Hitman 2

# Hitman 2 Performance Analysis: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile

The measured data for Hitman 2 with this mobile combination shows a clear pattern: the game scales predictably across resolution and settings, but the configuration's strongest results appear at 1440p and 1080p with medium to high presets. The dataset includes twelve measured FPS points across four resolutions and four quality settings, with the average frame rates ranging from 33 FPS at 4K Ultra to 233 FPS at 1080p Low. The combo ranks 1026th out of 3711 tested combinations, placing it in the upper third of all tested systems for this title. This analysis walks through the measured rows to determine the optimal settings, the CPU and GPU contributions, and how the system scales under different loads.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear hierarchy for settings selection at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 233 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium produces 175 FPS, High drops to 132 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 97 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs 58 FPS (approximately 25% of the Low score), while the step from Medium to High costs another 43 FPS. The High to Ultra transition removes 35 FPS. For competitive play or high-refresh-rate displays, Medium at 1080p offers the best balance: 175 FPS remains well above the 144 Hz threshold, and the visual upgrade over Low is substantial without the steep performance penalty of High or Ultra. The data shows that Ultra at 1080p (97 FPS) is still smooth for most displays, but the 78 FPS gap between Medium and Ultra suggests diminishing returns.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes. Low averages 149 FPS, Medium 112 FPS, High 84 FPS, and Ultra 62 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p is the strongest recommendation from the dataset: 112 FPS provides a smooth experience on 144 Hz monitors, and the drop from Medium to High (28 FPS) is proportionally larger than the drop from Low to Medium (37 FPS). High at 84 FPS is acceptable for 60 Hz displays but leaves headroom on the table. Ultra at 62 FPS is playable but approaches the lower boundary of what most users would consider consistently smooth. The data suggests that Medium at 1440p is the sweet spot for this combination, delivering more than double the frame rate of 4K Ultra while maintaining visual quality above the Low preset.

At 3840x2160, the settings ladder compresses dramatically. Low averages 79 FPS, Medium 60 FPS, High 45 FPS, and Ultra 33 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K (60 FPS) is the only setting that hits the 60 FPS target, and it does so with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 68 FPS. High at 45 FPS and Ultra at 33 FPS both fall below the 60 FPS standard, making them less suitable for action-heavy stealth sequences. Low at 79 FPS is technically the fastest 4K option, but the visual compromise is severe. The measured rows indicate that Medium at 4K is the best experience for users prioritizing frame rate, while those who accept lower FPS can use High for improved visuals. Ultra at 4K should be avoided unless the user prioritizes image quality over playability.

Comparing across resolutions, the Medium preset consistently offers the most balanced experience. At 1080p Medium (175 FPS) and 1440p Medium (112 FPS) both provide high refresh-rate performance. The 4K Medium (60 FPS) is the only 4K setting that achieves the standard target. This pattern suggests that Medium is the recommended preset across all resolutions for this hardware combination, with the caveat that 1080p users can comfortably step up to High (132 FPS) if they prefer visual fidelity over raw speed.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor from the 8000 series, built on TSMC's 5 nm process with the Zen 4 architecture and Dragon Range codename. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and it carries 64 MB of L3 cache alongside 1 MB of L2 per core and 64 KB of L1 per core. The processor's benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance: Cinebench R23 multi-core scores 42,713, while single-core scores 6,030. PassMark multi-thread reaches 51,405, and single-thread scores 3,907. The CPU sits at the 95th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 76,212. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, scores 76,155, a delta of 0.1% — essentially a statistical tie. The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX are each 0.4% behind, while the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is 0.6% ahead.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions where the GPU is less likely to be the bottleneck. At 1080p, the measured FPS ranges from 97 (Ultra) to 233 (Low). The 233 FPS Low result indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU with a very high frame rate when graphical load is minimal. The 16 cores and 32 threads are more than sufficient for a game released in 2018, which typically scales well with high single-thread performance. The single-core Cinebench R23 score of 6,030 suggests that the 5.40 GHz boost clock provides the strong per-core performance that older game engines like Hitman 2's Glacier engine require. The L3 cache of 64 MB helps with level streaming and AI calculations typical of stealth games.

