Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2,936 out of 3,711 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places the configuration in the bottom 21% of all tested hardware pairings, indicating that while the combo is functional, it is not positioned to deliver a high-end experience in this title. The rank reflects the RTX 2060’s age and tier rather than the CPU’s capability; the Ryzen 7 7700X sits in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, while the RTX 2060 lands in the 58th percentile among all GPUs. The data suggests that the GPU is the primary constraint, as the CPU’s benchmark scores are far stronger relative to its peers than the GPU’s scores are relative to its own.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2,936 out of 3,711 places it in the lower third of the database, which is a direct result of the graphics card’s performance ceiling. The RTX 2060’s average benchmark score is 15,290, and it sits just 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon 680M and 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM. These are not high-end parts, and the gap to faster cards is substantial. In contrast, the Ryzen 7 7700X has an average benchmark score of 35,909, which is 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 and 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H. The CPU is a modern, high-core-count part, but it is effectively held back by the GPU in gaming scenarios.

The rank itself tells a clear story: in a game like Hitman 2, which is not particularly CPU-bound at high resolutions, the RTX 2060 dictates the experience. With a percentile ranking of 58 for the GPU versus 85 for the CPU, the benchmark results indicate that the processor is capable of far more than what the graphics card can deliver. This is a classic bottleneck scenario, where the combo’s overall rank is dragged down by the weaker component. The measured FPS data confirms this, as the frame rates scale more with resolution and settings than with any CPU-related variable.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience per the measured rows, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 offers the most balanced result. It delivers an average FPS of 99, with a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 114, which provides a smooth and responsive frame rate for a stealth game. The jump from Medium to High at 1080p costs 24 FPS on average, dropping to 75 FPS, while Ultra drops further to 55 FPS. Given that Hitman 2 is a methodical game where precision matters more than raw speed, the 99 FPS average at Medium is the sweet spot, avoiding the dips below 60 FPS that occur at higher presets.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset again appears to be the best choice, averaging 63 FPS with a minimum of 54 and a maximum of 73. This is playable, though the minimum FPS suggests occasional stutter. High at 1440p drops to 48 FPS average, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay, and Ultra falls to 35 FPS. At 3840x2160, no preset is truly comfortable; even Low averages only 45 FPS, and Medium drops to 34 FPS with a minimum of 29. For 4K, the recommendation would be to stick with Low if the resolution is non-negotiable, but the data strongly suggests that 1080p Medium is the intended operating point for this combo.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is severe and reveals the GPU as the limiting component. At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 99 at 1080p to 63 at 1440p, a 36% reduction, and then to 34 at 4K, a further 46% reduction from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the increase in pixel count directly taxes the graphics card’s fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RTX 2060 has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is simply not enough to sustain high frame rates at 4K in a game with Hitman 2’s visual complexity.

The Low preset tells a similar story: 132 FPS at 1080p, 84 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K. The halving of performance from 1080p to 4K at both Low and Medium settings indicates that the GPU is saturating its resources as resolution climbs. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the processor’s workload does not change with pixel count. The data shows no such flatness, confirming that the RTX 2060 is the limiting factor. The Ryzen 7 7700X, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, has ample headroom to feed the GPU at all tested resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings average 132 FPS, Medium averages 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 114, High averages 75 FPS, and Ultra averages 55 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 77 FPS, which is a wide range that gives players flexibility. For competitive or fast-paced play, Low is clearly the choice, but for a stealth game like Hitman 2, the visual fidelity of High or Ultra might be tempting. However, the drop to 55 FPS at Ultra could be noticeable in crowded scenes.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades predictably. Low averages 84 FPS, Medium averages 63 FPS with a minimum of 54 and a maximum of 73, High averages 48 FPS, and Ultra averages 35 FPS. The Medium preset is the only one that stays above 60 FPS on average, though its minimum of 54 suggests some frame pacing issues. High and Ultra are playable but not ideal for a game that rewards careful observation, as frame drops can disrupt the experience.

At 3840x2160, the results are marginal. Low averages 45 FPS, Medium averages 34 FPS with a minimum of 29 and a maximum of 39, High averages 25 FPS, and Ultra averages 19 FPS. None of these are smooth, and even the Low preset’s 45 FPS average is below the 60 FPS target. The minimum FPS of 29 at Medium indicates that the experience can become quite choppy. The data suggests that 4K is not a viable option for this combo in Hitman 2, regardless of settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the defining component in this combo, and its specifications explain the measured results. The GPU has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, a 192-bit bus, and 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. These figures are modest by modern standards, and they directly impact performance at higher resolutions. The 4K results, where even Low settings only reach 45 FPS, point to memory bandwidth and capacity as key constraints. The 6 GB frame buffer is likely exhausted at 4K, causing the GPU to struggle with texture storage and rendering.

The GPU’s clocks are listed as a base of 1365 MHz and a boost of 1680 MHz. These are not particularly high, and the chip’s 12 nm process node suggests it is from an older generation. The RTX 2060 has 1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, which are figures that place it in the mid-range tier. The benchmark results show a PassMark G3D score of 14,111 and a PassMark DirectX 12 score of 53, which are consistent with a GPU that performs adequately at 1080p but falls off rapidly at higher resolutions. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 58 versus the CPU’s 85 underscores the imbalance in this pairing.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Hitman 2 at 1080p with high settings?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo averages 75 FPS. This is playable, though it is 24 FPS lower than the Medium preset’s average of 99 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. At Medium settings, it delivers an average of 99 FPS with a minimum of 84. At 2560x1440, the same settings drop to 63 FPS average, and at 3840x2160, they fall to 34 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this combo?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 7700X ranks in the 85th percentile among CPUs, while the RTX 2060 ranks in the 58th percentile among GPUs. The FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, which is a GPU-bound behavior.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060’s average benchmark score of 15,290 is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon 680M and 0.6% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM. It is effectively tied with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, which has an average score of 15,283.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combo?

A: No. Even at Low settings, the average FPS at 3840x2160 is 45, and at Ultra it drops to 19. The Medium preset averages 34 FPS with a minimum of 29, which is not smooth enough for a stealth game.

Q: What is the CPU’s performance profile?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 19,088 and single-core score is 1,987, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is a high-end processor that is largely underutilized in this combo. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 19,088 and single-core score of 1,987 are strong, and its PassMark multithread score of 35,686 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. In Hitman 2, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic, and the data shows that it does so without becoming a limiting factor.

The measured FPS at 1080p Low is 132, which is a high frame rate that would require a capable CPU to maintain. The fact that the combo achieves this, while the CPU is only ranked 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 in average benchmark score, suggests that the 7700X has plenty of headroom. The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth provide a solid foundation for gaming. However, the GPU’s performance ceiling prevents the CPU from being fully exercised, as the FPS does not increase when resolution is lowered, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor.

In summary, the Ryzen 7 7700X is a future-proof component that will not hold back the RTX 2060 in Hitman 2. If the GPU were upgraded, the CPU could likely support higher frame rates, but with the current pairing, the processor’s capabilities are largely untapped. The combo’s rank of 2,936 out of 3,711 is a reflection of the GPU’s age, not the CPU’s performance. For players using this configuration, the path to better performance lies in reducing resolution or settings, as the CPU is not the source of the bottleneck.