Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a stealth classic from 2018, presents an interesting stress test for modern hardware. This analysis examines the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, using measured frame rate data to understand where the bottleneck lies and how the combination handles the game's various presets and resolutions. The data indicates a system that is capable but requires specific settings to achieve a smooth experience at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation tells a compelling story about system balance. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves a robust 152 FPS average. Moving to 1440p drops this to 97 FPS, a significant 36% reduction. Stepping up to 4K further reduces the average to 52 FPS, which is another 46% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling suggests that at lower resolutions, the system is likely bound by the CPU or other overhead, but as the pixel count rises, the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, at High settings, the frame rate falls from 86 FPS at 1080p to 55 FPS at 1440p, a 36% decrease, and then to 29 FPS at 4K, a 47% drop from 1440p. This pattern—a roughly one-third reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a further near-halving from 1440p to 4K—is a classic sign of a GPU that is becoming saturated. The RTX 5050, with its 8 GB of memory and 128-bit bus, is being pushed harder as the rendering load increases exponentially with resolution.

The most telling data point is the scaling at Medium settings. Here, the frame rate drops from 114 FPS at 1080p to 73 FPS at 1440p and then to 39 FPS at 4K. The min FPS at 1440p is 62 and at 4K is 33, showing that the frame pacing also suffers as the GPU struggles. This indicates that while the Ryzen 7 9700F is more than capable of feeding frames at 1080p, the RTX 5050's performance ceiling is reached relatively quickly as resolution climbs. The 4K results, in particular, highlight that this configuration is not suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at that resolution, with even Low settings only managing 52 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Ryzen 7 9700F and the RTX 5050 holds a rank of 1837 out of 3001 combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the lower half of all tested configurations, which is a noteworthy data point. It suggests that while this is a modern CPU and GPU, their combined performance in this specific title is not exceptional when compared to a wide range of other hardware pairings that have been benchmarked.

The rank is likely a reflection of the GPU's position in the overall hierarchy. The RTX 5050 is ranked in the 66th percentile against all GPUs, which means it outperforms a majority of graphics cards. However, its nearest rivals according to the data include older and more mobile-oriented parts like the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, as well as the desktop Radeon RX 5600 XT. This context suggests that while the 5050 is a capable modern card, its absolute performance level is not at the top tier, which is reflected in the combo's overall rank.

Conversely, the CPU is a powerhouse. The Ryzen 7 9700F sits in the 94th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69996. Its nearest rivals are top-tier desktop and mobile processors like the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and the Intel Core i7-14700KF, with the 9700F performing within a 0.9% delta of these chips. This indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this pairing. The combo rank, therefore, is likely dragged down by the GPU's mid-range standing, showing that the overall experience is a product of the weaker link, even if that link is not weak in absolute terms.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. The card has a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz. These specifications frame its performance capabilities. The 8 GB VRAM buffer, while standard for a card in this class, can be a limiting factor at higher resolutions and with higher texture quality settings in modern games, though Hitman 2 is from 2018 and less demanding in this regard.

Its benchmark scores provide a measure of its compute capabilities. The card scores 17326 in the Passmark G3D test and 9184 in the Passmark GPU Compute test. It achieves 2502 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. These raw scores, combined with its FPS results, paint a picture of a GPU that is competent for 1080p and 1440p gaming but is stretched at 4K. The data shows that the card's performance is its primary constraint in this pairing, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops at higher resolutions.

The GPU's rank against all other GPUs is the 66th percentile, and its average benchmark score is 21035. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which it edges out by 1.6%, and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile, which is 1.6% faster. This positioning suggests that the RTX 5050 offers performance in the range of a previous-generation mid-range desktop card. In Hitman 2, this translates to the observed frame rates: playable at 1080p and 1440p, but not at 4K with high fidelity settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a smooth 60+ FPS experience, the 1080p resolution is the clear choice. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers an average of 114 FPS with a minimum of 97 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The High preset also achieves a playable 86 FPS average. Even the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, manages a 64 FPS average, making it viable for 60 Hz displays.

At 1440p, the choices become more constrained. The Low preset is the only option that guarantees a high refresh rate experience, with an average of 97 FPS. The Medium preset, with an average of 73 FPS and a minimum of 62 FPS, is the best choice for a balance between visual quality and smooth gameplay on a standard 60 Hz monitor. The High preset at 55 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 41 FPS is not recommended for a fluid experience.

The 4K resolution is not recommended for this combo for serious gameplay. No preset achieves a 60 FPS average. The Low preset comes closest at 52 FPS, but the Medium preset drops to 39 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets fall to 29 FPS and 22 FPS, respectively. For 4K, the data suggests that only the Low preset is marginally playable, and even then, the experience would be suboptimal. The best experience per the measured rows is at 1080p Medium or High, or 1440p Medium, where the balance of visuals and performance is most favorable.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. Here is the exact breakdown.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 152. The Medium preset yields an average of 114 FPS, with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS. High settings produce an average of 86 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still manages an average of 64 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance scales down as expected. The Low preset averages 97 FPS. The Medium preset averages 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS. High settings result in an average of 55 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 41 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. The Low preset is the only setting to break the 50 FPS barrier, with an average of 52 FPS. The Medium preset averages 39 FPS, with a minimum of 33 FPS and a maximum of 45 FPS. High settings fall to an average of 29 FPS, and the Ultra preset is the least playable, with an average of just 22 FPS.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a desktop processor from the 9000 series, based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) and built on a 4 nm process. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This is a high-performance part, as evidenced by its 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs. Its benchmark scores are substantial, including a Passmark multithread score of 36470 and a single-thread score of 4691.

The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals confirms its strength. It is nearly identical in average benchmark score to the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.2% faster), the Intel Core i7-14700KF (0.2% slower), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.7% faster). This data shows that in terms of raw processing power, the 9700F is a top-tier component that should not bottleneck any mid-range or even high-end GPU.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU's role seems to be that of a stable foundation. The game is not particularly known for being CPU-intensive, and with 8 cores and 16 threads, the 9700F is unlikely to be a limiting factor. The data supports this, as the FPS scaling with resolution changes is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's high single-thread and multithread scores suggest it can handle the game's logic and AI without issue, allowing the RTX 5050 to be the primary determinant of frame rate. The CPU's 65 W TDP also indicates it is an efficient part, which is a positive attribute for system building.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this hardware?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the best resolution. It is the only resolution where all settings presets achieve a minimum of 64 FPS or higher, with the Medium preset averaging 114 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Hitman 2?

A: Not comfortably. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 52 on Low settings. The Medium preset averages 39 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets drop to 29 FPS and 22 FPS, respectively, which is not a smooth experience.

Q: Which graphics preset provides the best balance of visuals and performance at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset is the best choice at 2560x1440. It delivers an average of 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS, which ensures a smooth experience on a 60 Hz monitor while offering better visual quality than the Low preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this pairing?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU, AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, ranks in the 94th percentile for all CPUs and is comparable to parts like the Ryzen 9 7950X. The GPU, RTX 5050, ranks in the 66th percentile, and the significant FPS drops at higher resolutions are characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems for Hitman 2?

A: This specific combo ranks 1837 out of 3001 tested combinations for Hitman 2. This places it in the lower half of all tested pairings, which is primarily due to the mid-range performance of the RTX 5050.

Q: What is the maximum FPS achievable with this setup?

A: The highest average FPS recorded in the data is 152, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset. This is the only configuration that approaches high-refresh-rate territory.