Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination delivers a playable but resolution-sensitive experience in Hitman 2. The data shows a clear progression from fluid 1080p performance to a struggle at 4K, with the GPU acting as the primary bottleneck as pixel count rises. The CPU’s strong 8-core, 16-thread architecture ensures headroom, but the RTX 2070 SUPER’s 8 GB frame buffer and compute limits define the ceiling.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance curve as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 159 FPS, which drops to 102 FPS at 1440p and further to 54 FPS at 4K. This represents a 66% loss from 1080p Low to 4K Low, indicating that even at the lowest settings, the pixel count overwhelms the GPU. The scaling is not linear; the jump from 1440p (102 FPS) to 4K (54 FPS) is a 47% reduction, while the transition from 1080p (159 FPS) to 1440p (102 FPS) is a 36% drop.

Looking at High settings, the pattern repeats with more severity. The average FPS falls from 90 at 1080p to 58 at 1440p (a 36% decline) and then to 31 at 4K (a 47% decline from 1440p). The 4K High result of 31 FPS is barely above the threshold for smooth gameplay, suggesting that the RTX 2070 SUPER cannot handle the combined load of high detail and 3840x2160 resolution. The gap between 4K Low (54 FPS) and 4K High (31 FPS) shows that settings adjustments matter more at higher resolutions, as the GPU is already saturated.

The Medium preset provides the most telling data on scaling, as it includes min and max FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the average is 120 FPS with a range from 102 to 137 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 76 FPS with a range from 65 to 88 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 41 FPS with a range from 35 to 47 FPS. The min FPS values are critical: they show that 4K Medium can dip to 35 FPS, which would cause noticeable stutter in a stealth game where precise timing matters.

The Ultra preset is the least viable at higher resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 67 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a game that benefits from high frame rates. At 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 43 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it collapses to 23 FPS, which is effectively unplayable. The scaling from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra is a 66% reduction, mirroring the Low preset’s percentage loss but starting from a lower baseline.

The overall pattern indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting component at 1440p and 4K. The CPU’s impact is minimal in these scenarios, as the frame rate drops are proportional to the pixel count increase. At 1080p, the CPU still has headroom, as evidenced by the 159 FPS Low result, which suggests that the GPU is not fully saturated at lower resolutions. Benchmark results indicate that for 4K gaming, this combo requires significant settings reductions to achieve playable frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is a Zen 4 (Raphael) processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, running at a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its architecture is built on a 5 nm process from TSMC, with 32 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 18,760 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,930 in single-core, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (0.1% delta) and Intel Core 5 221E (-0.2% delta), showing it sits in a competitive mid-to-high tier.

In Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game logic. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration provides ample parallelism for the game’s AI and physics systems, which are typically not heavily threaded but benefit from fast single-thread performance. The boost clock of 5.30 GHz is particularly relevant for this game, as Hitman 2 is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance in crowded scenes with many NPCs. The single-core score of 1,930 in Cinebench R23 suggests that the CPU can handle these demands without bottlenecking the GPU at lower resolutions.

The measured FPS data supports this interpretation. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 159 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would likely be limited by the GPU’s rendering capacity rather than the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau regardless of resolution, but the data shows a clear decline as resolution increases. This indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any tested resolution. At 4K Low (54 FPS), the CPU is definitely not the constraint, as the GPU is struggling to fill pixels.

The 3DMark 16-thread score of 8,484 and 8-thread score of 6,933 show strong multi-threaded performance, but Hitman 2 does not scale perfectly with core count. The game’s engine tends to favor 4-6 cores, and the Ryzen 7 7700’s 8 cores ensure that no thread becomes a bottleneck. The L3 cache of 32 MB helps with data locality, reducing memory latency in complex scenes. The CPU’s 65 W TDP and DDR5 memory support (83.2 GB/s bandwidth) contribute to overall system responsiveness, but the benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rate in this title.

At 1080p Ultra (67 FPS), the CPU still has headroom, as the frame rate is below what the CPU could theoretically support. The data shows no scenario where the CPU limits performance, which is expected given its high single-thread and multi-thread scores. For this game, the Ryzen 7 7700 is a capable partner that will not hold back the RTX 2070 SUPER, even at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work to do.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo. At 1080p Medium, the average is 120 FPS with a minimum of 102 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. At 1440p Medium, the average is 76 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS, which remains playable for a stealth game where reaction time matters. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS, which is marginal but potentially acceptable for slower-paced sections.

The High preset is a viable alternative at 1080p (90 FPS) and 1440p (58 FPS), but it fails at 4K with a 31 FPS average. The step from Medium to High increases fidelity but costs 25% of frame rate at 1080p (from 120 to 90 FPS) and 24% at 1440p (from 76 to 58 FPS). At 4K, the cost is 24% (from 41 to 31 FPS), but the absolute result is too low for consistent play.

