Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a severely GPU-bound system in Hitman 2, regardless of resolution. The processor is a high-end 12-core/24-thread Zen 4 part with a 4.70 GHz base clock and 5.60 GHz boost clock, placing it in the 91st percentile among all CPUs tested. Its 64 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support (83.2 GB/s bandwidth) provide ample headroom for this 2018 stealth title. In contrast, the Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, with a 3 nm process, 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. It boosts to 2500 MHz and relies on system-shared memory, which is a critical bottleneck. The GPU sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% faster), GeForce 800M (1.5% faster), GT 625 OEM (2.5% faster), and GT 710 (2.7% faster). This context matters: the CPU is overkill for this GPU, and the measured FPS reflects that imbalance.

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

The Ryzen 9 7900X is a desktop flagship from the 7000 series, built on a 5 nm TSMC process with 13,140 million transistors across two 71 mm² dies. It operates at a 170 W TDP and supports PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates exceptional multi-threaded performance: Cinebench R23 multicore scores 29,300, while the single-core score is 2,016.5. Geekbench results show 19,267 multi-core and 2,617 single-core. PassMark multi-thread score is 51,406, with single-thread at 4,238. The 3DMark tests show scaling from 1,093 (single-thread) to 12,536 (max threads), with 2-thread at 2,137, 4-thread at 4,151, 8-thread at 7,798, and 16-thread at 10,972. This scaling indicates strong per-core efficiency, which matters in Hitman 2 because the game's AI and physics systems can benefit from higher core counts, but the game is not particularly demanding on modern processors.

For Hitman 2, the CPU is not the limiting factor. The measured FPS data shows that at 1920x1080 Low, the system hits 80 FPS average. At the same resolution with High settings, it drops to 46 FPS, and at Ultra, 34 FPS. The consistent pattern across all resolutions — 4K Ultra at 11 FPS, 1440p Ultra at 21 FPS, 1080p Ultra at 34 FPS — suggests that the GPU is saturated long before the CPU's 12 cores are fully utilized. The Ryzen 9 7900X's PassMark data compression score of 632,505 and integer math score of 169,273 indicate it can handle Hitman 2's simulation overhead without breaking a sweat. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10,972 further confirms that even under heavy multi-threading, the CPU has reserve capacity. The nearest CPU rivals — AMD EPYC 7313P (0.2% faster), Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (0.3% slower), Intel Xeon 634 (0.6% faster), and Intel Core i7-14700F (0.6% slower) — are all within 1% of the 7900X's average score of 53,288, meaning this processor is consistently competitive. In this pairing, the CPU's role is to feed frames to the GPU without bottlenecking, and benchmark results indicate it does so effortlessly; the bottleneck is entirely on the graphics side.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU (IGP) with a 300 MHz base clock and 2500 MHz boost. It has no dedicated VRAM; instead, it uses "System Shared" memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a fundamental limitation for a game like Hitman 2, which requires consistent memory throughput for texture streaming and draw calls. The GPU's pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance at 7.680 TFLOPS. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API compatibility is not an issue. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1,482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all ancient or entry-level parts: GT 520MX (1.3% faster), GeForce 800M (1.5% faster), GT 625 OEM (2.5% faster), and GT 710 (2.7% faster). The Arc B390 is effectively at the bottom of the GPU performance ladder.