The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is not the limiting factor — the GPU's settings-dependent performance dominates the frame rate differences. However, the 233 FPS ceiling at Low suggests the CPU can sustain very high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck. At 1440p and 4K, the CPU's influence diminishes as the GPU takes over the rendering load. The processor's 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and DDR5 support contribute to smooth data flow, though the game's age means it likely doesn't utilize the full 32 threads. The PassMark physics score of 2,168 and integer math score of 195,180 indicate strong computational throughput for game logic, which is relevant for the AI-driven crowd and NPC behaviors in Hitman 2's sandbox levels.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS measured for this combination in Hitman 2?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 233, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the Medium preset averages 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 68 FPS. The Low preset averages 79 FPS, while High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS at 45 FPS and 33 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX averages 76,212 in benchmark scores, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (76,155). It also leads the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX by 0.4% each, while trailing the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D by 0.6%.

Q: What settings preset provides the best balance of FPS and visual quality at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 averages 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 FPS and maximum of 128 FPS. This is the only 1440p setting that exceeds 100 FPS while maintaining a moderate visual quality level.

Q: How much FPS is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 132 at 1080p to 84 at 1440p (a 36% reduction) and then to 45 at 4K (a 66% reduction from 1080p). At Medium settings, the drop is from 175 to 112 to 60, representing reductions of 36% and 66% respectively.

Q: What is this combination's rank among all tested systems for Hitman 2?

A: The combo ranks 1026th out of 3711 tested combinations, placing it in approximately the top 28% of all tested systems for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile ranks 1026th out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2. This position places the system in the upper third of the tested pool, though not in the top tier. The rank reflects the mobile nature of both components — while the CPU is at the 95th percentile among all CPUs, the GPU sits at the 81st percentile among all GPUs. This discrepancy suggests that the GPU is the weaker link in this pairing. The RTX 5080 Mobile's average benchmark score is 38,349, which is only 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 (38,299) and 0.6% ahead of the RTX 4080 Mobile (38,135). The MX570 A and AMD Radeon Pro 580X are 0.9% behind. These close margins indicate that the RTX 5080 Mobile's benchmark performance is comparable to previous-generation mobile flagships, which explains why it doesn't break into the top 1000 combos.

The rank of 1026 out of 3711 means that roughly 72% of tested combinations outperform this setup in Hitman 2. However, the game's release date of November 2018 means it is not extremely demanding by modern standards. The 1080p results (97-233 FPS) and 1440p results (62-149 FPS) are strong, while the 4K results (33-79 FPS) show the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. The rank should be interpreted in context: many of the 3,711 combos likely include desktop GPUs with higher power budgets and thermal headroom. For a mobile system, this ranking is respectable, and the data confirms that the configuration is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Hitman 2, with acceptable 4K performance only at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS values reveal a consistent scaling pattern across resolutions. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 132 at 1080p to 84 at 1440p (a 36% reduction) and then to 45 at 4K (a 66% reduction from 1080p). The Medium settings follow the same proportional decline: 175 to 112 (36% reduction) to 60 (66% reduction). Low settings show a slightly steeper curve: 233 to 149 (36% reduction) to 79 (66% reduction). Ultra settings exhibit the largest absolute drops: 97 to 62 (36% reduction) to 33 (66% reduction). This consistent 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and 66% from 1080p to 4K across all settings indicates that the scaling is resolution-bound rather than settings-bound.

The pixel counts tell the story: 1080p has approximately 2.07 million pixels, 1440p has 3.69 million (1.78x more), and 4K has 8.29 million (4x more). The measured FPS reductions are smaller than the pixel count increases, suggesting that the GPU is not purely pixel-bound. The 36% FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p corresponds to a 78% increase in pixel count, while the 66% drop from 1080p to 4K corresponds to a 300% increase. This non-linear relationship indicates that other factors, such as memory bandwidth and fill rate, contribute to the scaling. The RTX 5080 Mobile's 896.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 144.0 GPixel/s pixel rate are likely the limiting factors at higher resolutions. The GPU's 16 GB of GDDR7 memory is sufficient, but the 256-bit bus width may constrain throughput at 4K.

