Hitman 2

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the Intel Arc B370 produces a deeply unbalanced gaming platform for Hitman 2, with the measured frame rates showing that the GPU becomes the overwhelming bottleneck across all tested resolutions and settings. The combo ranks 2768th out of 3001 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8 percent of all pairings, and the data indicates that while the 16-core, 32-thread processor is among the most capable CPUs ever benchmarked, the integrated-class Arc B370 cannot translate that horsepower into playable frame rates except at the lowest settings and resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU and GPU combination for Hitman 2?

A: The combo ranks 2768th out of 3001 tested combinations, which places it in the bottom portion of all tested pairings. This rank reflects the severe imbalance between the high-end processor and the low-end graphics solution.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved with this combo?

A: The best measured result is 73 FPS average at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 60 FPS average, and it represents the ceiling for playable performance.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184, which is essentially tied with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 at 1186 (0.2 percent slower), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 at 1190 (0.5 percent slower), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M at 1192 (0.7 percent slower). It is 1.4 percent faster than the AMD FirePro M2000 at 1168.

Q: What is the CPU's benchmark percentile relative to all processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 75779. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, scores 75738, a delta of just 0.1 percent.

Q: What memory configuration does the GPU use?

A: The Intel Arc B370 uses System Shared memory, with a bus width and bandwidth that are also System Shared and System Dependent respectively. This means the GPU relies entirely on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 shows a minimum FPS of 30 and a maximum of 40, with an average of 35 FPS. This is the only resolution and setting combination in the measured data that provides full min/max frame time information.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Intel Arc B370 achieves a rank of 2768 out of 3001 tested combos for Hitman 2. This places the pairing in the bottom 7.8 percent of all tested configurations, a position that reflects the fundamental mismatch between the components. The processor is a top-tier desktop part that reaches the 95th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 75779. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 at 75738, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D at 75716, the AMD EPYC 8224P at 75582, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 at 75488. The deltas between these processors are minuscule, ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 percent, showing that the 9950X3D is essentially at the very top of the CPU performance hierarchy.

In stark contrast, the Intel Arc B370 sits at the 5th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1184. Its nearest rivals are all legacy or low-end parts: the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 at 1186 (0.2 percent slower), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 at 1190 (0.5 percent slower), the AMD Radeon HD 7650M at 1192 (0.7 percent slower), and the AMD FirePro M2000 at 1168 (1.4 percent faster). The GPU is an integrated graphics processor with a 25 W TDP, using Panther Lake architecture on a 3 nm Intel process. It has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, with a boost clock of 2400 MHz and a base clock of 300 MHz.

The ranking data tells a clear story: this combo is massively GPU-limited. The CPU could easily handle Hitman 2 at high frame rates, but the Arc B370's performance ceiling is so low that the processor's capabilities are almost entirely irrelevant. The measured FPS data confirms this interpretation. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo reaches 73 FPS average, which is the only playable result. At the same resolution with High settings, it drops to 41 FPS. These numbers are far below what a 95th percentile CPU should enable, and they point directly at the GPU as the limiting factor.

The rank of 2768 out of 3001 is not surprising given this imbalance. Combos that pair high-end CPUs with integrated graphics or very low-end discrete GPUs typically occupy the bottom of the ranking, and this configuration follows that pattern. The data shows no scenario where the CPU's strength compensates for the GPU's weakness, as even the best measured result barely crosses the 60 FPS threshold.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only configuration that delivers a consistently playable experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves 73 FPS average. This is the sole result above 60 FPS, and it provides the headroom necessary for smooth gameplay in Hitman 2's stealth-focused mechanics. The next step down, 1920x1080 with Medium settings, drops to 54 FPS average with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 63 FPS, which is borderline playable but will experience noticeable frame dips during busy scenes.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields 46 FPS average, which is marginal for a stealth game where precise timing matters. The Medium preset at this resolution falls to 35 FPS average with a minimum of 30 FPS, and the High preset drops further to 26 FPS. None of these are recommended for a game that rewards smooth, responsive controls.

