Hitman 2

# Hitman 2 with AMD Ryzen 9 5900X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a compelling Hitman 2 experience across all tested resolutions, with the data revealing a system that excels at high refresh rate 1080p and 1440p gameplay while remaining comfortably playable at 4K. Measured frame rates range from 302 FPS at 1080p Low to 43 FPS at 4K Ultra, demonstrating a wide performance envelope that scales predictably with both resolution and settings. The combo ranks 255th out of 3711 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7% of all systems evaluated for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals where the bottleneck shifts across the resolution spectrum. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 172 at 1080p to 110 at 1440p, a 36% reduction, then further to 58 at 4K, representing a 66% total decline from 1080p. This steep scaling curve indicates that the RTX 4080 becomes increasingly dominant as pixel count rises, with the GPU's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth being exercised heavily at higher resolutions.

The Low settings row shows even more dramatic scaling: 302 FPS at 1080p drops to 193 at 1440p (36% reduction) and then to 103 at 4K (66% total reduction). Notably, the percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is nearly identical between Low and High settings, suggesting that resolution scaling is relatively consistent regardless of graphical load. However, the absolute frame rate differences between settings widen at lower resolutions, indicating that CPU capability at 1080p Low is sufficient to push extremely high frame counts.

At 4K Ultra, the system delivers 43 FPS, which is 25 FPS lower than 4K High. The gap between Medium and High at 4K is 19 FPS (77 vs 58), while the gap between Low and Medium is 26 FPS (103 vs 77). These diminishing returns at higher settings suggest that Ultra preset demands significantly more GPU resources without proportional visual gains, at least in terms of frame rate impact.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU plays a more significant role in determining maximum frame rates, as evidenced by the 302 FPS Low reading. Once resolution increases to 1440p and beyond, the GPU becomes the primary limiter, with frame rates scaling more predictably with the RTX 4080's capabilities. The 4K Ultra result of 43 FPS demonstrates that even a top-tier GPU like the RTX 4080 can be brought to its knees by the most demanding settings at maximum resolution.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X brings substantial processing power to this pairing, with 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture. Its base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 4.80 GHz provide strong single-threaded performance, which is critical for Hitman 2's game logic and AI systems. The processor's 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth ensure that data feeds the GPU without creating a bottleneck in most scenarios.

Benchmark data shows the 5900X achieving a single-thread score of 941 in 3DMark and 3469 in PassMark single-thread tests, while multi-threaded results reach 10075 in 3DMark max threads and 39002 in PassMark multithread. These scores place the CPU at the 87th percentile among all processors, with its closest rivals being the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (0.3% higher average score), Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (0.4% higher), and AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (0.4% higher), while the Intel Core i7-14650HX trails by 0.5%.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role becomes most apparent at 1080p Low settings, where the system achieves 302 FPS. This extremely high frame rate suggests that the 5900X can feed the RTX 4080 adequately even in CPU-bound scenarios. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16262 and single-core score of 1527 further corroborate the processor's capability to handle both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads with equal proficiency.

The 5900X's 24 threads may provide headroom for background tasks and streaming while gaming, though Hitman 2's engine likely doesn't utilize all available threads. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9075 versus the max-thread score of 10075 indicates that performance scaling continues beyond 16 threads, which could benefit other applications but has limited impact on this particular game's frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring the AD103 chip on a 5 nm process with 45,900 million transistors. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth, while the GPU operates at a base clock of 2205 MHz and boost clock of 2505 MHz. The 9728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output pipelines deliver substantial raw compute throughput, with FP32 performance rated at 48.74 TFLOPS.

The GPU's benchmark results show a PassMark G3D score of 34457 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567, placing it at the 86th percentile among all GPUs. Its closest competitors are the RTX 4080 SUPER (0.1% higher average score), AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (1.1% higher), AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (2.6% higher), and AMD Radeon 8060S (2.7% higher). This positioning indicates that the RTX 4080 sits near the top of the performance hierarchy, with only marginally faster alternatives available.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's influence is most evident in the scaling from Medium to Ultra settings. At 1440p, the frame rate drops from 145 FPS at Medium to 110 at High and 81 at Ultra, showing that each settings tier imposes a meaningful cost on the GPU. The 4K Ultra result of 43 FPS, while playable, demonstrates that the RTX 4080's 16 GB VRAM and compute resources are fully utilized at this extreme configuration.

The GPU's 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores, while not directly relevant to Hitman 2's rendering path, contribute to the card's overall architectural efficiency. The 280.6 GPixel/s pixel rate and 761.5 GTexel/s texture rate provide the fill rate necessary to maintain high frame rates at 1440p and 4K, as evidenced by the measured results. The memory clock of 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective) ensures that texture streaming and asset loading do not become limiting factors at any tested resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo in Hitman 2?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 302 FPS at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. At Medium settings, the 1080p average drops to 227 FPS, while High settings yield 172 FPS and Ultra produces 126 FPS.

