Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination delivers a commanding performance in Hitman 2, with benchmark data showing a clear progression from CPU-bound territory at 1080p to GPU-bound constraints at 4K. The measured frames per second (FPS) across all settings and resolutions indicate that this pairing is capable of delivering playable frame rates even at the most demanding presets, though the gap between settings widens significantly as resolution increases. The combo ranks 129th out of 3711 tested combinations, placing it in the top 3.5% of all systems evaluated for this title, a strong showing that reflects the synergy between the 8-core Zen 4 processor and the Ada Lovelace flagship graphics card.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals a pronounced scaling pattern as resolution moves from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, with the magnitude of the FPS drop varying considerably by settings preset. At Low settings, the system produces 334 FPS at 1080p, which falls to 214 FPS at 1440p (a 35.9% reduction) and further to 114 FPS at 4K (a 65.9% reduction from the 1080p baseline). This steep decline at Low settings strongly indicates that the RTX 4090 is the limiting factor once the CPU has ample headroom, as the low graphical load allows the processor to feed frames as fast as the GPU can render them.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar but slightly less severe in percentage terms: 251 FPS at 1080p drops to 160 FPS at 1440p (36.3% reduction) and then to 85 FPS at 4K (66.1% reduction). The High preset shows a comparable pattern, with 190 FPS at 1080p falling to 121 FPS at 1440p (36.3% reduction) and reaching 65 FPS at 4K (65.8% reduction). The consistency of these percentage drops across presets suggests that resolution scaling is primarily a GPU workload consideration, with the CPU maintaining sufficient throughput to avoid becoming a bottleneck even at 1080p.

Ultra settings present the most dramatic scaling, starting at 140 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 89 FPS at 1440p (36.4% reduction), and ending at 48 FPS at 4K (65.7% reduction). The fact that all presets exhibit nearly identical percentage reductions (roughly 36% from 1080p to 1440p and 66% from 1080p to 4K) points to a consistent GPU-bound scenario across the board. The Ryzen 7 7700, with its 8 cores and 16 threads capable of boosting to 5.30 GHz, provides sufficient single-thread performance to keep up with the RTX 4090’s rendering capabilities, as evidenced by the fact that even at 1080p Low, the system achieves 334 FPS without apparent CPU limitation.

The implication for gamers is straightforward: this combo is balanced such that the GPU determines performance at all resolutions tested. The data shows no scenario where the CPU appears to cap FPS, as the scaling from 1080p to 4K follows the expected pixel-count increase closely. For users targeting high refresh rates, the 1440p High preset at 121 FPS offers a strong compromise, while those seeking maximum visual fidelity at 4K will need to accept the 65 FPS average at High settings or drop to Medium for 85 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system reaches 334 FPS, which is the maximum measured frame rate across all tested configurations. Medium settings deliver 251 FPS, High settings produce 190 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 140 FPS at the same resolution.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 48, which is the lowest measured result in the dataset. This suggests that the Ultra preset at 4K is demanding even for the RTX 4090, though it remains playable for a stealth game where precise timing matters more than twitch reflexes.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 121 FPS, while Medium offers 160 FPS and Low reaches 214 FPS. The Ultra preset produces 89 FPS. Based on the measured data, High provides a strong balance between visual quality and frame rate, though users prioritizing smoothness may prefer Medium.

Q: Does the RTX 4090’s 24 GB VRAM make a difference in Hitman 2?

A: The 24 GB GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient for this game, as evidenced by the consistent FPS scaling across settings. Hitman 2, released in 2018, does not appear to stress the memory capacity, with even the highest settings at 4K maintaining playable frame rates without indication of memory-related stutters.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 129th out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2, placing it in the top 3.5% of all systems in the database. This high percentile reflects the strong performance of both the Ryzen 7 7700 and the RTX 4090 working in tandem for this title.

Q: What is the FPS range at Medium settings across resolutions?

A: The measured data shows Medium settings with min and max FPS values only at certain resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 213 to 288 FPS with an average of 251. At 1440p, the range is 136 to 184 FPS with an average of 160. At 4K, the range is 73 to 98 FPS with an average of 85.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 129 out of 3711 tested combinations places this system in the 96.5th percentile for Hitman 2 performance, a result that underscores the effectiveness of pairing a mid-range 7000-series processor with a flagship GPU. The Ryzen 7 7700 itself sits at the 87th percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the RTX 4090 occupies the 88th percentile among all GPUs, and their combined performance in this game exceeds what either component’s individual percentile might suggest.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in the overall benchmark database provide context for its contribution. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 scores 40048 with a deltaPct of 0.1%, meaning it is essentially tied with the Ryzen 7 7700’s average benchmark score of 40081. The Intel Core 5 221E trails by 0.2% at 40144, and the AMD Ryzen 9 270 is 0.4% behind at 40246. The Intel Core i9-13905H, despite being a mobile part, is 0.6% ahead at 40313. These sub-1% differences indicate that the Ryzen 7 7700’s processing power is well within the expected range for its class, and in Hitman 2, it does not become a limiting factor.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals in the database benchmarks show a similar clustering. The Intel Arc Pro A60 matches the RTX 4090’s average score of 60347 with a deltaPct of 0. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% behind at 60140, while the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% ahead at 61896 and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% behind at 58657. These workstation-oriented rivals are not directly comparable in gaming performance, but the data suggests the RTX 4090’s raw compute is competitive within its benchmark cohort.

