Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 presents a stark illustration of a generational mismatch in Hitman 2. The data shows a configuration where a modern, high-end CPU is paired with an older, entry-level GPU, resulting in performance that is almost entirely dictated by the graphics card. This combination ranks 1729th out of 1795 tested combos in this specific game, placing it in the bottom 4% of all configurations, a position that underscores the severe bottleneck created by the GPU.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data for this configuration reveals a predictable yet punishing scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 70.3 FPS, which is the only playable result in the entire dataset. However, moving to 1440p at the same Low settings drops the average to 42.3 FPS, a significant 40% reduction. Pushing further to 4K at Low settings yields just 27.1 FPS, which is a 61% drop from the 1080p baseline.

This scaling behavior is a clear indicator that the limiting component is the GPU. The AMD Radeon RX 570, with its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is simply overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count. The 4K Ultra result of 7.9 FPS is essentially a slideshow, confirming that the card lacks the raw fill rate and memory bandwidth for such demanding scenarios. The data suggests that the CPU is not the constraint here; if it were, the frame rate would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the processor's workload would be the limiting factor. Instead, the dramatic FPS collapse with each resolution step points directly to the GPU's inability to keep pace.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is a formidable processor, built on the Zen 4 architecture with 8 cores and 16 threads. Its specifications are impressive on paper, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This CPU sits in the 91st percentile of all processors, and its benchmark scores reflect its high-end positioning. For instance, it scores 29,302 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,136 in single-core, with a Passmark multi-thread score of 34,470.

In the context of Hitman 2, a stealth game that is not known for being heavily CPU-bound, this processor is almost certainly providing far more headroom than the system can utilize. The game's engine does not appear to be heavily multithreaded, but the 7700's strong single-thread performance ensures that it will not be the cause of any frame drops. The data shows that the CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H (0.1% difference) and Intel Core i9-13905H (-0.6% difference), are essentially performance peers, confirming that the 7700 is at the top of its class. However, the measured FPS in this pairing never comes close to what this CPU could theoretically support, meaning its role is purely to feed frames to the GPU as fast as possible, a job it does without breaking a sweat. The bottleneck is unequivocally downstream.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is the clear anchor on performance in this configuration. Based on the Polaris 20 chip and GCN 4.0 architecture, it is a legacy part that is now end-of-life. Its 4 GB of VRAM is a significant limitation in modern games, and its 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is modest by today's standards. The GPU's benchmark scores are surprisingly close to modern parts, but the data must be read carefully. Its average benchmark score of 30,158 places it near the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (0.2% faster) and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (0.2% slower), but this is a misleading comparison for gaming. These synthetic benchmarks do not reflect the real-world gaming performance where the RX 570's older architecture and limited VRAM become critical.

The gaming data tells the true story. At 1080p Medium, the combo produces 52.4 FPS, and at High settings, it drops to 42.3 FPS. These are borderline playable numbers, but they represent the absolute ceiling for this GPU. The 4K results are catastrophic, with the card failing to maintain even 30 FPS at Low settings. The GPU's 32 ROPs and 128 TMUs are insufficient for the pixel and texture throughput demanded at higher resolutions, and the 256-bit memory bus, while decent, cannot compensate for the lack of raw compute power. The data clearly shows that this GPU is the primary factor limiting the entire system's performance in Hitman 2.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's capabilities. At 1080p, the configuration can produce playable frame rates, but only with settings turned down. The average FPS at 1080p Low is 70.3, which is the only result above 60 FPS in the entire dataset. Stepping up to Medium yields 52.4 FPS, High yields 42.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 26.7 FPS. This shows a clear linear progression, with each settings tier costing roughly 10-15 FPS.

Moving to 1440p, the performance becomes more marginal. The Low setting produces 42.3 FPS, which is identical to the 1080p High result, highlighting the cost of the extra pixels. Medium drops to 33.8 FPS, High to 24 FPS, and Ultra falls to 17.5 FPS. These numbers are generally below the threshold for smooth, playable gameplay. At 4K, the results are unusable for any serious gaming. Low produces 27.1 FPS, Medium 20.8 FPS, High 12.3 FPS, and Ultra 7.9 FPS. The data indicates that this system is only suitable for 1080p gaming, and even then, it cannot handle the High or Ultra presets without significant compromises to smoothness.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for this CPU and GPU combo in Hitman 2?

A: The only configuration that achieves a consistently smooth frame rate is 1080p with Low settings, which produces an average of 70.3 FPS. Dropping to Medium reduces the average to 52.4 FPS, which is still playable, but the High and Ultra presets at 1080p fall to 42.3 FPS and 26.7 FPS, respectively.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 has an average benchmark score of 40,468. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H, scores 40,431, which is a 0.1% difference. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T is slightly behind at 39,995, representing a 1.2% delta. The data shows the 7700 is statistically tied with its peers.

Q: Is the GPU a limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 4K Ultra, the system averages just 7.9 FPS. Even at 4K Low, it only reaches 27.1 FPS. This indicates the GPU lacks the necessary performance and memory bandwidth to handle the pixel count at this resolution.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 570 sits in the 74th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score. However, its in-game performance is far lower than this percentile might suggest, due to its older architecture and limited 4 GB VRAM, which are not fully reflected in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark score compare to the RTX 5060?

A: The RX 570's average benchmark score is 30,158, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 scores 30,109. This represents a 0.2% difference, with the RX 570 being technically faster in this specific metric. This is a purely synthetic comparison that does not translate to real-world gaming performance.

Q: What is the overall rank of this specific combo in Hitman 2?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 with the AMD Radeon RX 570 combination ranks 1729th out of 1795 total tested combinations for this game. This places it in the bottom 4% of all tested configurations, indicating severely subpar performance for this specific title.