Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a curious performance profile in Hitman 2, one that reveals the game’s distinct sensitivity to both CPU and GPU limits depending on the settings chosen. The data shows a combo that can effortlessly push frame rates into esports territory at 1080p, yet struggles to maintain playable levels at 4K Ultra, suggesting a pronounced bottleneck that shifts with resolution. This analysis breaks down the measured results to understand where this pairing excels and where it falls short.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X brings a substantial amount of processing power to Hitman 2, a game that can be surprisingly demanding on the CPU in its busiest scenes. With 8 cores and 16 threads, the processor operates on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, and features a base clock of 3.80 GHz with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This configuration allows for rapid single-threaded performance, which is critical for the game's AI and physics calculations, while the 16 threads ensure that background tasks do not interfere with frame pacing.

Looking at the synthetic benchmarks, the CPU’s capabilities are clear. Its multi-threaded score in Cinebench R23 reaches 31588, while the single-core score is 4459. In the 3DMark suite, the processor scores 9824 with 16 threads and 1280 in single-threaded tests. These figures place the Ryzen 7 9700X in the 89th percentile among all CPUs, indicating strong overall performance. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14500HX, show a delta of just 0.2%, meaning the 9700X is effectively neck-and-neck with that chip in average benchmark scores, though the Ryzen's higher single-thread prowess often matters more in gaming scenarios like Hitman 2.

The processor's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per core provide ample fast memory for the game's data streams. This is crucial for Hitman 2, where the game engine often loads large environment assets and tracks numerous NPCs. The data suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU is not the limiting factor; instead, the GPU takes on that role. However, the high boost clock and efficient architecture mean that even when the GPU is taxed, the CPU can maintain consistent frame delivery, preventing stutters that would otherwise appear in crowded environments.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Hitman 2?

A: The maximum measured average FPS is 172 at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This represents the peak of the performance envelope for this pairing.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1440p compared to 1080p on High settings?

A: At 1440p High, the average FPS is 61.1, which is a significant drop from the 101.1 FPS seen at 1080p High. This represents a 39.6% reduction in frame rate when moving up one resolution tier.

Q: Is the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM a limiting factor at 4K?

A: The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 23.6, which is below playable thresholds. While the VRAM capacity may contribute to this, the drastic drop from 4K High (35.9 FPS) to 4K Ultra (23.6 FPS) suggests that the GPU's compute capabilities, rather than memory alone, are the primary constraint at this resolution.

Q: What percentage of tested combos does this pairing outperform?

A: This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 1033rd out of 1795 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the 42.5th percentile of all tested systems for this game.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rival in average benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 23181, while its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, scores 23321. This gives the RTX 4060 a delta of -0.6%, meaning it is effectively on par with that competitor in general compute benchmarks.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the jump from Low to Ultra settings results in a drop from 172 FPS to 72.4 FPS, a reduction of 57.9%. This highlights the massive performance cost of enabling the highest visual fidelity options.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The frame rate scaling across resolutions tells a clear story about system bottlenecks. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on High settings, the average FPS drops from 101.1 to 61.1, a 39.6% decrease. This is a substantial hit, but the frame rate remains comfortably playable. However, the transition from 1440p to 3840x2160 is far more severe. At 4K High, the FPS falls to 35.9, a 41.2% drop from the 1440p result. This pattern indicates that the GPU is being pushed to its absolute limits as pixel count increases.

The data further supports this theory when examining the Low settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 172 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 107.3 FPS, and at 4K Low, it settles at 56.8 FPS. The scaling here is more linear, suggesting that at Low settings, the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU, and the frame rate is primarily dictated by the GPU's fill rate. The fact that 4K Low (56.8 FPS) is still faster than 1440p High (61.1 FPS) is telling. It demonstrates that the graphical settings have a more profound impact on performance than a pure resolution increase, confirming that the GPU's shading and texture units are the limiting factor at higher quality presets.

This behavior is typical of a system where the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 9700X, with its high clock speeds, can easily keep up with the RTX 4060 at all resolutions. The GPU, however, with only 8 GB of VRAM and a 128-bit memory bus, struggles to maintain high frame rates as both resolution and settings increase, leading to the significant FPS drops observed.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across all tested configurations.

