Hitman 2

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER sits at rank 2158 out of 3711 tested combos for Hitman 2. That places this pairing in the lower-middle portion of the database, which is a direct reflection of the GPU being the limiting factor. The CPU is a top-tier part, ranking in the 95th percentile against all CPUs, but the RTX 2070 SUPER only reaches the 65th percentile against all GPUs. This massive gap between component tiers means the combo's overall position is dragged down by the graphics card, not the processor.

When looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D posts an average benchmark score of 75779, which is essentially identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 at 75738 (0.1% delta), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D at 75716 (0.1% delta), and the AMD EPYC 8224P at 75582 (0.3% delta). The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 trails slightly at 75488, a 0.4% gap. These numbers confirm that the CPU is not the bottleneck here; it is performing at the top of its class. The GPU, by contrast, sits near the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, -1% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, -1.2% delta), and the Intel Arc B570 (20556, -1.3% delta), with the Intel Arc A750 at 20582 (-1.5% delta). This is a mid-pack graphics card, and the measured FPS results in Hitman 2 reflect that reality.

GPU Role

The RTX 2070 SUPER brings 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock runs at 1605 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz, and the memory operates at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The card has 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units, with 40 RT cores and 320 tensor cores. The pixel rate is 113.3 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 283.2 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance at 9.062 TFLOPS.

In Hitman 2 specifically, the GPU's 8 GB frame buffer is sufficient at 1080p and 1440p, but the data shows this card struggles at 4K Ultra, where it averages just 23 FPS. The VRAM capacity is not the primary constraint; rather, the raw compute throughput of the TU104 chip limits how many pixels the card can push at higher resolutions and quality settings. The measured results show a clear pattern: at 1080p Low the combo hits 159 FPS, but at 4K Ultra it drops to 23 FPS. This 7x reduction in framerate across a 4x increase in pixel count indicates the GPU is heavily taxed by resolution scaling, while the CPU has ample headroom.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p High, the average is 90 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 58 FPS; at 4K High, it falls to 31 FPS. That is a 35.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46.6% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear with pixel count, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is capable of far more, as evidenced by its 3DMark scores: 17184 in max threads and 16374 in 16 threads, with a single-thread score of 1292. These are top-tier numbers that would not bottleneck any modern game at these framerates.

Looking at Low settings, the pattern is even more telling. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 159 FPS; at 1440p Low, 102 FPS; at 4K Low, 54 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35.8%, and from 1440p to 4K is 47.1%. These consistent percentage drops across quality presets indicate the GPU is the limiting component throughout. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed. The data shows the opposite: the GPU is saturated at every resolution, and the CPU has plenty of headroom to spare.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows:

• Low: 159 FPS average
• Medium: 120 FPS average, with a min of 102 and max of 137
• High: 90 FPS average
• Ultra: 67 FPS average

The 1080p numbers are playable across all presets. Even Ultra maintains 67 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium provides a substantial 120 FPS, and Low reaches 159 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the data shows:

• Low: 102 FPS average
• Medium: 76 FPS average, with a min of 65 and max of 88
• High: 58 FPS average
• Ultra: 43 FPS average

The 1440p results are more varied. Low still delivers over 100 FPS, and Medium stays above 75 FPS, but High dips to 58 FPS, which is borderline for a 60 Hz display. Ultra falls to 43 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action.

At 3840x2160, the numbers are:

• Low: 54 FPS average
• Medium: 41 FPS average, with a min of 35 and max of 47
• High: 31 FPS average
• Ultra: 23 FPS average

The 4K results are clearly GPU-limited. Low settings achieve 54 FPS, which is just shy of 60, but Medium drops to 41 FPS, High to 31 FPS, and Ultra to 23 FPS. The min FPS of 35 at 4K Medium further confirms that this card is not suitable for 4K gaming at higher quality presets.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this combo, the data points to 1080p as the sweet spot. At 1080p High, the average of 90 FPS provides a smooth experience with good visual quality, and even Ultra at 67 FPS is viable. However, the most balanced choice is 1080p High, as it offers a significant improvement over Medium (120 FPS) in visual fidelity while still maintaining a framerate well above 60.

If you prefer higher framerates, 1080p Medium at 120 FPS is excellent, with a minimum of 102 FPS ensuring no noticeable dips. For players with 144 Hz monitors, 1080p Low at 159 FPS would maximize the display's potential, though visual quality will be compromised.

At 1440p, the recommendation is more nuanced. Medium at 76 FPS is the best quality-per-frame option here, as High at 58 FPS may cause noticeable stutter on 60 Hz displays that are not adaptive sync. If you insist on 1440p, Medium is the way to go, with Low at 102 FPS as a fallback for higher refresh rates.

For 4K, the data suggests this combo is not ideal. Low at 54 FPS is the only preset close to playable, but it will require sacrificing most graphical features. Medium at 41 FPS is borderline, and High or Ultra should be avoided entirely. If 4K is a requirement, consider lowering the resolution or upgrading the GPU.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is 1080p High. It delivers 90 FPS, which is smooth, and maintains good visual quality without the performance hit of Ultra. The 67 FPS at Ultra is acceptable, but the 23 FPS improvement from dropping to High is not worth the minor visual difference in this game.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p is the optimal resolution. At 1080p High, the combo averages 90 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. Even 1080p Ultra maintains 67 FPS, making 1080p the only resolution where all presets are playable.

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

A: The data shows 4K is not recommended. At 4K Low, the average is 54 FPS, but Medium drops to 41 FPS, High to 31 FPS, and Ultra to 23 FPS. The min FPS at 4K Medium is 35, indicating significant frame drops. This card is not suited for 4K beyond Low settings.

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

A: The Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 75779 on average, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (75738) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D (75716). It leads the AMD EPYC 8224P (75582) by 0.3% and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (75488) by 0.4%. The CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo.

Q: What is the GPU's performance ranking among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER ranks in the 65th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20282. It sits just below the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, -1% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, -1.2% delta), and it is slightly behind the Intel Arc B570 (20556, -1.3% delta) and the Intel Arc A750 (20582, -1.5% delta).

Q: Which settings preset provides the smoothest experience at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Medium is the best choice, averaging 76 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS. High drops to 58 FPS, which may cause visible stuttering on standard 60 Hz displays, and Ultra falls to 43 FPS. Low at 102 FPS is viable for high-refresh-rate monitors but sacrifices visual quality.

Q: Is the CPU bottlenecking the GPU in this game?

A: No, the data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 159 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 23 FPS. The CPU's benchmark scores, including 17184 in 3DMark max threads and 1292 in single thread, show it has far more capability than the GPU can utilize at higher resolutions. The consistent FPS drops across resolutions confirm the GPU is the limiting component.