Hitman 2

Hitman 2, a stealth title from 2018, presents a fascinating case study when paired with a modern, high-end GPU and an entry-level quad-core CPU. The measured data for the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination reveals a significant performance bottleneck, where the processor's capabilities heavily constrain the graphics card's potential. The benchmark results show a system that can deliver high frame rates at lower resolutions but struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K Ultra, offering a clear picture of how these two components interact under varying loads.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache is a modest allocation for a modern processor. In the context of Hitman 2, a title that is known to be demanding on the CPU for AI and simulation tasks, this configuration is a critical factor. The processor's benchmark scores, such as its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11912 and single-core score of 1681, indicate a solid performer for its class, but the limited core count is a potential liability.

The data suggests that this CPU is the primary limiting factor in this pairing. The percentileVsAllCpus of 72 indicates it outperforms 72% of all CPUs, which is respectable, but it is not in the top tier. When paired with a GPU as powerful as the RX 9070 XT, the 4-core design can become a constraint, particularly in scenarios where the game engine needs to process numerous NPCs and complex interactions simultaneously. The benchmark results show that the system's performance is inconsistent across settings, a classic symptom of a CPU bottleneck where the processor cannot feed the GPU enough data to keep it fully utilized. The CPU's 3DMark scores, with an 8-thread score of 4026 and a max-thread score of 4023, show it reaches its performance ceiling quickly, suggesting that additional threads would not yield much benefit.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is a powerhouse, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. Its boost clock of 2970 MHz and 4096 shading units provide substantial raw compute power, reflected in its FP32 performance of 48.66 TFLOPS. In isolation, this GPU is more than capable of handling Hitman 2 at any resolution or setting, as evidenced by its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 7260 and a passmark G3D score of 26795.

However, the measured FPS data tells a different story. The GPU's potential is not fully realized due to the CPU bottleneck. For instance, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 237.4 FPS, which is exceptional. This high frame rate suggests the GPU is being fed enough data to work at a high capacity. Yet, when the resolution increases, the FPS drops are not purely linear, indicating that the CPU becomes the limiting factor at lower resolutions, and the GPU becomes the limit at higher resolutions. The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, so memory capacity is not a concern. The data indicates the GPU is a capable component, but its performance is curtailed by the processor's inability to keep pace with its demands, especially in CPU-intensive scenes.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT ranks at 462 out of 1795 tested combinations in this game. This places it in the top 25.7% of all combos, which is a solid result, but not a top-tier one. The rank is likely held back by the CPU, as the GPU is in the top 18% of all GPUs (percentileVsAllGpus of 82). The data suggests that this pairing is not optimally balanced, as a more powerful CPU would likely push this combo much higher in the rankings.

The combo's position is particularly interesting when considering the CPU's nearest rivals. The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13516, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (13534, -0.1% delta) and Intel Core i7-1250U (13462, 0.4% delta). This suggests that in synthetic benchmarks, the i3-12100F performs comparably to these other processors, but in a real-world gaming scenario like Hitman 2, the core count and thread scheduling may have a different impact. The ranking indicates that while the CPU and GPU are individually capable, their combined performance is not as high as one might expect from such a powerful GPU, reinforcing the idea that the CPU is the bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance. At 1080p, the system is clearly CPU-bound at lower settings. The average frame rates are 237.4 FPS on Low, 175.3 FPS on Medium, 133 FPS on High, and 99.6 FPS on Ultra. This shows a steep decline as settings increase, but even at Ultra, the frame rate is well above 60 FPS, indicating a smooth experience. The jump from Low to Medium is a 62.1 FPS drop, while the jump from High to Ultra is a 33.4 FPS drop, suggesting diminishing returns on higher settings.