At 1920x1080, the results are excellent. With Low settings, the average FPS is 172, which is exceptionally smooth for a stealth game. Medium settings yield 130.1 FPS, still offering a great experience. High settings bring the average down to 101.1 FPS, which is more than adequate for a 100Hz monitor. Ultra settings produce 72.4 FPS, which is playable but requires a high refresh rate display to fully realize the smoothness.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains solid. Low settings deliver 107.3 FPS, which is still very high. Medium settings produce 81 FPS, a good balance of visuals and speed. High settings drop to 61.1 FPS, which is right at the edge of what many consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. Ultra settings fall to 46.1 FPS, which is below the ideal range for fast-paced action but may be acceptable for the slower, methodical gameplay of Hitman 2.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings yield 56.8 FPS, which is playable but not optimal. Medium settings drop to 45.9 FPS. High settings produce 35.9 FPS, which starts to feel sluggish. Ultra settings plummet to 23.6 FPS, which is well below the threshold for a playable experience. This resolution is simply too demanding for the RTX 4060 in this game at higher quality presets.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo’s position in the overall ranking for Hitman 2 is 1033rd out of 1795 tested combinations. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum. Given the hardware involved, this ranking might seem lower than expected, but it reflects the specific demands of Hitman 2 and the relative performance of other CPUs and GPUs in the database.

The ranking indicates that while this pairing is competent, there are many other combinations that deliver higher frame rates in this particular title. The Ryzen 7 9700X is a high-end CPU, but the RTX 4060 is a mid-range GPU. In a game like Hitman 2, which scales heavily with GPU power at higher resolutions, the GPU holds the combo back. The data shows that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor, so the ranking is largely a reflection of the GPU's position in the hierarchy. This suggests that if the same CPU were paired with a more powerful GPU, the combo rank would be significantly higher, whereas pairing the RTX 4060 with a slower CPU might yield a similar ranking.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the ideal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p, the High preset at 101.1 FPS offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. It provides a substantial improvement over Medium (130.1 FPS) in terms of graphical detail while remaining well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 72.4 FPS is viable for those with high refresh rate monitors, but the visual difference between High and Ultra in this game may not justify the 28.6% performance hit.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 81 FPS is the recommended starting point. It provides a smooth experience with good visual quality. The High preset at 61.1 FPS is acceptable for those who prioritize visual fidelity over a higher frame rate, but the drop below 70 FPS can be noticeable on fast-moving screens. The Low preset at 107.3 FPS is recommended for competitive play or for users with 144Hz monitors, as it ensures maximum smoothness.

At 4K, the situation is more challenging. The Low preset at 56.8 FPS is the only option that provides a consistently playable experience. The Medium preset at 45.9 FPS is borderline, and the High (35.9 FPS) and Ultra (23.6 FPS) presets are not recommended for general gameplay. For 4K, users would need to either accept lower graphical settings or consider a more powerful GPU.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the primary determinant of performance at higher settings and resolutions. With a boost clock of 2460 MHz and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, the GPU has a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. This bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it becomes a limiting factor at 4K, especially with high-resolution textures.

The GPU's architecture, Ada Lovelace, features 3072 shading units and 24 RT cores. For Hitman 2, which is not heavily dependent on ray tracing, the shading units are the most critical component. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 23.6, indicating that the GPU's compute units are overwhelmed by the pixel shader workload. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is also a concern at 4K Ultra, as the game may be spilling over into system memory, which would cause significant stuttering and frame drops.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 23181. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, has a delta of -0.6%, showing that the RTX 4060 is closely matched with that competitor in general compute. However, in Hitman 2, the specific driver optimizations and memory bandwidth characteristics play a larger role. The data suggests that the RTX 4060 is a capable 1080p and 1440p GPU, but its limitations become apparent at 4K, where it cannot maintain high frame rates with the Ryzen 7 9700X. The frame rate results indicate that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at resolutions above 1440p and at the Ultra preset across all resolutions.