The rank of 129 specifically for Hitman 2 reflects the game’s optimization for high-end hardware. With 3711 combos tested, this system outperforms the vast majority of configurations, and the measured FPS data confirms that the combo is well-suited for this title’s stealth gameplay, where consistent frame pacing is more important than absolute maximums.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all presets. Low settings produce 334 FPS average, which represents the absolute peak performance of this combo. Medium settings achieve 251 FPS with a recorded range of 213 to 288 FPS, indicating smooth frame delivery. High settings reach 190 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 140 FPS. These figures demonstrate that at 1080p, the RTX 4090 is not stressed, and the Ryzen 7 7700’s 5.30 GHz boost clock ensures the GPU remains fed.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high. Low settings yield 214 FPS, Medium settings produce 160 FPS with a range of 136 to 184 FPS, High settings deliver 121 FPS, and Ultra settings result in 89 FPS. The 1440p Medium and High presets offer the best balance for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, as both exceed 120 FPS and provide clear visual improvements over Low settings.

At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K rendering become evident. Low settings maintain 114 FPS, which is still highly playable. Medium settings drop to 85 FPS with a range of 73 to 98 FPS, High settings fall to 65 FPS, and Ultra settings reach only 48 FPS. The 4K results show a clear hierarchy where users must choose between graphical fidelity and frame rate, with Medium settings representing the sweet spot for maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

The min and max FPS data available only for Medium settings at each resolution provides insight into frame consistency. At 1080p, the 213 to 288 FPS range shows a variance of 75 FPS, which is proportionally smaller than at higher resolutions. At 1440p, the range is 136 to 184 FPS (48 FPS variance), and at 4K, it narrows to 73 to 98 FPS (25 FPS variance). This trend suggests that as resolution increases, the frame pacing becomes more consistent, likely due to the GPU being the sole bottleneck and reducing CPU-induced variability.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 serves as the primary performance driver in this combo, with its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 384-bit bus providing 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s 16384 shading units and 512 tensor cores enable the high throughput observed in the measured FPS data, while the 128 RT cores, though not directly relevant to Hitman 2’s non-ray-traced rendering, contribute to the card’s overall compute capability. The boost clock of 2520 MHz on the AD102 chip, built on a 5 nm TSMC process, allows the card to maintain high utilization across all tested settings.

The GPU’s 450 W TDP and suggested 850 W PSU indicate the power requirements necessary to sustain these performance levels. The 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is reflected in the game’s ability to maintain 65 FPS at 4K High settings, a result that would be challenging for lesser hardware. The 24 GB VRAM capacity is far beyond what Hitman 2 requires, as the game’s 2018 release date predates the high-memory demands of modern titles, but the headroom ensures no texture thrashing occurs at any settings preset.

The RTX 4090’s benchmark scores corroborate its suitability for this game. The PassMark G3D score of 38194 and the Geekbench Vulkan score of 271631 indicate strong raw performance, while the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9223 demonstrates DirectX 12 capability that aligns with Hitman 2’s engine requirements. The GPU’s 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs positions it as a top-tier product, and the measured FPS data confirms that it does not bottleneck the Ryzen 7 7700 in this title.

The memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) provides the bandwidth necessary for 4K textures and high-resolution rendering. The pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1290.2 GTexel/s are more than adequate for the geometry and texture workloads Hitman 2 presents, allowing the card to maintain high frame rates even at Ultra settings where the 48 FPS result at 4K represents the most demanding configuration.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user’s resolution and refresh rate priorities. At 1920x1080, all presets deliver playable frame rates, with Ultra settings at 140 FPS providing the best visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset at 190 FPS offers additional headroom for high-refresh-rate displays, while Medium at 251 FPS and Low at 334 FPS cater to competitive play where frame rate is paramount.

For 2560x1440, the High preset at 121 FPS represents the best balance between visual quality and performance. This setting provides a substantial improvement over Medium’s 160 FPS in terms of graphical detail while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds most 120 Hz monitors’ refresh rates. Users with 144 Hz displays may prefer Medium at 160 FPS, while those with 60 Hz screens can comfortably use Ultra at 89 FPS for maximum fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset at 85 FPS is the recommended choice for most users, as it offers a significant visual upgrade over Low’s 114 FPS while remaining well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 65 FPS is acceptable for users who prioritize graphical quality, but the 48 FPS Ultra result may introduce noticeable stutter in fast-paced scenes, making it less suitable for consistent play. The data clearly shows that Medium at 4K is the sweet spot for this combo, providing a 20 FPS improvement over High while maintaining all essential visual effects.

The min FPS data for Medium settings across all resolutions indicates this preset provides stable frame delivery, with the 4K range of 73 to 98 FPS showing only a 25 FPS variance. This consistency makes Medium the most reliable choice for maintaining smooth gameplay, particularly in Hitman 2’s stealth scenarios where sudden frame drops could compromise player performance. For users with adaptive sync displays, the High preset at 4K may also be viable given its 65 FPS average, but the Medium preset’s higher minimum frame rate offers greater safety margin.