This explains the measured FPS. At 3840x2160, the Arc B390 produces 27 FPS on Low, 21 FPS on Medium, 16 FPS on High, and 11 FPS on Ultra. At 2560x1440, it manages 51 FPS on Low, 39 FPS on Medium, 29 FPS on High, and 21 FPS on Ultra. At 1920x1080, it reaches 80 FPS on Low, 60 FPS on Medium, 46 FPS on High, and 34 FPS on Ultra. The data shows a clear trend: each settings tier costs roughly 20-30% performance, and each resolution step down from 4K to 1440p to 1080p yields significant gains. The system-shared memory is the likely culprit for the severe drop at Ultra settings, where higher texture quality demands more bandwidth than the IGP can access. The 12 RT cores and 1536 shading units are present, but their potential is unrealized due to memory constraints. In this context, the GPU is the sole reason for the low frame rates; the CPU is never the limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Ryzen 9 7900X and Arc B390 ranks 2,662 out of 3,001 tested combos in Hitman 2. That places it in the bottom 11% of all systems tested, which is consistent with the GPU's 9th percentile standing. The ranking reflects the total system performance, and it is overwhelmingly dragged down by the Arc B390. The CPU's 91st percentile ranking does not rescue the combo because the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rates in this title. For context, the combo rank means that roughly 339 other combinations performed worse, but the vast majority (2,662) performed better. This is not a competitive gaming configuration; it is a system where the CPU is excessively powerful relative to the graphics solution. The data suggests that pairing this CPU with even a modest discrete GPU would yield dramatically better results, but within this specific combo, the ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations. The deltaPct values for the GPU's rivals (1.3%, 1.5%, 2.5%, 2.7% faster) are small, meaning the Arc B390 is only marginally slower than those parts, but all of them are hopelessly outdated for modern gaming. The combo rank of 2,662/3,001 is a practical indicator that this system cannot deliver a playable experience at most settings, and the measured FPS confirms it.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of what to expect. At 1920x1080, the system starts at 80 FPS on Low, which is the only playable configuration. Medium drops to 60 FPS (min 51, max 69), which is borderline acceptable but with noticeable dips. High falls to 46 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 34 FPS. At 2560x1440, the numbers degrade further: Low at 51 FPS, Medium at 39 FPS (min 33, max 44), High at 29 FPS, and Ultra at 21 FPS. At 3840x2160, the system is effectively unplayable: Low at 27 FPS, Medium at 21 FPS (min 17, max 24), High at 16 FPS, and Ultra at 11 FPS. The min/max data for Medium settings shows a tight range: at 1080p, the spread is 51-69 FPS; at 1440p, it is 33-44 FPS; at 4K, it is 17-24 FPS. This suggests that the system-shared memory bandwidth is causing frame time inconsistency, as the variance is proportionally larger at lower resolutions. The difference between Low and Ultra at each resolution is stark: at 1080p, Low is 46 FPS higher than Ultra; at 1440p, the gap is 30 FPS; at 4K, it is 16 FPS. This scaling indicates that the GPU's shading units become the bottleneck at higher settings, but the memory bandwidth is the primary constraint at all settings. The data shows no scenario where this combo achieves 60 FPS at High or Ultra, and even at 1080p Low, the 80 FPS average leaves no headroom for demanding scenes. For a stealth game like Hitman 2, where precision is key, frame rates below 60 FPS are a significant disadvantage.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Hitman 2 at 1080p with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it achieves 80 FPS average. At Medium, it drops to 60 FPS (min 51), which is borderline. High and Ultra produce 46 FPS and 34 FPS, respectively, which are not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: Benchmark results indicate it is within 2.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, GT 625 OEM, GeForce 800M, and GT 520MX. Specifically, it is 1.3% slower than the GT 520MX, 1.5% slower than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% slower than the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% slower than the GT 710. All of these are entry-level or legacy parts.

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

A: The only resolution where the system exceeds 60 FPS is 1920x1080 at Low settings (80 FPS). At 2560x1440, the best result is 51 FPS on Low. At 3840x2160, the best result is 27 FPS on Low. The data suggests 1080p Low is the only viable option for competitive play.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 7900X perform relative to other CPUs?

A: The CPU ranks in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53,288. It is within 0.6% of its nearest rivals: AMD EPYC 7313P (0.2% faster), Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (0.3% slower), Intel Xeon 634 (0.6% faster), and Intel Core i7-14700F (0.6% slower). This indicates the CPU is not the limiting factor.

Q: Why is the frame rate so low at 4K Ultra?

A: At 3840x2160 Ultra, the system produces 11 FPS average. This is due to the Arc B390's system-shared memory and low GPU performance (9th percentile). The GPU lacks dedicated VRAM, and its bandwidth is system-dependent, which cripples high-resolution, high-quality settings.

Q: Is this combo ranked well among tested systems?

A: No, it ranks 2,662 out of 3,001 combos, placing it in the bottom 11%. This is consistent with the GPU's low performance, despite the CPU's high ranking. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the only configuration that provides a consistently smooth experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, yielding 80 FPS average. This is the clear recommendation for any player seeking responsive gameplay. At 1080p Medium, the system hits 60 FPS average but with a minimum of 51 FPS, which may cause noticeable hitches in crowded areas. If you insist on Medium, 1080p is the maximum resolution; at 1440p Medium, the average drops to 39 FPS (min 33), which is too low for a stealth game requiring precise timing. High settings are not viable anywhere: the best result is 46 FPS at 1080p, and it degrades to 29 FPS at 1440p and 16 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings are effectively unplayable, with 34 FPS at 1080p being the highest result. The data shows a clear pattern: Low settings at 1080p is the only configuration that approaches the 60 FPS threshold with headroom. If you must play at 1440p, Low settings (51 FPS) is the maximum playable option, but it is marginal. At 4K, even Low settings (27 FPS) are below acceptable standards, so avoid 4K entirely. The practical advice is to set the resolution to 1920x1080 and the preset to Low. This gives the best balance of frame rate and responsiveness. If you prioritize visual quality over performance, 1080p Medium is the highest you can go while staying near 60 FPS, but be prepared for frame drops below 55 FPS. The measured data does not support any other configuration for a positive experience.