Moving to 1440p, the frame rates remain high but show a more pronounced scaling. The average FPS is 150.8 on Low, 110.9 on Medium, 85.7 on High, and 65.9 on Ultra. This represents a drop of 86.6 FPS from Low to Ultra. The system still manages to keep all settings above 60 FPS, which is impressive. At 4K, the performance becomes more demanding. The average FPS is 83.7 on Low, 61.4 on Medium, 46.3 on High, and 35.7 on Ultra. Here, the system begins to struggle, with only Low and Medium settings providing a playable experience above 60 FPS. The drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 153.7 FPS, which underscores the massive impact of resolution on this system.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data provides critical insights into the system's bottleneck. From 1080p to 1440p, the FPS drops by 36.5% at Low settings (from 237.4 to 150.8), 36.7% at Medium (from 175.3 to 110.9), 35.6% at High (from 133 to 85.7), and 33.8% at Ultra (from 99.6 to 65.9). These are significant drops, but they are relatively consistent across settings, suggesting that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at higher resolutions, but the CPU is still contributing to the overall performance ceiling.

From 1440p to 4K, the drops are even more substantial: 44.5% at Low (from 150.8 to 83.7), 44.6% at Medium (from 110.9 to 61.4), 46.0% at High (from 85.7 to 46.3), and 45.8% at Ultra (from 65.9 to 35.7). These larger percentage drops indicate that at 4K, the GPU is the primary limiting component, as the increased pixel count places a much heavier load on the graphics card. The data shows a clear shift: at 1080p, the CPU is the bottleneck, limiting frame rates even at Low settings. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes more and more the limiting factor, with the CPU's influence waning.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-12100F a bottleneck for the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT in Hitman 2?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests this. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 237.4 FPS, but this is likely limited by the CPU's 4-core design, as the GPU is capable of much higher frame rates. The CPU's 3DMark max-thread score of 4023 indicates it reaches its performance ceiling quickly.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combination to maintain a 60 FPS average?

A: At 1440p, all settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) maintain an average FPS above 60, with the lowest being 65.9 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, only Low (83.7 FPS) and Medium (61.4 FPS) settings achieve this target, while High (46.3 FPS) and Ultra (35.7 FPS) fall below.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance impact the game?

A: The CPU's single-core Cinebench R23 score is 1681, which is decent. However, the game benefits from higher single-core performance, and the 4-core limit means that the CPU's 8 threads are fully utilized, potentially leading to stutters in CPU-intensive scenes. The passmark single-thread score of 3444 is a reasonable indicator of this capability.

Q: What does the 462nd rank out of 1795 combinations tell us?

A: It indicates that this pairing performs better than 74.3% of all tested combos in this game. This is a good result, but it is not in the top tier, which is likely due to the CPU holding back the GPU's full potential. The combo rank is 462, while the GPU itself is in the 82nd percentile.

Q: Is there a significant performance difference between High and Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the difference is substantial. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 133 FPS on High to 99.6 FPS on Ultra, a 25.1% decrease. At 1440p, the drop is from 85.7 FPS to 65.9 FPS, a 23.1% decrease. This suggests that Ultra settings are particularly demanding and may not be worth the visual gain for the performance cost.

Q: How does the 16 GB of VRAM on the GPU affect performance?

A: The 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Hitman 2, so it is not a limiting factor. The memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s is also ample. The performance issues are not related to VRAM capacity or bandwidth, but rather to the CPU's processing power.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combination depends heavily on the target resolution. For a 1080p display, the High preset (133 FPS) offers an excellent balance of visual quality and performance, providing a smooth and responsive experience. The Ultra preset (99.6 FPS) is also viable if you prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate, as it remains well above 60 FPS. The Low and Medium presets are unnecessary at this resolution, as they offer diminishing visual returns for the extra performance.

At 1440p, the High preset (85.7 FPS) is the sweet spot, delivering a high frame rate that is ideal for a stealth game where smooth camera movement is important. The Ultra preset (65.9 FPS) is also playable and provides the best visual quality, but the lower frame rate might be noticeable in fast-paced sequences. For the most consistent performance, the Medium preset (110.9 FPS) is a safe choice, but it sacrifices some visual detail. At 4K, the options are more limited. The Medium preset (61.4 FPS) is the highest setting that maintains a 60 FPS average, making it the recommended choice for a playable experience. The Low preset (83.7 FPS) is also viable if you prefer a higher frame rate, but the High and Ultra presets should be avoided as they fall below 50 FPS, which can feel sluggish.