Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination delivers a solid 1080p and 1440p experience in Hitman 2, with 4K remaining playable but demanding compromises. The data shows this pairing ranks in the 82nd percentile of all tested combos for this game, placing it firmly in the upper tier of systems. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is well-balanced at lower resolutions, but becomes progressively more GPU-bound as pixel count increases, a classic pattern for a high-core-count CPU paired with a strong mid-range to high-end graphics card.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and clearly illustrates where the bottleneck shifts. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 149 at 1920x1080 to 95 at 2560x1440, a 36% reduction. Pushing further to 3840x2160 yields an average of 51 FPS, which is a 66% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the limiting factor at higher resolutions; the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames, but the GPU's rendering workload becomes too heavy.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all quality presets. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 263 at 1080p to 168 at 1440p and then 90 at 4K. This represents a 36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 46% drop from 1440p to 4K. Interestingly, the relative performance loss from 1080p to 1440p is nearly identical between Low and High settings, suggesting that the GPU is still the primary constraint even when visual fidelity is reduced. However, the absolute frame rates at 4K Low (90 FPS) versus 4K High (51 FPS) show a 76% difference, meaning that lowering settings is far more effective at 4K than at lower resolutions.

At Medium settings, the only preset with min and max FPS data, the scaling is slightly more gradual. The average goes from 197 at 1080p to 126 at 1440p and 67 at 4K. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 57, which is close to the average of 51 at 4K High, indicating that the Medium preset provides a more stable frame pacing experience at high resolution. The data suggests that for a smooth 4K experience, users must either accept Medium settings or lower the resolution, as the Ultra preset at 4K drops to an average of 37 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable play.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 9 5900X brings 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, running at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. Its benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16262 and a Geekbench multicore score of 14118. Single-thread performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1527 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3469. This combination of high core count and solid single-core speed is well-suited for Hitman 2, which is known to scale reasonably well with CPU resources.

The CPU's percentile ranking against all processors is 87, and its average benchmark score of 41376 places it in close competition with several Intel and AMD mobile chips. The nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H with a delta of 0.3%, the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H with a delta of 0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 also at 0.4% delta. The Intel Core i7-14650HX trails by 0.5%. These tight deltas indicate that the 5900X's raw compute capability is comparable to modern mid-range mobile processors, but its desktop-oriented power delivery and thermal headroom allow it to sustain performance more consistently.

In this game, the CPU's role becomes less critical as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 263 FPS, suggesting the CPU is still capable of feeding high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 37 FPS, which is far below the CPU's potential output. The data implies that the 5900X is more than sufficient for Hitman 2, even at high refresh rates, and the GPU will always be the first component to limit performance. The 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support contribute to low latency, but these factors are secondary to the raw core throughput in this title.

GPU Role

The RTX 4070 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2475 MHz, and it features 7168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 raster operation units. The GPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a Passmark G3D score of 29995 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4627. Its percentile ranking against all GPUs is 83, with an average benchmark score of 43223.

The nearest rivals for the GPU are all NVIDIA parts, including the Quadro M6000 24 GB (delta -0.1%), the RTX 5050 Mobile (delta -0.1%), and the RTX 4090 Mobile (delta -1%). These comparisons show that the desktop 4070 SUPER sits in a narrow performance band, slightly ahead of the mobile 4090 but behind the older Quadro M6000 in raw benchmark scores. In Hitman 2, the GPU's 12 GB of VRAM is sufficient even at 4K Ultra, as the game's texture requirements are modest by modern standards.

The GPU's role is clearly dominant in this pairing. At 1080p, the system achieves frame rates well above 144 Hz on High settings (149 FPS) and even exceeds 240 Hz on Low (263 FPS), which indicates the GPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. However, at 4K, the GPU's raw throughput becomes the sole constraint. The gap between 1080p Ultra (110 FPS) and 4K Ultra (37 FPS) is a 66% reduction, highlighting the GPU's inability to maintain high frame rates at extreme pixel counts. The 220 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest that thermal throttling is unlikely to be an issue in a well-ventilated case, but the data shows that the GPU's performance ceiling is reached at 1440p for high refresh rate gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Ryzen 9 5900X and RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 667 out of 3711 tested combos in Hitman 2, placing it in the top 18% of all systems. This ranking is driven by the GPU's strong absolute performance and the CPU's ability to avoid becoming a bottleneck. The combo's position suggests that it outperforms the vast majority of systems, including many with newer or more expensive components, but it is not at the absolute top tier.