The 3840x2160 resolution is effectively unplayable across all settings. Even the Low preset only reaches 25 FPS average, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at 10 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 16 FPS and a maximum of 21 FPS, with an average of 19 FPS, which is far below any playable threshold.

For the best experience per the measured rows, the clear recommendation is 1920x1080 with Low settings. This provides the only average above 60 FPS and gives the player the best chance of maintaining fluid frame rates throughout the game. If visual quality is a priority, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 offers 54 FPS average, but the minimum of 46 FPS suggests that frame pacing may suffer in demanding areas. Given that Hitman 2 is a stealth game where reaction times and precise movement are critical, the stability of the Low preset at 1080p makes it the optimal choice from the available data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions—1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160—across four settings presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. At 1920x1080, the results show a clear progression from 73 FPS average at Low settings to 54 FPS at Medium (with a minimum of 46 and maximum of 63), then 41 FPS at High, and finally 30 FPS at Ultra. The gap between Low and Medium is 19 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 13 FPS, and High to Ultra is 11 FPS. This indicates diminishing returns as settings increase, but also that even the highest preset at 1080p remains technically playable at 30 FPS average.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings produce 46 FPS average, which is a 27 FPS reduction compared to 1080p Low. Medium settings yield 35 FPS average with a minimum of 30 and maximum of 40, representing a 19 FPS drop from the 1080p Medium result. High settings fall to 26 FPS average, a 15 FPS reduction from 1080p High. Ultra settings at 1440p reach only 19 FPS average, an 11 FPS drop from 1080p Ultra. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is roughly consistent across settings, with losses ranging from 11 to 27 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance collapses. Low settings produce 25 FPS average, which is a 21 FPS drop from 1440p Low and a 48 FPS drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings fall to 19 FPS average, with a minimum of 16 and maximum of 21, representing a 16 FPS drop from 1440p Medium. High settings reach only 14 FPS average, and Ultra settings bottom out at 10 FPS. The 4K results are uniformly unplayable, with even the lowest settings failing to reach 30 FPS.

The data shows that the Arc B370's performance scales poorly with resolution increases. The transition from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 35 to 40 percent of the frame rate at each setting, while the transition from 1440p to 4K costs an additional 40 to 50 percent. This is consistent with a GPU that has limited pixel throughput and relies on shared system memory, as the fill rate requirements of higher resolutions quickly overwhelm its capabilities.

The only configuration with complete min/max data is the Medium preset, which shows minimums of 46 FPS at 1080p, 30 FPS at 1440p, and 16 FPS at 4K, with corresponding maximums of 63, 40, and 21 FPS. This data reveals significant frame pacing variance, particularly at 4K where the spread between minimum and maximum is only 5 FPS, indicating that the GPU is consistently saturated. At 1080p Medium, the spread of 17 FPS suggests more variable performance, likely due to scene complexity changes.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the primary bottleneck in this configuration, and its specifications explain why the measured FPS numbers are so low. The GPU uses the Xe3-LPG architecture on Intel's 3 nm process node, with a Panther Lake chip. It has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. The base clock is 300 MHz, and the boost clock reaches 2400 MHz. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS and FP16 performance of 12.29 TFLOPS (2:1).

The memory configuration is particularly important for Hitman 2's performance. The Arc B370 uses System Shared memory, meaning it has no dedicated VRAM. The memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as System Shared or System Dependent. This means the GPU must access system memory over the bus, which introduces latency and bandwidth constraints that are especially problematic for a game like Hitman 2 that features large, detailed environments. The lack of dedicated VRAM also means the GPU competes with the CPU for memory bandwidth, further limiting performance.

