Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a stealth title from 2018, presents a specific performance profile when paired with the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER. The measured data reveals a combination that is heavily influenced by graphics settings and resolution, with the CPU providing a robust foundation that allows the GPU's capabilities to be the primary bottleneck. The benchmark results indicate that this setup can deliver smooth gameplay at 1080p with high settings, but it struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with maximum details. The following analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, component roles, and settings recommendations based solely on the provided facts.

FAQ

Q: How does this specific CPU and GPU combination rank among all tested combinations for Hitman 2?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination is ranked 1349 out of 1795 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places it in the lower-to-middle portion of the performance spectrum, indicating that while it is not a top-tier setup for this game, it is also not among the lowest-performing configurations.

Q: What is the CPU's performance percentile, and how does it compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X has a percentile ranking of 89 against all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 36029, which is nearly identical to its closest rivals. For example, it is only 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14500HX and 0.4% behind the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, indicating a tight cluster of performance at this level.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile, and what is its average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER has a percentile ranking of 63 against all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 19774. This places it in the mid-range of graphics cards, with its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, scoring 19706, a mere 0.3% behind.

Q: What is the best measured average FPS for this combo at 1920x1080 resolution?

A: The highest average FPS recorded at 1920x1080 is 143.9, which is achieved with the Low settings preset. This is a significant jump from the next highest, which is 106.8 FPS on Medium settings, showing a large performance scaling between these presets.

Q: At what resolution and settings does the combo fail to reach a playable 30 FPS average?

A: The data shows the combo fails to reach a 30 FPS average at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, where it only achieves an average of 18.7 FPS. It also falls below 30 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings, averaging 27.1 FPS. The 4K Ultra preset is the only configuration that drops below 20 FPS.

Q: How does the combo's performance at 2560x1440 with High settings compare to its performance at 3840x2160 with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 56 FPS. In contrast, at 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS drops to 36.8. This represents a 34.3% decrease in performance when moving from 1440p High to 4K Medium, highlighting the substantial cost of the higher resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's overall rank of 1349 out of 1795 tested combinations for Hitman 2 places it in the 75th percentile of tested systems, meaning it outperforms about 25% of all tested combos. This rank is a holistic measure that considers the system's performance across all measured settings and resolutions. The data suggests that this pairing is not optimized for maximum fidelity or high-refresh-rate 4K gaming in this title. Instead, it is positioned as a mid-range performer that can handle the game well at lower resolutions and settings.

The ranking reflects the balance between the Ryzen 7 9700X's strong processing power and the RTX 2060 SUPER's more modest graphical capabilities. The CPU's high percentile (89) and average score (36029) are not fully utilized by the GPU, which has a lower percentile (63) and average score (19774). This indicates a potential bottleneck in the GPU for this specific game, as the system's overall rank is dragged down by the graphics card's performance limits. The system is not a top contender, but it is far from the bottom, offering a workable experience for gamers who prioritize frame rate over visual extremes.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary determinant of frame rates in this configuration for Hitman 2. The GPU's performance percentile of 63 against all GPUs, with an average score of 19774, places it in the mid-range tier. Its benchmark results show a strong showing in DirectX 11 (score of 130) and DirectX 10 (score of 111) tests, but a much weaker score in DirectX 12 (score of 61). This suggests the card's architecture, based on the Turing chip, is more efficient with older graphics APIs in this specific workload.

The GPU's memory configuration includes 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory bandwidth is crucial for handling the textures and geometry data in Hitman 2. The card's base clock is 1470 MHz with a boost clock of 1650 MHz, and its memory runs at an effective speed of 14 Gbps. These specifications are reflected in the measured FPS data, which shows a clear scaling pattern: at 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 143.9 on Low to 57.8 on Ultra. The performance drop is more severe at higher resolutions, where the GPU's computational limits are more apparent.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo provides a clear picture of its performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent performance, with an average of 143.9 FPS on Low, 106.8 FPS on Medium, 82.5 FPS on High, and 57.8 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show that 1080p is well within the card's comfort zone, with even the most demanding preset remaining playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance takes a noticeable hit. The average FPS drops to 92.8 on Low, 67.4 on Medium, 56 on High, and 40.9 on Ultra. While the Low and Medium presets still offer high frame rates, the High and Ultra presets begin to approach the lower end of playable territory for some users. At 3840x2160, the combo struggles significantly. The average FPS is 48.8 on Low, 36.8 on Medium, 27.1 on High, and a mere 18.7 on Ultra. This indicates that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this setup, except for the Low preset, which is barely playable.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the gap between Low and Ultra settings increases with resolution. At 1080p, the difference is 86.1 FPS (143.9 vs 57.8). At 1440p, the difference is 51.9 FPS (92.8 vs 40.9). At 4K, the difference is 30.1 FPS (48.8 vs 18.7). This suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor, and the impact of graphical settings is reduced in absolute terms.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and frame rate goals. For a 60 FPS target, the data shows that 1920x1080 with High settings is the most demanding configuration that can achieve it, with an average of 82.5 FPS. For a smoother experience, the Medium preset at 1080p offers 106.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, achieving a consistent 60 FPS is possible but requires the Low preset, which averages 92.8 FPS. The Medium preset at 67.4 FPS is also viable for 60 FPS gaming, but the High preset drops to 56 FPS, which may be insufficient for some. For 4K, the Low preset is the only option that comes close to playable territory, averaging 48.8 FPS, but it is still below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra presets at 1440p and 4K are not recommended for serious gameplay, as they drop to 40.9 and 18.7 FPS, respectively.

The data suggests that the best experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with either High or Medium settings. This provides a high frame rate that is well-suited for a stealth game, ensuring smooth camera movement and responsive controls. For users with 1440p monitors, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, while the Low preset is the safest option for maintaining a high frame rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X provides the computational backbone for this system. With 8 cores and 16 threads, it is a capable processor for gaming workloads. Its base clock is 3.80 GHz, which can boost up to 5.50 GHz, and it features a 32 MB shared L3 cache. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 31588 and a single-core score of 4459. Its 3DMark 16-thread score is 9824, and its single-thread score is 1280.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data and handle game logic. The high single-thread performance (Geekbench score of 3353) is crucial for this game, as it is not a heavily multi-threaded title. The CPU's performance is not the primary bottleneck, as evidenced by its high percentile ranking of 89. Instead, the data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's strong performance ensures that it does not hold back the RTX 2060 SUPER, allowing the graphics card to operate at its full potential. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14500HX (0.2% slower), show that it is competitive with other top-tier processors, but its impact on this specific game's FPS is secondary to the GPU's capabilities.