Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 in Hitman 2 presents a classic case of a high-end CPU paired with a mid-range GPU in a stealth title that is notoriously demanding at high resolutions. The data reveals a system that can deliver excellent frame rates at 1080p but struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K with maximum settings. The benchmark results indicate a clear performance hierarchy dictated by resolution, with the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic and consistent drop in performance as resolution scales from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 84 FPS at 1080p to 54 FPS at 1440p, a 36% reduction. This trend continues to 4K, where the average drops to 29 FPS, a further 46% reduction from the 1440p figure. This steep decline is a clear indicator that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is the bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the workload on the GPU increases exponentially with pixel count.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. With Low settings, the system achieves 148 FPS at 1080p, 95 FPS at 1440p, and 51 FPS at 4K. The relative performance drop from 1080p to 4K is approximately 66% at Low settings, which is slightly less severe than the 65% drop observed at High settings, but still significant. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 111 at 1080p to 71 at 1440p and then to 38 at 4K, representing a 66% total reduction. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling, starting at 62 FPS at 1080p, falling to 40 FPS at 1440p, and collapsing to 21 FPS at 4K, a 66% decrease overall.

The fact that the performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is proportionally similar to the drop from 1440p to 4K suggests that the GPU is consistently saturated across these resolutions. The CPU, an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX with 16 cores and 32 threads, has ample headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. However, once the resolution increases, the GPU's rendering work becomes the dominant factor, and the system's performance is dictated by the RTX 5060's capabilities. The data shows that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming at higher presets, but it is well-optimized for 1080p and can handle 1440p with adjustments to settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hitman 2 with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution, with all settings presets achieving playable frame rates. The High preset averages 84 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 62 FPS, both well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The benchmark results indicate that 4K gaming is not viable with this combo for most settings. At High settings, the average FPS is 29, and at Ultra, it drops to 21 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K achieves a playable average of 51 FPS, but this requires significant visual compromises.

Q: How does the RTX 5060's performance compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: In the average benchmark score, the RTX 5060 scores 26331, which is nearly identical to its closest rivals. It is 1.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT and 0.3% behind the AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce MX550. This indicates that the GPU's raw compute performance is in a tight competitive cluster.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this game at 1080p?

A: No, the data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p. The Ryzen 9 8945HX, with its high single-thread performance (6030 in Cinebench R23 single-core), is more than capable of keeping up with the GPU. The high frame rates at 1080p, such as 148 FPS on Low, indicate the CPU can push frames well beyond the GPU's limits at this resolution.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 54 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 40 FPS. This represents a 26% performance drop when moving from High to Ultra, which is a significant cost for the extra visual fidelity.

Q: How does the RTX 5060's PassMark G3D score relate to its in-game performance?

A: The RTX 5060 has a PassMark G3D score of 20891, which places it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. This synthetic score aligns with its in-game performance, showing it as a capable mid-range card that can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming but falls short at 4K with demanding settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a mobile processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, featuring 16 cores and 32 threads. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which provides substantial processing power for gaming and multitasking. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 42713 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6030 in single-core, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. This indicates that the CPU is a high-end part with excellent performance.

In the context of Hitman 2, the CPU's role is primarily to handle game logic, AI, and physics, while the GPU handles rendering. The benchmark data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this game's performance, as the frame rates are primarily dictated by resolution and GPU load. At 1080p, the system achieves high frame rates (up to 148 FPS on Low), which demonstrates the CPU's ability to deliver frames to the GPU without bottlenecking. The Ryzen 9 8945HX's high boost clock and strong single-thread performance are well-suited for a game like Hitman 2, which may not fully utilize all 16 cores but benefits from high per-core performance.

The CPU's nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, which is 0.1% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which is 0.6% faster. This shows that the 8945HX is competitive with top-tier desktop and mobile processors, reinforcing its role as a powerful companion to the RTX 5060. The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any of the tested resolutions, and its performance headroom is more than sufficient for the GPU's output. The main constraint in this system is the GPU, especially at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers strong performance across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 148 FPS, which is extremely high and suitable for competitive play. The Medium preset averages 111 FPS, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 128 FPS, providing a smooth experience. The High preset averages 84 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset averages 62 FPS, which is the minimum for a generally smooth experience, but it may experience occasional dips below 60 FPS in demanding scenes. The data shows that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with all presets being playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. The Low preset averages 95 FPS, which is still very playable. The Medium preset averages 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 82 FPS, making it a good balance of quality and performance. The High preset averages 54 FPS, which is playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The Ultra preset averages 40 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may feel less smooth. The data indicates that 1440p requires a settings compromise to maintain a high frame rate, with Medium being the recommended preset for a 60+ FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, and performance suffers significantly. The Low preset averages 51 FPS, which is the only playable option at this resolution. The Medium preset averages 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 44 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The High preset averages 29 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 21 FPS, both of which are below playable levels. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable option for this combo, except at the lowest settings, and even then, the frame rate is only borderline acceptable.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 1977 out of 3001 tested combos in Hitman 2. This places it in the 34th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is a mid-to-low tier combo for this specific game. The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's performance at higher resolutions, where the RTX 5060 struggles to deliver playable frame rates.

The CPU's high percentile ranking (95th) does not translate into a high combo ranking, highlighting the importance of the GPU in this title. The RTX 5060's 72nd percentile ranking is more representative of the combo's overall performance. The fact that the combo ranks near the bottom third suggests that many other CPU-GPU pairings offer better performance in Hitman 2, likely due to more powerful GPUs. The data implies that this combo is better suited for less demanding games or for users who prioritize 1080p gaming over higher resolutions.

The rank also reflects the game's demanding nature at high resolutions. While the CPU is powerful, the GPU is not sufficient for 4K gaming, which is a common requirement for high-end rankings. The combo's performance is adequate for 1080p and 1440p at medium-to-high settings, but it falls short of what is needed for a top-tier ranking. This suggests that users with this setup should focus on 1080p or 1440p gaming with moderate settings to get the best experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, the High preset is recommended as the best balance of visual quality and performance, averaging 84 FPS. Users who prioritize frame rate over visuals can use the Medium preset for 111 FPS, while those who want the best visuals can use the Ultra preset, which averages 62 FPS.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it averages 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience. The High preset is also viable, averaging 54 FPS, but it may not be ideal for all users. The Low preset, at 95 FPS, is an option for those who want the highest frame rates, but it requires a significant visual downgrade.

For 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only recommended option, averaging 51 FPS. This is the only way to achieve a playable frame rate at this resolution, but it comes with substantial visual compromises. The Medium preset, at 38 FPS, is borderline playable but may be too low for many users. The data indicates that 4K gaming is not a strength of this combo, and users should either stick to 1440p or lower settings to 4K Low. In summary, the best experience is achieved at 1080p High or 1440p Medium, providing a good balance of visual fidelity and performance.