Hitman 2

Hitman 2 is a stealth game that rewards precision, and the benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER shows a system that can deliver that precision at high frame rates, but with clear limitations at the highest resolutions. This pairing ranks in the 1121st position out of 1795 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of performance. The data indicates a system where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, while the CPU provides a robust foundation that rarely holds the experience back.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic performance curve dominated by the GPU's workload. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly capable of delivering excellent performance, with average frame rates ranging from 66.5 FPS on Ultra to a very high 157.5 FPS on Low. This spread shows that at 1080p, the game is not entirely GPU-bound, as lowering settings yields a massive performance uplift, from 90.1 FPS on High to 157.5 FPS on Low, a jump of nearly 75%. This indicates that the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at these settings, and the limiting factor is the graphics card's fill rate and shading power.

Moving to 2560x1440, the picture changes. The average FPS on High settings drops to 56.3, which is a substantial 37% decrease from the 1080p High result. This is a clear sign that the GPU is now working much harder, and the system is transitioning to a more GPU-limited state. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution shows a tighter band, from 99.6 FPS down to 45.6 FPS, which is a 54% drop. This contrasts with the 1080p results, where the same settings change produced a 58% drop, suggesting that the GPU's limits are starting to cap the maximum possible frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is firmly the bottleneck. The High preset averages just 31.1 FPS, which is a significant 45% reduction from the 1440p High result. This makes 4K gaming at high settings an impractical target for this combo, as the frame rate dips below the standard 60 FPS target. The data shows that even dropping to Medium settings at 4K only yields 38.6 FPS, and only the Low preset, at 56.2 FPS, approaches playable levels. The scaling from 1440p to 4K on High settings is a stark 45% performance hit, clearly demonstrating that the RTX 2070 SUPER's 8 GB of VRAM and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the demands of 4K in this title.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is a Zen 4 architecture CPU with 8 cores and 16 threads, a base clock of 4.50 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30325 and a single-core score of 4281. These scores indicate a high-performance processor that is more than capable of handling the AI and physics simulations in Hitman 2. In the broader CPU landscape, it sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 34313. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Core i5-13500, which is a mere 0.4% slower, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H, which is 0.8% faster. This shows the 7700X is a top-tier contender in its class.

In the context of this game, the CPU's role is to ensure a consistent frame delivery. The data suggests it performs this role admirably. At 1080p, the significant FPS jumps when lowering settings from High to Low indicate that the CPU is not the primary limiter; it can push frame rates well above 150 FPS. The single-thread performance, as evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1090 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4190, is crucial for game logic that runs on one or two main threads. This robust single-core performance ensures that the game's simulation doesn't become a bottleneck, allowing the GPU to be the deciding factor in frame rate, especially at higher resolutions.

The 7700X's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth provide the necessary data throughput for the game engine. Its performance in the 3DMark 16-thread test (8859) and max-thread test (8852) shows excellent scaling across its 16 threads, which helps maintain smooth performance in complex scenes with many NPCs. This CPU is not a weak link in this system; it is a solid foundation that allows the RTX 2070 SUPER to be the sole determinant of performance scaling.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X a bottleneck for the RTX 2070 SUPER in Hitman 2?

A: No, the data indicates the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. At 1080p, frame rates scale dramatically with graphics settings, reaching 157.5 FPS on Low, which shows the CPU has ample headroom. The performance drops at higher resolutions are consistent with the GPU becoming the limiting factor.

Q: Can this system run Hitman 2 at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but not at high settings. The measured data shows that at 3840x2160, the High preset averages 31.1 FPS, which is below 60 FPS. Only the Low preset, at 56.2 FPS, approaches a playable level. For a smoother 4K experience, you would need to use the Low settings.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 60 FPS experience?

A: The 2560x1440 resolution with High settings is the best balance, averaging 56.3 FPS, just shy of the 60 FPS target. At 1920x1080, the High preset averages 90.1 FPS, providing a very comfortable margin above 60 FPS. For a locked 60 FPS, 1440p Medium (74.4 FPS) is a safer bet.

