Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 pairing delivers exceptional performance in Hitman 2, demonstrating a strong balance between a 16-core CPU and a high-end Ada Lovelace GPU. Across the measured configurations, the combination shows clear scaling patterns that highlight the RTX 4080's dominance at lower resolutions and a shift toward GPU limitation at 4K. The data, drawn from measured FPS rows, reveals that this system is capable of high refresh-rate play at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K Ultra remains a demanding target.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in Hitman 2?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. At High settings, the system achieves an average of 110 FPS, which is well above the 58 FPS average seen at 3840x2160 with the same settings. This makes 1440p the sweet spot for high refresh-rate gaming without compromising on detail.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247. Its closest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54209, which is a deltaPct of 0.1% (meaning the 4080 is effectively tied). The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% faster, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S are 2.6% and 2.7% faster, respectively.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5950X a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate the CPU is not a limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 302 FPS, and at 1440p Low, it hits 193 FPS. The FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p (from 302 to 193) suggests the GPU is taking on more work, while the CPU's 16 cores and high clocks are sufficient to feed it.

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

A: The measured data shows a significant gap. At 1920x1080, Low settings produce an average of 302 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 126 FPS. This represents a 176 FPS difference, indicating that Ultra settings impose a heavy load on the GPU, even at 1080p.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 3840x2160, the system achieves 58 FPS on High and 77 FPS on Medium settings. However, at Ultra, it drops to 43 FPS. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, High settings are the recommended choice at 4K, while Medium offers a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 5950X's multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 9 5950X has an average benchmark score of 51947, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. It is 0.2% slower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and 0.3% slower than the AMD EPYC 8124P. Conversely, it is 0.4% faster than the Intel Core i9-13900F and 0.7% faster than the Intel Core i7-14700.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the primary driver of frame rates in Hitman 2, with its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and a 256-bit memory bus providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. This substantial memory allocation ensures that even at 4K with High settings, the GPU has ample headroom to store textures and geometry, as evidenced by the 58 FPS average at that resolution. The GPU's base clock of 2205 MHz and boost clock of 2505 MHz allow it to maintain high throughput across the game's varied environments.

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the GPU's workload scales, and frame rates drop proportionally. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 172; at 1440p High, it is 110; and at 4K High, it falls to 58. This scaling demonstrates that the RTX 4080 is the performance bottleneck at higher resolutions. The GPU's architecture, Ada Lovelace, is well-suited to this 2018 title, delivering strong raw performance without relying on upscaling technologies. The 9728 shading units and 304 TMUs provide the compute power necessary to sustain high frame rates, while the 112 ROPs handle pixel output efficiently at 4K.

The RTX 4080's position in the benchmark hierarchy reinforces its capability. With an average benchmark score of 54247, it sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is virtually identical in average score (54209, a 0.1% delta), confirming that the non-SUPER variant offers nearly the same level of performance in this game. The data suggests that the GPU's 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Hitman 2, as even the most demanding 4K Ultra preset does not appear to hit memory limits, instead being constrained by raw compute power.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, High settings provide an average of 172 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. While Ultra delivers 126 FPS, the 46 FPS loss is a significant trade-off for marginal visual gains in a stealth game where smoothness is key. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 227 FPS, but the jump from Medium to High is modest, making High the best balance for most players.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the clear winner, producing an average of 110 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and offers a substantial improvement over the 81 FPS seen on Ultra. The Medium preset at 145 FPS is also viable, but High provides a better visual experience without sacrificing playability. The data suggests that chasing Ultra at 1440p is not worthwhile, as the 29 FPS penalty (from 110 to 81) is steep.

For 3840x2160, High is the recommended preset, achieving an average of 58 FPS. This is just below the 60 FPS target but is playable for a stealth title. The Medium preset offers 77 FPS, which is smoother, but the visual downgrade from High may be noticeable on a large 4K display. Ultra at 4K is not recommended, as the 43 FPS average falls below the smoothness threshold and introduces noticeable stutter. The data indicates that High is the "best experience" for 4K, as it balances visual quality with a frame rate that approaches the standard target.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system shows exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 302 FPS, the highest measured value in the dataset. Medium settings reduce this to 227 FPS, with a minimum of 193 FPS and a maximum of 261 FPS, indicating consistent frame pacing. High settings yield 172 FPS, while Ultra drops to 126 FPS. The 1080p results demonstrate that the RTX 4080 is rarely stressed, and the CPU's single-thread performance (a 3dmark_single_thread score of 944) is sufficient to keep frame rates high.

At 2560x1440, the scaling is more pronounced. Low settings average 193 FPS, while Medium averages 145 FPS (min 123, max 167). High settings produce 110 FPS, and Ultra falls to 81 FPS. The transition from Low to Medium (a 48 FPS drop) and from Medium to High (a 35 FPS drop) shows the GPU's workload increasing steadily. The 1440p results indicate that the system remains highly capable, with even Ultra settings maintaining an average above 80 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. Low settings average 103 FPS, which is impressive for 4K. Medium settings drop to 77 FPS (min 66, max 89), while High settings average 58 FPS. Ultra settings yield 43 FPS, the lowest measured value. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K (15 FPS) is proportionally larger than at lower resolutions, highlighting the heavy computational demands of the Ultra preset at this resolution. The data shows that the RTX 4080 can handle 4K but requires settings compromises to maintain smooth frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals the limiting component. At High settings, the system averages 172 FPS at 1080p, 110 FPS at 1440p, and 58 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36% decrease from 1080p to 1440p (from 172 to 110) and a 66% decrease from 1080p to 4K (from 172 to 58). The scaling is roughly linear with the number of pixels, indicating that the RTX 4080's performance is the primary constraint as resolution increases.

At Low settings, the pattern is similar but with higher absolute numbers: 302 FPS at 1080p, 193 FPS at 1440p, and 103 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p (109 FPS) is larger than from 1440p to 4K (90 FPS), suggesting that the CPU's single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 944) may be a secondary factor at very high frame rates. However, the overall trend confirms that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the frame rate scales inversely with pixel count.

The 4K results, specifically the 58 FPS average on High, indicate that the RTX 4080 is working near its limit. The difference between 1440p High (110 FPS) and 4K High (58 FPS) is a 52 FPS drop, which is a 47% reduction. This scaling is consistent with the GPU's pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s, which is taxed heavily at 3840x2160. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, the system relies on the RTX 4080's raw compute power, and settings must be adjusted to achieve playable frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X plays a supporting role in Hitman 2, providing the computational foundation for the RTX 4080. With 16 cores and 32 threads, the CPU offers exceptional multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its cinebench_r23_multicore score of 26017. However, in this game, the single-thread performance is more critical, and the 5950X's 3dmark_single_thread score of 944 ensures that the GPU is not starved of data at high frame rates.

The CPU's base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz allow it to handle the game's AI and physics calculations efficiently. The benchmark results show that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 302 FPS, which is a direct reflection of the CPU's ability to feed the GPU. The 5950X's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-13900F (which is 0.4% slower in average score), demonstrate that the CPU is competitive in this workload. Its percentileVsAllCpus of 91 places it in the top tier of processors, ensuring it is not a bottleneck in most scenarios.

The multi-threaded scores, including a cinebench_r15_multicore score of 4324 and a geekbench_multicore score of 15233, show that the 5950X has ample headroom for background tasks. In Hitman 2, the CPU's 64 MB of L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for maintaining consistent frame times. The data indicates that while the GPU is the primary driver of FPS, the 5950X's strong single-core performance and high core count ensure that the system is balanced, with no single component creating a significant bottleneck at 1440p or 4K.