The data suggests that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU can push frame rates high enough that the GPU's settings-dependent load determines performance. At 4K, the GPU's pixel and texture processing limits become apparent — the 33 FPS at Ultra and 45 FPS at High show that the card struggles with the full rendering load. The relatively small differences between settings at 4K (33 to 79 FPS range) versus 1080p (97 to 233 FPS range) further confirm that resolution scaling is the dominant factor. Users seeking higher 4K performance would need to reduce settings significantly, as the Medium preset at 60 FPS is the only viable option for smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the dataset provides four data points. Low settings average 233 FPS. Medium averages 175 FPS, with a minimum of 148 FPS and maximum of 201 FPS. High averages 132 FPS. Ultra averages 97 FPS. The Medium row includes min/max values, showing a range of 53 FPS between minimum and maximum, which indicates some frame time variation during gameplay. The spread from Low to Ultra is 136 FPS, with each settings tier reducing performance by roughly 35-45 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the measured values are: Low at 149 FPS, Medium at 112 FPS (min 95, max 128), High at 84 FPS, and Ultra at 62 FPS. The Medium min/max range of 33 FPS is narrower than at 1080p, suggesting more consistent frame pacing at this resolution. The total spread from Low to Ultra is 87 FPS, with each tier costing approximately 30 FPS. The 1440p results show that the system maintains playable frame rates across all settings, with even Ultra exceeding 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the values compress further: Low at 79 FPS, Medium at 60 FPS (min 51, max 68), High at 45 FPS, and Ultra at 33 FPS. The Medium min/max range is 17 FPS, the tightest of any resolution, indicating stable performance. The spread from Low to Ultra is 46 FPS, with each tier costing roughly 13-15 FPS. The 4K results show that only Low and Medium achieve 60 FPS or above, while High and Ultra fall below the standard target. The minimum of 51 FPS at 4K Medium suggests occasional dips below 60 FPS, but the average remains acceptable.

The complete dataset shows a consistent pattern: Medium settings provide the best balance of average FPS and stability (as evidenced by the min/max values), while Low sacrifices visual quality for speed and Ultra sacrifices speed for visual quality. The measured minimums at Medium (148 FPS at 1080p, 95 FPS at 1440p, 51 FPS at 4K) are all within acceptable ranges for their respective resolutions, suggesting that frame drops are not severe. The maximums (201, 128, 68) indicate headroom for occasional bursts of higher performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile is built on the GB203 chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. It features 7,680 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units, along with 60 ray tracing cores and 240 tensor cores. The GPU's clocks are notably low for a high-end mobile part: a base clock of 975 MHz and boost clock of 1500 MHz. This is significantly lower than typical desktop GPUs, reflecting the 80 W TDP constraint of this mobile implementation. The memory configuration includes 16 GB of GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 896.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 1750 MHz with 28 Gbps effective speed. The GPU's compute capabilities include 23.04 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16, with pixel rate of 144.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s.

In Hitman 2, the GPU's performance varies dramatically with settings and resolution. The measured data shows that the GPU can deliver 233 FPS at 1080p Low, demonstrating strong raw throughput when the rendering load is light. However, the 4K Ultra result of 33 FPS reveals the GPU's limitations under heavy load. The 80 W TDP is a significant constraint — the boost clock of 1500 MHz is likely thermally limited in sustained gaming scenarios. The GPU's benchmark scores reflect this: it ranks at the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 38,349. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce MX570, is only 0.1% behind, and the RTX 4080 Mobile is 0.6% behind. This clustering suggests that the RTX 5080 Mobile's performance is comparable to previous-generation mobile flagships, despite its newer architecture.

The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Hitman 2, which has modest memory requirements for a 2018 title. The 896.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 4K results suggest it may be a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The pixel rate of 144.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s determine the fill-rate capabilities, which directly impact performance at 4K where more pixels and textures must be processed per frame. The GPU's 23.04 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is respectable, but the low clock speeds (975 MHz base, 1500 MHz boost) indicate that the mobile power budget restricts sustained performance. The data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, while the CPU at 1080p allows the GPU to stretch its legs and achieve very high frame rates.