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

A: The Ryzen 7 7700X has an average benchmark score of 34313. It is 0.4% faster than the Intel Core i5-13500 and 0.5% faster than the Intel Core i7-12800HX. It is 0.8% slower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and the AMD EPYC 4244P, making it essentially equivalent in performance to all four.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The difference is significant. The Low preset averages 157.5 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 66.5 FPS. This represents a 58% performance reduction from Low to Ultra, showing that the Ultra preset demands far more from the GPU.

Q: Is the 8 GB of VRAM on the RTX 2070 SUPER a concern for this game?

A: The data suggests it is a limiting factor at 4K. At 3840x2160, the High preset averages 31.1 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 22.2 FPS. The massive performance hit at 4K compared to 1440p indicates that the memory bandwidth and capacity are insufficient for the highest resolutions in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is from the measured FPS for the combination of AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER.

1920x1080:

• Low: The average frame rate is 157.5 FPS.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 123 FPS.
• High: The average frame rate is 90.1 FPS.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 66.5 FPS.

2560x1440:

• Low: The average frame rate is 99.6 FPS.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 74.4 FPS.
• High: The average frame rate is 56.3 FPS.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 45.6 FPS.

3840x2160:

• Low: The average frame rate is 56.2 FPS.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 38.6 FPS.
• High: The average frame rate is 31.1 FPS.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 22.2 FPS.

These figures show a clear and consistent pattern. At 1080p, the system offers a wide range of performance, from high-refresh-rate territory on Low to a solid 60+ FPS experience on High. At 1440p, the High preset is the boundary for a near-60 FPS experience, while Ultra settings become more demanding. At 4K, all settings struggle to maintain playable frame rates, with only the Low preset coming close to 60 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the driving force behind this system's visual output and is the component that dictates the performance ceilings. It is an end-of-life product from the GeForce 20-series, built on the Turing architecture and the TU104 chip using a 12 nm process. Its specifications include 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. With 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, it offers a substantial amount of compute power for its class, with an FP32 performance of 9.062 TFLOPS. Its boost clock is 1770 MHz, and it has a TDP of 215 W.

In the benchmark data, the GPU's performance is clearly the defining factor. It has a Passmark G3D score of 18169 and an average benchmark score of 22206, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA RTX A400, which is 0.5% faster, and it is 2.5% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 5700. This positions it as a solid mid-range performer. However, its limitations are exposed at higher resolutions. The data shows that the GPU is the primary reason for the frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K. The 4K High preset average of 31.1 FPS is a clear indicator that the GPU's memory bandwidth and raw compute power are insufficient for 4K gaming at high visual fidelity in Hitman 2.

The GPU's role is to handle the rendering load, and this load increases exponentially with resolution. The significant FPS drops at 4K, particularly when moving from Medium (38.6 FPS) to High (31.1 FPS) and Ultra (22.2 FPS), show that the 8 GB VRAM and bandwidth are being saturated. This suggests that for a better 4K experience, a GPU with more memory and higher bandwidth would be necessary. The RTX 2070 SUPER is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates, but it is out of its depth at 4K with high settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. There is no single "best" preset, but the data provides clear guidance for different priorities.

For a 1080p high-refresh-rate experience, the High preset is the ideal choice. It delivers an average of 90.1 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard and provides a smooth, responsive experience for a stealth game. While the Low preset pushes to 157.5 FPS, the visual quality trade-off is not worth the extra frames when High is already so performant. The Ultra preset, at 66.5 FPS, is also viable, but the performance cost from High to Ultra is significant, and the visual improvement may be marginal in this title.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, averaging 56.3 FPS. This is just below the 60 FPS target, but it is very playable. If a locked 60 FPS is a hard requirement, the Medium preset, at 74.4 FPS, is a safer choice and still looks good. The Ultra preset at 45.6 FPS is not recommended, as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold and the visual difference from High is less impactful than the 19% performance penalty.

For 3840x2160, the options are limited. The only preset that provides a near-playable experience is Low, which averages 56.2 FPS. This requires a significant visual compromise. The Medium preset at 38.6 FPS is too choppy for a game that requires stealth and precision. Therefore, the recommendation for 4K is to use the Low preset, or to consider lowering the resolution to 1440p to enjoy higher visual quality. The data shows that this system is not built for 4K gaming in Hitman 2 with high-quality graphics.