Hitman 2

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT presents a classic high-GPU, mid-range-CPU configuration in Hitman 2. The benchmark data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions but begins to expose its 4-core/8-thread processor at 1080p. This combo ranks in the 62nd percentile of all tested configurations, delivering playable frame rates across most settings, though the Ultra preset at 4K proves too demanding for a smooth experience.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and reveals the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 121.6 FPS at 1920x1080 to 74.6 FPS at 2560x1440, then sharply to 43.1 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 64.5% reduction from 1080p to 4K, a scaling pattern typical of a GPU-bound scenario where the RX 7800 XT's 16 GB of VRAM and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth are taxed heavily by the increased pixel count.

The scaling pattern shifts dramatically with the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 213.7 FPS, which drops to 136.6 FPS at 1440p and 75.1 FPS at 4K. The 1080p-to-4K reduction here is 64.9%, nearly identical to High settings. This consistency suggests that even at Low settings, the GPU remains the limiting factor at 4K, though the absolute numbers are far higher. The 4-core i3-12100F, with its 4.30 GHz boost clock, does not appear to create a hard ceiling at 1080p, as the 213.7 FPS result indicates substantial headroom.

Ultra settings tell a different story. The 4K Ultra average of 29.1 FPS is barely playable, while 1440p Ultra manages 56.3 FPS and 1080p Ultra reaches 88.4 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is a 48.3% drop, less severe than the 64% drops seen at other presets, implying that the Ultra preset's additional effects create a more balanced load where both CPU and GPU contribute to the frame rate ceiling.

CPU Role

The Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread part based on Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost of 4.30 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 80 KB L1 per core are modest by modern standards, yet the benchmark results show it performs admirably in this game. The 3dmark single-thread score of 893 and passmark single-thread score of 3444 indicate strong per-core performance, which Hitman 2's engine can leverage.

The CPU's percentile rank of 72 among all tested processors places it above the median, and its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (0.1% lower score) and Intel Core i7-7700K (1.8% lower). This suggests the i3-12100F delivers competitive throughput despite its low core count. In this game, the 1080p Low result of 213.7 FPS demonstrates that the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently at lower resolution, but the 4-core design may struggle with the simulation overhead at Ultra settings.

At 1080p Ultra, the 88.4 FPS result is 58.6% lower than the 1080p Low figure, a gap that points to the CPU's limited thread count becoming more relevant as the game's AI and physics systems scale with settings. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11912 and 3dmark 8-thread score of 4026 show that the processor maxes out its performance with all threads engaged, leaving little headroom for background tasks or heavy game logic.

GPU Role

The RX 7800 XT is the dominant component here, built on RDNA 3.0 architecture with 3840 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 624.1 GB/s bandwidth, which proves sufficient even at 4K Ultra where the 29.1 FPS result is more likely limited by raw compute than memory capacity. The GPU's 37.32 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 583.2 GTexel/s texture rate are substantial, yet Hitman 2's Ultra preset at 4K demands more than this card can deliver.

The GPU's percentile rank of 76 and average benchmark score of 32619 place it close to the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (0.2% higher score) and NVIDIA P104-100 (0.4% lower). The 2430 MHz boost clock and 2124 MHz game clock provide the raw speed needed for high frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 213.7 FPS result showcases the card's ability to push massive frame rates when the CPU keeps up, while the 4K High figure of 43.1 FPS indicates the GPU's limits in pixel-heavy scenarios.

The scaling from Medium to High at 1440p (100.4 to 74.6 FPS, a 25.7% drop) and from High to Ultra (74.6 to 56.3, a 24.5% drop) shows that each settings tier has a predictable cost. The GPU's 96 ROPs and 233.3 GPixel/s pixel rate are the key metrics for resolution scaling, and the data shows a consistent degradation as resolution increases across all presets.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks 684th out of 1795 tested combos, placing it in the 62nd percentile overall. This is a solid mid-pack result, reflecting the mismatch between a high-end GPU and a mid-range CPU. The GPU's 76th percentile rank is significantly higher than the CPU's 72nd percentile, confirming that the processor is the weaker link in this pairing.