Q: Can this system maintain 60+ FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at certain settings. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 103, at Medium it is 77, and at High it is 58. The 4K Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS with an average of 43 FPS, so High settings or lower are required for smooth 60 FPS gameplay at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, while the RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54209, representing a delta of 0.1%. This means the RTX 4080 is effectively performance-equivalent to the SUPER variant in synthetic benchmarks, with differences well within measurement noise.

Q: What frame rates can users expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the system delivers an average of 110 FPS. For comparison, Medium settings produce 145 FPS (with a minimum of 123 FPS and maximum of 167 FPS), while Low settings reach 193 FPS and Ultra drops to 81 FPS.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5900X a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 in this game?

A: Based on the data, the CPU appears capable of feeding the GPU at all tested settings. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 302 FPS, indicating strong CPU throughput. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K follows GPU-bound patterns, suggesting that the 5900X does not create a significant limitation.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among tested systems for Hitman 2?

A: This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 255th out of 3711 tested combos, placing it in the top 7% of all systems evaluated for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 302 FPS, Medium settings average 227 FPS with a minimum of 193 and maximum of 261 FPS, High settings average 172 FPS, and Ultra settings average 126 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 176 FPS, demonstrating the significant impact of graphical settings on performance at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, frame rates remain robust but show the expected reduction from pixel count increases. Low settings average 193 FPS, Medium settings average 145 FPS with a minimum of 123 and maximum of 167 FPS, High settings average 110 FPS, and Ultra settings average 81 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p ranges from 36% at Low settings (302 to 193 FPS) to 36% at High settings (172 to 110 FPS), showing consistent scaling across the settings spectrum.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is pushed hardest. Low settings average 103 FPS, Medium settings average 77 FPS with a minimum of 66 and maximum of 89 FPS, High settings average 58 FPS, and Ultra settings average 43 FPS. The 4K results show that Ultra settings reduce frame rates by 58% compared to Low, while High settings remain above 60 FPS at 58 average.

The Medium settings rows are the only ones that include minimum and maximum FPS data across all three resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 193 to 261 FPS (68 FPS spread), at 1440p Medium it is 123 to 167 FPS (44 FPS spread), and at 4K Medium it is 66 to 89 FPS (23 FPS spread). This narrowing range at higher resolutions indicates more consistent frame pacing as GPU load increases.

Settings Recommendations

For players prioritizing maximum frame rates at 1080p, the Low preset delivers 302 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate capabilities of most monitors. However, the Medium preset at 227 FPS still provides exceptional smoothness while offering improved visual quality, making it the recommended choice for competitive play at this resolution. The High preset at 172 FPS remains excellent for high-refresh displays, while Ultra at 126 FPS is suitable for 120 Hz monitors.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides the best balance of visual fidelity and performance with 145 FPS average and a minimum of 123 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even during demanding scenes. The High preset at 110 FPS is also viable for 100+ Hz displays, while Ultra at 81 FPS may be preferred for users with 75 Hz or 80 Hz monitors who prioritize image quality. The Low preset at 193 FPS is excessive for most displays but useful for maximum competitive advantage.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 77 FPS is the recommended starting point, as it provides the best combination of visual quality and performance above 60 FPS. The Low preset at 103 FPS offers higher frame rates but sacrifices significant visual detail. The High preset at 58 FPS is borderline for 60 Hz displays, with occasional dips possible, while the Ultra preset at 43 FPS should only be used for screenshots or when visual fidelity outweighs gameplay smoothness.

The data suggests that the Medium preset offers the most consistent experience across all resolutions, with the only reported minimum and maximum FPS values in the dataset. This consistency, combined with the 227 FPS average at 1080p and 77 FPS at 4K, makes Medium the safest recommendation for users who want to avoid frame rate drops without manual tuning.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 255th out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2, placing it in the top 6.9% of all systems evaluated. This high ranking reflects the strong synergy between the 12-core, 24-thread processor and the 16 GB flagship GPU, with neither component appearing to create a significant bottleneck in this title.

The CPU's 87th percentile ranking among all processors and the GPU's 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs indicate that both components are near the top of their respective performance hierarchies. The combo's overall ranking of 255 suggests that the system outperforms the vast majority of tested configurations, likely including those with less capable CPUs or GPUs.

Given that the RTX 4080's nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores only 0.1% higher in average benchmarks, the performance difference between these GPUs is negligible in practice. Similarly, the Ryzen 9 5900X's closest competitors show deltas of only 0.3% to 0.5%, meaning that small variations in component choice would not meaningfully alter this combo's ranking.

The 3711 total combos tested provide a broad comparison field, and ranking 255th places this system in the upper echelon of gaming performance. For Hitman 2 specifically, the combination delivers frame rates that exceed 60 FPS at 4K High and 120+ FPS at 1080p Ultra, making it suitable for virtually all display configurations. The data confirms that this pairing is well-balanced for this title, with the GPU becoming the primary performance determinant at higher resolutions while the CPU provides ample headroom at lower resolutions.