The GPU's TDP is 25 W, and it is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no power connectors and a slot width of "IGP." This is not a discrete graphics card but rather an integrated solution, which explains its performance level. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score of 1184 places it at the 5th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are all from the ATI Radeon HD 5000 and 7000 series or the AMD FirePro M2000, all of which are over a decade old.

In Hitman 2 specifically, the GPU's limitations manifest clearly. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 73 FPS, which suggests the GPU can handle the game's basic rendering at low resolution and minimal settings. However, the drop to 54 FPS at Medium settings indicates that even modest increases in shadow quality, texture detail, and post-processing effects dramatically impact performance. The GPU's 20 ROPs and 40 TMUs are simply insufficient for the pixel and texture fill rates required by higher settings.

The 4K results demonstrate the GPU's absolute ceiling. Even at Low settings, 4K produces only 25 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 10 FPS. This is consistent with a GPU that cannot handle the pixel throughput required by 3840x2160 resolution, regardless of settings. The shared memory architecture compounds this problem, as the bandwidth available to the GPU is dependent on the system's memory configuration, which is not specified in the data but is unlikely to be optimized for graphics workloads.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a flagship desktop processor that belongs to the 9000 series, featuring 16 cores and 32 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It is manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process node with 16,630 million transistors across a dual-die design (2x 70.6 mm²). The base clock is 4.30 GHz, and the boost clock reaches 5.70 GHz, with a TDP of 170 W. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 128 MB of L3 cache, which is the 3D V-Cache configuration that distinguishes this processor from standard Ryzen 9 models.

The CPU supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, along with ECC memory support. It uses the AMD Socket AM5 platform and provides Gen 5 PCIe with 24 lanes from the CPU. The processor includes integrated Radeon Graphics and has an unlocked multiplier, making it a fully overclockable desktop part. The launch MSRP is $699, and it was released on 2025-01-05.

In benchmark terms, the 9950X3D is extraordinary. It scores 42018 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2259 in single-core, 6536 in Cinebench R15 multicore and 350 in single-core, 26736 in Geekbench multicore and 3064 in single-core, and 17184 in 3DMark max threads with 1292 in single-thread. The PassMark results are equally impressive, with a multithread score of 70255, a single-thread score of 4737, and notable scores for integer math (243209), floating-point math (159724), and extended instructions (73011). The average benchmark score is 75779, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU's nearest rivals are all extremely close in performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 scores 75738 (0.1 percent slower), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D scores 75716 (0.1 percent slower), the AMD EPYC 8224P scores 75582 (0.3 percent slower), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 75488 (0.4 percent slower). These deltas are within measurement noise, meaning the 9950X3D is effectively tied with the fastest processors available.

In Hitman 2, the CPU's role is largely theoretical because the Arc B370 cannot generate frame rates high enough to stress the processor. Hitman 2 is a game that benefits from strong single-thread performance for game logic and AI, and the 9950X3D's single-core score of 2259 in Cinebench R23 and 1292 in 3DMark single-thread indicates it would easily handle these tasks. The 16 cores and 32 threads also provide ample headroom for background processes and any multi-threaded game systems.

However, the measured FPS data shows that the CPU is never the limiting factor. At every resolution and setting, the frame rates are determined by the GPU's rendering capabilities. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the 73 FPS average is far below what the 9950X3D could support with a more capable graphics card. The CPU's high L3 cache of 128 MB and dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s would benefit Hitman 2's large levels and asset streaming, but these advantages are wasted when the GPU cannot deliver frame rates above 73 FPS.

The conclusion from the CPU data is that this processor is overqualified for the paired GPU in this game. The 95th percentile ranking and near-tie with the fastest rivals demonstrates that the 9950X3D is not the source of the combo's poor performance. Instead, the CPU sits idle relative to its potential, waiting for a GPU that can actually utilize its capabilities. For users considering this combo, the data clearly shows that the processor should be paired with a discrete graphics card several tiers above the Arc B370 to achieve balanced performance in Hitman 2.