Relative to other combos, this system outperforms the majority of configurations tested, but it falls short of top-tier results achieved with higher-core-count CPUs. The 684th rank suggests that while the RX 7800 XT can handle most workloads, the i3-12100F prevents the combo from reaching the upper echelons of the database. The 1080p results, where the CPU has the most influence, show the combo still delivers 213.7 FPS at Low, which is competitive, but the 4K Ultra figure of 29.1 FPS drags the overall ranking down.

The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1440p gaming, where it achieves 100.4 FPS at Medium and 74.6 FPS at High, both respectable figures that rank well against other systems. At 4K, the combo is clearly GPU-bound, and the rank reflects that the 7800 XT cannot overcome the resolution demands without CPU assistance that the i3-12100F cannot provide.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data points to Medium settings at 1440p as the optimal balance for this combo. The 100.4 FPS average at 2560x1440 Medium is smooth and well above the 60 FPS threshold, while the 51.7 FPS at 4K Medium is playable but not ideal. At 1080p, High settings at 121.6 FPS offer an excellent experience, with the 88.4 FPS Ultra result still playable but showing diminishing returns.

For 4K users, Low settings at 75.1 FPS provide the only consistently smooth option, as Medium drops to 51.7 FPS and High falls to 43.1 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K should be avoided entirely, as the 29.1 FPS average is below playability standards. At 1440p, Ultra at 56.3 FPS is borderline, but High at 74.6 FPS offers better frame pacing and is the recommended choice for visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

The 1080p Low figure of 213.7 FPS is useful for competitive play, but the 161 FPS Medium result shows that the game still looks decent while maintaining high frame rates. The data suggests that this combo excels at 1080p and 1440p with Medium-to-High settings, with 4K reserved for those who prioritize resolution over frame rate.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 2560x1440 is the sweet spot, with 100.4 FPS at Medium and 74.6 FPS at High, providing a strong balance between visual quality and smoothness.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it achieves 75.1 FPS. Medium drops to 51.7 FPS, High to 43.1 FPS, and Ultra to 29.1 FPS, all below ideal smoothness.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck?

A: At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as frame rates scale consistently with resolution. At 1080p, the CPU's 4-core design becomes more relevant, especially at Ultra settings where the 88.4 FPS result trails the 213.7 FPS Low figure.

Q: How does this combo rank against others?

A: It ranks 684th out of 1795 combos, placing it in the 62nd percentile. The GPU ranks in the 76th percentile while the CPU ranks in the 72nd percentile, indicating a slight CPU bottleneck.

Q: What settings should I use for competitive play?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 213.7 FPS, which maximizes frame rate for competitive scenarios. Medium at 161 FPS is also viable if you prefer better visuals.

Q: Is the 16 GB VRAM useful in this game?

A: The RX 7800 XT's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory is more than sufficient for Hitman 2, as the game's requirements are well within this capacity even at 4K Ultra, where the 29.1 FPS result is limited by compute, not memory.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 213.7 FPS on Low, 161 FPS on Medium, 121.6 FPS on High, and 88.4 FPS on Ultra. These figures show a clear progression where each settings tier costs roughly 25-30% in frame rate, with the CPU able to maintain high throughput at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the results are 136.6 FPS on Low, 100.4 FPS on Medium, 74.6 FPS on High, and 56.3 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p results show a more pronounced drop from Low to Medium (26.5%) and from High to Ultra (24.5%), consistent with the GPU taking on more pixel workload.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates fall to 75.1 FPS on Low, 51.7 FPS on Medium, 43.1 FPS on High, and 29.1 FPS on Ultra. The 4K data reveals that Ultra is the only unplayable preset, with High and Medium providing marginal experiences and Low being the only smooth option. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at each preset is roughly 45-50%, demonstrating the GPU's diminishing returns as resolution increases.