The Low preset provides the highest frame rates (159 FPS at 1080p, 102 FPS at 1440p, 54 FPS at 4K) but sacrifices visual quality significantly. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p gaming, where it achieves 67 FPS. At 1440p Ultra (43 FPS) and 4K Ultra (23 FPS), the frame rates are too low for a responsive experience.

For most players, the Medium preset at 1440p is the sweet spot, offering 76 FPS average with a 65 FPS minimum. This provides a good balance between image clarity and smoothness. If the player prioritizes frame rate over visuals, the Low preset at 1440p delivers 102 FPS. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the only viable option, but players should expect frame rates around 35-47 FPS. The High preset at 1080p (90 FPS) is also acceptable, but the Medium preset offers a more consistent experience with a higher minimum frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 2,158 out of 3,711 tested combinations in Hitman 2. This places it in the 42nd percentile of all combos, meaning it outperforms roughly 42% of tested systems. The ranking reflects the GPU’s mid-tier status; the RTX 2070 SUPER sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20,282. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (-1% delta) and Intel Arc B570 (-1.3% delta), showing it is slightly below the performance of newer mid-range cards.

The CPU’s high percentile (87th) does not boost the combo’s ranking as much as one might expect, because the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios. The Ryzen 7 7700’s average benchmark score of 40,081 places it near the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (0.1% delta) and Intel Core 5 221E (-0.2% delta), but this compute advantage does not translate into a top-tier gaming result for this particular title. The combo’s rank of 2,158 out of 3,711 indicates that there are many systems with more powerful GPUs that outperform this pairing, especially at higher resolutions.

In the context of Hitman 2, the combo’s ranking is reasonable given the GPU’s age. The RTX 2070 SUPER was released in 2019 and is now end-of-life, while the CPU is from 2023. This mismatch means the CPU is overqualified for the GPU, but the combo still delivers solid performance at 1080p and 1440p. The ranking suggests that players with this combo should focus on 1080p or 1440p gaming, as the GPU will struggle at 4K. The data shows that this combo is best suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p or high-detail 1440p gaming, rather than 4K.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Hitman 2 at 4K?*

A: Yes, but only at Low or Medium settings. At 4K Low, the average is 54 FPS, and at 4K Medium, the average is 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS. High and Ultra presets produce 31 FPS and 23 FPS respectively, which are not playable.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data shows that 1440p Medium provides a 76 FPS average with a 65 FPS minimum, which is a good balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p, the combo can achieve 120 FPS on Medium, but the higher resolution offers more detail without sacrificing too much frame rate.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 has an average benchmark score of 40,081, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and 0.2% lower than the Intel Core 5 221E. It outperforms the AMD Ryzen 9 270 by 0.4% and the Intel Core i9-13905H by 0.6%.

Q: Is the GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: Yes, benchmark results indicate the RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting component, especially at 1440p and 4K. The CPU scores in the 87th percentile, while the GPU is in the 65th percentile, and the frame rate drops proportionally with resolution increases.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p Ultra?

A: The measured data shows an average of 67 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This is playable but not as smooth as the Medium (120 FPS) or Low (159 FPS) presets.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: It ranks 2,158 out of 3,711 combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 42nd percentile. This indicates it performs better than about 42% of tested systems, with the GPU’s mid-tier performance being the primary factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination. Where available, minimum and maximum FPS values are included for the Medium preset.

At 1920x1080:

• Low: Average 159 FPS
• Medium: Average 120 FPS, minimum 102 FPS, maximum 137 FPS
• High: Average 90 FPS
• Ultra: Average 67 FPS

At 2560x1440:

• Low: Average 102 FPS
• Medium: Average 76 FPS, minimum 65 FPS, maximum 88 FPS
• High: Average 58 FPS
• Ultra: Average 43 FPS

At 3840x2160:

• Low: Average 54 FPS
• Medium: Average 41 FPS, minimum 35 FPS, maximum 47 FPS
• High: Average 31 FPS
• Ultra: Average 23 FPS

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data, providing insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range is 102-137 FPS, a 35 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range narrows to 65-88 FPS, a 23 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range is 35-47 FPS, a 12 FPS spread. This suggests that as resolution increases, the frame rate becomes more consistent but at a lower average, likely because the GPU is consistently saturated. The minimum FPS values are the most important for gameplay, as they represent the worst-case scenario during intense scenes. The 4K Medium minimum of 35 FPS is borderline, while the 1440p Medium minimum of 65 FPS is comfortable.