 1440p with high settings, but not 4K Ultra. The 4K High average of 31 FPS is the key indicator: it is a playable but not smooth experience. The 4K Medium average of 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS shows some headroom, but the frame pacing is likely inconsistent. For a game like Hitman 2, which relies on precise stealth mechanics, a stable frame rate is more important than maximum visual quality.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT, a Zen 3 (Vermeer) processor on the AM4 socket, provides a robust foundation for the RX 9060. With 8 cores and 16 threads running at a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, the CPU is well-equipped to handle the game’s simulation and AI workloads. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and the dual-channel DDR4 memory support (51.2 GB/s bandwidth) ensure that the GPU is fed with data without creating a processor bottleneck, especially at 1080p where the CPU’s role is more prominent.

The CPU’s benchmark scores confirm its strength. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23794 and single-core score of 3359 are strong numbers that place the 5800XT in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (avg score 29868) and the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X (avg score 29713), show that the 5800XT is competitive, with a deltaPct of 0.6% against the Ryzen 5 9600X. This processing power ensures that the CPU is not the limiting factor in Hitman 2 at any resolution tested.

The impact of the CPU on the measured FPS is most evident at 1080p Low, where the system achieves 159 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is capable of issuing draw calls and processing game logic faster than the GPU can render frames at this resolution. As resolution increases, the CPU’s influence diminishes, and the GPU becomes the sole bottleneck. The data shows that the 5800XT is more than sufficient for this game, and the performance ceiling is clearly dictated by the RX 9060. The processor’s 105W TDP and active production status indicate a mature, efficient design that pairs well with a mid-range GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system is highly capable: Low settings yield an average of 159 FPS, Medium yields 119 FPS with a minimum of 101 FPS and a maximum of 137 FPS, High yields 90 FPS, and Ultra yields 66 FPS. All of these averages are comfortably playable, and even the Ultra preset maintains a frame rate above 60 FPS, making 1080p a strong resolution for this combo with any settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops but remains largely playable. Low settings produce an average of 102 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings deliver 76 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 88 FPS, providing a smooth experience. High settings average 58 FPS, which is borderline for a 60 Hz display but acceptable for most players. Ultra settings, however, fall to 43 FPS, which introduces noticeable stutter and is not recommended for fast-paced action.

At 3840x2160, the RX 9060’s limitations become stark. Low settings average 54 FPS, which is playable but requires a significant visual compromise. Medium settings average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS, indicating inconsistent frame pacing that could hurt gameplay. High settings average 31 FPS, and Ultra settings average just 23 FPS. These numbers are below the threshold for a smooth experience, and the data suggests that 4K is only viable on Low settings for a playable frame rate. The jump from 1440p to 4K is punishing, as the GPU simply lacks the memory bandwidth and raw compute power to maintain high FPS at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and AMD Radeon RX 9060 pairing ranks 1739 out of 3001 combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum, which is consistent with the GPU’s mid-range positioning. The rank is influenced primarily by the GPU’s performance, as the CPU is a high-end part that would rank much higher if paired with a more powerful graphics card.

The combo’s ranking is directly correlated with the measured FPS data. At 1080p, the system’s performance is strong enough to place it above many lower-tier combos, but the 4K results drag the overall ranking down. The RX 9060’s nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (avg score 16129) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (avg score 15852), are likely paired with similar CPUs, so the ranking reflects the GPU’s relative capability in this specific title. The 1739th position out of 3001 means that roughly 42% of tested combos perform better, which is a fair assessment for a mid-range card in a demanding game at high resolutions.

The rank also highlights a mismatch in this pairing. The CPU is a strong performer, but the GPU holds the system back. If the goal is to improve the ranking, the data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield the most significant gains, as the CPU has proven headroom. For players with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, this combo is adequate, but for 4K gaming, it falls short of the top half of the database.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 66 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This allows players to experience the game’s full visual fidelity without sacrificing performance. The High preset at 90 FPS is also excellent for those with high-refresh-rate displays, but Ultra offers the best balance of quality and speed.

For 2560x1440, the High preset is the recommended starting point, providing an average of 58 FPS. This is slightly below 60 FPS, so players with adaptive sync monitors will have a smooth experience. The Medium preset, at 76 FPS, is a better choice for those who prioritize frame rate over visual details, and it maintains a minimum of 65 FPS, ensuring consistent performance. The Ultra preset at 43 FPS is not recommended, as the frame rate drops below the playable threshold for most users.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests that the Low preset is the only viable option for a playable experience, with an average of 54 FPS. The Medium preset at 41 FPS is playable but may suffer from frame pacing issues, as indicated by the minimum of 35 FPS. The High and Ultra presets at 31 FPS and 23 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for gameplay, as they fall well below the minimum acceptable frame rate. For 4K, players should accept the visual compromises of the Low preset or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience. The overall recommendation is to prioritize 1440p High for the best balance of visual quality and performance, as this combo is clearly optimized for that resolution.