The ranking is particularly impressive considering the CPU's age; the 5900X was released in late 2020, yet its multi-threaded performance remains competitive with newer mobile chips. The GPU, released in early 2024, is more recent and contributes the majority of the gaming performance. The data indicates that this combo is well-suited for 1440p gaming at high refresh rates, as it achieves 95 FPS at High settings, which is close to the threshold for 100 Hz monitors. At 4K, the combo is still capable of playable frame rates at Medium settings (67 FPS), but users seeking higher quality will need to accept lower FPS.

When compared to other combos, the 667th rank out of 3711 means that roughly 3044 other combinations are slower. This is a strong result for a system that does not feature the absolute latest hardware. The combo's performance is consistent across resolutions, with no unexpected drops or stutters indicated by the data, suggesting that the CPU and GPU are well-matched for this game's engine.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance across all presets. Low settings yield an average of 263 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play or high refresh rate displays. Medium settings produce 197 FPS with a minimum of 168 and a maximum of 227, providing a smooth experience with better visual fidelity. High settings average 149 FPS, still well above 144 Hz, while Ultra settings drop to 110 FPS. All 1080p presets are playable, and even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains a frame rate that exceeds most monitors' refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show the GPU's increasing workload. Low settings average 168 FPS, which is still excellent for fast-paced action. Medium settings average 126 FPS with a minimum of 107 and a maximum of 145, ensuring consistent performance. High settings produce 95 FPS, which is suitable for 144 Hz displays but may require adaptive sync to avoid tearing. Ultra settings drop to 70 FPS, which is playable but less smooth. The data shows that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, balancing visual quality with high frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high FPS at higher presets. Low settings average 90 FPS, which is acceptable for 4K gaming. Medium settings average 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 and a maximum of 77, providing a reasonably smooth experience. High settings drop to 51 FPS, which is borderline for cinematic games but may feel sluggish for action sequences. Ultra settings average 37 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable play and should be avoided. The data suggests that 4K gaming is possible but requires lowering settings to Medium or below.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset is the recommended choice at all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium offers 197 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any display, and the visual difference from High is minimal. At 1440p, Medium provides 126 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors, and the minimum FPS of 107 ensures smooth gameplay. At 4K, Medium yields 67 FPS, which is the highest playable frame rate at this resolution, and the minimum of 57 FPS keeps the experience consistent.

The High preset is only recommended for users with 1080p or 1440p displays who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rates. At 1080p, High delivers 149 FPS, which is still very smooth. At 1440p, High drops to 95 FPS, which is acceptable but may show occasional dips. At 4K, High is not recommended, as 51 FPS is too close to the threshold where frame pacing issues become noticeable.

The Ultra preset should be avoided at 4K, as the 37 FPS average is not conducive to a good gaming experience. At 1440p, Ultra produces 70 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced stealth action. At 1080p, Ultra provides 110 FPS, which is a good option for users with 120 Hz monitors. The Low preset is only recommended for users seeking maximum frame rates at 1080p or 1440p, as the visual degradation is significant, but it does offer 263 FPS and 168 FPS respectively.

The data indicates that the Medium preset is the most versatile, offering a frame rate that is 76% higher than High at 4K (67 vs 51 FPS) and 32% higher at 1440p (126 vs 95 FPS). This makes Medium the best choice for a consistent, high-refresh-rate experience across all resolutions. Users with 4K displays should accept Medium settings as the practical ceiling for this combo, while those with 1080p or 1440p displays can comfortably use High or Ultra depending on their preference for visual quality versus frame rate.